COOPER, Henry James
| Service Number: | WX8822 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 23 October 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/4th Machine Gun Battalion |
| Born: | Mandurah, Western Australia, 10 August 1911 |
| Home Town: | Mandurah, Mandurah, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Mandurah School, Western Australia |
| Occupation: | miner, Timberworker and Kangaroo Shooter |
| Died: | Perth Western Australia, 27 September 1989, aged 78 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Karrakatta Cemetery & Crematorium, Western Australia Cremated, ashes taken by Funeral Director |
| Memorials: | Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Coolgardie Spargo's Reward Gold Mine HB |
World War 2 Service
| 23 Oct 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, WX8822, 2nd/4th Machine Gun Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 15 Feb 1942: | Imprisoned Feb 1942 -Changi; April 1942 -Thai camp Burma railway; 1945 Fukuoka Camp Japan. Released 3 October 1945 | |
| 11 Jan 1946: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, WX8822, 2nd/4th Machine Gun Battalion |
Prisoner of War
Enlisted on 23 October 1940 aged 29 years, a former miner, timber worker and kangaroo shooter. He married on 30 August 1941. Overseas deployment from 30 December 1941 til 15 October 1945. Captured on 15 Feb 1942 and imprisoned in Changi. After 2 months transfered to Thailand camp and forced work on Burma Railway. He spent his final year as POW in Fukuoka Japan, released on 3 Oct 1945 after 45 months as a POW. He was shipped to Manilla Philipines and soon after to Sydney Australia.
Discharged from Army 11 Jan 1946 aged 35.
He resettled in Perth Western Australia (close to his home town of Mandurah WA) Following his recovery (including partial lung removal due to TB) from the war experience, he worked as a lift operator in Moores Department Store, Hay St Perth. He probably retired aged 60.
He died aged 78 in 1989, survived by his wife (died 1999) and son (1947-2015).
Submitted 11 March 2023 by LESLEY SIMONS
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