DENGATE, Allan John
| Service Number: | NX42967 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 August 1941 |
| Last Rank: | Signaller |
| Last Unit: | 8th Division Signals |
| Born: | Hillston, New South Wales, Australia, 9 July 1921 |
| Home Town: | Penrith, Penrith Municipality, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Cook |
| Died: | Illness whilst a Prisoner of the Japanese , Borneo, 17 June 1945, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Labuan Memorial, Labuan Federal Territory, Malaysia, Merriwagga District Honour Roll |
World War 2 Service
| 18 Aug 1941: | Enlisted Private, NX42967, Paddington, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Aug 1941: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, NX42967 | |
| 17 Jun 1945: | Involvement Signaller, NX42967, 8th Division Signals, Prisoners of War |
Mr Peter John Caunt (Dengate)
My Father was Richard George Caunt (Nicholls) as his mother was not married at the time of his birth (07 Sep 1913). Richard's mother went on to marry Fredrick Wallace Caunt.
We discovered years later that the father of Richard George Caunt (Dengate) was Richard Allan Dengate who was working at Grong Grong, NSW with a brother and a team of horses, helping to build a dam there.
Richard Allan went on to marry, and Allan John Dengate was the 2nd child of Richard Allan Dengate, my father Richard George Caunt (Dengate) was the first born.
Richard Allan Dengate supplied food for some year for my father. My father served in the Army but did not go overseas. He was discharged with a back problem. He later drew a solder's block at Holbrook, NSW, where he did very well
He was a very hard worker did not drink, but sadly he committed suicide on 14 Feb 1960. He never got along with his step-father Fredrick
My father never spoke of his real father until I did a family tree in the 1980s. My father's half-brothers (Caunts) told me all about it. The Dengates had a family reunion which went well.
Submitted 24 December 2017 by Peter Caunt
Biography contributed by Peter Caunt
"NX42967 Signalman Allan John Dengate, 8th Division Signals, Australian Corps of Signals. He was one of over 2000 Allied prisoners of war (POW) held in the Sandakan POW camp in north Borneo, having been transferred there from Singapore as a part of B Force. The 1494 POW's that made up B Force, were transported from Changi on 7 July 1942 on board the tramp ship Ubi Maru, arriving in Sandakan Harbour on 18 July 1942. Signalman Dengate, aged 23, died as a prisoner of the Japanese on 17 June 1945. He was the son of Richard Allan and Elizabeth Ann Dengate, of St. Mary's, NSW. He is commemorated on the Labuan Memorial Panel 7." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)
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