Soldier profiles

Name : ABBOTT, CECIL EDWARD
Service Number : WX14726
Date of Birth : 04/07/1900
Place of Birth : LONDON, ENGLAND
Known as :
Occupation on Enlistment : LABOURER
Date of Enlistment : 02/07/1941
Locality on Enlistment : MAYLANDS, WA
Place of Enlistment : CLAREMONT, WA
Next of Kin : ABBOTT, LEONARD
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) :
Theatres of War : SYRIA, JAVA
Actions :
Wounded (date / details) :
Discharged : N/A
Date Died : 05/09/1943
Age at Death : 43
Community Roll of Honour : BURRACOPPIN (WA)
Buried Location / Memorial (P.O.W., D.O.W., K.I.A.) : KANCHANABURI WAR CEMETERY, THAILAND. 1. J. 67. / AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL COMMEMORATIVE AREA PANEL 72
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) : 03/09/1943 / SEPTIC ULCERS, MALNUTRITION / TARSO CAMP (THAILAND)
P.O.W. Camps (details) : JAVA, TARSO (THAILAND)
Recovered P.O.W. (location/s) : NO
Honours and Gallantry : None for display
Applicable Australian War Memorial circulars : Australian War Memorial B-JAVA-0002 Missing & POW Circular
References found (entries & photos) : National Archives of Australia (Barcode 6470494 [DIGITISED], Barcode 204863739 [DIGITISED], Barcode 204863740 [DIGITISED], Barcode 32075864 [OPEN], Barcode 32342008 [OPEN]), WW2 Nominal Roll, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Australian War Memorial, Headstone [photo courtesy of K. Fraser (son of VX18403 S. Fraser)]

Background : Enlisted with birthdate year of 1905.

Service & personal summary Son of Charles and Maria Abbott (in England). Brother of Leonard Charles Abbott (in England) and E. M. Hevet (sister in England). At enlistment : single. No previous military experience. Blue green eyes, brown hair. Marks / scars : circular scar right popliteal region (back of knee). Full time war service : A.I.F. Operational service : Middle East & Java.

Service record
02/07/1941 Enlisted and taken on strength Western Command General Details Camp Claremont, Western Australia. Strength increase.
04/07/1941 Western Command General Details Camp Claremont, Western Australia. Strength decrease.
04/07/1941 Transferred from Western Command General Details Camp to 3 Training Battalion Northam, Western Australia.
23/07/1941 Transferred from 3 Training Battalion to 1st Training Battalion Reinforcements 2/16 Infantry Battalion.
23/07/1941 Transferred from Reinforcements 3 Training Battalion.
15/10/1941 Granted pre embarkation leave from 15/10/1941 to 21/10/1941.
07/11/1941 Embarked overseas H.M.A.T. US 13, Fremantle, Western Australia.
24/11/1941 Disembarked 24 Australian Infantry Training Battalion Middle East.
20/01/1942 Marched out from 21 Infantry Training Battalion to 2/2 Pioneer Battalion Middle East.
20/01/1942 Taken on strength 2/2 Pioneer Battalion from Pioneer Training Battalion.
31/01/1942 Embarked Middle East on S.S. Orcades.
18/02/1942 Disembarked Batavia, Java.
07/03/1942 Reported battle casualty missing in action, Java.
30/04/1942 Reported missing in action, Java and transferred to X list.
11/07/1942 Prisoner of war. Reported prisoner of war by Japanese radio broadcast.
14/07/1942 Previously reported missing in action now reported missing in action, believed prisoner of war.
15/07/1942 Battle casualty now reported missing in action believed prisoner of war.
24/06/1943 Previously reported missing in action believed prisoner of war now reported prisoner of war interned Java camp.
30/07/1943 Reported prisoner of war, Java.
05/09/1943 Died of illness tropical tumor whilst prisoner of war Thailand.
16/02/1946 Exhumed from 2/178 Tarso Camp, Thailand and reburied Allied War Cemetery Kanchanaburi, Thailand Row J Plot 1 Grave 67.