Soldier profiles

Name : WATSON, JAMES
Service Number : VX57005
Date of Birth : 10/05/1903
Place of Birth : EAGLEHAWK, VIC
Known as :
Occupation on Enlistment : WATER BAILIFF
Date of Enlistment : 30/05/1941
Locality on Enlistment : TONGALA, VIC
Place of Enlistment : ROYAL PARK, VIC
Next of Kin : WATSON, CAROLINE
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 : 30/06/1943
Age at Death : 40
Community Roll of Honour : TONGALA (VIC)
Buried Location / Memorial (P.O.W., D.O.W., K.I.A.) : THANBYUZAYAT WAR CEMETERY, MYANMAR. A5. F. 4. / AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL COMMEMORATIVE AREA PANEL 73
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) : 30/06/1943 / MALARIA, MALNUTRITION / 40 KILO CAMP (BURMA)
P.O.W. Camps (details) : 40 KILO (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-0090 Missing & POW Circular
References found (entries & photos) : National Archives of Australia (Barcode 6116409 [DIGITISED], Barcode 21510983 [NOT EXAMINED]), WW2 Nominal Roll, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Australian War Memorial

Background : Son of Samuel John and Emily Anderson Watson. Husband of Caroline Frances Watson, of Tongala, Victoria, Australia. Father of Margaret Caroline Watson. Uncle of Samuel Thomas Armstrong.

Service & personal summary At enlistment : married. No previous military experience. Grey eyes, brown hair. Marks / scars : scar left arm, left knee and lower right thigh.

Service record
30/05/1941 Taken on strength Recruit Reception Depot Royal Park, Victoria.
02/06/1941 Granted leave without pay 02/06/1941 to 16/06/1941 inclusive.
17/06/1941 Rejoined unit from leave without pay.
20/06/1941 Transferred to Engineering Training Depot (Pioneer Wing) Puckapunyal, Seymour, Victoria.
21/06/1941 Transferred from Recruit Reception Depot.
23/06/1941 Transferred to Pioneer Wing Engineering Training Depot.
08/07/1941 Posted to 4th Reinforcements 2/2 Pioneer Battalion.
03/09/1941 Embarked Sydney, New South Wales.
23/09/1941 Disembarked Middle East to Pioneer Training Battalion.
30/09/1941 Appointed Lance Corporal.
07/11/1941 Marched out to 2/2 Pioneer Battalion.
10/11/1941 Taken on strength from Pioneer Training Battalion.
22/01/1942 Reverted to Private.
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.
01/10/1942 Reported missing in action believed prisoner of war.
04/11/1943 Reported prisoner of war.
22/12/1943 Reported interned Thailand camp.
18/09/1944 Deceased whilst prisoner of war Thailand camp with malaria 30/06/1943.