Hurtle Bernard O'CONNOR

O'CONNOR, Hurtle Bernard

Service Number: VX47945
Enlisted: 23 July 1940
Last Rank: Corporal
Last Unit: 2nd/5th Field Hygiene Section
Born: Mildura, Victoria, 3 September 1915
Home Town: Mildura, Mildura Shire, Victoria
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Labourer
Died: Died of Illness (POW of Japan), Sandakan, Borneo, 27 July 1945, aged 29 years
Cemetery: No known grave - "Known Unto God"
No known grave - Panel 25, Labuan Memorial, Labuan, Malaysia
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Labuan Memorial, Labuan Federal Territory, Malaysia, Ranau Number 2 Prisoner of War Jungle Camp "The Last Camp Memorial"
Show Relationships

World War 2 Service

23 Jul 1940: Enlisted Private, VX47945, Caulfield, Victoria
23 Jul 1940: Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Corporal, VX47945
16 Feb 1942: Imprisoned Malaya/Singapore
27 Jul 1945: Involvement Corporal, VX47945, 2nd/5th Field Hygiene Section, Prisoners of War

Help us honour Hurtle Bernard O'Connor's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography

"...VX47945 Corporal Hurtle Bernard O'Connor served with the 2nd/5th Field Hygiene Section of the Australian Army Medical Corps during World War Two. Taken prisoner at Singapore, he was one of over 2000 Allied prisoners of war (POW) held in the Sandakan POW camp in north Borneo, having been transferred there from Singapore as a part of B Force. The 1494 POW's that made up B Force, were transported from Changi on 7 July 1942 on board the tramp ship 'Ubi Maru', arriving in Sandakan Harbour on 18 July 1942. Corporal O'Connor, aged 29, died due to illness as a prisoner of the Japanese on 27 July 1945. He was the son of Mr and Mrs E. M. O'Connor, of Mildura, Victoria. He is commemorated on the Labuan Memorial Panel 25." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)

Read more...