Virtual War Memorial | Murray Charles ROHRLACH

Murray Charles ROHRLACH Update Details

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ROHRLACH, Murray Charles

Service Number:	SX9439
Enlisted:	20 July 1940
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	8th Division Ammunition Sub-Park
Born:	Blanchetown, South Australia, 25 May 1916
Home Town:	Swan Reach, Mid Murray, South Australia
Schooling:	Swan Reach Primary School, South Australia
Occupation:	Truck Driver
Died:	Died at sea (POW Rakuyo Maru) , South China Sea, 15 September 1944, aged 28 years
Cemetery:	No known grave - "Known Unto God" Panel 24. Labuan War Cemetery
Memorials:	Adelaide WW2 Wall of Remembrance, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Blanchetown District of Blanchetown WW2 Roll of Honour, Swan Reach War Memorial

World War 2 Service

20 Jul 1940:	Involvement Private, SX9439
20 Jul 1940:	Enlisted Adelaide, SA
20 Jul 1940:	Enlisted Private, SX9439, Recruit Reception Depot
20 Jul 1940:	Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, SX9439
5 Aug 1940:	Transferred Private, Infantry Training Battalions
21 Dec 1940:	Transferred Private, 8th Division Ammunition Sub-Park
2 Nov 1941:	Embarked Private, SX9439, 8th Division Ammunition Sub-Park, Embarked H.M.A.T Zealandia troop ship 2 November 1941 Disembarked Singapore 9th January 1942 and records indicated he reached his unit Div Ammunition Sub Park No. 1. in Malaya.
18 Apr 1942:	Involvement Private, SX9439, 8th Division Ammunition Sub-Park, SX9439 Reported as Missing as 'Per Direction No. 34' Place of Casualty Malaya. 16.2.1942
5 Oct 1943:	Imprisoned SX9439 Member Reported as Interned as POW in Thai Camp.
12 Sep 1944:	Involvement Private, SX9439, 8th Division Ammunition Sub-Park, On the 12th September 1944 SX9439 Private Murray Charles Rohrlach was aboard the Japanese Ship Rakuyo Maru as a Prisoner of War, along with 1,318 other POW's, including 761 other Australians, heading for Japan when the USS Sealion torpedoed the Rakuyo Maru, despite that the Rakuyo Maru stayed afloat a further 13 hours and there were some survivors, unfortunately, not Private Rohrlach, who died at sea.
12 Sep 1944:	Wounded Private, SX9439, 8th Division Ammunition Sub-Park, Malaya/Singapore, Killed in the South China Sea, East of Hainan Island. As a prisoner of war, Private Rohrlach was aboard the Japanese ship Rakuyo Maru when it was struck by torpedo's from the U.S. Submarine S.S. Sealion. The Rakuyo Maru was carrying 1,318 Allied POW's to Japan to be used for slave labour, 1,159 lives are lost. The POW's were the survivors of the infamous Death Railway and had been marched marched three miles from the Valley Road Camps in Singapore to the docks to board the ships. The S.S Sealion was unaware of the POW's aboard the Japanese ships.
Date unknown:	Involvement

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