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WARD, Douglas James
Personal Details
| Service Number: | NX45641 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 26 January 1940, At the time of his enlistment Douglas James Ward was over the enlistment age limit of 35 yrs for a married man< He had been born in 1902 and was 38 yrs old. He gave the year of his birth as 1905, allowing him to enlist. |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/4th Field Park Company |
| Born: | Glen Innes, New South Wales, Australia, 9 August 1902 |
| Home Town: | Ulong, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Butcher |
| Died: | Ulong, New South Wales, Australia, 6 August 1966, aged 63 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Coffs Harbour Historic Cemetery, New South Wales, Australia |
| Memorials: |
Service History
World War 2 Service
| 26 Jan 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , NX45641, At the time of his enlistment Douglas James Ward was over the enlistment age limit of 35 yrs for a married man< He had been born in 1902 and was 38 yrs old. He gave the year of his birth as 1905, allowing him to enlist. | |
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| 26 Jun 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, NX45641 |
Middle East Area of Operations Service
| 27 Dec 1941: | Involvement NX45641, While assigned to the 2/4th Australian Field Regiment (also called th 2/4th Field Park Company, Royal Australian Engineers), between his arrival in the Middle East in Dec 1940 to his transfer to The Pacific Operational area in late Aug 1943, Douglas James Ward served in an Australian artillery unit within the 7th Division. This Division played a major role in the Middle East during 1941, particularly in Egypt, and the Syria-Lebanon campaign. After his service in the Middle East, the 2/4th returned to Australia before seeing action in New Guinea. |
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World War 2 Service
| 28 Aug 1943: | Involvement NX45641, Douglas James Ward was sent with the 2/4th Field Park Company to Milne Bay in Papua New Guinea. By early 1944 Milne Bay had transformed into a major logistical base (US Base A), supporting operations in Papua and the Solomons. During this assignment Douglas Ward was hospitalised on a number of occasions with fevers, malaria and later dengue fever. His records indicate he was sent back to Brisbane for a short period on 20/2/1944, possibly for recovery. On 20/2/1944 the regiment was despatched from Townsville to Morotai in Indonesia's Molucca Islands. On the 31/5/1945 they were shipped from Morotai to Lambuan (Brunei Bay) in North Borneo to support Operation Oboe. On 13/8/1945 the regiment returned to Morotai and then shipped back to Australia arriving in Sydney on 4/8/1945. Formal surrender documents were signed by the Japanese on 2/9/1945. Douglas James Ward was discharged on 10/10/1945 following the end of the WW2. | |
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| 7 Aug 1944: | Promoted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Corporal, 2nd/4th Field Park Company, Douglas James Ward was promoted to Acting Corporal on 28/9/1943 and confirmed as a Corporal on 7/8/1944. After a disciplinary action for insubordination in 1945 shortly before the end of the war, his rank was returned to Private. | |
| 10 Oct 1945: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, NX45641 |
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