Edward Charles Vickers

Edward Charles Vickers

Personal Information
Date of Birth	2 Dec 1922
Place of Birth	Midland Junction, Western Australia
Death	25 Jul 2007, aged 85
Place of Death	Repatriation Hospital Nedlands, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	17 years, 9 months
Description	5'8½" (1.74m) tall ; ; fair complexion ; blue eyes ; fair hair ; scar left lumbar region
Occupation	Driver
Religion	Church of England
Address	Albany road, Bedfordale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr Syd Vickers
Military Information
Reg Number	WX7535
Date of Enlistment	6 Aug 1940
Rank	Craftsman
Unit/Formation	2/4th Australian Armoured Regiment Workshop
Military Movement
1st Departure from Australia
Journey Dates	25 Aug 1944 ‒ 2 Sep 1944
Transport Details	HMT Duntroon Brisbane to Madang, New Guinea
Transfers
Journey Dates	16 Dec 1944 ‒ 30 Dec 1944
Transport Details	SS Moreton Bay Madang, New Guinea to Bougainville
Return to Australia
Journey Dates	11 Dec 1945 ‒ 16 Dec 1945
Transport Details	HMT Katoomba Toro kina, Bougainville to Townsville
Post War Details
Fate	Returned to Australia
Medals	1939-45 Star Pacific Star War Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1939-45

War Service

Joined in Claremont on 6 Aug 1940 and was sent to the Melville Training Depot. On 2 Sep 1940 he transferred to the Northam camp where he was allocated to the No. 3 Training Depot. On 4 Dec 1940 he was transferred to the 2/4th Australian Machine Gun Battalion. From 16 - 29 Mar 1941 he was sent to the Motor Transport School at Claremont. On 21 May 1941 he was charged with having been AWOL from midnight 19 May until 10:20pm on 20 May 1941. His punishment was 4 days Confined to Barracks and the loss of a day's pay. AWOL again from midnight 16 Jun 1941 until 8:10pm on the same day, he was again awarded 4 days confined to barracks and the loss of a day's pay. Granted pre-embarkation leave from 1 until 8 Jul 1941 he was meant to embark on HMT Duntroon for Melbourne on 21 Jul 1941.

However, for reasons not documented this did not occur and on the day he was transferred to the 2nd Training Depot at Northam. Soon after he was again AWOL, this time from midnight 27 Jul 1941 until 6:30am on 4 Aug 1941. Admonished (he must have had a good story), he forfeited 8 day's pay. On 20 Aug 1941 he was transferred to the 2/10th Australian Armoured Regiment, where on 22 Sep 1941 he was classified as a Driver-mechanic. On 5 Oct 1941 he sought assistance from the 38th Australian Camp Hospital at Northam who the next day sent him to the 110th Australian Base Hospital (Perth). There he was diagnosed with Urethritis, and returned to duty on 22 Oct 1941. On 31 Oct 1941 he embarked on the HMT Duntroon for Victoria.

In Victoria he was posted to the 2/2nd Independent Light Tank Squadron, but spent the first five weeks detached to the 10th Armoured Regiment. On 5 Mar 1942 he was AWOL from 11:00am until 9:30pm for which he was awarded seven days Confined to Barracks and the loss of the day's pay. With his unit having changed its name, he was now a member of the 2/2nd Australian Armoured Brigade Reconnaissance Squadron where he was charged on 30 Mar 1942 with having been drunk on 23 Mar 1942. For this he was fined 10- ($1). On 17 Apr 1942 he was charged with being AWOL from midday until 5:00pm on 11 Apr 1942. This time he was fined 30/- ($3). From 9 - 13 May 1942 he was treated by the 107th Australian General Hospital at Darley, north west of Melbourne. Ted was granted leave from 24 Dec 1942 until 5 Jan 1943 before entraining Perth for Melbourne on 14 Jan 1943. There he was AWOL from midnight 10 Jan 1943 until midnight 11 Jan 1943. Fined £5 and lost the day's pay.

On 9 Jul 1942 his unit moved to New South Wales and became part of the 4th Australian Armoured Regiment of the 2rd Armoured Division, designated as the 2/2nd Australian Armoured Brigade Reconnaissance Squadron. On 28 Mar 1943 his status was downgraded from level III Driver-mechanic to that of Level II Driver-mechanic, and on 5 May 1943 he was transferred to the Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, but remained with the 2/4th Armoured Regiment. On 2 Dec 1943 Ted was charged with 'Failing to appear at a place of parade appointed by his Commanding Officer', for which he was fined £1.

On 24 Mar 1943 he was transferred to the 245th Australian Light Aid Detachment, and then undertook a series of courses relating to swimming at Moorebank, south east of Sydney, and he also undertook a course on maintaining the British Matilda Tanks from 22 May until 15 Jul 1944.

On 25 Aug 1944 his unit embarked in Brisbane on HMT Duntroon for Madang in New Guinea where they disembarked on 2 Sep 1944, and on 21 Sep 1944 Ted's unit was absorbed into the 2/4th Australian Armoured Regiment Workshop where his classification changed to Group II Mechanic AFV. On 16 Dec 1944 he embarked in Madang, New Guinea for Bougainville on the SS Moreton Bay. On 19 Jun 1945 Ted was evacuated to the 15th Australian Field Ambulance, and then the 7th Australian Field Ambulance ww2 to be treated for Malaria. He returned to his unit on 4 Jul 1945. Transferred again, this time to the 12th Australian Advanced Workshop in Brisbane on 27 Oct 1945, he first needed to return to Australia. Ted embarked on HMT Katoomba on 11 Dec 1945, disembarking in Townsville on 16 Dec 1945. On arrival he was sent home to WA to enjoy some leave until he was discharged on 7 Feb 1946.

Post War

In 1951 married Edna O Buckingham in Kelmscott.

Electoral Roll entries: 1958 at River avenue, Maddington, wood carter; 1968 - 1980 at 2074 Albany Highway Maddington, truck driver

Notes

Military records show his date of birth as 2 Dec 1918.