Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Colin was the third son of Sydney Charles and Nellie Marie Aplin, born in Bowden on the 9th April 1920. He was one of twelve children, although only ten survived, four sons and four daughters. His siblings included Ronald Charles, Sydney George who died aged just 8 months, Shirley May, Rhonda, Iris and Margaret Nellie, Colin Raymond, Eric Sydney, and Bruce Malcolm. The family occasionally moved but for much of his early life, Colin Lived in Mornington (Plympton) SA on Anzac Highway.
In the 1920’s school attendance was strictly monitored by Senior School Attendance Officers and parents who did not ensure their children’s attendance, were required to face a Magistrates’ Court and fined. Over a decade, Colin’s father continued to appear with his fines increasing in cost and regularity, from 5/ and 15/ costs in September ’25, to £1 and £1 costs the following month. It was a frustrating time for the family, with Sydney separating from Nellie for a while and having to pay her £2 15/ a week for her and the children’s maintenance. Unfortunately, by ’36 there were twelve children in the family and the absenteeism continued with each parent blaming the other for the non-attendance, especially of their young daughter who instead was found playing in the streets. Nellie struggled to organise her time and Sydney complained that "All she does is go to the dago camp down the road all the week." In frustration he added “I can't stay home because of her nagging, she's the person who should be charged. I've reared, 12 children and eight of them were taken from the wife because she would not look after them properly.''
Sydney also seemed to attract the attention of authorities, accruing several other fines for his actions. These included in November ‘39 having burnt the stubble on land on Anzac Highway, Plympton without having complied with the Bush Fires Act, an action for which he was initially heavily fined £5 but was then reduced to £2 with 10/ costs. Within a few weeks he was one of four milk vendors, bread-carters, and other tradesmen fined for leaving their vehicles facing the wrong way on a street. Little sympathy was shown to the deliverers, despite their reasoning that their horse-drawn vehicle was left on the wrong side because there was more feed there for the horse. Sydney’s fine was for 7/6 with 10/ costs. Life continued to be a struggle for him in trying to provide for the family as in September the following year he was fined for ration fraud, by altering a receipt date for extra rent work. He was again fined 15/-.
At various stages, the boys all joined the junior ranks of the army with an older brother, Ronald Charles, joining the Milita as S302474 serving in the 43/48 Battalion as a Lance Corporal, but his discharge was finalised in April ’35. At the time he gave his father as his next of kin.
Colin was employed as a blacksmith’s apprentice, but also reported as working for Harris Scarfe Ltd. Having just turned 20, he and several fellow motor bike riders, all with pillion passengers, were perhaps a little unlucky to be caught failing to signal they were turning right from St. Bernard's onto Magill road. The group was on a weekend drive in May ’40 just before enlisting. Each of the riders were fined a hefty £1. Soon after, Colin responded to the call for enlistees to serve in WWII.
Of the brothers, three would enlist to serve. Colin and his younger brother Cyril joined the Army in July ‘40 and their youngest brother, Bruce enlisted just days after his 18th birthday in May ’42, becoming PA2856 and rising to become an Able Seaman.
Colin and Cyril enlisted just days apart. 20-year-old Colin on the 3rd July and17-year-old Cyril on the 6th July. Colin was allocated the number SX7670 and Cyril SX8144, with both being placed in the newly formed 2/48th Battalion. (Cyril had suggested he was 20 and therefore born the month after Colin.) Following pre-embarkation leave, the brothers boarded the Stratherden on the 7th November ’40 and were on their way to the Middle East, arriving on the 17th December. Within a week and just prior to Christmas 25th Colin went out unofficially exploring for a day, paying a heavy penalty and then being confined to barracks for six days – learning much about army discipline as a result.
19th July ’41 received what was first reported as a shrapnel wound to his right index finger, but on investigation the injury was found to be accidental with lacerations to his right thumb and index finger, causing him to receive treatment.
Back home, the 1st August ’41 issue of the News carried a photo of Colin and the report that ‘Mr. and Mrs. S. C. Aplin, of Flinders street, City, have been notified that their third son Pte. Colin Raymond Aplin, 21, has been wounded in action. Before he enlisted in June, 1940, he was employed by Harris. Scarfe Ltd. He left for overseas in November.’ The Advertiser corrected the information on the 7th August reporting that ‘Previously Reported Wounded In Action. Now Reported Accidentally Wounded Pte. C. R. Aplin. SX7670. Inf.. Mornington.’
.Later in February ’42 Colin was graded as a Group III Driver Mechanic but unfortunately within a month had contracted infectious hepatitis and was hospitalised for several weeks before being able to rejoin his battalion. Within weeks, the much-anticipated return to Australia finally arrived for the now seasoned 2/48th Battalion which left the Middle East at the start of February ’43, arriving back in Australia via Melbourne. Unfortunately, on this voyage, Colin spent a few days in the ship’s hospital.
During his brief time of leave at home, the family received news that their youngest son, Malcolm was wounded. The April ’43 issue of the News reported ‘Adelaide Seaman Wounded in Action Mr. and Mrs. S. C. Aplin, of Flinders street, Adelaide, have been informed that their youngest son, Ordinary - Seaman Bruce M. Aplin, has been wounded as the result of enemy action. Seaman Alpin is 18, and has two brothers serving in the A.I.F. Before enlistment he was employed by the South Australian Brush Co. and had been a Sea Scout since he was 13.’ At the same time the matriarch of the family, Sydney’s mother and the children’s 83-year-old grandmother, Clara died. She had been the ‘glue’ for the family and was much loved and missed by all the grandchildren. Colin placed a poignant farewell to her ‘APLIN.—In loving memory of dear grandma who passed away April 10. 1943. Without farewell she fell asleep, leaving memories for us to keep.—Grandson Colin.’
