William Leslie Everingham (1919 - 1942)

Born 12 May 1919 in Narromine, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Died 1 Jul 1942 at age 23 in At Sea

Biography

William Everingham was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

William Everingham died as a prisoner of war on the Montevideo Maru during the Second World War.

William Leslie Everingham was born on 12 May 1919 at Narromine, NSW, the son of Arthur James Everingham and Ann Isobel Coyne.

He enlisted in the Australian Army for overseas service at Paddington, NSW on 11 Jul 1940 as a Private (NX58628). At the time he was single, a butcher and was living at Bondi, NSW. He had dark hair and brown eyes.

He had previously served in the Army Service Corps as a Driver (486599) and was initially allocated to the ASC. In training he was appointed A/Cpl on 22 Feb 1941.

During training he was identified for commando training and was transferred to the Infantry Training Centre at Foster, VIC.

He was transferred to No. 1 Independent Coy (a commando unit) on 10 May 1941. He reverted to Private on 22 May 1941.

He embarked on HMAT "Zealandia" on 12 Jul 1941 for Kavieng, New Ireland in the Territory of New Guinea, disembarking there on 29 Jul 1941.

When the Japanese invaded New Ireland on 23 Jan 1942 he was probably with the bulk of the Coy who escaped overland to Kaut on the south coast and boarded the "Induna Star" on 29 Jan 1942 before making their way along the coast of New Ireland heading to Rabaul. When they learned that Rabaul had fallen and hearing that the Japanese had landed to the east of them (false) the ship sailed south. It was spotted by a Japanese aircraft, bombed and taken under tow by a Japanese destroyer on 02 Feb 1942 and entered Rabaul on 03 Feb 1942 where he became a Prisoner of War, initially held at Rabaul. Japanese records identify him as an Engineer.

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 - NSW BDM Birth index - EVERINGHAM WILLIAM L; 22364/1919; ARTHUR J; ANN I; NARROMINE

• WW2 Australian Army Service File - National Archives of Australia - EVERINGHAM WILLIAM LESLIE : Service Number - NX58628 : Date of birth - 12 May 1919 : Place of birth - NARRAMINE NSW : Place of enlistment - PADDINGTON NSW : Next of Kin - EVERINGHAM ANNIE - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=4640029

• DIED WHILST PRISONER OF WAR (1945, October 23). Narromine News and Trangie Advocate (NSW : 1898 - 1955), p. 1. Retrieved March 17, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article135722898

• Roll of Honour - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1707262

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2615631/everingham,-william-leslie/

• Virtual War Memorial Australia: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/627473

• The Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial https://www.powmemorialballarat.com.au/prisoners-of-war/everingham-william-leslie/