Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

  Neil or Neill Glover Carey was the 2nd son of Joseph Carey and Bertha Emily McNeill.  His early life was spent on various farms in the Western Australian wheatbelt where his parents were workers. His father was very experienced with horses so it is not surprising that aged 19 Neil enlisted in the 25th Light Horse Machine Gun Regiment on the 30th of October 1941.

  As the War in the South Pacific progressed the threats to Australia changed and so did the direction of the Armed Forces.  Neil’s army career was shaped by these changes and he underwent many transfers as units were being disbanded and merged towards the end of his service.

He spent the first-year training and carrying out operations around the coast north of Perth as there was a fear that the area could be attacked by the Japanese. On the 28th of September 1942 he was transferred to the 3rd Field Regiment which seemed to be part of III Corps which drew members from a number of units including Neil’s. The Corp was expanded with the arrival of the 6th infantry Brigade, 4th Division and 2nd infantry Brigade.

  As the tide of war against Japan turned in favour of the Allies, the role of 3rd Corps in defence of W.A diminished. The main function of the corps then became the preparation of smaller units for active service in New Guinea and elsewhere in the Pacific.

  Neil then attended the 3 Australia Corps School of Signals located at Harvey and on the 30th October 1943 qualified as Trade Group II Signaller. Qualified in Morse code suitable for Regimental Sigs Artillery ( Armd). In Fremantle, on the 18th of June 1944, he embarked on 3 Australia H.T (Hired Transport) Ship disembarking in Sydney on the 26th of June. One month later he was transferred out to 1 Australia Base where he joined 1 Br R.A.E (Royal Australian Engineers).

On the 1st of December 1944 Neil was moved out to The Australian Water Transport Training Centre at Toorbul in QLD. He was attached to the training centre for about 10 months but is unlikely he underwent any further training as there is no evidence of training courses on his war service records during this time.

Japan’s surrender was formally signed on the 2nd of September 1945, bringing the hostilities of World War II to a close.

  At Toorbul, training continued until 19th of September (s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com) when disbandment commenced.  Personnel were transferred out with most being sent to the 12 Small Ships Coy (12 S.S.Coy). That company was designated as a holding unit for all personnel required for future corps tasks.

  Neil remained at Toorbul Training Centre to help with demob tasks until the 23rd of October 1945 when he was transferred to the 12 S.S.Coy.

  On the 8th of December 1945 he was transferred to the 16 Small Ships Coy (16 S.S.Coy) and embarked the AV 2062 Erica in Brisbane. It is likely he was a replacement wireless operator.

  It was a confusing time with many units being dismantled and personnel and vessels being transferred to remaining units. In fact the 16 S.S.Coy (s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com) had been made redundant on the 1st of December about a week before Neil was transferred to the unit. During the voyage in December the 16 S.S. Coy transferred all low priority personnel and craft to the 13 Small Ships Coy (13 S.S.Coy).  By the time the Erica (s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com)was nearing New Guinea the ship and the 2 officers had been transferred to the 13 S.S.Coy.  

  The ship reached Lae on the 16th of January 1946 and it seems likely Neil stayed with the AV2062 Erica detachment with the paperwork to transfer him to the 13 S.S.Coy being delayed until the 6th of February.

  By the end of January the 16 S.S.Coy, located  in the Lae area was demobilised and 13 S.S.Coy had taken over the Lae area. The 13 S.S. Coy were progressively closing out-lying detachments down and moving craft to the main centre at Rabaul.

 The AV Erica (s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com)arrived in Rabaul on the 14th of April and also in port was the AS 1781 Narrung waiting for a task from the R.A.E and bound for Thursday Island. 

  The AS Narrung was a 66ft trawler used for lighter duties.  On the 16th of April 1946 Neil embarked on the AS Narrung and travelled to Thursday Island. It seems the Narrung returned to the 4th Ordinary Small Craft Park in Rabaul and Neil stayed on Thursday Island.

  On the 8th of May he embarked on the Veryan Bay, a bay – class anti-aircraft frigate, 286 ft, 1626tons. She was on a voyage from Hong Kong to Sydney for a refit with stops at Thursday Island and Townsville.

  On board Neil was transferred back to the 12 S.S.Coy holding Coy and disembarked at Townsville on the 12th of May 1946.  On the 23rd of May he was transferred to 5 Military District (Western Australia) for demobilisation and was discharged on the 18th of June 1946 at Karrakatta, Perth Western Australia.

  Neil subsequently died on the 30th July 1964 of complications from disease linked back to his service time in P.N.G. He was 42 when he died.