Kevin James Higgins

Kevin James Higgins

Personal Information
Date of Birth	29 Oct 1909
Place of Birth	Armadale, Western Australia
Death	17 Jan 1977, aged 68
Age at Enlistment	30 years, 6 months
Occupation	Blacksmith
Religion	Roman Catholic
Address	Kelmscott, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr Edwid Timothy Smiddy Higgins
Military Information
Reg Number	WX2499
Date of Enlistment	26 Apr 1940
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	6th Division Petrol Company
Date of Embarkation	30 Aug 1940 ‒ 30 Sep 1940
Ship Embarked On	HMT T1 Sydney to Palestine
Date of Embarkation	31 Mar 1941
Date of Return	16 May 1945 ‒ 17 Jun 1945
Fate	POW Crete, Greece 1941 Returned to Australia
Medals	1939-45 Star Africa Star War medal 1939-45 Australian Services Medal 1939-45

War Service

Undertook his medical at Mt magnet, and enlisted at Northam on 26 Apr 1940 where he was taken on strength of the General Reinforcements. On 21 May 1940 he was allocated to the 6th Division Petrol Company, and entrained for the eastern states on 21 May 1940. The day before he had been charged with being drunk while on duty, and was fined 10/- ($1).

On arrival in Sydney he was transferred to the Australian Army Service Corps (AASC) on 25 May 1940. Kevin was AWOL from 6:30am until 6:30pm on 8 Jul 1940 for which he was awarded 7 days Confined to Barracks. Granted pre-embarkation leave on 9 Aug 1940, he boarded HMT T1 on 30 Aug 1940 in Sydney and disembarked in Palestine on 30 Sep 1940 and posted to AHQ Second Echelon. On 15 Nov 1940 he completed his training and was posted to the Army Service Corps who in turn on 3 Jan 1941 detached him to the 19th Australian Infantry Brigade's Composite Company.

On 25 Jun 1941 he embarked for Greece, where on 7 Jul 1941 he spent some time in the 26th British General Hospital before being posted as Missing, believed POW on 5 Aug 1941, confirmed by the Red cross on 29 Aug 1941. Actual date of capture was given as 31 May 1941. On 30 Nov 1942 he was being held in Camp 57 with Prisoner Number 3200 in Greece, but on 15 May 1944 he was said to have been transferred to German Stalag 8A, with prisoner number 33051. On 1 May 1945 he deplaned in the UK as a recovered prisoner and was taken on strength by the 1st AIF Transit Camp. Subsequently he was granted Proficiency pay from 20 Apr 1945.

Kevin embarked in Liverpool on 16 May 1945, and disembarked in Sydney on 17 Jun 1945. Placed on a train he was in Perth three days later and was granted leave until 27 Jul 1945. On 23 Jul 1945 Kevin was admitted to 110th Australian General Hospital Perth. Charged on 28 Aug 1945 with having been AWOL for 8 hours on 18 Aug 1945, (still classified as being on Active Service), he forfeited the day's pay and was fined 10/- ($1). Discharged from hospital on 20 Sep 1945, he spent the rest of his time in the Army in the 109th Convalescent Depot at Point Walter before being discharged on 16 Oct 945.

Post War

Married Valda J. in October 1974