Herbert Louis (Bert) STEWARD

Herbert Louis (Bert) STEWARD Update Details

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STEWARD, Herbert Louis

Service Number:	NX4819
Enlisted:	20 October 1939
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	2nd/3rd Infantry Battalion
Born:	Rose Bay, New South Wales, Australia, 26 January 1912
Home Town:	Watsons Bay, Woollahra, New South Wales
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Labourer/farmer
Died:	Emphysema, Hawthorne, Queensland, Australia, 22 February 1986, aged 74 years
Cemetery:	Mount Thompson Memorial Gardens & Crematorium, Queensland
Memorials:	Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial

World War 2 Service

20 Oct 1939:	Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, NX4819, 2nd/3rd Infantry Battalion
9 Jan 1940:	Embarked Australian Defence Forces (ADF)_Australian Regular Army, Private, NX4819
26 Apr 1941:	Imprisoned "Operation Lustre" Greece 1941
29 Sep 1945:	Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, NX4819, 2nd/3rd Infantry Battalion

Herbert's Journey WW2

Herbert Louis was a Private in ‘C’ Company, 2/3rd Battalion. 16th Brigade, 6th Division. He embarked 9th January 1940 for service overseas on SS Orcades (HMT-U2), disembarking at El Kantara, Suez Canal Egypt on 14th February 1940. After training in Palestine and Egypt his company was involved in the successful attacks at Bardia (Australia’s first WWII battle) from 3rd to the 5th of January 1941 and in Torbruk (first battle in Torbruk, not commonly known as the Rats of Torbruk the second battle) 21st to 22nd January 1941. Left Torbruk on 7th March 1941 heading for Greece where his unit arrived on 19th March 1941 and deployed to occupy positions at Veria. They did not meet the enemy in battle until 18th April 1941 at Tempe (Pinios) Greece. In support of 2/2nd Battalion they blocked German movement through the gorge allowing for the withdrawal of Allied troops further south.

As per Casualty Section, 2nd Echelon, the following occurred:

* Captured 26 Apr 1941 in Kokinia Greece whilst in 2/5 AGH with injured thigh,

* Interned 28 Aug 1941 Stalag 18D Marbourg an der Drau, Yugoslavia,

* Interned 07 Oct 1942 Stalag 18B Spittal an der Drau, Austria,

* Interned 18 Nov 1942 Oflag IIIC Lubben/Spree, Germany, and

* Interned 10 Apr 1943 Stalag 383 Hohenfels, Bavaria.

He arrived back via Western Europe to London on 17th May 1945 where he was taken on holding strength at 1 AIF Transit Camp UK. He departed London on 4th July 1945 heading back to Sydney disembarking and taken on holding strength 8th August 1945.

Sometime during his service, he was promoted to Corporal. He was discharged on compassionate grounds 29th September 1945. He had spent 2039 days’ service outside of Australia.

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