COUSENS, Cecil John
| Service Numbers: | QX36663, Q33538 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 20 October 1941 |
| Last Rank: | Gunner |
| Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
| Born: | Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia, 4 November 1912 |
| Home Town: | Sellheim, Charters Towers, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farm Hand/ Labourer and later a Miner |
| Died: | Gunshot wound to head, Mt Isa, Queensland, Australia, 28 May 1981, aged 68 years |
| Cemetery: |
Mount Isa Cemetery, Qld P-1 P1-11 Grave 35 |
| Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Gunner, QX36663, also Q33538 - FTD 20/10/1941? | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 1941: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, QX36663 | |
| 25 Jan 1945: | Involvement Gunner, Q33538, FTD 20/10/1941? - also QX36663 | |
| 25 Jan 1945: | Enlisted | |
| 25 Jan 1945: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, QX36663 |
Help us honour Cecil John Cousens's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Ian Cousens
Cecil was related to Joseph Arthur (Arthur) Cousens QX1766 who served in the 2/12th Infantry Battalion. Cecil's father Harry Richmond Cousens and Arthur were cousins.
Biography contributed by Ian Cousens
Cecil John Cousens b. 4 November 1912 was the 2nd son of Harry Richmond Cousens and his wife Sophy Amelia Meyers. His father had served in the Boer war with the 4th and 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen. From the 1936 Electoral Roll, he was a farm hand living in Ingham. Cecil enlisted for service in WWII as did his siblings Harry Meyers, Stanley Clifford, Louis George and Lucy Amelia. After the war he appears in the 1949 and 1954 Electoral Rolls as a trucker for Mt Isa Mines residing in Cloncurry. Cecil never married. From files at the Queensland State Archives, Cecil died on 28 May 1981 from a gunshot wound to the head at his home in 20 Camooweal Street, Mount Isa. A Post Mortem was conducted. He was aged 68 and employed as a storeman.
Cecil's father Harry Richmond Cousens was the 1/2 brother of Sydney Leake Cousens ##5322 26th Battalion KIA 8-8-1918 and Stanley Clifford Cousens #816 15th Battalion KIA 9-8-16
Biography contributed by Ian Cousens
From his pay ledger held at the Austrailian National Archives at Cannon Hill, Brisbane, Cecil was initially a Private in the 31st Battalion of the Australian Citizens Military Force with service number Q33538. His service number changed to QX36663 on 24 June 1942, indicating he had joined the AIF and was now available for service outside Australia. Cecil was in "A" Heavy Battery which saw service at Milne Bay in late 1942 and early 1943. "A" Heavy Battery moved to Boera in May 1943 where it was renammed as "R" Australian Heavy Battery. When Cecil was discharged on 25 January 1945 he was still with "R" Heavy Battery.
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