Louis Arthur Hulett (1912 - 1942)

Born 5 Apr 1912 in Cobram, Victoria, Australia

Husband of Ethel Louisa Cordelia (Winduss) Hulett — married 1937 in Victoria, Australia

Died 1 Jul 1942 at age 30 in At Sea

Biography

Louis Hulett was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

Louis Hulett died as a prisoner of war on the Montevideo Maru during the Second World War.

Louis Arthur Hulett was born in 1912 at Cobram, VIC, the son of Arthur Louis and Emily Maud Hulett. He preferred to be known as Bill.

He married Ethel Louisa Cordelia Winduss in Victoria in 1937.

Bill enlisted in the Australian Army for overseas service at Caulfield, VIC on 26 Jun 1940 as a Private (VX25911). At the time he was married, a Japanner (varnisher) and was living with his wife at Murrumbeena, VIC. He had dark hair and brown eyes.

He was posted to 2/22nd Bn on 17 Jul 1940.

He entrained from Victoria for Sydney on 11 Mar 1941, embarking there on HMT "Katoomba" on 12 Mar 1941 for Rabaul, New Britain in the Territory of New Guinea and disembarking there on 28 Mar 1941. His Battalion was to form the core of "Lark Force" for the defence of the Territory.

After the Japanese invasion of 23 Jan 1942 he was captured on the Lassul Bay coast and became a Prisoner of War, initially held at Rabaul. Japanese records have him as a part of B Coy.

He died on board the "Montevideo Maru" when it was torpedoed and sunk off the coast of the Philippines on 01 Jul 1942, en route from Rabaul to Hainan where he was destined for forced labour.

Sources

• Birth - Victoria BDM Birth index - Event: births; Registration number: 10596 / 1912; Family name: HULETT; Given name(s): Louis Arthur; Place of event: COBRAM, VIC, Australia; Personal detail Mother's name: Emily Maud; Mother's family name at birth: FAYLE; Father's Name: Arthur Louis

• Marriage - Victoria BDM Marriage index - Event: marriages; Registration number: 4941 / 1937; Family name: HULETT; Given name(s): Louis Arthur; Personal detail Spouse's family name: WINDUSS; Spouse's given name(s): Ethel Louisa Cordelia

• WW2 Australian Army Service File - National Archives of Australia - HULETT LOUIS ARTHUR : Service Number - VX25911 : Date of birth - 05 Apr 1912 : Place of birth - COBRAM VIC : Place of enlistment - CAULFIELD VIC : Next of Kin - Unknown - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=6205288

• Deaths On Active Service - Family Notices (1945, November 24). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 11. Retrieved April 29, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205650927

• Roll of Honour - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1689913

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2615821/hulett,-louis-arthur/

• Virtual War Memorial Australia: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/633160

• The Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial: https://www.powmemorialballarat.com.au/prisoners-of-war/hulett-louis-arthur/