Harold Baldwin

Harold Baldwin

Personal Information
Date of Birth	18 Jun 1922
Place of Birth	Albany, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	19 years, 3 months
Description	5'6" (1.65m tall ; ; fair complexion ; blue eyes ; fair hair ; scar above left knee
Occupation	Dairy hand
Religion	Methodist
Address	"Grovehurst", Lefroy road, Kelmscott, Western Austrealia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr Joseph Baldwin
Military Information
Reg Number	W38615 & WX28394
Date of Enlistment	27 Jul 1942
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	2/28th Australian Infantry Battalion
Military Movement
1st Departure from Australia
Journey Dates	20 Dec 1943 ‒ 26 Dec 1943
Transport Details	MS Gorgon Townsville to Lae, New Guinea
Return to Australia
Journey Dates	23 Feb 1944 ‒ 7 Mar 1944
Transport Details	SS Cape Perpetua Finschhafen to Brisbane
2nd Departure from Australia
Journey Dates	23 Apr 1945 ‒ 1 May 1945
Transport Details	USS General J.H. McRae (AP - 149) Townsville to Morotai
Transfers
Journey Dates	1 Jun 1945 ‒ 3 Jun 1945
Transport Details	HMAS Westralia Morotai to Labaun, North Borneo
Return to Australia
Journey Dates	17 Jan 1946 ‒ 26 Jan 1946
Transport Details	USAT King Point Victory Labuan, North Borneo to Brisbane
Post War Details
Fate	Returned to Australia
Medals	1939-45 Star Pacific Star War Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1939-45

War Service

Harold enlisted Part Time in the CMF on 12 Oct 1941 while working at Southern Cross. On 29 Oct 1941 he was taken on strength by the 25th Light Horse (Machine Gun) Regiment. On 8 Dec 1941 Harold was admitted to the Northam Camp Dressing Station with Rubella but returned to duty on 11 Dec 1941. On 13 Dec 1941 he was again at the Camp Dressing Station with a sore throat, and this time he returned to his unit on 18 Dec 1941. Harold was called up for full time duty on 15 Dec 1941.

From 3 Apr until 5 May 1942 Harold was detached tothe No. 3 Special Detachment at Pearce. He had a further detachment on 14 Jul 1942 to the 6th Australian Infantry Brigade at Gingin before returning to his unit (now named the 25th Australian Cavalry Regiment and later the 25th Australian Reconnaissance Battalion) on 8 Aug 1942 at Northampton. In the meantime on 27 Jul 1942 Harold had enlisted in the 2nd AIF. From 10 - 19 Oct 1942 Harold was treated by the 2nd Australian Field Ambulance at Mullewa. on 7 Dec 1942 Harold was seen by the 3rd Australian Light Field Ambulance at Tenindewa before he was passed to the Heavy Section of the 8th Australian Casualty Clearing Station the same day. On 10 Dec 1942 he was transferred to 118th Australian General Hospital. Recovering, he was released on 16 Dec 1942 to the ARD. He returned to his unit on 7 Jan 1943. On 20 Jan 1943 a Court of Inquiry found that Harold had been accidentally injured with damage to the cornea of his eyes and attendant conjunctivitis. On 28 Sep 1943 Harold entrained at Bellview for New South Wales where he arrived on 5 Oct 1943.

On the same day he was transferred to the General Infantry Reinforcements pool and was transferred on 30 Oct 1943 to the Australian Reinforcement Training Battalion (Jungle Warfare) in Queensland where he arrived on 3 Nov 1943. On 29 Nov 1943 he had completed this leg of his training and was posted to 5th Australian Reinforcement Depot and a week later on 7 Dec 1943 he was posted to the 13th Australian Personnel Staging Camp at Oonoomba in Townsville. On 20 Dec 1943 he embarked aboard MS Gorgon in Townsville for Lae in New Guinea where he was placed in the 1st Australian Army Reinforcement Depot.

On 12 Jan 1944 Harold was transferred to the 2/13th Australian Infantry Batttalion. On 14 Feb 1944 he was charged with 'Neglect to the Prejudice of Good Order & Military Discipline", with the outcome an Admonition by the OC 'C Company'. On 23 Feb 1944 Harold embarked on SS Cape Parpetua in Finschhafen for Brisbane, disembarking on 7 Mar 1944. Harold was transferred to the 2/28th Australian Infantry Battalion on 11 Jun 1944 and soon after was granted Proficiency Pay back dated to 1 Jul 1943. On 10 Jan 1945 Harold's NOK was changed from his father to his wife.

Along with his battalion, Harold embarked on USS General J.H. McRae (AP - 149) in Townsville on 23 Apr 1945 for Morotai where they disembarked on 1 May 1945. On 1 Jun 1945 they embarked on HMAS Westralia in Morotai for British North Borneo. There on 27 Dec 1945 Harold was transferred to the 2/2nd Australian Machine Gun Battalion in Brunei before being reposted on 17 Jan 1946 to Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot. On 17 Jan 1946 Harold embarked on USAT Kings Point Victory in Labuan for Brisbane where he disembarked on 26 Jan 1946, and he then proceeded to Western Australia. On 2 Apr he was admitted to 110th Australian Base Hospital with Malaria, returning to the discharge section on 21 Apr 1946. Harold was discharged on 2 May 1946.

Post War

Electoral Roll entries: 1949 - 58 Albany road, Kelmscott, no occupation; 1963 Port Hedland PWD, carpenter; 1968 - 1980 at 13 Fifth avenue, Armadale, carpenter. In August 1987 Harold was living at 13 Bray street, Kelmscott.