BARRY, Michael Laurence
| Service Number: | SX14541 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 15 September 1941 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 8th Division Ammunition Sub-Park |
| Born: | Pt Augusta, South Australia, 5 June 1914 |
| Home Town: | Solomontown, Port Pirie, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Died: | Illness, Thailand, 12 October 1943, aged 29 years |
| Cemetery: |
Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery, (Burma) A13 B 13, T |
| Memorials: | Adelaide WW2 Wall of Remembrance, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, City of Port Pirie WW2 Memorial Gates |
World War 2 Service
| 15 Sep 1941: | Involvement Private, SX14541, 8th Division Ammunition Sub-Park | |
|---|---|---|
| 15 Sep 1941: | Enlisted Adelaide, SA | |
| 15 Sep 1941: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, SX14541 | |
| 16 Feb 1942: | Imprisoned Malaya/Singapore, Transferred to a POW camp on the Thai/Burma border called Songkurai. Above date reflects date when the soldier was declared missing after the surrender to the Japanese. | |
| Date unknown: | Involvement |
Private Casualty Advices
Mrs. C. Barry, of Railway terrace, Port Pirie South, has received word that her son Pte. Lawrence Barry died of illness in Siam on October 12, 1943. He was a member of the 8th Division Ammunition Sub-Park, and had been a POW since the fall of Singapore. He was the second son of Mrs. and the late Mr. M. L. Barry. He was
born in Port Augusta in 1914. and was educated at St. Anthony's and St. John's Schools, Port Pirie. Before enlisting in September, 1941, he was employed at Whyalla ship yards.
The Advertiser Thursday 04 October 1945 page 6
Submitted 12 October 2015 by Faithe Jones
Biography contributed by Tim Hanna
Michael Laurence Barry was born on 5th June 1914 to Michael Lawrence and Catherine (nee Corry) Barry at Davenport, South Australia. He was the third of seven children.
He enlisted in Adelaide on 15th September 1941 and was allocated to the 8th Div Ammo Sub-Park.
On the 2nd of November 1941 he embarked on HMAT ‘Zealandia’ for overseas. He disembarked in Singapore on 20th November 1941. On 16th of February 1942 he was reported missing after the British Empire Forces were forced to surrender to the Japanese on 15th December 1942. He was transferred to a POW camp on the Thai/Burma border called Songkurai according to a Japanese order on 23rd April 1943. On 16th August 1943 he was reported to be a Prisoner of War by Japanese Radio, and on 29th of September 1945 it was reported that he had died on 12th October 1943 of malaria and ulcers in Songkurai POW camp. His family was informed in August 1949 that his body had been recovered from Songkurai and reburied in Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery
Michael Barry was 29 years old when he died.
It is interesting to note that HMAT ‘Zealandia’ was escorted from Fremantle by the HMAS Sydney. It was on her return from this voyage that she was sunk by the German raider ‘Kormoran’ which was disguised as a Dutch merchant vessel.
The Japanese continued to send postcards from Michael saying “ Dear Mother, I am in the best of health, love to all the family, Laurie” for a very long time after he had died. Apparently the prisoners were required to write these in bulk when they arrived in the camp.
Provided by Mrs Judy Georgiou
Edited by Brigader Tim Hanna
Click images to start slideshow.