Mervyn Joseph Francis

Mervyn Joseph Francis

Personal Information
Date of Birth	7 Jul 1926
Place of Birth	Perth, Western Australia
Death	21 Mar 2014, aged 87
Place of Death	Royal Perth Hospital, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	18 years, 1 month
Description	5'8" (1.73m) tall ; ; light brown eyes ; dark hair
Occupation	Labourer
Religion	Church of England
Address	Fifth road, Armadale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr Henry Victor Francis
Military Information
Reg Number	WX22927
Date of Enlistment	1 Aug 1944
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	7th Australian Advanced Ordnance Depot
Post War Details
Fate	Remained in Australia

Pre War

Father was Henry Victor Goodenough aka Francis (1897-1986) and his mother was Jessie Susannah Rice Gegory (1904-1988)

War Service

Mervyn enlisted on 1 Aug 1944, just after his 18th birthday and on 8 Aug 1944 he was transferred to the Western Command Recruit Training Centre. On 11 Nov 1944 he was transferred to the 2nd Australian Infantry Training Brigade in Greta, New South Wales, where he was allocated to the 21st Australian Infantry Training Battalion. At the completion of his training he was transferred on 22 Feb 1945 to the 13/33rd Australian Infantry Battalion's A Company. On 5 Mar 1945 he was granted Proficiency Pay.

On 5 Mar 1945 he was detached to the 4th Australian Armoured Brigade. At the completion of the detachment he was sent on 10 Jul 1945 to the Australian Reinforcement Training Battalion (Jungle Warfare) at Cunungra, and at the completion of the training there, he was transferred to the 5th Australian Advanced Reinforcment Depot on 21 Aug 1945. However, with the Japanese surrender, he was transferred back to the Subiaco based Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot on 20 Sep 1945 for re-assignment. At this point his history card is blank until February 1946.

On 1 Feb 1946 Mervyn rejoined the 26th Australian Employment Company at the completion of an unnamed detachment. On 7 May 1946 Mervyn was admitted to hospital at Pearce for treatment of a non specific Urithitis. He was treated by the hospital until 24 May 1946 when he was released to Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot. On 1 Jun 1946 he rejoined 26th Australian Employment Company, but again required medical assistance for non specific Urithritis from the hospital at Pearce from 19 Jun - 5 Jul 1946. Returning to the Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot, he was AWOL from 2:00pm on 9 July until 11:30am on 11 July for which he received an admonishment and the loss of 2 day's pay.

On 17 Jul 1946 Mervyn was transferred to 7th Australian Advanced Ordnance Depot, located at Nungarin in the eastern wheatbelt. Here he was again AWOL, this time from 2:00pm on 16 Aug 1946 until 4:30pm on 21 Aug 1946. This time he was fined £5.0.0 and sentenced to 28 days detention, with a loss of 56 days pay, and the forfeiture of his proficiency pay. On 22 August he entered 11th Australian Detention Barracks, but was granted a emission of 7 days of his senence and returned to the 7th Australian Advanced Ordnance Depot on 12 September. However, on 30 Sep 1946 he was charged with haing been AWOL from 8:30am until 11:45 am on 20 Sep 1946. This time he was fined 10/- ($1, or 2 days pay). As a result he was posted to Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot the same day. On 9 Dec 1946 he transferred internally to the Discharge Section, and was processed and discharged on 17 Dec 1946.

Post War

During 1949 he married Joan Barbara Simmons (25 Jan 1931 - 8 Jul 2020) in Geraldton.

Electoral Roll entries: 1954 at Fourth road, Armadale, truck driver; 1958 at 40 Marrawa Way maniana, truck driver; 1963 - 1980 at 151 Bishopsgate street, Carlisle, truck driver