Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Roy Clifford Stone was born at Reynella 23 July 1914, the third child of John and Julia Charlotte (nee Turner) Stone. John and Lottie farmed Sections 11w, 11e, and 12, Hundred of Pinda. 

Roy joined the Militia on 27 January 1939, and was allocated Army number 307345, with the 9/23 Light Horse.

He joined the Second AIF 17 June 1940, aged 25 and marched out to Woodside where he was allocated to the newly formed 2/43rd Battalion (Btn) with Army number SX5438. Initially raised as part of the 8th Divisions 24th Brigade, the 2/43 Btn was subsequently transferred to the 9th Division. Roy was part of No 3 Platoon – Headquarters Company.

Roy was given five days pre-embarkation leave before entraining to Victoria at the end of December 1940 where he boarded a ship, part of a convoy taking the brigade to the Middle East. Roy and his unit disembarked at Port Tewfik, the Port of Suez, and then travelled by train to Palestine on the 2 February 1941.

In March the 9th Division was moved to Libya as part of the defense of Tobruk. Whilst the bulk of the 9th Division pushed toward Benghazi, owing to a lack of vehicles the 24th Brigade, including the 2/43, remained in Tobruk. The German counter attack in April of 1941 saw the 9th Division retreat to Tobruk to defend the vital port.

The 2/43 Btn participated in the usual pattern of defensive duties, manning parts of the Red Line, the towns outer line of defence, and the Blue Line which was the second line of defence, as well as patrolling no man's land. On the 11 August 1941 Roy suffered multiple bullet wounds and was evacuated to 2/4 General Hospital at Dimra.

The News (Adelaide), dated Friday the 29August 1941, reported ‘Advice has been received by Mr. and Mrs. J. Stone of Willowie, that their second spn, Pte. R.C. Stone, has been wounded in action. Pte. Stone joined the A.I.F in June of last year and went overseas in December. His elder brother, Keith, is also abroad with the A.I.F.’

 He returned to his unit on 29 August 1941 but 12 September returned to hospital once again with an injury to his arm, re-joining it four days later. The 2/43 Btn evacuated Tobruk in mid-October and were transferred back to camp at Kilo 89 in Palestine, moving to Syria and Lebanon for rest, training and garrison duties. 29 August 1942 Roy was admitted to hospital with dysentery, returning to his unit in early September before attending further training at 9 Division M.G. School (range takers course). He was subsequently graded Group III Rangetaker. In October of 1942, the 2/43 was involved in the second battle of El Alamein.

El Alamein was success for the allies, but Roy and the 9th Division were recalled to Australia, embarking the Middle East on the ship ‘L1’ on the 24 January disembarking in Sydney 27 February 1943.

Reorganised and trained up for jungle warfare Roy was shipped out to New Guinea, disembarking at Milne Bay 10 August 1943 and then taking part in the 9th Division assault on Lae. Following the fall of Lae Roy was involved in the assault on Finschaffen in November 1943. He was admitted to hospital with Dengue Fever at the end of that month. In January 1944, Roy and the 2/43rd Btn returned to Australia.

After some leave, the 2/43 Btn regrouped at Ravenshoe on the Atherton Tablelands, Queensland for a very long period of extensive training. In April 1945 Roy, as part of the 9th Division, was transported to Morotai which was being used as a staging area in preparation for the 7th and 9th Divisions amphibious operations on Borneo. They landed at Labuan in June and then onto the mainland of British North Borneo as the Japanese fell back.

Following Japan’s surrender and peace being declared, Roy left Morotai on 22 October, disembarking at Brisbane. He was discharged from the Army 12 December 1945. He married Jean Marie Davis, (sister of Edward Frederick Davis) on 7 October 1950 at Enfield Church of England.

At some stage after the war Roy moved to Western Australia, farming at Denbarker, near Mt. Barker, Roy and Jean had three children.  

He passed away 10 July 1986, at Mount Barker, Western Australia, aged 72 years. The Metropolitan Cemetery Board in Western Australia have advised his ashes were collected by his family.

Source: "Diggers From the Dust" Di Barrie & Andrew Barrie