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QX16362
Sapper
John Henry Monk
1907//06/04 - Born Sidney, New South Wales, Australia
Royal Australian Engineers
2/11 Field Company
Service
1940/07/14 - Enlisted Australian Military Forces
The 2/11 Field Company provided specialized field engineering capabilities, including constructing defensive positions, bridges, roads, and clearing obstacles, in support of infantry forces.
1940/08/01 - Left Sydney for Brisbane training at Redbank. Then moved north as part of an effort to bolster Australia's defences in preparation for potential war in the Pacific.
In addition to its Winnellie headquarters, the 2/11th Field company had sections that served in New Guinea and Borneo, on Timor and on Ambon Island in the Netherlands East Indies.
Japan entered the War on the 8th December 1941 by bombing Pearl Harbour and invading Malaya and Hong Kong.
John served on Timor as part of Sparrow Force arriving just after Japan entered the war on the 10th December 1941.
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 on the 23rd February 1942.
Japanese PoW
1942/02/23 - Captured Timor
For the first seven months of captivity the prisoners were interned in a camp at Usapa Besar.
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.
PoW No. J-2251
1943/01/04 - Transported oversea in Usa Maru with Java Party 6 to Singapore
On board the Usa Maru were 1484 Australians and 486 Dutch
1943/01/07 - Arrived Changi
1943/04/16 - Transported overland to Thailand with Mixed Java Parties, Train 5
New PoW No. IV-12265
Working in the area from Hellfire Pass to Kinsaiyok.
In August 1943, John was evacuated to Chungkai Hospital.
1943/10/25 - The Thailand Burma rail tracks were joined near Konkoita, Thailand.
John was Transported onto Tha Muang.
New PoW No. IV-37399
The Japanese Emperor, in a radio transmission, announced the Japanese surrender on the 15th August 1945
1945/08/18 - John was liberated at Nakhon Pathom.
Post War
1946/03/28 - Discharged
Died
Age 72
24th August 1982
Brisbane Queensland Australia
Information
Andrew Snow - Thailand Burma Railway Centre
Java Index
Japanese Transport
Thailand Burma Railway
Australian War Memorial
War Diaries 2/11 Field Company
KEW Files:- WO 361/1957, WO 361/2214,
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