MACRAE, Harvey John Booth
| Service Number: | VX41940 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 July 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/21st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Boisdale, Victoria, Australia, 12 December 1916 |
| Home Town: | Moe, Latrobe, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Grocer |
| Died: | Illness, Ambon, Netherlands East Indies, 10 April 1945, aged 28 years |
| Cemetery: |
Ambon War Cemetery, Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia CWGC Grave No: Plot 24. Row A. Grave 5. Inscription: "HE WILL SOLDIER ON FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS." |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Moe War Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Private, VX41940 | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jul 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, VX41940 | |
| 17 Feb 1942: | Imprisoned Ambon, Captured and detained by the Japanese Occupation Force, at Tan Toey (Tantui) Prisoner of War (P.O.W.) Camp, Ambon Island. | |
| 10 Apr 1945: | 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 beri beri. |
Gull Force POW
Known as Jack, he was born in Boisdale, Wellington Shire VIC on 12 Dec 1916, the son of Harvey Watsford McRae & Amabel Elsie Booth
On 1 Jul 1940, Jack was working as a Grocer, when he enlisted in the AIF in Caulfield at the age of 23
He was allocated as Private S/No. VX41940 & following training was posted to 2/21st Battalion as Gp.II Signaller
On 18 Dec 1940, in Rushford, Box Hill , Jack of Glen Shiel (Silver Mine), Butchers Ridge, married Elsa Alice Laura Jennings of Ferndale in the home of Mr & Mrs J. Lyne
The battalion began arriving in Darwin on 9 Apr 1941 & spent the next 9 months training & on garrison duties
Following the Japanese invasion of Malaya on 8 Dec, the battalion prepared to move, arriving on Ambon in the Dutch East Indies on 17 Dec as part of Gull Force
On the evening of 30/31 Jan 1942, Japanese Infantry landed at several locations on the north & south coast of the island & by the afternoon of the 31st, Dutch forces around Paso had surrendered
Outnumbered & lacking air or naval support the 2/21st Battalion, which was guarding Ambon itself, was unable to prevent the advance despite determined resistance & were pushed to the far west of the peninsula. Around 150 soldiers of B & C Companies, with some Indonesian & Dutch troops were subsequently captured at Laha Airfield – many were later massacred following a major Japanese offensive on 2 Feb
Meanwhile, the remainder of the battalion located around Eri, surrendered the following day & were interned in their former barracks at Tan Tui
Gull Force lost 15 men killed during the defence of Ambon & another 309 men at Laha who were either KIA or murdered by the Japanese in mass executions which occurred on 6 & 15–20 Feb 1942
Jack was held in captivity as prisoners of war until he passed away from BeriBeri – a disease caused by a deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B1) that affects many systems of the body including the muscles, heart, nerves & digestive system – 10 Apr 1945
He was interred at Ambon War Cemetery & is listed on panel 47 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial
Submitted 24 November 2024 by James Coleman
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