James Michael Frederick Thornell (1917 - 1942)

Born 27 Aug 1917 in East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Ancestors

Died 1 Jul 1942 at age 24 in South China Sea

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Biography

James Thornell was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

James Thornell died as a prisoner of war on the Montevideo Maru during the Second World War.

James Michael Frederick Thornell was born in East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 27 August 1917.

He enlisted in the Australian Army Militia for 3 years on the 29 Mar 1939 in Melbourne as a Gunner (450484) in the 15th Field Brigade, Royal Australian Artillery in the 23rd Field Battery. At the time he was single, a painter working for Lux Motor Park P/L of Carlton and was living with his parents in North Carlton. He was 5 ft 11 in tall with dark hair and brown eyes.

He enlisted for active service for the duration of the War plus 12 months on 20 May 1940 at Queenscliff, VIC as a Gunner (VP7106). He was taken on strength with L Battery, L Force on 10 Mar 1941 and embarked at Sydney with L Force on 18 Apr 1941 on HMT "Zealandia" for Rabaul, New Britain in the Territory of New Guinea where he joined the Heavy Battery.

The battery was destroyed by Japanese bombing ahead of the invasion on 23 Jan 1942.

When the Japanese invaded on 23 Jan 1942 he was captured at Keravat and became a Prisoner of War, initially held at Rabaul.

He was among those who were able to write a carefully scripted letter to next of kin advising that he was a POW. The letters were dropped from a Japanese plane over Port Moresby, Papua.^[1]

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 enrolled in the 2nd AIF as VX129344.

Sources

1. ↑ Red Cross POW Enquiry cards - https://gallery.its.unimelb.edu.au/imu/imu.php?request=multimedia&irn=78665

• Victorian Great War Index 1914-1920

• Birth - Victoria BDM Birth index - Event: births; Registration number: 22462 / 1917; Family name: THORNELL; Given name(s): Jas Michl Fredk; Place of event: EAST MELBOURNE, VIC, Australia; Personal detail Mother's name: Alice Teresa; Mother's family name at birth: CONROY; Father's Name: Fredk Michl

• WW2 Australian Army (AMF) Service record - National Archives of Australia - Thornell, James Frederick; Army Number - 450484; Date of birth - 27 July 1918 - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=9319824

• WW2 Australian Army (AMF & AIF) Service record - National Archives of Australia - THORNELL JAMES FREDERICK : Service Number - VX129344 : Date of birth - 27 Aug 1918 : Place of birth - MELBOURNE : Place of enlistment - QUEENSCLIFF : Next of Kin - THORNELL FREDERICK - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=6086535

• In Memoriam On Active Service - Family Notices (1950, July 1). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 22. Retrieved May 13, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22898506

• Roll of Honour - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1695699

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2616381/thornell,-james-frederick/