GUEST, David Lindsay
| Service Number: | VX28286 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 June 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/21st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Horsham, Victoria, Australia, 27 March 1920 |
| Home Town: | Pimpinio, Horsham, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farm Hand |
| Died: | Illness, Ambon, Netherlands East Indies, 12 December 1943, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
Ambon War Cemetery, Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia CWGC Grave No: Plot 21. Row C. Grave 1. Inscription: "OUR DEAR BROTHER At REST, FOREVER REMEMBERED" |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Horsham Our Honoured Dead WW2, Pimpinio War Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Private, VX28286 | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Jun 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, VX28286 | |
| 17 Feb 1942: | Imprisoned Ambon, Captured and detained until his death by the Japanese Occupation Force, at Tan Toey (Tantui) Prisoner of War (P.O.W.) Camp, Ambon Island. | |
| 12 Dec 1943: | Involvement Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, 2nd/21st Infantry Battalion, Ambon, Member of Gull Force, died on this date whilst a prisoner of the Japanese. Nature of death recorded as bacillary dysentery. |
Help us honour David Lindsay Guest's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by John GUEST
David served with the 2/21st Infantry Battalion formed on 11th July 1940 as part of the 23rd Brigade of the 8th Division. He was sent to Ambon (Indonsesia), then Netherlands, East Indies disembarking on the 17th December 1941 as part of the Gull Force (Refer: also the Gull Force Nominal Roll entry for David).
He went missing on the 2nd February 1942 and was identified 15 days later as a Prisoner Of War (POW) held by the Japanese at Ambon.
He became ill and was admitted to the care of Captain J Ewhart, M.D; and David's condition worsened despite the best care possible given the conditions. David died on the 12th December 1943 from dysentery.
He never married and was without issue but has never been forgotten by his family.
Biography contributed by John GUEST
David struck down in his prime, aged 22 years, was an exceptional young farmer and scholar. A bright future in agriculture laid ahead for him.
Aged 18 years on the 24th February 1938, he beat 12 other finalists to win the inaugarul Council of Agriculture Victoria (CAEV) scholarship for the young farmer of the year award.
His prize was a 3 year enrollment at Longerenong Agricultural College, founded in 1889 and continuing this day, as part of the University of Melbourne to qualify in agricultural sciences
Longerenong is situated nearby to where David was raised at the the Guest family farmland at Pimpinio, and also nearby to his cousins farmland at Kalkee, Western Victoria. The Guest family still holds these lands granted in 1874.
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