Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Served in the Middle East and New Guinea. Was a RAT of Tobruk.

Eric Arthur ROWNTREE

Eric was born in Adelaide on 3 November 1906 to Emily Carolyn Tiller. In 1911 his mother married William George Rowntree, a 53 year old widower, in the Methodist Parsonage at Payneham and William adopted young Eric. Eric’s half sister, Edith, was born in 1912 and sadly his mother died suddenly in June 1914.

Following his mother’s death, Eric went to live with his Uncle and Aunt, Charles and Elsie Tiller, when they were living in Alawoona.

In the mid 1930s Eric was living with his Uncle, this time in Coonalpyn, where he was involved with the Coonalpyn Amateur Cycling Club. His bicycle is in the local museum. Eric was secretary and treasurer of the Club and participated in many events prior to enlisting to serve in World War Two.

Eric enlisted for war service on 11 June 1940 (service number SX5090) at the town of Red Hill, South Australia, giving his half-sister, Edith Watts, as his next-of-kin. His occupation was given as ‘grocery shop assistant’ and his place of residence was given as ‘Coonalpyn’.

Eric undertook his initial training at Woodside camp near Adelaide with the 2nd/43rd Australian Infantry Battalion. The battalion had been raised as part of the 8th Division’s 24th Brigade and was transferred to the newly formed 9th Division in December 1940. The 2nd/43rd left South Australia in December to join the convoy taking the Brigade to the Middle East. On 22 December 1940 the 2nd/43rd travelled aboard the HMT Mauretania to Colombo where they boarded the HMT Nevasa for the Middle East, disembarking at Port Tewfik, port of Suez, on 2 February 1941.

The battalion then travelled by train to Palestine where they completed their training at the Khassa camp which was north of Gaza.

On 5 May 1941 Eric was transferred from the 2nd/43rd to the 24 Anti Tank Company. He was one of nine men transferred from the 2nd/43rd. The 24 Anti Tank Company saw much fighting in the campaign and was called upon to supply supporting fire for all raids and diversions during the period in which artillery support was needed. At the end of September 1941 24 Anti Tank Company was relieved by 20 Anti Tank Company and embarked for Alexandria.

On 16 October 1941 Eric was taken on strength into the 2/3rd Anti Tank Regiment and in March 1942 he was graded a Group III Gun Layer. During October and November the regiment supported the offensive actions of the Second Battle of El Alamein, during which the 9th Division carried out attacks towards the coast, before the Allied breakthrough in early November. The 2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment fired 1,276 rounds during 13 days of heavy fighting, during which 36 guns were destroyed. In December, the regiment was withdrawn back to Palestine, at which time preparations began for the 9th Division to return to Australia, where they were to join the other 2nd AIF divisions fighting the Japanese. A period of leave followed, before the regiment was reconstituted at Kairi, Queensland, and around this time it was re-designated as the 2/3rd Tank Attack Regiment.

On 31 July 1943 with the 2/10 Tank Attack Battery, Eric embarked aboard the Duntroon for Port Moresby. On 28 November 1943 he relinquished his Group III Gun Layer grade and in December was attached to the Royal Australian Artillery Moresby Base Sub Area. In January 1944 he rejoined the 2/10 Tank Attack Battery and on 22 April 1944 he embarked from Port Moresby to return to Townsville, Queensland.

Following a period of leave, Eric was detached for duty to the A.P.O. Atherton during September and October 1944. In February 1945 he was transferred to the 2nd/43rd Australian Infantry Battalion, leaving Townsville in April 1945 for Morotai, New Guinea.

In May 1945 Eric was again graded a Gun Layer and embarked for British North Borneo. In July 1945 he suffered a major injury to one of his fingers which necessitated his evacuation to the 2/4 A.G.H. In September 1945 he was struck off the X List and in October left Brunei Bay to return to Australia, being discharged in November 1945.

Eric remained a single man all of his life, living in Nellie Avenue, Mitchell Park, spending his working life in the laboratory at the Repatriation Hospital, Daw Park.

After Eric’s retirement, his extended family ensured he was included in family events such as birthdays and Christmas.

Eric died on 4 January 1997 at the Myrtle Bank Soldiers Home, aged 90 years. He was buried in the Ardrossan cemetery, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia.