WOOTON, David Edward
| Service Number: | SX8755 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 12 July 1940, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/27th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Burra, South Australia, 19 August 1917 |
| Home Town: | Mount Bryan, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Burra School, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Farm hand |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Papua New Guinea, 9 September 1942, aged 25 years |
| Cemetery: |
Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery, Papua New Guinea B3. C. 19. |
| Memorials: | Adelaide WW2 Wall of Remembrance, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Mount Bryan and District Roll of Honour WW2 |
World War 2 Service
| 12 Jul 1940: | Enlisted Private, SX8755, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Jul 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, SX8755, 2nd/27th Infantry Battalion | |
| 7 Jun 1941: | Involvement Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, SX8755, 2nd/27th Infantry Battalion, Syria - Operation Exporter | |
| 9 Sep 1942: | Involvement Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, SX8755, 2nd/27th Infantry Battalion, Kokoda - Papua |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Cornerstone College
On the 19th of August 1917, David Edward Wooton was born in the humble town of Burra, South Australia.
David enlisted in the Australian Army in 1940 at the age of 23. He was accepted at Adelaide and then moved to his barracks at Woodside to commence his training.
Woodside barracks (at the time was still a camp) took him under the wing and had made sure he had proper training for his stay. David completed 25 weeks of training and at the completion was qualified to go out and serve his country. In total there were between 800-900 brave strong men who trained alongside him for those 25 weeks, men who enlisted to serve their country.
David was first deployed to Syria arriving 25th July 1941 and served there in a scouting campaign. This means that he undertook basic duties such as supporting other more experienced troops with supplies and other requests.
All this was part of Operation explorer. Wooton fought along side some 34,000 allied personnel including those from India and Britain.
After Syria he landed in Papua New Guinea 14th August 1942 where he marched the Kokoda Trail as part of the Maroubra Force to combat the Japanese. The trail was a gruelling 96 kilometres long involving some of the most challenging terrain in the country. A number of battles were fought with the common theme being that there were many casualties - both Australian and local forces suffered greatly.
The Japanese were also challenged by the terrain at one point retreating along the trail to a small village called Deniki. There was two weeks where there was no fighting, which gave time for reinforcements to come from Port Moresby. A four day battle called Isurava resulted in yet more troops losing their lives. After a further retreat and then more battles at Mission Ridge and Imita Ridge, the Japanese slowly began to run out of supplies – something which stalled their advances and allowed the Australian Troops to gain the upper hand and eventually drive the Japanese from their bases at Buna and Gona.
Wooton was killed in action on 8th September 1942 one of 625 Australians that lost their life during the battle of Kokoda. He was initially buried at Efogi Hill in the Southern Slopes of the Owen Stanley Ranges, Papua. He was later reinterned at the Mission Hill War Cemetery.
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