James Murry MILLER

MILLER, James Murry

Service Number: VX14639
Enlisted: 8 May 1940, Caufield, Victoria
Last Rank: Lance Corporal
Last Unit: 2nd/2nd Pioneer Battalion
Born: Seymour, Victoria, Australia , 28 February 1917
Home Town: Yarram, Wellington, Victoria
Schooling: Seymour State School, Seymour, Victoria, Australia
Occupation: Labourer
Died: Died at sea (POW Rakuyo Maru), South China Sea, 16 September 1944, aged 27 years
Cemetery: No known grave - "Known Unto God"
Panel 19 Labuan Memorial, Labuan, Malaysia
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Yarram WW2 Memorial Pillars
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World War 2 Service

3 Sep 1939: Involvement Lance Corporal, VX14639
8 May 1940: Transferred Private, 2nd/2nd Pioneer Battalion
8 May 1940: Enlisted Private, VX14639, Caufield, Victoria
9 May 1940: Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Lance Corporal, VX14639, 2nd/2nd Pioneer Battalion
6 Aug 1941: Promoted Lance Corporal, 2nd/2nd Pioneer Battalion, Appointed Lance Corporal.
11 Oct 1941: Promoted Trooper, 2nd/2nd Pioneer Battalion, Reverted from Lance Corporal to Trooper.
31 Jan 1942: Embarked Trooper, VX14639, 2nd/2nd Pioneer Battalion, Disembarked Batavia, 18. 2. 1942. With the imminent Japanese threat to Australia, the 6th and 7th Divisions were recalled to Australia. 2nd/2nd Pioneer Battalion, returning home aboard the 'Orcades' along with other units were diverted to Batavia in order to raise a defensive force against the Japanese, called Blackforce. After days of heavy fighting in early March 1942 and heavy losses, Blackforce was ordered to lay down their arms and surrender.
7 Mar 1942: Imprisoned Reported Missing in Action in Java 7. 3. 1942.
30 Apr 1942: Involvement Lance Corporal, VX14639, 2nd/2nd Pioneer Battalion, Reported Missing in Action
22 Dec 1943: Imprisoned AIF JAVA, Interned Thai Camp
16 Sep 1944: Imprisoned Killed at Sea aboard Japanese Ship RAKUYO MARU, sunk by Allied Wolfpack consisting of Destroyer and Subs in South China Sea.

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