DURKIN, John Edward
| Service Number: | VX19728 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 30 May 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/2nd Pioneer Battalion |
| Born: | North Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 5 March 1905 |
| Home Town: | North Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Died: | Prisoner of War - Executed, Thailand, 14 August 1945, aged 40 years |
| Cemetery: |
Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery, (Burma) A1 B 11 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 30 May 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, VX19728, 2nd/2nd Pioneer Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 30 May 1940: | Enlisted Private, VX19728, 2nd/2nd Pioneer Battalion | |
| Date unknown: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, VX19728, 2nd/2nd Pioneer Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by VWM Australia
Private John Durkin was awarded the Commendation for Gallantry for actions following capture by the Imperial Japanese Army in early March 1942 until his execution as a result of an escape attempt on 14 August 1945. Private Durkin laboured on the Burma-Thailand Railway and in mid-July 1945 escaped from Songkurai Camp for several days before his recapture. Private Durkin was suffering from the effects of malaria, dysentery and malnutrition when he left his work party and escaped into the jungle so as not to be a burden on his fellow POWs who were also in poor condition. - Courtesy Defence Honours and Awards
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