Soldier profiles

Name : SPEARS, JOHN MALCOLM
Service Number : VX19322
Date of Birth : 11/09/1917
Place of Birth : CULCAIRN, NSW
Known as : MALCOLM
Occupation on Enlistment : LABOURER
Date of Enlistment : 30/05/1940
Locality on Enlistment : BROCKLESBERRY, NSW
Place of Enlistment : CAULFIELD, VIC
Next of Kin : SPEARS, ROBERT JAMES
Rank (at time of discharge / death) : PRIVATE
Service : ARMY
Final Posting : 2/22 INFANTRY BATTALION
Position / Platoon / Company (as 2/2 Pioneer) (date / details) :
Unit Transfers / Promotions (date / details) :
Theatres of War : NEW GUINEA
Actions : RABAUL (NEW GUINEA)
Wounded (date / details) :
Discharged : N/A
Date Died : 01/07/1942
Age at Death : 24
Community Roll of Honour : UNKNOWN
Buried Location / Memorial (P.O.W., D.O.W., K.I.A.) : RABAUL MEMORIAL, RABAUL, NEW GUINEA. PANEL 27. / AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL COMMEMORATIVE AREA PANEL 49
K.I.A. (date / details) : N/A
D.O.W. (date / details) : N/A
M.I.A. (date / details) : N/A
P.O.W. (location/s) : RABAUL
Died P.O.W. (date / details) : 01/07/1942 / PRESUMED DROWNED / MONTEVIDEO MARU AT SEA (SOUTH CHINA SEA)
P.O.W. Camps (details) : RABAUL (NEW GUINEA)
Recovered P.O.W. (location/s) : NO
Honours and Gallantry : None for display
Applicable Australian War Memorial circulars : Australian War Memorial E-RABAUL-0029 Missing & POW Circular
References found (entries & photos) : National Archives of Australia (Barcode 6204511 [DIGITISED], Barcode 21515209 [OPEN]), WW2 Nominal Roll

Background : Son of Robert James Spears (born Tourello, Victoria in 1874) and Ann Elizabeth Eyles (born Kyneton, Victoria) He was the youngest of eight children (James, Christine, Keith, Linda, Norman, Mancel, Bruce, John Malcolm). His father owned a farm (Block 72) near Walla Walla, New South Wales. His mother died after birth complications and was buried at Walla Walla. Left 2/2 Pioneers almost at once on 22/06/1940.

Service & personal summary At enlistment : single. No previous military experience. Blue eyes, brown hair.

Service record
30/05/1940 Taken on strength Recruit Reception Depot Caulfield, Victoria.
31/05/1940 Posted to 2/2 Pioneer Battalion Puckapunyal, Seymour, Victoria.
05/06/1940 To camp hospital then to Rehabilitation / Geriatric Hospital Caulfield, Victoria with appendicitis.
05/06/1940 Transferred to X list. Evacuated sick to Rehabilitation / Geriatric Hospital Caulfield, Victoria.
13/06/1940 Admitted Stonnington Convalescent Hospital, Victoria from Rehabilitation / Geriatric Hospital Caulfield, Victoria.
13/06/1940 Discharged to duty.
21/06/1940 Returned to Recruit Reception Depot from Stonnington Convalescent Hospital, Victoria.
21/06/1940 Discharged to unit.
22/06/1940 Transferred to No. 2 Training Battalion.
31/07/1940 Posted to 2/22 Infantry Battalion from No. 2 Training Battalion Balcombe, Mt. Martha, Victoria.
31/07/1940 Posted to 2/22 Infantry Battalion from 2 Training Battalion Balcombe, Mt. Martha, Victoria.
28/08/1940 Admitted 7 Australian General Hospital with pharyngitis.
01/09/1940 Discharged Camp Dressing Station Seymour, Victoria with pharyngitis and tonsilitis.
11/03/1941 Entrained to Eastern Command.
12/03/1941 Embarked Sydney, New South Wales on H.M.A.S. Katoomba for 8 Military District (New Guinea).
28/03/1941 Disembarked Rabaul, New Guinea.
20/10/1941 Evacuated to military hospital Rabaul with acute bronchitis.
29/10/1941 Rejoined unit from military hospital Rabaul.
25/07/1942 Missing.
01/09/1942 Reported prisoner of war.
19/10/1945 Became missing on 01/09/1942 (M.V. Montevideo Maru sinking) and is for official purposes presumed deceased.