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Australia

John Stuart Gordon

24 May 1904 – 24 December 1961

John Stuart Gordon was born on 24 May 1904 in Adelaide, South Australia. He spent most of his life in the Adelaide metropolitan area and was later a long-term resident of Edwardstown.

Marriage and Family

On 14 June 1935, John married Edith Hannah Robertson at the Methodist Manse, Pier Street, Glenelg. The marriage ended in divorce, with a decree nisi granted on 10 September 1946, on the grounds of desertion.

John later married Florence Louie O'Connor, widow of Ernest Herbert Obst, who had been tragically killed in a railway accident at Bordertown in 1938. Florence survived John and is recorded as his widow in his death registration.

Military Service – World War II

John Stuart Gordon enlisted in the Australian Military Forces on 5 June 1940 at Adelaide, South Australia, at the age of 36.

Service Number: SX4466
Rank: Private
Corps: Sapper
Unit: Australian Military Forces

Following enlistment, John served overseas in the South-East Asian theatre, where Australian troops were heavily involved in engineering, construction, and logistical operations under extremely harsh conditions.

Prisoner of War – Thailand (Siam)

John Stuart Gordon was captured by Japanese forces during the course of the war and became a Prisoner of War (POW). His Service and Casualty Form records that he was later reported alive in Siam (Thailand) — a notation commonly used by Australian authorities once the status of POWs was clarified following periods of uncertainty or missing status.

This confirmation places John among the Australian servicemen imprisoned in Japanese POW camps in Thailand, a region associated with severe deprivation, forced labour, tropical disease, and high mortality rates. POWs in Thailand were frequently used on railway and construction projects and were subject to brutal conditions, malnutrition, and inadequate medical care.

His record further notes that he was recovered from Thailand, indicating survival through captivity until liberation toward the end of the war.

Liberation and Repatriation

Following liberation:

John was transferred from Thailand to Singapore
Subsequently embarked for return to Australia
Disembarked at Fremantle, Western Australia, in October 1945

After repatriation, he passed through a series of Reception, Investigation, and Disposal Units, standard for returned POWs, which assessed health, fitness, and administrative status. His records show movement through recovery depots and clearance units prior to final discharge.

Discharge

John Stuart Gordon was formally discharged from the Australian Military Forces on 30 November 1945, having completed over five years of service, including captivity as a POW.

Post-War Life

After discharge, John returned to civilian life in South Australia, residing at Edwardstown. Like many former POWs, his later years were shaped by the long-term physical and psychological effects of wartime imprisonment.

Death and Burial

John Stuart Gordon died on 24 December 1961 at Daw Park, South Australia, aged 57.

Last Residence: Edwardstown
Marital Status: Married
Relative Recorded: F. L. Gordon (wife)

He was buried at Centennial Park Cemetery, Adelaide:

Section: Acacia C
Path: CD
Plot: 304

He is interred with his wife Florence Louie Gordon (née O'Connor).

Sources

National Archives of Australia – Service Records,
John Stuart Gordon, Service No. SX4466 (B883 series, Service & Casualty Forms, Attestation Papers)
Australian Military Forces WWII Records –
Enlistment and discharge details, overseas postings, POW status confirmation
South Australia Death Registration –
John Stuart Gordon, death 24 December 1961, District: Adelaide, Book/Page 933/14
Centennial Park Cemetery Records –
Burial location: Acacia C, Path CD, Plot 304

Historical Note

Being recorded as "Now reported alive in Siam" is a significant archival marker. It confirms that John was among those Australian soldiers whose fate was unknown for a period, later verified through POW lists and post-liberation investigations — a fate shared by thousands captured after the fall of Singapore.

Biography by Trevor Pyatt 26/12/2025