MCKENNA, Stanton Edward
| Service Number: | WX7482 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 6 August 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
| Born: | Jarrahdale, Western Australia, 2 January 1910 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | forestry worker |
| Died: | Perth, Western Australia, 5 January 1985, aged 75 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Karrakatta Cemetery & Crematorium, Western Australia Memorial, Roman Catholic section, E119 |
| Memorials: | Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 6 Aug 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, WX7482 | |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Sep 1942: | Imprisoned Middle East / Mediterranean Theatre, reported missing in action 27 Jul 1942; transfered from Italy to Stalag 18A, POW no. 6550; deplaned in UK May 1945; returned to Australia Jul 1945 | |
| 15 Sep 1945: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, WX7482 |
Help us honour Stanton Edward McKenna's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Cherilyn McMeekin
Stanton (Stan) was born in 1905 in Jarrahdale as Staunton Edward (reg. 3547). He was the fifth and youngest child of Patrick and Mary, including an older brother who had died in infancy in 1902.
Stan's father Patrick died in 1906 (see https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/211990600). Tragically, his mother Mary died in 1909, leaving the four children orphaned (see https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/26243612). The boys went to Clontarf, a Catholic home run by the Christian Brothers in Manning.
Both Stan's brothers - Herbert (Bert) and Cornelius - died in 1934, aged in their 30s. Neither of them married.
Stan married Audrey Hope BRISTOW in Perth on 11 Nov 1939.
He reduced his age on enlistment in 1940, stating he was born in 1910 (aged 30), although he was actually 35. He embarked for the Middle East from Fremantle in Jul 1941.
Stan was a POW for almost three years. He was 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. He was one of the 122 Australian POWs to survive the incident.
Stan's only surviving sibling, Stella, died in 1961 aged 63. Stan died in 1985 aged 80.