Arthur John Saw

Arthur John Saw

Personal Information
Date of Birth	12 May 1922
Place of Birth	Armadale, Western Australia
Death	15 Nov 1998, aged 76
Place of Death	Yunderup, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	19 years, 5 months
Description	5'11"(1.80m) tall ; ; fair complexion ; blue eyes ; fair hair ; deformed left hand
Occupation	Farm hand
Religion	Congregational
Address	Rowley road, Armadale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr Harold Thomas Saw
Military Information
Reg Number	W20835 & WX37279
Date of Enlistment	21 Oct 1941
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	11th Australian Small Ships Company
Military Movement
1st Departure from Australia
Journey Dates	12 Aug 1945 ‒ 21 Aug 1945
Transport Details	SS Joseph Carrigan Cairns to Morotai
Transfers
Journey Dates	27 Aug 1945 ‒ 1 Sep 1945
Transport Details	SS Joseph Carrigan Morotai to Labuan
Return to Australia
Journey Dates	16 Jan 1946 ‒ 2 Feb 1946
Transport Details	SS Skagerak Labuan to Sydney
Post War Details
Fate	Returned to Australia
Medals	1939-45 Star Pacific Star War Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1939-45

War Service

Served first with the CMF (called up for full time duties from 25 May 1942) until 28 Jan 1943 and then with the 2nd AIF from 29 Jan 1943 until 10 Jul 1946. This included service in Labuan from 12 Aug 1945 until 2 Feb 1946.

When called up for full time duty, Arthur was a member of the camp Staff at Melville. On 4 Feb 1943 he was transferred to the 37th Australian Camp Hospital for a fortnight before moving on again to the 4th Australian Anti Aircraft Battery headquarters in Fremantle on 19 Feb 1943. From 6 Jul until 2 Aug 1943 he was a patient of the 75th Australian Camp Hospital at Claremont before rejoining the 4th Anti Aircraft Battery. On 18 Sep 1943 Arthur transferred to the 102nd Light Anti Aircraft Regiment for a time before moving again, this time to the 3rd Australian Field Regiment on 2 Feb 1944 soon after the unit had relocated to the Rockingham Artillery Range. Classified for Medical purposes as 'B' because of his left hand, on 11 Jun 1944 he was to be re-allotted.

On 17 Jun 1944 he was detached to the 51st WA Transport Company, where he was reassessed and classified 'A2', and on 23 Sep 1944 his unit was the 55th Australia Port Craft Company until 7 Oct 1944 when it changed again when he was transferred to 11th Australian Small Ships Company. These constant changes had their effect and on 13 Dec 1944 he was charged with Conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline for which he was awarded a 10/- ($1) fine , and then on 28 Dec 1944 he was found to have been AWOL from midnight 24 Dec until 8:00am on 27 Dec 1944. For this he was fined £3 ($6), and incurred the automatic loss of three days pay. To make maters worse he was deemed to have surrendered his proficiency pay as a result of his misbehavior.

His proficiency pay was restored on 27 Jun 1945, and from 31 Jul until 2 Aug 1945 he was treated by the 71st Australian Camp Hospital in North Queensland with influenza before embarking on 12 Aug 1945 in Cairns aboard the SS Joseph Carrigan, subsequently disembarking at Morotai on 21 Aug 1945. On 27 Aug 1945 he re-embarked on the SS Joseph Carrigan at Morotai and disembarked 1 Sep 1945 at Labuan. On 13 Dec 1945 Arthur was evacuated to the 2/1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station and following treatment for Urethritis, he was evacuated 16 Jan 1946 on the vessel SS Skagerak at Labuan, disembarking in Sydney on 2 Feb 1946 where he was admitted to the 120th Australian Special Hospital. Released on 13 Feb 1946 he began the process of being discharged, first with a move back to WA where he arrived on 26 Mar 1946.

Before he could be discharged he was involved in a football game on Rottnest Island where he injured his foot requiring time in both the 110th Australian Base Hospital (Perth) from 21 to 30 May 1946, and 18 - 29 Jun 1946 and the 109th Australian Convalescent Depot at Point Walter from 30 May to 18 Jun 1946 and from 28 Jun to 5 Jul 1946 before he was finally discharged on 10 Jul 1945.

Post War

Married Bessie Laura Thomas (1926 - 1993) on 27 Feb 1948. Daughter Julie Elizabeth Saw (28 Jan 1955 - 16 Dec 1988) Electoral Roll entries: 1949 at Fifth road, Armadale, wood cutter; 1954 Bowden avenue, Armadale, builder's labourer; 1958 - 1978 at 6 Seventh road Armadale, builder; 1980 Lot 43 Blair road, Forrestdale, retired.