Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Harold Vincent Hallam born June 7th 1914 in Warwick Queensland, to Bridget Veronica McCaul, age 27 and Walter George Hallam, age 32. At the age of 2 his parents welcomed his younger sister Irene Mary born on June 5th 1917 in Toowoomba. Only three years later he got his first brother John Walter born on the 12th of September 1919 in Toowoomba. At the young age of 25 Harold lost his
Sergeant Harold Vincent Hallam QX1452 age 26 father Walter, aged 57, on the 12th of June 1939.
Just 4 months later on the 14th of October 1939 Harold had married his now Wife Mary Ellen Hallam (nee Toomey) in the Roman Catholic Church in Gatton, Queensland. Then not even six months later on the 1st of April 1940 Harold had enlisted into the Australian Military Force and the next day he marched out of Toowoomba and headed for Enoggera, where two and a half months later on the 26th of June he marched out to the 8th Signals division in Lytton, Brisbane. On the 5th of August Harold marched out to the East Command which encompassed New South Wales, the 21st of August rolls around and the east Command joins forces with the North Command based in Townsville to take on Strength, which got him appointed as the Special Group Captain II. Eight days later he found himself sick and admitted to hospital for four days where he returned on the 03.10.1940. Harold then went A.W.O.L from 10:30pm on the night of the 19th of October until 12:30am on the night of the 25th of October, from this he was awarded seven days of leave. Under two months later (17th of December) Harold was Promoted to Assistant Corporal. A couple of months pass and the 26th of February rolls around and on this day Harold is transported with the 8 division Signals to the Southern Command in the third Military District of Victoria. Three months later on the 23rd of May 1941 he got officially promoted to Corporal and also embarked on H.M.T “ZZ” headed for Singapore, where they landed 17 days later. During those 17 days at sea had his son (and my grandfather) Brian John born 2nd of June 1941.
After another six months of service Harold was appointed Lance-Sergeant, which later that day was the promotion was confirmed to Sergeant on the 20th of November 1941.
On the 16th of February 1942 Sergeant Hallam went missing in Malaya and was a prisoner of war in Tokyo where he was until the 9th of September 1945 he the recovered from the Japanese at No. 2 camp, Tokyo.
Harold was then taking on holding strength on the 9th of September 1945. On the 27th of September 1945 embarked Manila per “Puibera”, twelve days later he disembarked at Sydney. On the 10th of October to Ulla Camp area for rehabilitation. Two days later he was evacuated to the 102nd General hospital with mild rheumatoid arthritis shoulders. On the 20th Harold was discharged from hospital to back to Ulla. Finally on the 23rd of November 1945 Harold was discharged from the Australian Army due to Army Medical regulations - Medical Discharge.
After 2,063 days of service for Australia Sergeant Harold Vincent Hallam was awarded five medals for his commitment to our country; the 1939-1945 Star - awarded for more than 180 days of service, the Pacific Star - awarded to personnel who served in the Pacific theatre of WWII, the Defence Medal - awarded to those that were closely threatened in WWII, the War Medal - awarded to those who did more than 28 days of service, the Australian Service Medal - awarded to recognise the Australian Armed Forces personnel during WWII. Before and After the war Harold’s occupation was a clerk.
In 1959, at the age of 44 Harold’s mother Bridget passed away, and not even nine years later on the 11th of January 1968 at the age of 53 Harold Vincent Hallam took his final breaths, he now lays peacefully in Toowong Cemetery and the Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial in Victoria.