Herbert James Ead (1897 - 1942)

Born 31 May 1897 in Talbot, Victoria, Australia

Ancestors

Died 1 Jul 1942 at age 45 in At Sea

Biography

Herbert Ead was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

Herbert Ead died as a prisoner of war on the Montevideo Maru during the Second World War.

Herbert James Ead was born on 31 May 1897 in Talbot, VIC. His parents were James Henry Ead and Matilda Ellen Potter.

Herbert enlisted in the AIF on 26 Jul 1916 in Melbourne, VIC as a Private. He was a miner, single , 5 ft 6 & 1/2 in tall with fresh complexion, light brown hair and blue eyes. He had previously been rejected^[1] for bad teeth.

After training he was allocated to 59th Bn (No 2536). He embarked on HMAT A9 "Shropshire" at Melbourne on 25 Sep 1916, disembarking at Plymouth, England on 11 Nov 1916. he proceeded to France on 30 Dec 1916 and was taken on strength with 59th Bn on 21 Feb 1917. He was admitted to hospital with diarrhea and shell shock on 12 Mar 1917 after being buried by a shell explosion. He was unable to speak for 2 weeks and afterwards spoke with a stammer which gradually improved. He was returned to Australia, departing from England on board N.Z.H.T. 82 "Pakeha" on 27 Aug 1917 and was medically discharged in Melbourne on 29 Nov 1917. At some point he was promoted Lance Corporal.^[2]

He married Elizabeth Maud Gane in Victoria in 1921.

He enlisted in the Australian Army for overseas service on the 19 Aug 1940 at Caulfield, VIC as a Private (VX47259). At the time he was married, a secretary and superintendent living in Beechworth, VIC. He had fair hair and blue eyes. He had lowered his age by 4 years on enlisting.

After training he was promoted A/Cpl on 13 Jan 1941 and was transferred to 2/22 Bn on 01 Feb 1941. He was posted to 2/22Bn on 19 Mar 1941 and embarked for Rabaul in the Territory of New Guinea on 10 Apr 1941, disembarking there on 26 Apr 1941.

On 11 Jan 1942 he was transferred to hospital with enteritis. When the Japanese invaded on 23 Jan 1942 he was captured at the Kokopo Hospital and became a Prisoner of War, initially held at Rabaul. Japanese records show him as a machine gunner. 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

1. ↑ FOR THE EMPIRE. (1915, October 30). Riponshire Advocate (Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 3. Retrieved December 19, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article119570197
2. ↑ TALBOT. (1917, November 10). The Ballarat Courier (Vic. : 1869 - 1883; 1914 - 1918), p. 10 (DAILY.). Retrieved December 19, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article73334055

• Birth - Victoria BDM Birth index - Event: births; Registration number: 14888 / 1897; Family name: EAD; Given name(s): Herbt Jas; Place of event: TALBOT, Australia; Personal detail Mother's name: Matda Ellen; Mother's family name at birth: POTTER; Father's Name: Jas Hy

• WW1 & WW2 Australian Army Service Record - National Archives of Australia - EAD HERBERT JAMES : Service Number - VX47259 : Date of birth - 31 May 1901 : Place of birth - TALBOT VIC : Place of enlistment - CAULFIELD VIC : Next of Kin - EAD E - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=6131482

• Marriage - Victoria BDM Marriage index - Event: marriages; Registration number: 11073 / 1921; Family name: EAD; Given name(s): Herbt James; Personal detail Spouse's family name: GANE; Spouse's given name(s): Elizth Maud

• Roll of Honour - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1709569

• Probate - Advertising (1946, February 12). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 21. Retrieved December 19, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22227712

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2615603/herbert-james-ead/

• Virtual War Memorial Australia: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/626794

• The Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial https://www.powmemorialballarat.com.au/prisoners-of-war/ead-herbert-james/