RACKHAM, Neville Hewitt
| Service Number: | VX58286 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 24 June 1941 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/4th Field Squadron |
| Born: | Sunshine, Victoria, Australia, 17 May 1921 |
| Home Town: | Ararat, Ararat, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 September 1980, aged 59 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Fawkner Memorial Park Cemetery, Victoria |
| Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
| 24 Jun 1941: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, VX58286 | |
|---|---|---|
| 31 Mar 1943: | Embarked Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Sapper, VX58286, 2nd/4th Field Squadron, embarked Townsville for Port Moresby on board Duntroon | |
| 25 May 1945: | Embarked Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Sapper, VX58286, 2nd/4th Field Squadron, embarked Brisbane for Morotai on board USAT Maui en route for service in Balikapan | |
| 3 Apr 1946: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, VX58286 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Chris Buckley
One of three siblings (Edward, Neville and Margery) who served in WWII, Sapper Neville Hewitt Rackham (Service No:VX58286) enlisted in the AIF on 24 June 1941, and was attached to 2/4th Field Squadron on 31 March 1943 when he embarked with his Unit from Townsville for Port Moresby on board the Duntroon. Sapper Rackham served with 2/4th Field Squadron on maintaining the Wau - Bulldog Road and building the port and accommodation at Madang before returning to Australia on 12 November 1945. From 25 May 1945 to 13 February 1946, Sapper Rackham served in Morotai and Balikapan, and was attached to 2/4th Field Squadron at Discharge on 3 April 1946.
Neville was born in Sunshine, Victoria in 1921, second of six children of George Arthur Rackham (b1887 in Robe, South Australia) and Amy Griffin (nee Bates; b1889 in Creswick, Victoria) - Amy was a Widow with an infant son when she and George married in 1920 in Melbourne. George served in WWI (Sergeant; Service No:2074) - he was a Book Keeper at Denicul Creek in Cathcart via Ararat when he enlisted. George and Amy settled in Melbourne, where they raised their family and George worked as an Iron Moulder and Builder. In 1930 the family moved to Ararat, where George worked as a Mental Asylum Attendant, and served in WWII. Following Amy's death in 1953, George retired to Ballarat.
Neville was working as a Clerk in Ararat in 1941 when he enlisted in the Army, and following his Discharge was a Public Servant (Clerk) in Melbourne in 1948 when he married Josephine (Margaret) Tetley (b1925 in Melbourne, Victoria) - Margaret was a Typist. Neville and Margaret settled in Melbourne, where they raised their family. Margaret worked as a Typist and Neville was a Public Servant (Clerk with the Department of Productivity) until retirement in 1979. Neville died in 1980 and Margaret died in 2003.
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