John Charles Bernaldo (1921 - 1942)

Born 10 Sep 1921 in Prahran, Victoria, Australia

Ancestors

Died 1 Jul 1942 at age 20 in At Sea

Biography

John Bernaldo was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

John Bernaldo died as a prisoner of war on the Montevideo Maru during the Second World War.

John Charles BERNALDO was born in 1921 at Prahran, Victoria^[1]. His parents were John BERNALDO and Louisa May PROBERT.

He enlisted in the Australian Army (Militia) on 16 Nov 1939 at Melbourne as a Sapper (443438) in the 34th Fortress Coy of the Royal Australain Engineers. At the time he was single, a sheet metal worker and living with his parents in Windsor, VIC. He was 5 ft 7 in tall, with dark hair and brown eyes.

He enlisted for War service on 03 Jul 1940 at Queenscliff, VIC as a Sapper (V50831). He was transferred to "L" Force (Lark Force) on 13 Mar 1941. and was made a CPL the next day.

He disembarked at Rabaul in the Territory of New Guinea on 26 Apr 1941 and joined the Rabaul garrison.

When the Japanese invaded in Jan 1942 he was captured at Kerevat on New Britain 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 VX129399.

Sources

1. ↑ Birth, Deaths and Marriages, Victoria Online Registry. Event: births; Registration number 25257 / 1921; Family name: BERNALDO; Given name(s) Jno Chas; Place of event: PRAHRAN, VIC, Australia; Mother's name Louisa May PROBERT; Father's Name: Jno. https://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/research-and-family-history/search-your-family-history

• Australian Army (Militia) Service File - National Archives of Australia - Bernaldo, John Charles; Army Number - V/50831; Date of birth - 10 September 1921 - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=9264175

• WW2 Australian Army Service File - National Archives of Australia - BERNALDO JOHN CHARLES : Service Number - VX129399 : Date of birth - 10 Sep 1921 : Place of birth - MELBOURNE VIC : Place of enlistment - QUEENSCLIFF : Next of Kin - BERNALDO JOHN - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=6082075

• Roll of Honour - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1682859

• Deaths On Active Service - Family Notices (1945, October 16). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 6. Retrieved December 12, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205643687 ... and ... Family Notices (1945, October 15). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 2. Retrieved December 12, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12147229

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2615380/john-charles-bernaldo/

• Virtual War Memorial Australia: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/619867

• The Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial https://www.powmemorialballarat.com.au/prisoners-of-war/bernaldo-john-charles/