Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of Richard Henry and Florence Jane Drew; husband of Evelyn Rose Drew, of Gosford, New South Wales, Australia.

Private Drew enlisted in August 1940 and embarked for overseas service in December 1941. He arrived in Ambon on 17 December 1941 and was a member of 2/12 Field Ambulance which was part of “Gull Force”. This force consisted of 1131 Australian soldiers, Dutch and local native troops whose objective was to occupy Ambon Island (approximately 350 miles NNE of Timor, in the Banda Sea) and hinder the Japanese advance.
Pte Drew was serving at Laha prior to the Japanese invasion of 30 January 1942. Following a series of short but fierce battles, fighting on Ambon ceased on 2nd February 1942, after which Pte Drew was listed as missing. The men who had survived the battle for Laha (approximately 315 men) were systematically executed and buried in one of four mass graves. Pte Drew was executed on 15 February 1942.

DREW—NX59797, Driver Cecil Horace Alfred, 2/l2th Field Ambulance, Gull Force, reported missing, believed deceased whilst prisoner of war, Laha Amboina, dearly beloved husband of Rose, and father of Douglas and Ken, of White Street, Gosford : also beloved second son of Mr. Drew and the late Mrs. Drew, of Wimbledon, England, and brother of Florence and Winston.