Douglas
Roy
Morcom
Born in Caulfield, Victoria, Australia
Son of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
[spouse(s) unknown]
[children unknown]
Died
at age 22
in At Sea
Profile last modified
| Created 15 Sep 2019
This page has been accessed 46 times.
Biography
Douglas was born in 1920 in Caulfield, Victoria.
Douglas enlisted in the Australian Army (Militia) for 5 years on 05 Aug 1938 at Melbourne as a Private (VP3927) and was allocated to the 3rd Fortress Coy, Royal Australian Engineers. At the time he was single and an electrical labourer. He was 5 ft 8 & 1/2 in tall with dark complexion, fair hair and blue eyes. He had previously served as a Gunner No.296777 in the Royal Australian Artillery 10th Field Brigade from 04 Feb 1936 (when he was 15?) He was discharged in order to enlist in the AMF.
He was promoted T/Cpl on 05 Jun 1939 and to Cpl on 05 Oct 1939. He was promoted T/Sgt on 16 Sep 1940.
He married Belle Cranwell at St.Kilda, Victoria in Dec 1940.[1]
He disembarked from the "Zealandia" in Rabaul in the Territory of New Guinea on 30 Sep 1941 as a member of the Rabaul Fortress Signals having attended Signals School in Sydney. He was promoted Staff Sgt on 30 Oct 1941.
When the Japanese invaded in Jan 1942 he was captured near Keravat and became a Prisoner of War. 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.
He was posthumously transferred to the 2nd AIF as VX129335.
Sources
- ↑ Four Bridesmaids In Blue (1940, December 16). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 6. Retrieved September 15, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11310910
- WWI & WWII Australian Army Service records - National Archives of Australia -MORCOM DOUGLAS ROY : Service Number - VX129335 : Date of birth - 31 Mar 1920 : Place of birth - CAULFIELD : Place of enlistment - QUEENSCLIFF : Next of Kin - MORCOM BELLE - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=6082189
- Marriage - Victoria BDM Marriage index - Event: marriages; Registration number: 18604 / 1940; Family name: MORCOM; Given name(s): Douglas Roy; Personal detail Spouse's family name: CRANWELL; Spouse's given name(s): Belle
- Death Report - Service Casualties (1945, October 27). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 12. Retrieved September 15, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12149794
- Probate notice - Advertising (1946, March 19). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 15. Retrieved September 15, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22235038
- Roll of Honour - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1685554
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M > Morcom > Douglas Roy Morcom
Categories: Montevideo Maru Sinking, 1942