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VX 27707
Private
John Coffey
Known as Jack
1916/04/12 - Born Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
Son of Joseph Coffey
Occupation Butcher
Next of Kin Father, Joseph Coffey, Viva Street, Glen Iris, Victoria
2/29 Battalion
HQ 27th Brigade, 8th Division
Australian Imperial Forces
Service
1940/07/01 - Enlisted at Caulfield,
1940/11/21 - Transferred from 2/8 Battalion to 2/29 Battalion
Taken from ‘Boys from the Bush’
by Dianne Cowling
The boys from the bush volunteered in droves, keen to prove their mettle and fight for the freedoms we enjoy today.
1941/08/23 - The training was hard, but soon they were off by ship to sail across the waters to the Middle East to fight the enemy on the other side of the world, only to find once out in the ocean, they were to change direction and head to Singapore Island to fight the new enemy, the Japanese.
The ship carrying the 2/29th, part of the 8th Division, arrived in Singapore in August 1941, where, due to the foresight of Major Colonel Bennet, they were put to work immediately, training hard in the jungles of Malaysia.
On December 8, 1941, under the command of General Yamashita, the entire Japanese Southern Army landed in northern Malaysia, marking the beginning of the War with Japan. Intel was poor; the true strength of the enemy, the allies were soon to face, was unknown.
Japanese Landings at Singora and Patini, Thailand and Kota Bharu, Malaya.
The 2/29th were selected to quell ‘a small skirmish’ in Muar Province. The troops were told they would meet about 200 short, ape-like men on bicycles, wearing thick glasses, poorly trained and sharing one old rifle between two; so only 600 of the 2/29th were sent to rout the enemy.
On 18th January ’42, at the Battle of Bakri, not only saw their beloved Commander in Chief, Col. Robertson, killed, but they faced fifteen thousand of the battle-hardened Emperor’s Elite Guard, six feet tall, well equipped, and accompanied by two tank divisions. Again, because of Bennet’s foresight, our boys were supported by 2/4th Anti-tank guns that destroyed both tank divisions, and together were the first allies to stop the Japanese advance. A temporary reprieve but their heroic effort was noted by General Yamashita, who later commented, ‘he had never met fighting men like them’. Yamashita had a commemorative board erected on site, which is still there today.
The ‘Trial by Fire saw heroic fighting trying to win insurmountable odds surrounded by thousands of enemy, advancing through the jungle trails, cutting them off from reinforcements of Col Anderson’s 2/19th.
The position eventually so untenable that Col Anderson finally ordered ‘it’s everyman for themselves’.
The untold story of heroism amongst the 2/29th saw so many perish, but many were taken captive and sent to Padu Prison in Kuala Lumpur, many did make it back to Singapore, but a small group even made it all the way back to Australia, unaware of the surrender on the 15th February ’42 and so initially they were arrested for disobeying orders and thrown in the brig. One such 2/29th hero was a neighbour of ours, Harry Grey.
Headlines back home read ‘The Lost Battalion’ of 2/29th
Japanese PoW
1942/02/15 - Captured Singapore
Changi Camp
1943/04/19 - Transported overland to Thailand with ‘F’ Force, train 2
Commander Lt-Col. S.W. Harris, RA
PoW No. iii 7315
1943/10/25 - The rail tracks from Thailand and Burma joined near Konkoita, Thailand
Transported back to Singapore
New PoW No. 13456
1945/09/05 - On Changi Roll
1945/09/24 - Liberated Changi Camp
Service Record
1945/12/05 - Discharged
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Pacific Star
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War Medal
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1939-1945 Star
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Far East Medals
Information
Dianne Cowling - Niece
Fall of Malaya and Singapore
Japanese Transports
Thailand Burma Railway
Repatriation Transport List
KEW Files:- WO 361/1951, WO 361/2025, WO 361/2229,
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