PEVITT, Francis Rowen
| Service Number: | VX6756 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 23 November 1939 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/6th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Heywood, Victoria, Australia, 25 April 1918 |
| Home Town: | Heywood, Glenelg, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Footscray, Victoria, Australia, 17 March 1984, aged 65 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Altona Memorial Park, Victoria Robinson Lawn (B), Row MM, Grave 51 |
| Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
| 23 Nov 1939: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, VX6756, 2nd/6th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Nov 1939: | Transferred Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, 2nd/6th Infantry Battalion, Posted to 2/6th Battalion | |
| 14 Apr 1940: | Embarked Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, VX6756, 2nd/6th Infantry Battalion, Embarked on 14th April 1940, later Disembarked on 18th May 1940 at Beit Jirja | |
| 26 May 1940: | Involvement Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, VX6756, 2nd/6th Infantry Battalion, Middle East / Mediterranean Theatre, Evacuated to 2/1st Australian General Hospital, returned to unit on 30th May 1940 | |
| 3 Jan 1941: | Involvement Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, VX6756, 2nd/6th Infantry Battalion, Middle East / Mediterranean Theatre, Participated at the Battle of Bardia | |
| 10 Mar 1942: | Embarked Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, VX6756, 2nd/6th Infantry Battalion, Embarked from M.E 10th March 1942, Disembarked at Colombo 26th March 1942 | |
| 21 Sep 1943: | Embarked Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, VX6756, 2nd/6th Infantry Battalion, Embarked from Milne Bay on 21st September 1943 and Disembarked at Cairns(Aus) on 23rd September 1943 | |
| 1 Dec 1944: | Embarked Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, VX6756, 2nd/6th Infantry Battalion, Embarked from Cairns on 1st December 1944, Disembarked at Aitape 7th December 1944 ‘Per Thomas Corwin’ | |
| 17 Oct 1945: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, VX6756, 2nd/6th Infantry Battalion |
Help us honour Francis Rowen Pevitt's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Zidane McNamara
Francis Rowen Pevitt was born Anzac Day 1918, and was an original 'Thirty Niner' of the 2/6th Infantry Battalion. During his time in the service between November 1939 and October 1945, he served just under 6 years serving in the Middle East, Greece, Crete and New Guinea. He was present for the battles of:
Battle of Bardia: 3-5th January 1941 - Acted as a diversion, misunderstood orders led into heavy casualties.
Capture of Tobruk: 6-22nd January 1941 - Fought on the final days of the capture with success.
Battle of Greece: 6-30th April 1941 - Fought as a rearguard in the final weeks. Also of note, evacuees on a ship with elements of the 2/6th Battalion accidentally landed on Crete, leading to most of those onboard getting captured
Battle of Wau: 29th January - 4th February 1943 - This was the 2/6th Battalions first action against the Japanese in mid-January 1943, later securing Wau in early February.
Battle of Lababia Ridge: 20-23rd June 1943 - Defended off a determined Japanese attack for 3 days with support of RAAF fighters during the advance to Salamaua
Aitape: December 1944 - August 1945 - Spent remainder of the war
He was discharged October 1945, married twice before dying in Footscray, Victoria on March 17th, 1984
Click images to start slideshow.