Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Leading Seaman Reginald Albert "Reg" Gebhardt
Service Number: 20055
Royal Australian Navy – HMAS Perth (I)
Born: 1 July 1915, Grange, South Australia
Died: 12 September 1944, South China Sea (Rakuyo Maru tragedy)
Age at Death: 29 years
No Known Grave – "Known Unto God"

Early Life

Reginald Albert Gebhardt, known as "Reg," was born on 1 July 1915 in the coastal suburb of Grange, South Australia, to Albert Henry Gebhardt and Maidie Ruby Gebhardt (née Keays). He grew up in a close-knit Methodist family alongside his siblings in Adelaide's western suburbs. Reg attended Woodville High School and became actively involved in local community activities.
Following school, he was employed by the Municipal Tramways Trust in Adelaide, working as a tram conductor and later as a motorman.

Marriage and Family

On 25 June 1938, Reg married Nora Lucelle Hincks at Scots Church, North Terrace, Adelaide. The couple made their home in West Croydon, South Australia.

Naval Career

Reg enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy in 1930, beginning a career that would span more than a decade. His service postings included:

HMAS Canberra (Training Ship) – Joined as an Ordinary Seaman
HMAS Sydney – Served during the interwar years
HMAS Cerberus (Training Establishment, Victoria) – Undertook specialist training
HMAS Australia – Gained sea experience in fleet operations
HMAS Perth (I) – Assigned prior to the outbreak of WWII


His naval record shows steady advancement through the ranks to Leading Seaman, with consistently high assessments of "Very Good" for character and "Superior" for ability.


World War II Service

At the outbreak of WWII, Reg was serving aboard HMAS Perth (I), a modified Leander-class light cruiser of the Royal Australian Navy. The Perth saw extensive action, operating in the Mediterranean alongside Royal Navy forces before returning to the Pacific.


In early 1942, HMAS Perth fought in the Battle of the Java Sea. On 1 March 1942, during the Battle of Sunda Strait, the ship was overwhelmed by superior Japanese naval forces and sunk. Reg survived the sinking but was captured by the Japanese.


Prisoner of War

Following his capture, Reg was sent to Changi Prison in Singapore and later forced to work on the infamous Burma–Thailand Railway under brutal conditions. His resilience and determination helped him endure the harsh treatment, malnutrition, and disease that claimed the lives of many of his comrades.

In September 1944, he was among 1,317 Allied POWs selected for transport to Japan aboard the Japanese cargo vessel Rakuyo Maru.



The Rakuyo Maru Tragedy

On 12 September 1944, while sailing in convoy HI-72 through the South China Sea, Rakuyo Maru was torpedoed and sunk by the US submarine USS Sealion—unaware the vessel carried Allied POWs. The Japanese rescued only their own personnel, leaving the POWs in the water.

For three days, survivors clung to rafts and debris. Many perished from exposure, drowning, or were killed when a Japanese vessel deliberately shelled lifeboats. On 15 September 1944, US submarines returned to the area and rescued 149 POWs. Reg was not among them. He was officially recorded as drowned at sea on 12 September 1944, aged 29.

Commemoration

Reginald Albert Gebhardt is honoured on multiple memorials:

Australian War Memorial, Canberra – Roll of Honour
Adelaide WWII Wall of Remembrance
Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial
East Fremantle HMAS Perth (I) Memorial
Plymouth Naval Memorial, United Kingdom
St Clair Woodville High School Honour Roll

His service and sacrifice are remembered as part of Australia's enduring WWII naval history.

Biography by Trevor Pyatt - 4/08/2025