John Richard COLES

John Richard COLES Update Details

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COLES, John Richard

Service Numbers:	W44983, WX38443
Enlisted:	8 June 1942
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	110 Australian General Hospital
Born:	Quetta, India, 2 June 1924
Home Town:	Perth, Western Australia
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Shop Assistant
Died:	Albany, Western Australia, 7 September 1985, aged 61 years, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery:	Allambie Park Cemetery, Albany, Western Australia
Memorials:

World War 2 Service

8 Jun 1942:	Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, W44983, 110 Australian General Hospital
12 Mar 1943:	Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, W44983
13 Apr 1943:	Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, WX38443
24 Dec 1943:	Embarked Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, WX38443, ex Brisbane for Thursday Island per Kanunda
29 Aug 1944:	Embarked Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, WX38443, ex Brisbane for Merauke per Islander
11 Apr 1945:	Embarked Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, WX38443, ex Merauke for Thursday Island per Islander
14 Mar 1946:	Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, WX38443

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Biography contributed by Chris Buckley

Private John Richard Coles (Service Nos:WX38443/W44983) enlisted in the ACMF on 8 June 1942 and was a Nursing Orderly attached to 110 Australian General Hospital when he enlisted in the AIF on 13 April 1943. Private Coles served with 5 Australian Light Ambulance and 110 Australian General Hospital on Thursday Island (24 December 1943 - 19 June 1944) and in New Guinea (29 August 1944 - 29 July 1945). Private Coles was Discharged on 14 March 1946.

Born in 1924 in Quetta India, John was the fifth of eight children of Sydney Thomas Coles (b1889 in Birmingham, Warwickshire) and Florence Revell (b1896 in Hull, Yorkshire). Sydney (a Soldier) and Florence married in 1915 in Sculcoates, Yotkshire and lived in England and India where Sydney was a Soldier (Gunner; Royal Field Artillery; Regimental No:13462). In 1927 Sydney and his family immigrated, arriving in Fremantle WA from Calcutta, India on board the Shirala. The family settled initially at Denmark WA where Sydney was a Settler before relocating to ALbany WA where Sydney worked as a Clerk. Sydney served in WWII (Service No:W18631).

John was a Shop Assistant in Perth WA when he enlisted in the ACMF in 1942, and in 1945 married Sarah Dorothy Winnett (b1917 in Fremantle, WA) - Sarah was a Dressmaker before enlisting in the AWAS (Service No:WF45868). Following their Discharges, John and Sarah settled in Albany WA where John was a Shop Assistant and Railways Employee. John died in 1985 and Sarah in 2000.

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