James Orton CRAWFORD

James Orton CRAWFORD Update Details

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CRAWFORD, James Orton

Service Numbers:	268851, NX33062
Enlisted:	21 September 1938
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	Army Service Corps Companies
Born:	Epping, New South Wales, Australia, 12 March 1920
Home Town:	Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Clerk
Died:	Illness, Borneo, 11 July 1945, aged 25 years
Cemetery:	No known grave - "Known Unto God" Labuan Memorial, Labuan, Malaysia
Memorials:	Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Ranau Number 2 Prisoner of War Jungle Camp "The Last Camp Memorial"

World War 2 Service

21 Sep 1938:	Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, 268851, 17th Infantry Battalion
20 Jun 1940:	Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, NX33062
18 Feb 1941:	Embarked Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, NX33062, 1 Company Australian Army Service Corps, ex Sydney to Singapore per HMT QM
26 Mar 1942:	Imprisoned Malaya/Singapore
11 Jul 1945:	Involvement Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, NX33062, Army Service Corps Companies

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Biography contributed by Chris Buckley

A Clerk in Sydney NSW when he enlisted in the ACMF in March 1938 (Private; Gunner; Service No:268851), James was the third of four children of Robert William Crawford (b1882 in Durham Ox, Victoria) and Mary Morris Orton (b1883 in Beechworth, Victoria). Robert (a Clergyman) and Mary (a Teacher) married in 1913 in Beechworth, Victoria. Robert served in WWI (Private; Service No:18476) and in WWII (Sergeant; Service No:N270032). He and Mary had settled in Sydney NSW after WWI and Robert worked as a Commercial Traveller and Lorry Driver.

James served with 1 Coy Australian Army Service Corps (Private; Service No:NX33062) and was in Singapore when he was Reported Missing on 26 March 1942, and confirmed PoW on 29 March 1943. He was imprisoned at Changi Camp in Singapore, before embarking with 'B' Force for Borneo on 31 December 1942. James died on 11 July 1945.

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