ATOCK, James Kenneth
| Service Number: | VX5403 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 20 October 1939, Hawthorn, Victoria |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/7th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | North Sydney, New South Wales, 28 March 1919 |
| Home Town: | Hawthorn East, Boroondara, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Camberwell Grammar School |
| Occupation: | Newspaper Compositor |
| Died: | Executed (POW of Germany - Shot while escaping), Crete, Greece, 13 July 1941, aged 22 years |
| Cemetery: |
Suda Bay War Cemetery (Souda Bay) Greece |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 2 Service
| 20 Oct 1939: | Involvement Private, VX5403, 2nd/7th Infantry Battalion, "Operation Lustre" Greece 1941 | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 1939: | Enlisted Hawthorn, Victoria | |
| 13 Jul 1941: | Involvement Private, VX5403, 2nd/7th Infantry Battalion, Prisoners of War |
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"...VX5403 Private James Kenneth Atock, 2/7th Battalion, Australian Infantry. Private Atock, aged 20, was shot on 13 July 1941, as a Prisoner of War (POW) while trying to escape, after being captured defending the island of Crete against the German land and airborne invasion. He was the son of Vivian Henry Edward and Edna Lois Atock, of Parkville, Vic. He is buried in the Suda Bay Cemetery Section 5, Row B, Plot 1..." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)
"James Kenneth (Ken) Atock, VX-5403 of the 2/7th. Infantry Battalion, 6th. Division AIF was awarded with “Mentioned-in-Despatches” approved by King George VI in recognition of his gallant and distinguished service in the field during the Second World War.
Ken was the first CGS student to enlist for service in WWII aged only 18 years. He registered on the first day the newly formed 2nd AIF was established at Puckapunyal. Ken’s academic ability was quickly recognised by the Army and he was assigned to the intelligence section of the 2/7th Battalion. He performed intelligence activities and training in Egypt and Palestine and then went on to fight in active service in Libya, mainland Greece and Crete..." - READ MORE LINK (www.ocga.org.au)
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