Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Eric was born in London in 1911 and had two siblings Marjorie Rhoda his big sister and Reginald Frederick his baby brother. The family had a sweet shop in Shepherds Bush and Eric's Uncle had holdings in Covent Garden Markets. Eric's parents separated when Eric was very young. When he reached the age of 14 he asked his mother if he could emigrate to Canada. Beatrice took him to the Church to find out but they were sending boys to Australia not Canada. Eric left for Australia by ship and worked 6 months of the year in a farm in the Brisbane Valley and 6 months of the year in the cane fields in Mackay. His younger brother Reggie followed him out a few years later. Eric enlisted in the 2nd 26th in Mackay and was duly sent to Singapore. Eric was captured in Singapore and subsequently died on the Burma Railway in front of some of his friends from home who were in the same battalion.
Each day a number of prisoners were required to work on the railway and there was a young man there who was married with children who was unwell and as Eric was unmarried and had no children he took the mans place. This was his last day on the Burma Railway. His brother Reggie went on to have 5 children and 13 grand children. Reggie would not march with Eric's medals, however, my father Lloyd Robert Sutton marched with them on Anzac Day at Sandgate where Eric left from the Drill Hall to go to war. It was my privilege to travel to Ballarat for the dedication of the POW Memorial wall and like the survivors who attended that day I ran my fingers over his name chiselled in the wall. Lest we forget. Rhonda Sutton (Niece)