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CANVERT, John
Personal Details
| Service Number: | VX27141 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 14 June 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/21st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Yarraville, Victoria, Australia, 26 February 1902 |
| Home Town: | Newport, Hobsons Bay, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Bottle Sorter |
| Died: | Executed whilst a prisoner of the Japanese, Ambon, Netherlands East Indies, 15 February 1942, aged 39 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" |
| Memorials: | Ambon Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial |
Service History
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Private, VX27141 | |
|---|---|---|
| 14 Jun 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, VX27141 | |
| 19 Jul 1940: | Transferred Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, 2nd/21st Infantry Battalion, Part of Gull Force. |
Personal Stories
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John CANVERT enlisted on 14 June 1940 initially seeing service in Australia.
In December 1941 he was sent to Ambon as part of ‘Gull Force’ to defend the strategic island’s harbour and air strip. In January 1942 an overwhelmingly large Japanese force had landed on the island and after attempting to defend the area, many were killed or declared missing. Private Canvert was listed as missing on 2 February 1942. Reports were later received that he had been executed whilst a prisoner of the Japanese with his date of death given as 15 February 1942.
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