JOHNS, Roy James
| Service Number: | SX8212 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 6 July 1940, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/48th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Fremantle, Western Australia, 24 November 1919 |
| Home Town: | Waikerie, Loxton Waikerie, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Waikerie Upper Primary School, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Died of Illness (pneumonia), Palestine, 29 December 1942, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
Gaza War Cemetery, Israel and Palestine (including Gaza) |
| Memorials: | Adelaide WW2 Wall of Remembrance, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Waikerie War Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 6 Jul 1940: | Enlisted Private, SX8212, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Jul 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, SX8212, 2nd/48th Infantry Battalion | |
| 7 Jul 1940: | Involvement Private, SX8212, 2nd/48th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW2 | |
| 7 Nov 1940: | Embarked Private, SX8212, 2nd/48th Infantry Battalion, S.S. Stratheden, Adelaide | |
| 9 Apr 1941: | Involvement Private, SX8212, 2nd/48th Infantry Battalion, Siege of Tobruk | |
| 29 Dec 1942: | Involvement Private, SX8212, 2nd/48th Infantry Battalion |
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Medals: 1939-45 Star, Africa Star with 8th clasp, The Defence medal, War medal and Active Service Medal.
Private SX8212, A.I.F. 2/48 Bn., Australian Infantry who died on 29 December 1942 Age 21
Son of James and Vera Emily Johns, of Waikerie, South Australia.
On the 6th of July, 1940, Roy completed his attestation in ADELAIDE
After completing his training Roy, embarked on His Majesties Troopship “STRATHEDEN” for service overseas on November 7th, 1940. He soon suffered appendicitis and was hospitalised, finally being taken on Battalion strength in the Middle East as fit for service on 18th February 1941.
He saw active service with the 2/48th Batt, 9th Division in Syria, Egypt and Libya. Some of the harshest desert campaigns of the war, and was one of the famous “RATS OF TOBRUK” having been stationed and fought at TOBRUK for a total of eight months.
After managing to get through all this action uninjured by the enemy, Roy was admitted to hospital in Palestine suffering “bronchio phenomena” on the 28th December 1942. Sadly, he died the next day.
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