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VX28494
Private
Albert Henry Spiby
1897/03/01 - Born Victoria, Melbourne, Newmarket, Australia
Albert was the oldest of four boys
Service WWI
1915/03/19 - Enlisted (2 wks. after his 18th Birthday).
By May 1916 his three brothers had also enlisted, some under age.
Served in the First World War
Private
46th Australian Infantry Battalion
1915/09/15 - Oversea
1919/04/19 - Returned to Australia
Service WWII
1940/06/17 - Enlisted (age 39)
Next of Kin Wife, Mrs Isobella Spiby, Barrow Street, East Brunswick
Engineers
4 Reserve Motor Transport Company
46th Australian Infantry Battalion
Albert lied about his age as he would have been too old to enlist.
He left, leaving his wife, Isobella and five children in Brunswick, Victoria.
1941/04/09 - Entrained to Sydney
1941/04/10 Arrived Pyrmont Wharf, Sydney, detrained and the 4th Reserve Motor Transport Company embarked.
9 Officers, 2 W.O.s, 13 S/Sgts and Sgt.s, 378 Other Ranks
1941/04/11 - Sailed in HMT Terrial
1941/04/16 - Arrived Fremantle, shore leave given
1941/04/19 - Sailed for Singapore
1941/04/24 - Disembarked at Singapore and entrained to Malaya
1941/05/03 - Stationed at Kubu Park Camp, Malacca and Jasin, Malaya.
Work over the coming months involved preparing living accommodation, training, camouflaging vehicles and driving instructions and traing for area.
1941/12/08 - Japan enters the war by Bombing Pearl Harbour and attacking Hong Kong and Malaya. Japanese troops land the Malayan border with Thailand at Kota Bharu (Malaya), Singora and Patani (Thailand).
The 278 Battery of the 122 Field Regiment were transported to North Malaya and the 280 Battery took positions in Southern Area, Singapore.
As the Japanese had taken the airfield at Kota Bharu, the Allied troops had very little air cover and by the 31st of January 1942, Allied Troops were pushed back to Singapore. The causeway joining Singapore to Malaya was blown to stop the Japanese advance.
On the 9th February the Japanese attacked the North West coast of Singapore. General Percival had set his main defence on the North East coast line, and the Japanese quickly gained the advantage.
By the 15th February the Japanese were in danger of taking control of the water supply at the reservoirs, which would endanger the Singapore City water supply. General Percival had no alternative but to surrender.
1942/02/15 - Singapore surrendered to the Japanese
1942/08/19 - Reported ‘Missing’.
1943/05/19 - Now Reported a Japanese PoW.
Japanese PoW
1942/02/15 - Captured Singapore
PoW No. I 9367
New PoW No. 17982
1945/09/05 - On Changi Roll
1945/09/08 - Hospitalised Changi, Singapore Recovering
Repatriation
1945/09/15 - Embarked Hospital Ship ‘Oranje’
1945/09/30 - Suffering from Malaria, Beri Beri, Oedema and Enteritis
Post War
Albert passed away 39th April 1964
Information
Tracee Spiby - Granddaughter
Fall of Malaya and Singapore
Australian War Memorial
KEW Files:- WO 361/1952, WO 361/2229,
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