Lawrence Albert (Lawrie) DABINETT

DABINETT, Lawrence Albert

Service Number: SX7667
Enlisted: 3 July 1940, Wayville, South Australia
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 2nd/48th Infantry Battalion
Born: Lameroo, South Australia, 4 July 1916
Home Town: Narrung, The Coorong, South Australia
Schooling: Parilla School, South Australia
Occupation: Farmer
Died: Natural causes, Meningie, South Australia, 30 July 2001, aged 85 years
Cemetery: Murray Bridge (Adelaide Road) Cemetery, S.A.
Memorials:
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World War 2 Service

3 Jul 1940: Enlisted Private, SX7667, Wayville, South Australia
3 Jul 1940: Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, SX7667
4 Jul 1940: Involvement Private, SX7667
11 Jul 1945: Discharged Private, SX7667, 2nd/48th Infantry Battalion
11 Jul 1945: Discharged Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, SX7667

‘Lovingly Remembered – At Peace’

Lawrence was born at Lameroo, a farming area in the Murray Mallee region of South Australia, on the 4th July 1916. His parents were Janet Irvine, from Balaklava and Somerset-born Edward Dabinett. Lawrie was one of thirteen children, with six brothers and seven sisters. These included David John, Charles Roy, William Irvine Edward, Eugene Allan (Erge), Peter and Robert, Maggie Louisa, Thelma Yvonne, Dora Ellen, Lily May, Molly Jean, Joyce and Hettie.
The family initially lived at Parilla, where the older children (Maggie, Roy and William) were amongst the first of fourteen students to attend the newly opened Yappara School in 1918. As a 13 year old, Lawrie played tennis for Parilla in the Schoolboy’s Championships in the Under 14 section against neighbouring schools, including Claypan Bore, Lameroo, Allenby and Parilla North. He was also a talented footballer, playing in the forward lines for Parilla, attracting a few umpires’ votes for the McIntosh Medal as a 24-year-old.
The family moved to Narrung in the late ‘30’s. This was a very small country area, on the Coorong to the west of Meningie and on the shores of Lake Albert. It was a comparatively isolated area, reliant on river steamers which brought supplies, mail and passengers, unloading these at a jetty. The town was also serviced by a local ferry and on occasion, was subjected to flooding. There Edward set up a dairy farm, which became unviable, with him being declared bankrupt in April ’37.
Lawrie continued to work on farms and live at Narrung, but with the outbreak of WWII, he and three of his brothers enlisted. 29-year-old Roy Charles was the first to enlist on the 14th May ’40, becoming a Service Policemen in the Airforce, number 26490. Lawrie was next, on the 3rd July ’40, just days prior to his 24th birthday. Their 30-year-old brother, William Irvine Edward enlisted within days and became SX8003 in the Army Ordnance Corps. Eugene Allan was the fourth brother to enlist several days after his 29th birthday as a transport driver number S74332.
Lawrie SX7667 and fellow Narrung farmhand, 30-year-old Percy Bartholomew SX7122, who enlisted at a similar time, were both allocated to the 2/48th Battalion. The two farmhands spent their early army days in the cold of the Pavilions, now part of the Royal Adelaide Showgrounds, before heading to Woodside for their preliminary training.
Following pre-embarkation leave the 2/48th Battalion then embarked on the Stratheden for the Middle East, on the 7th November 1940 and disembarked on the 17th December. The young men then completed a few months training in Cyrenaica but Lawrie developed pneumonia in May the following year, causing him to be evacuated to hospital for a fortnight. He returned to the Amiriya Staging camp before being able to rejoin his 2/48th Battalion.
The dust, flies, heat, minimal water supplies and constant bombardment in Tobruk were quite a challenge for Lawrie. By March the following year, he was confined to barracks for three days for ‘conduct prejudice to good order and military discipline’. Four months later, in July his parents received the unwelcome news that ‘their second son, Dvr. W. I. E. (Bill) Dabinett has been reported missing In Malaya. He enlisted in July, 1940, and spent several months in Central Australia before leaving for overseas in November 1941.’ Anxious months and years followed as they waited for small snippets of news about their sons. In the meantime, Lawrie successfully undertook several courses, including a Fire Unit Command Course. until finally his battalion was able to return to Australia via Melbourne, then home for well-earned leave.
Training in Queensland followed, preparing the men for service in the tropical conditions of New Guinea and a very different enemy. Lawrie arrived at Milne Bay in August ’43 but was soon seeking treatment for calluses. He was able to return to Australia via Brisbane about six months later, but the effects of his service in New Guinea caused him to develop an extremely high temperature (Pyrexia of Unknown Origin) and malaria resulting in a week of hospitalisation.
By September the following year, Lawrie’s parents had received a third card from Bill whist still a Prisoner of War, stating that he was ‘well and had received letters.’
Whilst in Queensland, the condition of his feet continued to trouble Lawrie, as did the return of malaria. However, he returned to New Guinea in March ’45, landing at Morotai, serving there for three months before finally heading home to Australia, but still affected by the malaria and issues with his feet. Lawrie was discharged on his return to South Australia on the 11th June ’45 with his brother Eugene, four month later on the 15th October. William survived being a Japanese Prisoner of War at Changi, his parents receiving a cable from him in September, prior to his discharge on the 4th December, ’45. The fourth brother, Roy from the Airforce was the last to be discharged on the 25th of February the following year. William was recovered from the Japanese with numerous health issues including malaria, hookworm, dysentery and a mouth infection probably caused by low iron intake. Inevitably, William experienced the repercussions of being a POW, appearing in the Barmera Court for being drunk in April ’46 and receiving a fine. He lived to be 52 and died in April ’62.
Edward lived to see all four of his sons return home from war and being a prisoner. However, his health continued to deteriorate and aged 73 he died in the Royal Adelaide Hospital in August ’49.
Postwar, Lawrie returned to playing football for Parilla, regularly being named in the best players.
Aged 85, he died at Meningie on the 30th July 2001 and was buried in the Murray Bridge Cemetery.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.

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