Soldier profiles

Name : PRIOR, ALFRED NELSON
Service Number : VX59592 (V80247)
Date of Birth : 03/02/1896
Place of Birth : LONDON, ENGLAND
Known as :
Occupation on Enlistment : FARM HAND
Date of Enlistment : 16/07/1941
Locality on Enlistment : PAKENHAM EAST, VIC
Place of Enlistment : ROYAL PARK, VIC
Next of Kin : PRIOR, ALFRED
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 : 01/07/1943
Age at Death : 47
Community Roll of Honour : MELBOURNE (VIC)
Buried Location / Memorial (P.O.W., D.O.W., K.I.A.) : THANBYUZAYAT WAR CEMETERY, MYANMAR. A4. A. 5. / 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) : 01/07/1943 / DYSENTERY, MALARIA / 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 : NO
References found (entries & photos) : National Archives of Australia (Barcode 6113387 [DIGITISED], Barcode 8022344 [DIGITISED], Barcode 21515715 [OPEN]), WW2 Nominal Roll, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Australian War Memorial

Background : Son of Alfred and Ada Prior, of Putney, London. Related to Tony Prior (Tony's father's cousin) in Somerset, United Kingdom. He emigrated to Australia in March 1914 and the passenger list on the S.S. Port Macquarie shows him as aged 18 and occupation as 'farm student'. Served in World War 1 as Private service number V80247 (at rate of 3 shillings per day). 02/10/1918 Enlisted Broadmeadows. 23/10/1918 Depot Battalion Australian Imperial Forces Broadmeadows. 24/12/1918 Discharged (demob of Australian Imperial Forces). 98 days length of service. Discharge certificate 25995.

Service & personal summary Enlisted with date of birth of 03/02/1902 to put age down. At enlistment : single. No previous military experience. Height 5 feet 8 inches, blue eyes, fresh complexion, brown hair. Marks / scars : tattoos both arms (kangaroo -flags left arm, kangaroo flag and globe right arm), circular scar inner right ankle, scar inner left forearm.

Service record
16/07/1941 Taken on strength Recruit Reception Depot Royal Park, Victoria.
18/07/1941 Granted leave without pay 18/07/1941 to 23/07/1941 inclusive.
24/07/1941 Rejoined unit from leave without pay.
01/08/1941 Transferred to Engineering Training Depot (Pioneer Wing) Bonegilla, Victoria.
02/08/1941 Transferred from Recruit Reception Depot Royal Park, Victoria.
27/10/1941 Posted to Reinforcements 2/2 Pioneer Battalion.
02/11/1941 Embarked Sydney, New South Wales on H.M.T. L.L. Convoy no. 13.
24/11/1941 Disembarked Middle East.
21/01/1942 Marched out to 2/2 Australian Pioneer Battalion.
21/01/1942 Taken on strength from Pioneer Training Battalion Australian Imperial Forces.
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.
13/12/1943 Now reported interned Thailand camp.
16/12/1942 Reported missing in action believed prisoner of war.
22/12/1943 Reported prisoner of war and interned Thailand camp.
11/03/1944 Reported died of disease (dysentery) 01/07/1943 whilst prisoner of war interned Thailand camp.