EDELSTEN, Ivor
| Service Number: | VX129339 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 27 January 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
| Born: | St Arnaud, Victoria, Australia, 12 September 1910 |
| Home Town: | Glenroy, Moreland, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Butcher |
| Died: | Died at sea (Montevideo Maru), South China Sea, 1 July 1942, aged 31 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Commemorated: - Panel 6, Rabaul Memorial, Rabaul, East New Britain, Papua New Guinea |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Rabaul Memorial, Rabaul Montevideo Maru Memorial, St. Arnaud High School Roll of Honour WW2, St. Arnaud WW2 & Post WW2 War Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Gunner, VX129339 | |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Jan 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, VX129339 | |
| 25 Jan 1942: | Imprisoned Malaya/Singapore, Captured after the invasion at Keravat and became a Prisoner of War, initially held at Rabaul. |
Help us honour Ivor Edelsten's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Dianne Black
Parents: - Walter Edelsten and Rose Ada Jane Johnson, (married 1908, in St Arnaud) of St. Arnaud, Victoria.
Ivor Edelsten enlisted in the Australian Army Militia at Queenscliff, Victoria on 27th January 1940 as a Gunner (VP6742) in the Royal Australian Artillery allocated to 2nd Heavy Brigade. Private Edelsten was posted to "L" (LARK) Force on 10th March1941, as appointed Cook Group II. He embarked on the "Zealandia" in Sydney on 18th April 1941 for Rabaul, New Britain, New Guinea, disembarking there on 26th April 1941 as part of "Lark Force" Royal Australian Artillery, Rabaul Heavy Battery, protecting the harbour. This battery was destroyed by Japanese bombing ahead of the invasion (Battle of Rabaul) on 23rd January 1942. Private Edelsten was captured after the invasion at Keravat and became a Prisoner of War, initially held at Rabaul. He was among those who were able to write a carefully scripted letter to next of kin advising that he was a POW. The letters were dropped from a Japanese plane over Port Moresby, Papua. He is presumed to have died on board the "Montevideo Maru" when it was torpedoed and sunk by US Navy submarine, USS Sturgeon, off the coast of Luzon Island in the Philippines on 1st July 1942 whilst, en route from Rabaul to Hainan where he was destined for forced labour. He was posthumously enrolled in the 2nd AIF as VX129339.