Soldier profiles
Name : HANDASYDE, STEWART JOHN
Service Number : VX15670
Date of Birth : 13/11/1909
Place of Birth : CAMBERWELL, VIC
Known as :
Occupation on Enlistment :
Date of Enlistment : 17/05/1940
Locality on Enlistment : CAMBERWELL, VIC
Place of Enlistment : CAULFIELD, VIC
Next of Kin : HANDASYDE, JANE
Rank (at time of discharge / death) : CAPTAIN
Service : ARMY
Final Posting : 2/2 PIONEER BATTALION
Position / Platoon / Company (as 2/2 Pioneer) (date / details) : O.I.C. B COMPANY (SYRIA)
Unit Transfers / Promotions (date / details) :
Theatres of War : SYRIA, JAVA
Actions : FORT MERDJAYOUN (SYRIA), TJILILITAN (JAVA), LLEWILIANG (JAVA)
Wounded (date / details) : 29/06/1941 HEAD WOUND FORT MERDJAYOUN (SYRIA)
Discharged : 19/12/1945
Date Died : 18/08/1976
Age at Death : 66
Community Roll of Honour : N/A
Buried Location / Memorial (P.O.W., D.O.W., K.I.A.) : N/A
K.I.A. (date / details) : N/A
D.O.W. (date / details) : N/A
M.I.A. (date / details) : N/A
P.O.W. (location/s) : JAVA
Died P.O.W. (date / details) : NO
P.O.W. Camps (details) : BICYCLE (JAVA), KANBURI (THAILAND)
Recovered P.O.W. (location/s) : THAILAND
Honours and Gallantry : Mentioned in Despatches (2/2 Pioneer Battalion) for services rendered whilst POW in Japanese hands. London Gazette 06/03/1947, page 1093, position 107. Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 06/03/1947, page 760, position 62
Applicable Australian War Memorial circulars : Australian War Memorial B-JAVA-0037 Missing & POW Circular
References found (entries & photos) : National Archives of Australia (Barcode 6214836 [NOT EXAMINED], Barcode 478901 [OPEN]), WW2 Nominal Roll, Australian War Memorial, AWM_030390/09.jpg, AWM_030390/03.jpg, AWM_030390/17.jpg, AWM_030391/08.jpg, AWM_030391/04.jpg, AWM_P01521.001.jpg, AWM_P01613.001.jpg, Past article (size 598kB), Past article (size 214kB), Past article (size 216kB), Past article (size 346kB), AWM_ART28403.036.jpg
Background : Referred to as `Skyline Annie' for his contempt for safety during attack on Fort Merdjayoun, Syria 17/06/1941. Tortured 26/05/1942 onwards and returned to Battalion 24/06/1942. Repatriated to Australia on M.V. Highland Chieftain.