For Colin, his leave was then followed by training in Queensland to prepare the now veteran battalion for a very different war in the tropical conditions of New Guinea and against a very different enemy. Colin left Cairns, arriving in Milne Bay mid-August ’43. In those conditions Colin developed an extremely high temperature called Pyrexia of Unknown Origin, spending several days in February ’44 in hospital.
Also working for the war effort in Queensland was a young woman, Estelle McCullough, who fulfilled the role of secretary for the Coolangatta and Tweed Heads Women's Defence League. Her path was soon to cross with that of Colin.
In New Guinea, Colin returned to the 2/48th in January and to Australia via Brisbane but brought malaria back with him. He was hospitalised but within three months contracted an outer ear infection called otitis externa.
By April the following year, Colin was again heading overseas to Morotai, thence to Tarakan for the closing days of the war. Within a month of landing, 25-year-old Colin was severely wounded in action with a gunshot wound to his right thigh and a fractured femur.
In his book Tobruk to Tarakan, John Glenn described that attack on Knoll 2 which was being blasted with napalm, firebombs and high explosives by our planes. “Under cover of this fire 16 Platoon of D Company traversed some extremely rugged country where a razor-back ridge made it impossible to deploy more than two men forward in the approach to Track Junction Knoll. Both this platoon and 17 Platoon, who had edged themselves forward, came under fire from the objective, and a section leader was killed.’ Highly decorated, Sgt Diver Derrick was killed just two days afterwards. This news was published in the Advertiser, June ’45. Those from the 2/48th included ‘Died Of Wounds SX7964 Lt. Thomas C. Derrick. VC. DCM 2/48th Berri. SX17803 Pte. William Jack Giddings. 2/48th Naracoorte. Dangerously Wounded. — SX30687 Pte Steven R. Buck, 2/48th Seaton Park; SX15368 L-Cpl. John K. Walsh, 2/48th Spalding. Wounded In Action.— SX7670 Pte. Colin R. Aplin, 2/48th Mornington; SX15415 Cpl. Lindsay G. Bradford, 2/48th Rose Park; SX19253 Pte. Geoffrey. F. Chapman, 2/48th Unley Park; SX7642 Pte. Donald J. Kerin, 2/48th Burra; SX15505 L-Cpl. William. B. Tremain, 2/48th Payneham; SX7691 Cpl. Keith Turnbull, 2/48th Bowden.
This was a tragic day for the battalion, particularly with the death of ‘Diver’ Derrick. Colin also was exceptionally fortunate to survive, listed as dangerously wounded in New Guinea in the Chronicle, early in June ’45. He was almost immediately transferred from Tarakan to Morotai and back to Townsville, Australia. However, by the July issue of the Chronicle he was then reported as being removed from all lists as was Steven Buck SX30687. By October Colin was on an ambulance train to Victoria, then on to Adelaide. He was amongst many wounded South Australian to return from New Guinea to a tumultuous welcome. A June issue of the News reported that “Wounded South Australians who arrived home from the islands were given a most enthusiastic welcome by relatives at Adelaide Railway Station today. The excitement began when the express pulled in under the Morphett Street Bridge, and the heads of several waving diggers could be seen protruding from the windows of the hospital car. Then there was a rush as the train pulled up as relatives made for the windows to find their men. The men themselves, despite copious bandages and slings and foot scaffolding, were uniformly cheerful and patently glad to be back home. Then there were repeated all the war-long scenes as relatives gathered close to say all the things they had been storing up so long and couldn't think where to begin, and those who were too happy to say anything at all. The conversations continued as stretcher-bearers unshipped the wounded and carefully carried them to waiting ambulances in the station yard, where farewells were said until the time when they could be visited in hospital or, better still, welcomed home on leave.”
A poignant photo exists of Colin and Sergeant Smith placing a cross on the grave of SX7964 Lieutenant Thomas Currie ‘Diver’ Derrick’s grave in the 2/48th Battalion Cemetery off the Anzac Highway. Derrick died of his wounds on the 24th May ’45.
By January ’46 Colin was placed at Kapara in Glenelg for rehabilitation and rest. His recovery from the fractured femur was slow and was a source of extreme frustration to him. However, whist still receiving treatment, on the 9th February, he announced his engagement, with the details published in the Brisbane Courier Mail ‘APLIN — McCULLOCH. — The engagement Is announced of Estelle (ex-W.A.A.F.), only Daughter of Mr. N. D. McCulloch Coolangatta, to Colin (9th Div., A.I.F., ret’d.), third Son of Mr. &. Mrs. S. Aplin, Adelaide, S.A.’ By the end of that month, Colin was anxious to put his Army service behind him. In the process, almost inevitably, his frustrations saw him charged with ‘conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline and awarded a fine of £1.
It was quite a relief for Colin to be discharged on the 8th April that year. From the young, fit, healthy 20-year-old young man who had enlisted six years earlier, the war had markedly affected him. He had the end of his right index finger amputated and mild conductive deafness as well as the severe wounds to his leg. He and Estelle moved to live at Coolangatta in Queensland in ’47. By November ’48 they welcomed their son, Barry Raymond at the Brookhill Hospital .
Colin died aged 65 on the 30th September ’85. His service is recognised on a Monument in the Queensland Garden of Remembrance Wall 5 Row M.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.