Stanley Rudolph Jarvis

Stanley Rudolph Jarvis

Ancestry
Personal Information
Date of Birth	10 Aug 1914
Place of Birth	Armadale, Western Australia
Death	2 Jun 1990, aged 75
Place of Death	North Perth, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	26 years, 5 months
Occupation	Labourer
Religion	Church of England
Address	49 Hampshire street, Victoria Park, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr William Jarvis
Military Information
Reg Number	W5520 & WX16713
Date of Enlistment	18 Jan 1941 & 24 Sep 1941
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	2/28th Australian Infantry Battalion
Military Movement
1st Departure from Australia
Journey Dates	8 Nov 1941 ‒ 22 Nov 191
Transport Details	HMT Queen Mary Fremantle to Port Tewfik, Egypt
Return to Australia
Journey Dates	4 Jul 1945 ‒ 8 Aug 1945
Transport Details	HMT B2 England to Sydney
Post War Details
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

War Service

Stan enlisted in the CMF (Militia) at Claremont on 18 Jan 1941 and served with the 55th AA Company spending from 14 March until 21st April 1941 on Rottnest Island. Following a short leave, Stan transferred to the 2nd AIF on 24 Sep 1941. On 30 Sep 1941 Stan was posted to the 3rd Training Battalion at Northam. On 10 Oct 1941 , having completed basic training he was posted to the reinforcements for the 2/16th Battalion. he was granted pre-embarkation leave from 15 to 21 Oct 1941, and on 7 Nov 1941 he embarked in Fremantle on HMT Queen Mary which with HMT Queen Elizabeth comprised Convoy US 13. They sailed on 8 Nov 1941 and disembarked at Port Tewfik on 22 Nov 1941. On arrival, Stan joined the 21st Australian Infantry Training Battalion, before transferring to the 24th Australian Infantry Training Battalion on 22 Dec 1941.

Stan joined the 2/28th Australian Infantry Battalion in Syria on 27 Apr 1942. Soon after, responding to the rapid German advance across north Africa, the battalion, as part of the 9th Division, was moved back to the western desert, and participated in the first battle of EL Alamein. On 27 Jul 1942 the battalion was tasked with capturing a ridgeline known as Ruin Ridge. Having captured their objective during the night, the 2/28th was then cut off and surrounded by German infantry and armed units. The battalion suffered heavy casualties until those remaining were forced to surrender (around 500 men). A small group of about 90 men escaped to later form the basis of a rebuilt battalion.

Stan was initially posted as Missing in Action, until 16 Sep 1942, when his status was altered to POW. On 25 Nov 1942 he was known to be interred in Italy in Camp 85. However, with the invasion of Italy, the Germans moved Stan and others to Stalag 18A in Germany, where his POW number was 6568. On 23 May 1945 he was recovered and flown back to England where he was sent to the 1st AIF Transit Camp UK. On 4 Jul 1945 Stan boarded HMT B2 for Australia, arriving in Sydney and disembarking on 8 Aug 1945. He was then transferred by train to Perth, leaving Sydney on the 10th and arriving on 16 Aug 1945. Following some home leave he was sent to the 109th Australian Convalescent Depot for rehabilitation treatment from 7 - 17 Sep 1945 after which he was discharged.

Post War

During 1948 Stanley married Dorothy M Taylor in Perth.

External Links

• Ballarat POW Memorial