Owen Ralph CHRISTIAN

Owen Ralph CHRISTIAN Update Details

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CHRISTIAN, Owen Ralph

Service Numbers:	V225541, VX135056
Enlisted:	9 April 1942
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	23 Field Company RAE AMF
Born:	Rainbow, Victoria, Australia, 9 May 1923
Home Town:	Kenmare, Hindmarsh, Victoria
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Farm Hand
Died:	Kenmare, Victoria, Australia, 24 January 1977, aged 53 years, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery:	Warracknabeal Public Cemetery, Victoria, Australia
Memorials:

World War 2 Service

9 Apr 1942:	Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, V225541
10 Jan 1943:	Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, VX135056
7 Jan 1944:	Embarked Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Sapper, VX135056, embarked Townsville for Lae per Gorgon
13 Dec 1945:	Embarked Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Sapper, VX135056, 23 Field Company RAE AMF, embarked Bougainville for Sydney per Duntroon
3 Jan 1947:	Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, VX135056

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Biography contributed by Chris Buckley

Sapper Owen Ralph Christian (Service No:VX135056) initially served in the ACMF (Private; Service No:V225541) with 4 Training Battalion and 149 General Transport Coy from 9 April 1942. Private Christian was 'in the field' at Alice Springs, NT with 149 General Motor Transport Coy on 10 January 1943 when he transferred to the AIF. Sapper Christian served in New Guinea and Bougainville (January 1944 to December 1945) and was attached to HQs Lae and Madang Sub Areas, 5 and 23 Field Coys and 24 Mechanical Equipment Park Coy. Returning from Bougainville to Sydney on board the Duntroon on 13 December 1945, Sapper Christian was attached to 5 Field Coy at Discharge on 3 January 1947.

Born at Rainbow, Victoria in 1923, Owen was second of six children of Ernest (Ern) Henry Christian (b1897 at Willenabrina, Victoria) and Margaret (Gertie) Gertrude Burnett (b1898 at Illabrook, Victoria). Ern (a Farmer) and Gertie married in Geelong in 1921 and settled at Rainbow where they raised their family and Ern was a Farmer. Ern served in WWI (Private; Service No:6470).

Owen was a Farm Hand at Kenmare via Rainbow prior to enlistment and in 1946 married Elizabeth Mary Freeman (b1927 in Goulburn, NSW). Owen and Elizabeth settled at Kenmare where they raised their family and Owen was a Farmer. Following their divorce in the mid 1950s, Owen settled in Warracknabeal where he worked as an Agent. Owen died in 2008.

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