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TX2998
Private
Charles Albert Koeppen
Australian Imperial Force
2/40 Infantry Battalion
Service
The 2/40th Infantry Battalion was almost entirely recruited from Tasmania.The 2/40th assembled at Brighton Camp in July 1940, where it spent the rest of the year training. On 7 January 1941 it went to Bonegilla Camp, near Wodonga on the Victoria-New South Wales border, to join its parent brigade, the 23rd, part of the 8th Division.
Leaving Bonegilla at the end of March and arriving at Katherine on in April. The next move during June and July to Noonamah, just south of Darwin.
Japan entered the War on the 8th December 1941 and the 2/40th was deployed almost immediately to Timor, to protect the airfields. Departing Darwin on 10th December and arriving at Koepang two days later.
The 2/40th formed the bulk of "Sparrow Force", which defended the airfield at Penfui, the operational base for the Hudson bombers of 2 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).
The Japanese air attacks on Timor began in late-January and increased in intensity over the next month. The 2nd Squadron, RAAF withdrew to Australia on the 19th February, leaving doubts about the role of Sparrow Force.
On the 20th February the Japanese landed troops South of Koepang, with parachute landings to the east of the island. Against immense numbers the Sparrow Force destroyed the airfield and moved inland, under fire towards Champlong. During 5 days of intense fighting the ‘Sparrows’ had inflicted heavy casualties on the Japanese invaders especially their seasoned and crack paratroop regiments and beat the Japanese in the Battle of Usua Ridge, but with food, water and ammunition running low, and the Japanese closing in on them, they were forced into captivity.
Japanese PoW
Captured Timor
PoW No. J-376
For the first seven months of captivity the 2/40th prisoners were interned in a camp at Usapa Besar. On the 26th July a small party of senior officers was shipped to Java, the rest ot the 2/40 Battalion followed in September.
1942/09/23 - Transported oversea from Koepang, Timor in Dainichi Maru to Surabaya, Java.
1942/10/01 - Arrived Surabaya and onto Batavia.
1942/10/06 - Arrived Batavia.
Transported oversea from Batavia to Changi, Singapore.
1943/01/29 - Transported to Thailand
New PoW No. 7646
1943/05/02 - Crushed by fall of rocks at Kinsiayok. Damage to Index finger of the left hand.
Transported back to Singapore and oversea to Japan
New PoW No. 47564
1945/08/15 - Japan Surrendered
Information
Australian War Memorial
KEW Files:- WO 361/2235, WO 361/2005, WO 361/2235, WO 361/2214,
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