John Roy (Jack) Thorpe OAM
From Our Contribution
 | |
| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 9 Nov 1921 |
| Place of Birth | Claremont, Western Australia |
| Age at Enlistment | 22 years, 1 month |
| Address | Armadale, Western Australia |
| Military Information | |
| Date of Enlistment | 20 Dec 1940 |
| Rank | Sergeant |
| Unit/Formation | 105th Transport Company |
Pre War
War Service
On reporting to the Northam cam, he was placed in the 2nd Recruit Training Depot. After months of training he became annoyed at not being included for a draft overseas so volunteered to join a Mechanised Cavalry Unit which required him to travel to Puckapunyal in Victoria for training.
Granted pre-embarkation leave, he then boarded the SS Marnix van Sint Aldegonde as part of Convoy 12B which departed Melbourne on 18 Sep 1941, and arrived in Fremantle on 26 Sep 1941. The convoy departed on 28 Sep 1941 and after reaching the Indonesia archipelago turned west and headed for Colombo, and eventually Port Tewfik in Egypt where they arrived on 20 Oct 1941. They were then trained to Kantara where they crossed the canal and travelled by trucks across the Sinai Desert to a camp north of Gaza in Palestine.
After time in Palestine they reversed the journey to Port Tewfik and embarked on SS Orcades and on 29 Jan 1942 the convoy
Award Comment
Post War
Notes
At enlistment gave his age as 9 Nov 1918. Jack Thorpe OAM has written an account of his service experience "Bloody Lucky", Hesperian Press, 2006.