Soldier profiles

Name : DAVIDSON, ARTHUR LEOPOLD
Service Number : VX42307
Date of Birth : 16/12/1905
Place of Birth : BOULDER CITY, WA
Known as :
Occupation on Enlistment : FARMER, TRUCK DRIVER
Date of Enlistment : 11/07/1940
Locality on Enlistment : WANGARATTA, VIC
Place of Enlistment : CAULFIELD, VIC
Next of Kin : DAVIDSON, ELLEN
Rank (at time of discharge / death) : PRIVATE
Service : ARMY
Final Posting : 2/2 PIONEER BATTALION
Position / Platoon / Company (as 2/2 Pioneer) (date / details) :
Unit Transfers / Promotions (date / details) :
Theatres of War : SYRIA, JAVA
Actions :
Wounded (date / details) :
Discharged : N/A
Date Died : 10/01/1943
Age at Death : 37
Community Roll of Honour : WANGARATTA (VIC)
Buried Location / Memorial (P.O.W., D.O.W., K.I.A.) : THANBYUZAYAT WAR CEMETERY, MYANMAR. A11. B. 11. / AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL COMMEMORATIVE AREA PANEL 72
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) : 10/01/1943 / DYSENTERY / THANBYUZAYAT CAMP (BURMA)
P.O.W. Camps (details) : THANBYUZAYAT (BURMA)
Recovered P.O.W. (location/s) : NO
Honours and Gallantry : None for display
Applicable Australian War Memorial circulars : Australian War Memorial Death Circular, Australian War Memorial B-JAVA-0021 Missing & POW Circular
References found (entries & photos) : National Archives of Australia (Barcode 6132035 [DIGITISED]), WW2 Nominal Roll, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Australian War Memorial

Background : Son of James McKay Davidson, and Alice Davidson; husband of Ellen Agnes Davidson, of Wangaratta, Victoria, Australia. A.A.S.C. general reinforcements. Located after war and reburied in Thanbyuzayat P.O.W. Cemetery.

Service & personal summary Married on enlistment. No previous military experience. Brown eyes, black hair. Marks / scars : appendectomy scar. Operational service : Middle East, Java area (embarked from Australia 07/04/1941).

Service record
11/07/1940 Taken on strength Recruit Reception Depot Caulfield, Victoria.
18/07/1940 Transferred to 15 Infantry Training Battalion, Shepparton, Victoria.
30/10/1940 Transferred to 2/2 Pioneer Battalion, Shepparton, Victoria.
30/10/1940 Posted to 2/2 Pioneer Battalion Puckapunyal, Seymour, Victoria from 2/21 Training Battalion.
07/04/1941 Embarked Sydney, New South Wales on H.M.S. Queen Mary (H.M.T. N.N.).
03/05/1941 Disembarked Middle East.
25/07/1941 Evacuated from 2/2 Pioneer Battalion to 2/4 Field Ambulance Main Dressing Station Middle East with dysentery and XXXX sores.
30/07/1941 Discharged from 2/4 Field Ambulance Main Dressing Station to unit.
30/07/1941 Rejoined 2/2 Pioneer Battalion Middle East from 2/4 Field Ambulance Main Dressing Station.
19/08/1941 Evacuated to 2/3 Casualty Clearing Station with abscess left leg.
25/08/1941 Evacuated from 2/3 Casualty Clearing Station to 1 Australian Corps Rest Station.
14/09/1941 Discharged from 1 Australian Corps Rest Station to unit.
14/09/1941 Rejoined 2/2 Pioneer Battalion from 1 Australian Corps Rest Station Middle East.
13/11/1941 Evacuated to 2/3 Australian Casualty Clearing Station with eye trouble and transferred to X list.
07/12/1941 Discharged from 2/3 Australian Casualty Clearing Station (chronic conjunctivitis) and returned to unit.
08/12/1941 Rejoined 2/2 Pioneer Battalion from 2/3 Australian Casualty Clearing Station.
31/01/1942 Embarked Middle East on S.S. Orcades.
18/02/1942 Disembarked Batavia, Java.
07/03/1942 Reported missing in action (Java).
30/04/1942 Reported missing in action (Java) and transferred to X list.
18/09/1942 Previously reported missing in action now believed prisoner of war.
10/01/1943 Geneva confirms died of disease whilst prisoner of war.
04/11/1943 Reported prisoner of war (Java).
10/12/1943 Reported interned in Thailand camp and transferred to Thailand camp.
22/12/1943 Reported interned in prisoner of war Thailand camp.
26/04/1945 Died of illness (dysentery) whilst prisoner of war Burma on or after 01/12/1942 (NOTE : incorrect date; was modified to 10/01/1943 when Geneva information came to hand).