Robert Hassett

Robert Hassett

Personal Information
Date of Birth	23 May 1917
Place of Birth	Albany, Western Australia
Death	11 Jun 1942
Place of Death	Königswartha, Germany
Age at Enlistment	23 years
Description	5'6" (1.68m) tall ; ; grey eyes ; brown hair ; scar centre of forehead
Occupation	Labourer
Religion	Church of England
Address	Roleystone, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Mother , Mrs Minnie Una Hassett
Military Information
Reg Number	WX5273
Date of Enlistment	26 Jul 1940
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	2/11th Australian Infantry Battalion
Military Movement
1st Departure from Australia
Journey Dates	10 Feb 1941 ‒ 17 Mar 1941
Transport Details	HMT Aquitania Fremantle to Port Tewfik, Egypt
Transfers
Journey Dates	10 Apr 1941 ‒ 12 Apr 1941
Transport Details	SS Pennland Alexandria, Egypt to Pireaus, Greece
Journey Dates	25 Apr 1941 ‒ 26 Apr 1941
Transport Details	SS Thurland Castle Megarda Greece, to Suda Bay Crete
Post War Details
Fate	POW Died of illness 11 Jun 1942
Monument(s)	Kelmscott War Memorial
External Monument(s)	The Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial Ballarat, Victoria
Australian War Memorial	Australian War Memorial
Medals	1939-45 Star Africa Star Defence Medal ? War Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1939-45

War Service

Entered Claremont camp on 26 Jul 1940 and was taken on strength by the Melville Training Depot No. 2. On 3 Sep 1940 he was transferred to the No. 1 Depot Battalion based at Northam. Basic training completed, he was then transferred o 21 Dec 1940 to the 5th reinforcement draft for the 2/11 Battalion. Granted pre-embarkation leave from 21 -29 Dec 1940, but soon after his return to duty he was transferred to the 13th Training Battalion on 15 Jan 1941.

Finally on 10 Feb 1941 he embarked in Fremantle for Egypt on HMAT Aquitania, part of Overseas Convoy No 9, disembarking on 17 Mar 1941. On arrival he was sent to the 19th Australian Infantry Brigade Training Battalion. On 29 Mar 1941 he is taken on strength by the 2/11th Battalion in Gaza, Palestine and posted to 'B' Company.

On 10 Apr 1941 the 2/11th Battalion embarked in Alexandria harbour for Greece. The Allied forces, however, were unable to hold back the attacking Germans. The 2/11th withdrew from its initial positions at Kalabaka and remained on the move until it occupied rearguard positions at Brallos Pass a week later. It fought and slowed the Germans there on 24 April and then continued its withdrawal to Megara, where it was evacuated by sea on the night of 25 Apr 1941. The battalion landed on Crete the next day. It was subsequently deployed with the 2/1st Battalion to defend Retimo airfield, which was held tenaciously for ten days following the landing of German paratroops on 20 May. German successes elsewhere on Crete, however, made surrender inevitable. Many 2/11th soldiers attempted to escape from Crete but only a relatively small number ultimately succeeded; most were taken prisoner. On 4 Jun 1941 Robert was listed as Missing, believed to be a prisoner of war, captured in Crete. This was confirmed on 3 Nov 1941, and it was said that he was interred in Stalag VIIA at Moosburg, Germany with his POW Number being 92384. His POW records show that his capture occurred on 7 Jun 1941, so it would appear that he made considerable effort to escape after being cut off from Australian forces.

On 23 Oct 1941 he was transferred to Stalag IVA in Germany, and on 11 Jun 1942 he died at 2:00am from Pulmonary Tuberculosis of both lungs in the POW Hospital at Königswartha, Germany. Buried 13 Jun 1941 in Cemetery Blindenheimes, Germany, Row 15, Grave no 93. His death Certificate was forwarded through the International Red Cross and received 13 Oct 1942. After the war his remains were reinterred in the Berlin 1939-45 War Cemetery, Plot 11, Row M, Grave No. 15.

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  Berlin 1939-5 War Cemetery
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  Robert's grave location