Robert Ralph Thompson
From Our Contribution
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| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 7 Jul 1921 |
| Place of Birth | Guildford, Western Australia |
| Death | 7 Nov 1965, aged 44 |
| Place of Death | Port Hedland, Western Australia |
| Age at Enlistment | 18 years, 4 months |
| Occupation | labourer |
| Religion | Chiurch of England |
| Address | Fifth road, Armadale, Western Australia |
| Next of Kin | Mother , Mrs. Minnie Florence Thompson |
| Military Information | |
| Reg Number | WX6509 |
| Date of Enlistment | 16 Jul 1940 |
| Rank | Driver |
| Unit/Formation | 7th Australian Infantry Division Ammunition Company |
| Military Movement | |
| 1st Departure from Australia | |
| Journey Dates | 10 Feb 1941 ‒ 22 Feb 1941 |
| Transport Details | unknown Fremantle to Bombay |
| Transfers | |
| Journey Dates | 26 Feb 1941 ‒ 13 Mar 1941 |
| Transport Details | unknown Bombay to Port Tewfik |
| Return to Australia | |
| Journey Dates | 30 Jan 1942 ‒ 25 Feb 1942 |
| Transport Details | SS Île de France Port Tewfik to Colombo |
| Journey Dates | 1 Mar 1942 ‒ 24 Mar 1942 |
| Transport Details | HMT Eastern Prince Colombo to Port Adelaide |
| 2nd Departure from Australia | |
| Journey Dates | 19 Jul 1943 ‒ 22 Jul 1943 |
| Transport Details | HMT Duntroon Townsville to Port Moresby |
| Return to Australia | |
| Journey Dates | 25 Feb 1944 ‒ 4 Mar 1944 |
| Transport Details | unknown Port Moresby to Brisbane |
| 3rd Departure from Australia | |
| Journey Dates | 27 May 1945 ‒ 13 Jun 1945 |
| Transport Details | USS LST 911 Cairns to Morotai |
| Transfers | |
| Journey Dates | 10 Jul 1945 ‒ 16 Jul 1945 |
| Transport Details | USS LST 935 Morotai to Balikpapan |
| Journey Dates | 16 Nov 1945 ‒ 23 Nov 1945 |
| Transport Details | HM LST 346 Balikpapan to Morotai |
| Journey Dates | 10 Feb 1946 ‒ 21 Feb 1946 |
| Transport Details | HM LST 8 Morotai to Kure, Japan |
| Return to Australia | |
| Journey Dates | 1 Nov 1946 ‒ 13 Nov 1946 |
| Transport Details | HMAS Kanimbla Kure, Japan to Sydney |
| 4th Departure from Australia | |
| Journey Dates | 22 Jan 1947 ‒ 12 Feb 1947 |
| Transport Details | HMAS Manoora Sydney to Kure, Japan |
| Return to Australia | |
| Journey Dates | 7 Dec 1948 ‒ 21 Dec 1948 |
| Transport Details | HMAS Kanimbla Kure, Japan to Sydney |
| Post War Details | |
| Fate | Returned to Australia |
| Medals |
1939-45 Star Africa Star Pacific Star War Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1945-75 |
Pre War
Attended Serpentine School
War Service
Robert enlisted at Claremont on 16 Jul 1940 and on 19 July reported to the Naval Base Training Depot. He was then transferred to Northam Camp on 28 Oct 1940 where he was placed in the No. 1 Depot Battalion before being posted to the No. 2 Depot Battalion. From 21 - 29 Dec 1940 he was granted pre-embarkation leave, and on his return he was transferred to the 2nd Reinforcement draft for the 2/16th Battalion. On 8 Jan 1941 Robert was admitted to a hospital in Subiaco, and on his discharge on 14 Jan 1941 he was transferred to the 13th Australian Infantry Training Battalion.
