Soldier profiles

Name : VEAL, ERNEST STEPHEN
Service Number : VX38234
Date of Birth : 21/09/1909
Place of Birth : DAYLESFORD, VIC
Known as : HAP, ERN
Occupation on Enlistment : MOTOR BUS DRIVER
Date of Enlistment : 12/08/1940
Locality on Enlistment : MAIDSTONE, VIC
Place of Enlistment : ROYAL PARK, VIC
Next of Kin : VEAL, MARION (WIFE)
Rank (at time of discharge / death) : PRIVATE
Service : ARMY
Final Posting : 2/2 PIONEER BATTALION
Position / Platoon / Company (as 2/2 Pioneer) (date / details) : BUGLER
Unit Transfers / Promotions (date / details) :
Theatres of War : SYRIA, JAVA
Actions :
Wounded (date / details) :
Discharged : 28/02/1946
Date Died : 30/06/1983
Age at Death : 73
Community Roll of Honour : N/A
Buried Location / Memorial (P.O.W., D.O.W., K.I.A.) : SPRINGVALE BOTANICAL CEMETERY, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA. W STEWART LAWN. LAWN & LAWN BEAM. ROW R GRAVE 09.
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) : JAVA
Died P.O.W. (date / details) : NO
P.O.W. Camps (details) : BICYCLE (JAVA), CHANGI (SINGAPORE)
Recovered P.O.W. (location/s) : JAVA
Honours and Gallantry : None for display
Applicable Australian War Memorial circulars : Australian War Memorial B-JAVA-0088 Missing & POW Circular
References found (entries & photos) : National Archives of Australia (Barcode 6135583 [DIGITISED]), WW2 Nominal Roll, Australian War Memorial, Past article (size 729kB), M_YOUNG_1.jpg, M_YOUNG_2.jpg, M_YOUNG_3.jpg, M_YOUNG_4.jpg, Submitted story

Background : At enlistment : married. At discharge : height 5 feet 9 inches, blue eyes, medium complexion, grey hair. Marital status : married. Marks / scars : Operation scar abdomen & scar left leg. Full time war service : A.I.F. 12/08/1940 to 28/02/1946 which included 2027 days active service (151 days within Australia & 1638 days overseas). Operational service : Middle East & Java areas, embarked from Australia 07/04/1941, disembarked in Australia 30/09/1945. War badge no. 291689. Discharge certificate no. 495422. He contracted malaria and suffered from beriberi. Also, developed a hernia from shovelling silver & rubber off wharves in Singapore after Allied air attack melted materials on the wharf. Marion Veal enlisted in W.A.A.F. in 1942 after fall of Singapore & became a Sergeant. Funeral service 04/07/1983.

Service record.
12/08/1940 Taken on strength Recruit Reception Depot Royal Park, Victoria.
30/08/1940 Posted to 2/2 Pioneer Battalion.
17/04/1941 Embarked Sydney, New South Wales on H.M.S. Queen Mary (H.M.T. N.N.).
30/05/1941 Disembarked Port Tewfik, Suez.
22/10/1941 Evacuated to 2/1 Field Ambulance Main Dressing Station with Sandfly fever? / Malaria? and transferred to X list.
25/10/1941 Evacuated from 2/1 Field Ambulance Main Dressing Station to 2/1 Casualty Clearing Station with Malaria.
03/11/1941 Evacuated from 2/1 Casualty Clearing Station to 1 Australian Corps Rest Station.
20/11/1941 Discharged from 1 Australian Corps Rest Station.
22/11/1941 Rejoined unit & struck off X list.
30/11/1941 Evacuated to 2/1 Field Ambulance Main Dressing Station with Malaria and transferred to X list.
22/12/1941 Discharged from 2/1 Field Ambulance Main Dressing Station.
22/12/1941 Rejoined unit & struck off X list.
31/01/1942 Embarked Port Tewfik, Suez on S.S. Orcades.
18/02/1942 Disembarked Batavia, Java.
07/03/1942 Reported missing in action.
30/04/1942 Reported missing in action & transferred to X list.
01/10/1942 Reported missing in action now believed prisoner of war.
28/07/1943 Reported interned in prisoner of war camp (Java).
15/08/1945 Granted proficiency pay.
05/09/1945 Recovered Changi camp, Singapore.
15/09/1945 Embarked Singapore on hospital ship S.S. Oranje.
30/09/1945 Disembarked Melbourne, Victoria.
30/09/1945 Admitted 115 Australian General Hospital, Heidelberg, Melbourne, Victoria.
10/12/1945 Discharged 115 Australian General Hospital, Heidelberg, Melbourne, Victoria to Stonnington Convalescent Hospital, Victoria with sinus in hernial scar & haemmorhoids.
18/12/1945 Discharged Convalescent Hospital to General Details Depot.
18/01/1946 Evacuated to 115 Australian General Hospital, Heidelberg, Melbourne, Victoria.
22/02/1946 Discharged to General Details Depot.
27/02/1946 Marched out to Details Depot.
28/02/1946 Discharged.