David John Sexty

David John Sexty

Personal Information
Date of Birth	11 Oct 1919
Place of Birth	Perth, Western Australia
Death	3 Aug 1941
Place of Death	Tobruk, Libya
Age at Enlistment	20 years, 8 months
Occupation	Clerk
Religion	Church of England
Address	Armadale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr Reginald Grove Sexty
Military Information
Reg Number	WX6358
Date of Enlistment	16 Jul 1940
Rank	Corporal
Unit/Formation	2/28th Australian Infantry Battalion
Military Movement
1st Departure from Australia
Journey Dates	3 Jan 1941 ‒ 12 Jan 1941
Transport Details	HMT Aquitania Fremantle to Colombo
Transfers
Journey Dates	16 Jan 1941 ‒ 2 Feb 1941
Transport Details	HMT Nieuw Zeeland Colombo to El Kantara
Post War Details
Fate	KIA 3 Aug 1941 Libya
Monument(s)	Armadale War Memorial
Australian War Memorial	Australian War Memorial
Medals	1939-45 Star Africa Star War Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1939-45

Pre War

David was working as a clerk with ElderSmith & Compny, Perth. He had also enlisted inthe CMF on 19 Jan 1939 for three years and had been posted to the 10th Light Horse Regiment.

War Service

David enlisted in the 2nd AIF on 16 Jul 1940 and was alloted to the General Reinforcements. On 19 Jul 1940 he was sent to the Naval Base Training Camp until 25 Jul 1940 when he was posted to the 2/28th Australian Infantry Battalion then forming up at Melville Camp. He was appointed Lance Corporal on 2 Aug 1940, and promoted Acting Corporal on 16 Aug 1940. From 26 - 31 Aug 1940 he attended an Anti Gas Course. From 27 Nov 1940 until 3 Dec 1940 David was granted pre-embarkation leave, and on 3 Jan 1941, with the battalion, he boarded HMT Aquitania for Colombo where they disembarked on 12 Jan 1941. On 14 Jan 1941 they boarded HMT Nieuw Zeeland which sailed fo El Kantara on 16 Jan 1941. The battalion disembarked there on 2 Feb 1941.

On 3 Jan 1941 David' rank of Corporal had been confirmed and on 11 Mar 1941 he attended a course at the Middle East Weapons School on rifle and Light Machine Guns, rejoining the battalion on 21 Apr 1941. On 3 Aug 1941 David was reported as having been Wounded in Action and was now Missing. It was later confirmed that he had been Killed in Action on 3 Aug 1941. The action involved was the failed Australian attack by 'D' Company of the 2/28th Battalion on German held outposts known as Sugar 6 and Sugar 7, part of a problematic German salient into the Australian defensive perimeter around Tobruk.

Extract from the battalion's War Diary for 3 August 1941. AWM Website - accessed 26 Nov 2022

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  Knightsbridge War Cemetery, Acroma, Libya
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  David's gravesite