REILLY, Alexander John
| Service Number: | WX6882 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 22 July 1940, Claremont, Western Australia |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/28th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | West Leederville, Western Australia, 4 January 1920 |
| Home Town: | Menzies, Menzies, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Cutters assistant |
| Died: | Kempsey, New South Wales, Australia, 21 June 2004, aged 84 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
West Kempsey Cemetery, NSW |
| Memorials: | Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 22 Jul 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Sergeant, WX6882, 2nd/28th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Jul 1940: | Enlisted Private, WX6882, Claremont, Western Australia | |
| 3 Jan 1941: | Promoted Corporal, 2nd/28th Infantry Battalion | |
| 3 Jan 1941: | Embarked Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Corporal, 2nd/28th Infantry Battalion, Fremantle, arriving in the Middle East 2 Feb 1941 | |
| 4 Aug 1941: | Promoted Sergeant, 2nd/28th Infantry Battalion | |
| 27 Jul 1942: | Imprisoned El Alamein | |
| 18 Jun 1945: | Embarked UK to Sydney, Australia; disembarked 24 Jul 1945, to hospital for rehabilitation treatment | |
| 8 Sep 1945: | Discharged Sergeant, WX6882, 2nd/28th Infantry Battalion | |
| 8 Sep 1945: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Sergeant, WX6882, 2nd/28th Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Cherilyn McMeekin
Alexander, known as Spiro, was one of nine children born to John William and Nellie REILLY. He was born in Menzies, Western Australia on 4 Jan 1921. He enlisted twice, first in Feb 1939 with his correct birthplace and birthdate, then as born in 1920 in West Leederville, where the family were then living. The records show he was a senior cadet (11th Battalion) from 25 Feb 1927 to the time of first enlistment in 1939.
His father John had served in WWI and again in WWII, attaining the rank of Staff Sergeant. All four of his brothers also enlisted in WWII; remarkably, all five of the Reilly boys returned home, as did their father.
Alexander was captured at Ruin Ridge, El Alamein, when his battalion was surrounded by enemy tanks. He was a POW on board the Italian transport ship Nino Bixio when it was torpedoed by a British submarine in the Mediterranean on 17 August 1942. The Nino Bixio was transporting Allied POWs from Libya to Italy. Alexander was one of 122 Australian POWs to survive the incident.
He married Patricia Adeline WALSH in 1946 in Kempsey, New South Wales. They had a daughter. He died in Kempsey at age 83.
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