Stanton Edward McKenna

Stanton Edward McKenna

Personal Information
Date of Birth	2 Jan 1910
Place of Birth	Jarrahdale, Western Australia
Death	5 Jan 1985, aged 80
Place of Death	Bayswater, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	30 years 7 months
Description	5'4" (1.63m) tall ; ; medium complexion ; grey-blue eyes ; dark brown hair ; scars on right knee and right arm
Occupation	Forrestry worker
Religion	Roman Catholic
Address	Karragullen, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife , Mrs Agnes Hope McKenna
Military Information
Reg Number	WX7482
Date of Enlistment	6 Aug 1940
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	2/28th Australian Infantry Battalion
Military Movement
1st Departure from Australia
Journey Dates	5 Jul 1941 ‒ 25 Jul 1941
Transport Details	HMT Aquitania Fremantle to Port Tewfik, via Ceylon
Return to Australia
Journey Dates	19 Jun 1945 ‒ 17 Jul 1945
Transport Details	J12 Britain to Fremantle
Post War Details
Fate	POW captured at Ruin Ridge, Egypt Returned to Australia
External Monument(s)	The Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial Ballarat, Victoria
Medals	1939-45 Star Africa Star War Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1939-45

Pre War

Married with two children.

War Service

Enlisted in the 2nd AIF on 6 Aug 1940 at Claremont and ten days later was posted to the Melville Training Depot. On 2 Sep 1940 he was posted to the No 3 Depot Battalion in Northam before being posted on 14 Jan 1941 to the 13th Australian Infantry Training Battalion as a member of the 4th reinforcemnt draft for the 2/28th Australian Infantry Battalion.

Stanton was granted pre-embarkation leave from 23 Apr 1941 until 2 May 1941, and on 5 Jul 1941 he embarked on HMT Aquitania that was part of Convoy US 11A. He disembarked in Egypt on 25 Jul 1941, joining the 24th Australian Infantry Training Battalion. On 23 Aug 1941 he was posted to the 2/28th Australian Infantry Battalion, joining them on 28 Aug 1941 in Tobruk.

On 27 Jul 1942 Stanton was posted as Missing following the Battle for Ruin Ridge when a large proportion of the battalion was surrounded by German armour and Infantry and forced to surrender. He was officially reported as being a Prisoner of War on 30 Sep 1942. With the invasion of Italy by allied forces, Stanton was moved from a POW facility in Italy to Stalag 18A in Germany. His POW number was 6550.

Stanton was recovered and on 25 May 1945 flown from Germany to England where he was posted to the 1st AIF Transit Camp UK. On 19 Jun 1945 he embarked on J12 for Fremantle were he disembarked on 17 Jul 1945 and was sent to the Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot.

LIBERATED P.O.W. A.I.F. MEMBERS. Small Party Returns. Thirty-six AIF former prisoners of war returned to Perth yesterday. Captured in Greece, Crete and North Africa, they had spent several years in the prison camps in Germany, Poland and Czechoslovakia until liberated by the Allied armies. On their arrival the men were welcomed by the General Officer Commanding the Western Command (Major-General A. J. Boase). They were issued with pay and double rations for their period of three weeks' leave. Later they met their relatives at the Karrakatta Camp and were then taken home by the transport service of the Red Cross Society. Among those who returned was Capt M. Mayrhofer, a Perth doctor and a member of the 2/7th Field Ambulance, who was captured in Crete early in 1941. During his captivity he served in many hospitals in enemy-occupied territory until he was liberated by the approaching victorious Allied forces. Capt Mayrhofer said yesterday that Lt-Col L. Le Souef, the original commanding officer of the 2/7th Field Ambulance, was expected to return to Perth in about two months. The members of the party were reticent regarding their captivity and subsequent movements. Their only thought was to get away on leave and to meet their relatives and friends. One of the men, a former member of the police force in this state, left Australia in 1940 in the early reinforcements to the 2/11th Battalion. He served in the Libyan campaign and was then transferred to the headquarters of the 2/1st Guards, Battalion. He went to Greece and was among the fortunate ones who escaped when that country fell into enemy hands. He came back to Australia as one of the guard in charge of Italian prisoners. Returning to the Middle East, he rejoined the Guards Battalion and was taken prisoner at Alamein. While the men were being issued with their pay and tobacco rations yesterday the Western Command Band played entertaining music. The list of those who returned to Perth yesterday is as follows: Mayrhofer, Capt, L., Subiaco; Abercrombie, Pte R. H., Kalgoorlie; Barnden, Pte L. E, Geraldton; Bateman, Pte F. A. R., Dowerin; Board, Pte L. G., Bruce Rock; Chappel, Cpl N. G., Collie; Chitty, Pte F. V., Toodyay; Clark, Pte E., Perth; Elphick, Pte D. F., Stoneville; Fancote, Pte E. C, Kelmscott; Geyer, Pte C. E, Leederville; Gilbert, Pte C. H. N, Perth; Green, Pte P., East Perth; Gulson, Pte F. C., South Perth. Harmer, Pte F., Mt Hawthorn; Hess, Pte R. G, Bellevue; Honner, Pte F. St A., Leederville; Johnston, Pte H. E, Kulin; Larkins, A/L/Cpl G. G., Bunbury; Logan, Cpl F., Kalgoorlie; Mills, Pte F. M., Aldersyde: Nunn, Pte H., South Fremantle; Murphy, Pte D. J., East Northam; Murray, Pte E. A., Gingin; McKenna, Pte S. E, Perth; O'Malley, Pte J. A., Geraldton; Proud, Pte W. F., Kalgoorlie; Richards, Pte W., Inglewood. Sharp, Pte R., T., Swanbourne; Sinclair, Pte J., Bayswater; Stephen, Pte J, Mt Lawley; Stokes, Pte A. K., Dongarra; Thomas. Pte I. J, Mt Magnet; Warburton, Pte J. E., Brunswick Junction; Wilks, Pte C. A., Mt Lawley; Woods, Pte L. S., West Perth.

On 9 Aug 1945 he was tansferred to the 109th Australian Convalescent Depot for a medical report, returning to the discharge unit on 29 Sep 1945, classified as A1. He was discharged the following day.