HEALY, Eric Norris
| Service Number: | QX8299 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 10 June 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
| Born: | Longreach, Queensland, Australia, 27 February 1917 |
| Home Town: | Longreach, Longreach, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Miner |
| Died: | Suicide - gun shot wound to the head, Ayr, Queensland, Australia, 30 October 1960, aged 43 years |
| Cemetery: |
Ayr Cemetery, Queensland |
| Memorials: | Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 10 Jun 1940: | Involvement QX8299 | |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Jun 1940: | Enlisted | |
| 10 Jun 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, QX8299 | |
| 15 Feb 1942: | Imprisoned Eric was held at Changi prison camp until the end of WW2 in September 1945. | |
| 22 Jan 1946: | Discharged |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Christine Holstein
Eric Clifford Norris was born to Eric Norris and Mary Ann (Sharkey) Norris at Longbeach, Queensland on the 27th February 1917 just four months after their marriage in October 1916.
Soon after, following the marriage breakdown of Eric Snr and Mary Ann, Eric Jnr was 'taken in' by Rockampton miner Mr Thomas Healy (born 1992). It is not known if Thomas Healy was a relative or why Eric Jnr's parents relinquished his care or whether Thomas Healy officially adopted him. He was renamed Eric Norris Healy and in June 1946 Eric Jr himself made this his official name change via Deed Poll in the Supreme Court of Queensland.
Eric enlisted in the AIF at Rockhampton in May 1940 but was taken as a prisoner of war at Singapore in May 1942 where he remained at Changi prison camp until the conclusion of WW2 in September 1945. His official discharge from the AIF was in January 1946 at Redbank, Queensland.
In May 1946 Eric married Joyce Isabel McGachie at Longreach, Queensland. Together they had four children (perhaps more).
Owing to his horrendous life experience Eric was understandably a tortured soul and sadly took his own life on the 30th October 1960.
Joyce Healy raised the children on her own and passed away in 2016 at Parklands Nursing Home, Townsville at the age of 93 years.
One daughter, Erin Leigh Healy Walker pre-deceased her mother in 1976 at the age of just 23 years.
Eric Norris Healy was my father's half brother.