View source for Harold Edward (Tony) Saw

{{infobox soldier ww2
| image           =[[File:Saw_Harold_Edward.jpg|border|400px]]
| caption         = Photo of Harold in Light Horse Uniform
| image2          =
| caption2        =
| dateofbirth	  = 20 Sep 1918
| placeofbirth	  = Perth, Western Australia
| death	          = 3 Dec 2002, aged 84.
| placeofdeath	  = Shoalwater Bay, Western Australia
| enlistmentage	  = 22 years, 1 month
| description	  = 5'8" (1.73m) tall, fair complexion, brown eyes, fair hair
| height          = 5'8" (1.73m)
| weight          = 
| complexion      = fair
| eyes            = brown
| hair            = fair
| descriptionnote = 
| occupation	  = Truck driver
| religion	  = Congregational
| address	  = Armadale, Western Australia
| relation	  = Father
| nextofkin       = Harold Thomas Saw
| regnumber	  = [https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=6456789 WX9045]
| enlistmentdate  = 25 Oct 1940
| rank	          = Lance Sergeant
| unit     	  = [[2/4th Australian Machine Gun Battalion]], 'A' Company
| 1stembarkationdatefrom= 30 Dec 1941
| 1stembarkationdateto= 24 Jan 1941
| 1sttransportembarked= HMT Aquitania
| 1sttransportnote= Darwin to Singapore via Port Moresby, Sydney & Fremantle
| 1stembarkationdatefrom1tran= 
| 1stembarkationdateto1tran= 
| 1sttransportembarked1tran= railway
| 1sttransportnote1tran= Singapore to Thailand
| 1stembarkationdatefrom2tran=
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| 1stembarkationdatefrom3tran=
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| 1sttransportembarked3tran=
| 1sttransportnote3tran=
| 1stdateofreturnfrom= 30 Aug 1945
| 1stdateofreturnto= 
| 1sttransportreturn= aircraft
| 1sttransportreturnnote= Thailand to Singapore
| 1stdateofreturnfrom1tran= 24 Sep 1945
| 1stdateofreturnto1tran=26 Sep 1945
| 1sttransportreturn1tran= plane
| 1sttransportreturnnote1tran=Singapore to Brisbane via Labuan & Morotai
| fate1	          = POW 1942 Singapore
| fate2           = Returned to Australia
| fate3           = 
| fate4           =
| monument1     =
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| monument7     =
| monumentnote7   =
| monumentawm     =
| monumentawmnote =
| monumentother   = [https://www.powmemorialballarat.com.au/ The Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial Ballarat, Victoria]
| monumentothernote =
| medal1	  = 1939-45 Star
| medal2          = Pacific Star
| medal3          = War Medal 1939-45
| medal4          = Australian Service Medal 1939-45
}}


==Pre War==
During 1941 Harold married Alma Maude Cox (nee Johnson).They divorced in November 1946.

==War Service==
Undertook his medical examination successfully on 21 Jun 1940, but did not enlist at the Claremont Recruit Reception depot until 25 Oct 1940. On 15 Nov 1940 he was appointed temporary Lance Corporal at Claremont before being transferred on 28 Nov 1940 to the No. 3 Depot Battalion at Northam camp, where he was quickly taken on by the [[2/4th Australian Machine Gun Battalion]] on 5 Dec 1940 and allocated to 'A' Company. 


On 24 Jan 1941 Harold was promoted to Acting Corporal. Along with the rest of the battalion he enjoyed leave from 1 - 8 Jul 1941 before boarding the [[HMT Duntroon]] for Adelaide on 21 Jul 1941, disembarking in Adelaide four days later. After training in the Adelaide foothills the battalion left for Darwin on 11 Oct 1941, arriving there on 19 Oct 1941, and on 6 Nov 1941 he was appointed Acting Lance Sergeant.


On 30 Dec 1941 along with the rest of the battalion, he boarded the [[HMT Aquitania]], ostensibly for Port Moresby where they expected to join an escorted convoy for Singapore. With Japanese activity now just to the north of Papua / New Guinea, they instead took the long way round, via Sydney and Fremantle. On arrival in Singapore the unit was split up and sent to various parts of the island to prepare for the Japanese attack. On 29 Jan 1942 Edward was confirmed as a Corporal, although still acting as a Lance Sergeant. By 15 February the surrender of Singapore had occurred and Edward like most of his unit was a Prisoner of War. While authorities assumed that he was a POW, this status was confirmed on 30 Aug 1943. He had two POW Numbers during his incarceration, 4/4752 in Singapore, and 8723 as part of D Force Thailand's S Battalion. During his time as a POW Tony was at times located in the following camps: Adam Park Camp - Singapore; Johore Bahru, - Malaya; Selarang Barracks Changi - Singapore; Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore; Sime Road Camp - Singapore; Hintok, 154k - Thailand; Kanu II, 152.30k - Thailand; Nakom Nayok, Nakhon Nayok - Thailand; Nikhe Wood Camp, Ni Thea, 131 Kilo, 284k - Thailand; and Tamuang, Tha Muang 39k - Thailand.


Recovered from his capturers on 29 Aug 1945, Harold was repatriated from Thailand to Singapore by aircraft.  A month later on 24 Sep 1945 he was flown from Singapore to Brisbane via Labuan, and Morotai, arriving on 26 Sep 1945. On 30 Sep 1945 he caught the overnight train from Brisbane to Sydney, and on 2 Oct 1945 he boarded a troop train in Sydney for Perth via Melbourne, arriving on 6 Oct 1945.  


On arrival he was sent to the [[110th Australian Base Hospital]] Perth (Hollywood Repatriation Hospital in later years).  Given some leave, he entered the hospital again on 8 Nov 1945, and a week later he was released to the [[109th Australian Convalescent Depot]] at Point Walter. On 5 Dec 1945 he was well enough to be discharged.


[[File:Fitzgerald_B_5_Pl.jpg|thumb|none|700px|5 Pl A Coy -Tony front row 6th from right]]



[[File:Saw_POW.jpg|thumb|none|400px|Harold's entry on the The Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial wall in Ballaratt, Victoria]]

==Post War==
Following his divorce in 1946, Tony married Jean Mary McCormack in 1947.  Jean was born Capel about 1915 and died in 2008.

Electoral Roll entries: 1954 - 1972 at 19 Fifth road, Armadale, labourer; 1977 - 1980 at 34 Second avenue, Shoalwater, butcher
===Notes===
<references />

===External Links===
*[[Ballarat POW Memorial]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:SAW , Harold Edward (Tiny)}}

[[Category:Soldier ww2]]
[[Category:Born Australia ww2]]
[[Category:Born WA ww2]]
[[Category:Congregational ww2]]
[[Category:Truck driver ww2]]
[[Category:POW ww2]]
[[Category:1942 POW ww2]]
[[Category:POW ww2 - Singapore]]
[[Category:Returned to Australia]]
[[Category:Armadale-Kelmscott ww2]]