Robert's records are missing for the period 15 Jan 1941 until 10 Aug 1942, but there is an entry to attribute service in the Middle East from 10 Feb 1941 until 24 Mar 1942. On 10 Feb 1941 he embarked aboard either Aquitania, Nieuw Amsterdam or the Mauretania in Fremantle, and they sailed for the Middle East via Bombay on 12 Feb 1941 as Convoy US 9. The troops disembarked in Bombay on 22 Feb 1941, and were then embarked on a fleet of smaller ships Nevasa, Khedive Ismail, Westernland, Slamat and Cap St Jacques. They sailed from Bombay on 26 Feb 1941 and disembarked at Port Tewfik on 13 Mar 1941. (It is highly probable that his service in the Middle East was with 5th AASC Company, 7th Australian Infantry Division, later known as the 2/4th Australian Company AASC. Robert disembarked on his return to Australia on 24 Mar 1942 at Port Adelaide.
On 13 Jul 1942 Robert was charged with 'Failing to appear at a place of parade appointed by his Commanding Officer on 9 Jul 1942.' For this he was fined 2/6d. On 25 Jul 1942 Robert was evacuated to the 2/11th Australian General Hospital with a Colles Fracture to his right arm. He was released to the 102nd Australian Convalescent Depot on 4 Aug 1942, and returned to his unit on 29 Sep 1942. On 4 Nov 1942 he was charged with 'Conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline on 14 Oct 1942'. He was fined 10/- (two day's pay).
From 13 Apr until 10 May 1943 Robert enjoyed leave in Western Australia. On his return he found that his unit was now known as the 2/153rd Australian General Transport Company and that it was located at Ravenshoe in North Queensland. He embarked with the unit's advance party aboard HMT Duntroon in Townsville on 19 Jul 1943, disembarking in Port Moresby on 22 Jul 1943. There are no entries in his records until 25 Feb 1944 when he embarked in Port Moresby for Brisbane on an unnamed ship, disembarking on 4 Mar 1944. In June 1944 he attended a Motor Transport Drivers Conversion course, and on 8 Jul 1944 as part of the restructuring of his unit he was allocated to the 2/9th Australian Transport Platoon. On 8 Sep 1944 he was detached briefly to the 2/31st Australian Infantry Battalion. In November he returned to his unit and attended a water proofing course in North Queensland.
On 27 May 1945 Robert embarked in Cairns aboard USS LST 911 for Morotai where he disembarked on 13 Jun 1945. On 10 Jul 1945 he embarked on USS LST 935 at Morotai for Balikpapan on the island of Borneo, disembarking on 16 Jul 1945. With hostilities over, on 12 Oct 1945 he was transferred to the 121st Australian Transport Platoon before embarking at Balikpapan on 16 Nov 1945 aboard HM LST 346 for Morotai, disembarking there on 23 Nov 1945.
On 4 Feb 1946 Robert and the majority of his unit began to load their vehicles aboard HM LST 9 which they then boarded on 9 Feb 1946. However during the night they began to transfer men and vehicles to HM LST 8 which then sailed for Japan on 10 Feb 1946, arriving at Kure in Japan on 21 Feb 1946 where they disembarked the following day. On 16 Apr 1946 Robert was charged with 'Being a soldier when in camp being found beyond the limits fixed by Unit Routine Orders without a pass or written leave from his Commanding Officer'. Fined 20/- (£1 or 4 days pay).
On 1 Nov 1946 Robert was granted leave in Australia, returning to Japan on 22 Jan 1947 when he boarded HMAS Manoora in Sydney for Kure, disembarking there on 12 Feb 1947. On 3 May 1947 Robert was charged with having been AWOL from 10:45pm on 3 May until midnight the same day. Fined £1. On 1 Jul 1947 Robert was transferred to the Interim Army.
On 24 Jul 1947 he was charged with 1) Neglecting to obey Routine Orders; 2)Conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline; and 3) AWOL from 4:00pm until 4:55pm on 3 Aug 1947. Fined £5, and forfeiture of proficiency pay. On 7 Dec 1948 Robert embarked on HMAS Kanimbla in Kure for Sydney where he disembarked on 21 Dec 1948. Robert was discharged in Western Australia on 13 Jan 1949.
Post War
During 1951 he married Elsie Jardine nee Saxon. Elsie had divorced her previous husband in March 1951 on the grounds of desertion. Electoral Rolls: 1954 with Elsie at 128 Victoria street, Mosman Park; 1958 at Wittenoom, truck driver; 1963 at Port Hedland, truck driver
Notes