Alan James Batchler (1920 - 1942)

Born 9 Oct 1920 in Hobart, Tasmania , Australia

Ancestors

Died 1 Jul 1942 at age 21 in South China Sea

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Biography

Alan Batchler was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

Alan Batchler died as a prisoner of war on the Montevideo Maru during the Second World War.

Alan was born in Hobart in 1920. He was the elder son of Alan Batchler and Janet Wilkinson.

He attended the Hobart Junior Technical School at Elizabeth St.^[1]

He enlisted in the Australian Army Militia at Brighton, TAS on 15 Mar 1940 as a Signalman (T257601) in the 6th District Signals. At the time he was single, a motor mechanic and was living with his father in New Town, TAS. He was 5 ft 9 in tall with brown hair, brown eyes and a sallow complexion.

He enlisted in the Australian Army Militia as a Signalman (T44272) in the Australian Army Signals for War Service in the Special Force - Tropical Service on 03 Mar 1941 in Hobart, TAS. The next day he marched out for Queenscliff, VIC where the Rabaul Fortress Signals Section was being assembled and trained.

He embarked for Rabaul, New Britain in the Territory of New Guinea in Sydney on 13 Apr 1941, disembarking in Rabaul on 26 Apr 1941.

After the Japanese invaded on 23 Jan 1942 he was captured at Bunolima and 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.

He was posthumously enrolled in the 2nd AIF as TX16308.

Sources

1. ↑ STATE SCHOLARSHIPS (1935, January 17). The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), p. 2. Retrieved March 24, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article29176983

• WW2 Australian Army Service File - BATCHLER ALAN JAMES : Service Number - TX16308 : Date of birth - 09 Oct 1920 : Place of birth - HOBART TAS : Place of enlistment - HOBART TAS : Next of Kin - BATCHLER ALAN - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=6502689

• DEATH REPORTED (1945, October 20). The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), p. 8. Retrieved March 24, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article26161042

• Roll of Honour - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1688086

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2615355/batchler,-alan-james/

• Virtual War Memorial Australia: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/619296

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

• Family Knowledge . Service Records .

Alan James Batchler POW. Service No. TX16308. Was captured by the Japanese on Rabaul , taken aboard the Montevideo Maru when the American Submarine the Sturgess accidently torpedoed it . Lost at Sea.