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VX17785
Lance Corporal
Eric Thomas Fitzgerald
Born
29th April 1915
Albury, Victoria
Australian Infantry
2/2 Pioneer Battalion
A.I.F
Service Record
The 2/2nd Pioneer Battalion was formed in May 1940 under the command of Col. Wellington .
They sailed from Sydney in April 1941 for the Middle East.
They arrived in Palestine and after a month's training the Battallion first saw action in the Syrian Campaign.
After a 6 week campaign with 77 dead and many sick and wounded and the closing of hostilities they were then occupation troops until the entry of Japan into the war.
They were being transported back to Australia on the ‘Orcades’ and after calling in to the port of Colombo were taken to Java after a brief stop in Sumatra.
They encountered the Japanese in a place called Llewiliang and inflicted heavy losses on the Japanese, but 44 of their number were killed with many more wounded. When the authorities surrendered the Island of Java they became prisoners of war for three and a half years. After a stay in Java
Eric was reported Missing in Action Java on 30 april 1942.
Later it was confirmed he was in a P.O.W Camp in Thailand.
Died
13th November 1979
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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