Soldier profiles
Name : BARRETT, KENNETH TANSLEY
Service Number : VX44084
Date of Birth : 16/08/1916
Place of Birth : RINGWOOD, VIC
Known as : KEN
Occupation on Enlistment : JACKEROO
Date of Enlistment : 03/07/1940
Locality on Enlistment : MONT ALBERT, VIC
Place of Enlistment : CAULFIELD, VIC
Next of Kin : BARRETT, JOHN
Rank (at time of discharge / death) : LANCE CORPORAL
Service : ARMY
Final Posting : 2/2 PIONEER BATTALION
Position / Platoon / Company (as 2/2 Pioneer) (date / details) : 4 PLATOON B COMPANY (JAVA)
Unit Transfers / Promotions (date / details) :
Theatres of War : SYRIA, JAVA
Actions :
Wounded (date / details) :
Discharged : 04/11/1946
Date Died : 03/09/1983
Age at Death : 67
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) : MALAYA, BICYCLE (JAVA), CHANGI (SINGAPORE), MOULMEIN (BURMA), THANBYUZAYAT (BURMA), KANBURI (THAILAND), TAMARKAN (THAILAND), PHNOM PEHN (INDO-CHINA), SAIGON (INDO-CHINA)
Recovered P.O.W. (location/s) : SINGAPORE
Honours and Gallantry : None for display
Applicable Australian War Memorial circulars : Australian War Memorial B-JAVA-0006 Missing & POW Circular
References found (entries & photos) : National Archives of Australia (Barcode 6118447 [DIGITISED]), WW2 Nominal Roll, Australian War Memorial, AWM-MSS0764
Background : Brother of 337699 (VX14677) John Miles Barrett (2/2 Pioneer). Passed away in Ashburton, Victoria. AWM have bound carbon copy (AWM id MSS0764) of transcript of Barrett's experiences as a prisoner of war of the Japanese. It was written by Barrett after the war from memory. He describes the capitulation in Java, travels, work and conditions in the Batavian Cycle Camp, plus camps on Singapore Island, Moulmein, Thanbyuzayat and other camps in Burma, Thailand (Kanburi & Tamarkan) and Indo China (Phnom Pehn and Saigon). He mentions many Australian units especially those in Green Force and Black Force. Also a revised list of contents and index plus appendices of telegrams notifying his family of his release.
