Soldier profiles

Name : MAGRATH, REGINALD HORACE
Service Number : VX56486
Date of Birth : 14/02/1914
Place of Birth : ALBURY, NSW
Known as : REG, MAC, SLIM
Occupation on Enlistment : LABOURER
Date of Enlistment : 22/05/1941
Locality on Enlistment : BROCKLESBY, NSW
Place of Enlistment : ROYAL PARK, VIC
Next of Kin : MAGRATH, HORACE GORDON
Rank (at time of discharge / death) : PRIVATE
Service : ARMY
Final Posting : 2/2 PIONEER BATTALION
Position / Platoon / Company (as 2/2 Pioneer) (date / details) :
Unit Transfers / Promotions (date / details) : 3RD REINFORCEMENTS
Theatres of War : SYRIA, JAVA
Actions :
Wounded (date / details) :
Discharged : 21/11/1946
Date Died : 18/02/1969
Age at Death : 55
Community Roll of Honour : N/A
Buried Location / Memorial (P.O.W., D.O.W., K.I.A.) : N/A
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) : JAVA
Recovered P.O.W. (location/s) : THAILAND
Honours and Gallantry : None for display
Applicable Australian War Memorial circulars : Australian War Memorial B-JAVA-0059 Missing & POW Circular
References found (entries & photos) : National Archives of Australia (Barcode 6123320 [DIGITISED], Barcode 31834290 [DIGITISED], Barcode 1033353 [NOT EXAMINED]), WW2 Nominal Roll, Australian War Memorial, Submitted story, Past article (size 888kB), Past article (size 291kB), Diamond Valley Leader Death Notice 25/02/1969

Background : Part of Blackforce. Late of Eltham, Victoria.

Service & personal summarySon of Horace Gordon Magrath and Mary Magrath. At enlistment : single. Fair hair. Blue eyes. Scars both knees. No previous military experience. At discharge : height 6 feet 2.5 inches, blue eyes, fair complexion, brown hair. Marital status : single. Marks / scars : ulcer scar right shin. Medical : chronic osteomyelitis right tibia. 10% repat case. Full time war service : A.I.F. 22/05/1941 to 21/11/1946 which included 2010 days active service (393 days within Australia & 1453 days overseas). Operational service : Middle East & Java areas (embarked from Australia 02/11/1941, disembarked in Australia 24/10/1945). War badge no. 353450. Discharge certificate no. 561021.

Service record
22/05/1941 Taken on strength Recruit Reception Depot Royal Park, Victoria.
27/05/1941 Granted leave without pay 27/05/1941 to 01/06/1941.
03/06/1941 Rejoined unit from leave without pay.
10/06/1941 Court of inquiry re loss of great coat. No personal responsibility. Cost to be debited to public expense.
11/06/1941 Transferred to Engineering Training Depot Royal Park, Victoria.
12/06/1941 Transferred from Recruit Reception Depot Royal Park, Victoria to Puckapunyal, Seymour, Victoria.
23/06/1941 Transferred to Pioneer Wing Engineering Training Depot Puckapunyal, Seymour, Victoria.
08/07/1941 Posted to 3rd Reinforcements 2/2 Pioneer Battalion Bonegilla, Victoria.
29/08/1941 Admitted 106 Australian General Hospital with influenza.
29/08/1941 Evacuated to 106 Australian General Hospital.
03/09/1941 Discharged to unit.
03/09/1941 Rejoined unit from 106 Australian General Hospital.
02/11/1941 Embarked H.M.T. LL Convoy 13 Sydney, New South Wales.
24/11/1941 Disembarked Middle East.
14/12/1941 Marched out to 7 Australian Division Special Group from Pioneer Training Battalion.
14/12/1941 Marched in from Pioneer Training Battalion Australian Imperial Forces.
09/01/1942 Marched out to Pioneer Training Battalion Australian Imperial Forces.
09/01/1942 Marched in ex 7 Australian Division Special Group.
21/01/1942 Marched out to 2/2 Australian Pioneer Battalion.
21/01/1942 Taken on strength from Pioneer Training Battalion.
31/01/1942 Embarked Middle East on S.S. Orcades.
18/02/1942 Disembarked Batavia, Java.
07/03/1942 Reported missing in action, Java.
30/04/1942 Battalion casualty. Reported missing in action, Java and transferred to X list.
14/08/1942 Reported missing in action believed prisoner of war.
28/07/1943 Reported prisoner of war (Java).
05/10/1945 Embarked Singapore on hospital ship H.M.A.S. Manunda.
21/10/1945 Granted proficiency pay.
24/10/1945 Disembarked Melbourne, Victoria.
24/10/1945 Admitted 115 Australian General Hospital, Heidelberg, Melbourne, Victoria ex H.M.A.S. Manunda.
20/11/1946 Discharged 115 Australian General Hospital, Heidelberg, Melbourne, Victoria with anxiety state.
21/11/1946 Discharged.