William Eric Armstrong (1913 - 1942)

Born 15 Sep 1913 in Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Ancestors

Died 1 Jul 1942 at age 28 in At Sea

Biography

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

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

William Eric Armstrong was born in 1913 in Perth, Western Australia, the son of William Joseph ARMSTRONG and Ellen Eliza EARLE.

He enlisted in the Australian Army for overseas service at Claremont, W.A. on 06 Dec 1940 as a Private (WX9761). At the time he was single, a clerk and was living with his mother at Marylands, W.A. He had fair hair and blue eyes.

He had previously served 3 years in the Royal Australian Navy Reserve.

Following training he was transferred to No. 1 Independent Coy (a commando unit) on 03 Jul 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.

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 - Western Australia BDM Birth index - Armstrong, William Eric; M; William Joseph ARMSTRONG; Ellen Eliza EARLE; Perth; 1913; Perth; 101927 1913

• WW2 Australian Army Service File - National Archives of Australia - ARMSTRONG WILLIAM ERIC : Service Number - WX9761 : Date of birth - 15 Sep 1913 : Place of birth - PERTH WA : Place of enlistment - CLAREMONT WA : Next of Kin - ARMSTRONG ELLEN - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=6460735

• Deaths On Service - Family Notices (1945, October 24). The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), p. 1. Retrieved February 23, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article44826439 ... and ... Family Notices (1945, October 25). The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), p. 1. Retrieved February 23, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article44826626 ... and ... Family Notices (1945, October 26). The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), p. 1. Retrieved February 23, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article44826803

• Roll of Honour - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1711107

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2615323/armstrong,-william-eric/

See also:

• Virtual War Memorial Australia: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/618406
• The Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial https://www.powmemorialballarat.com.au/prisoners-of-war/armstrong-william-eric/