HARVEY, Lawrence John
| Service Number: | WX10822 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 15 January 1941 |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
| Born: | Herne Bay. England, 24 December 1919 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Died at sea (Rakuyo Maru), South China Sea, 12 September 1944, aged 24 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 |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Corporal, WX10822 | |
|---|---|---|
| 15 Jan 1941: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Corporal, WX10822 |
Help us honour Lawrence John Harvey's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Geoff Tilley
Lawrence John Harvey, also known as Laurence, was born in Herne Bay Kent England 24th December 1919, to William Harvey MC and Margaret Emma Hartnett nee McAlenan. He had four brothers and two sisters. Mother, Margaret, two-year-old Laurence and sister Ursula arrived in Albany Western Australia aboard “Sophisoles” in 1922, Father William arrived sometime before and resumed his work as a police officer in Manjimup.
Lawrence married Enid Mary Hastie in Perth in 1940 having two sons Brian and Michael.
He enlisted 2nd AIF on 15th January 1941, later joining “C” Company of 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion. He was transferred to “E” Company Special Reserve Battalion after the reinforcements where pick up by “Aquitania” on 16th January 1942. He was promoted to Corporal on the 7th February 1942 just before Japanese invaded Singapore.
Jack as he was known was fortunate to survive the Japanese ambush at Bukit Timah in which “E” Company ran into on 11th February 1942 resulting in a huge loss of life. Jack was captured becoming a prisoner of war.
He was later selected to work on the Burma end of the railway with Green Force, Green Force would remain working in Burma until December 1943 when the railway was completed.
The Japanese began moving prisoners in the Burma area to Thailand, Jack was probably sent to Tamarkan. With all POW’s now in Thailand they began the selection of the fittest men for work in Japan. In April 1944 Jack was selected with what is known as the “Rakuyo Mura” party to be sent to Japan.
On the morning 12th September 1944 the convoy that Jack was a part of was attacked in the Luzon Strait by three United States submarines, Rakuyo Maru was torpedoed by USS Sealion and sunk towards evening.
Corporal Lawrence John Harvey service number WX10822 of 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion, died as a Prisoner of War, in the South China Sea near Haanan Island, 12th September 1944. He was 24 years of age.
He is commemorated on the Labuan Memorial, Malaysia and is remembered with honour.
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