Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

SX1115 ROY SANDERCOCK

Roy was born at Balhannah on 27 July 1905. He was the son of George and Margaret Sandercock. Roy had married Brenda Potter at the Presbytery in Parkside on 16 April 1927. At the time of his enlistment he was a dairy farmer at Bridgewater.

On 23 November 1939 Roy enlisted in the 2/10th Battalion ("The Adelaide Rifles") which was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army raised for overseas service as part of the all-volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) during World War II. Formed in October 1939, it was the first 2nd AIF unit raised from the state of South Australia during the war. After completing a period of training at Woodside the battalion entrained for New South Wales where training continued at Greta and Ingleburn.

Farewell Evening

A farewell was tendered to Ptes. A. K. Ashenden, M. Moore and R. Sandercock on the eve of their departure with the 2nd A.I.F. Mr. H. H. Shannon, M.P., was in the chair. On behalf of the electric light cricket club, the president (Mr. F. Leibing) presented a wristlet watch, suitably inscribed, to each guest, and each responded. Songs were rendered by Mrs. H. Gilbert and Mr. H. R. Jarrett, a duet by Miss Elsdon and Mrs. B. Baker, Pte. Clayton played selections on the mouth organ, and Mr. Jarrett conducted community singing. Dancing and supper brought the evening to a close.

Mount Barker Courier and Onkaparinga and Gumeracha Advertiser, Thursday 21 December 1939

On 5 May 1940 the battalion embarked from Sydney for overseas service. Initially, it had been intended that the 2/10th would be sent to the Middle East to join the other brigades of the 6th Division, but instead the battalion was sent to strengthen the garrison in the United Kingdom after France capitulated in mid-1940. Roy disembarked in Gourock, Scotland on 18 June 1940 and remained in the United Kingdom undertaking defensive duties until late 17 November when Roy and the 2/10th embarked from Glasgow. On 31 December Roy finally arrived in the Middle East. The 2/10th moved to Tobruk in the first week of April and took part in the defence of Tobruk until it was withdrawn at the end of August. After Tobruk, the 2/10th trained in Palestine. Roy had earned the tag as one of the “Rats of Tobruk”.

In Palestine, on 20 September 1941,  Roy was transferred to 18 Australian Infantry Training Battalion which was formed at Ikingi Maryut, Egypt. It moved to Dimra in March, embarked from Suez aboard SS Andes on 18 February 1942 and disembarked in Adelaide on 16 March. The unit camped at Mt Barker, only a short distance from Roy’s home at Bridgewater.

On 12 July Roy marched out to Victoria where he was sick with cerebro-spinal meningitis and on 9 September was admitted to 50 Camp Hospital at Balcombe. A month later he was discharged and returned to South Australia where he was based at the General Details Depot. In March 1943, suffering from septic pharyngitis and R. Basal BP he was again admitted to hospital, this time to 101 General Hospital at Northfield. After sixteen days he was evacuated to Kapara Convalescent Home at Glenelg. On 12 April he was discharged to the Leave and Transit Depot.

By May 1943 Roy was serving with 1 Australian “B” Class Training Depot at Warwick, Queensland, when he was promoted to Corporal. In February 1944 Roy marched out to the North Eastern Reinforcements Training Centre but again was hospitalised. In May he spent two weeks in 8 Camp Hospital at Warwick with septic sores. On discharge he was given a medical classification of B2 – medically fit, but, by reason of disabilities of a permanent nature, employable only on certain duties requiring restricted medical fitness. The reason given for this classification was “constitutional (H)”.

Roy embarked from Brisbane aboard MS Gorgon on 4 October 1944 and landed at Aitape on 11 October to serve with New Guinea Advanced 2nd Echelon (Records Office) at Lae. Two months later he was promoted to Lance Sergeant. Roy returned to Brisbane aboard HMT Taroona on 5 April 1945 and was then granted leave. While on leave he was evacuated to 4 Camp Hospital in Redbank with malaria, and then to 112 Military Hospital in Brisbane. Roy returned to Adelaide where he was discharged on 30 June 1945.

On the grounds of desertion, Roy and Brenda were divorced in December 1948. At this time Roy was residing in Finke, Northern Territory.  Roy died on 28 September 1968 at the age of 67. His remains lie in the Derrick Garden of Remembrance, Path 10, Grave 675A, Centennial Park.