Robert Allen Bird (1907 - 1942)

Born 17 Oct 1907 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Ancestors

Died 1 Jul 1942 at age 34 in At Sea

Biography

Robert Bird was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

Robert Bird died as a prisoner of war on the Montevideo Maru during the Second World War.

Robert was born in Brisbane, QLD in 1907. His parents were John Bird and Maud Allen

Robert was a customs officer in the Territory of New Guinea from about 1927 and was resident in Rabaul. He enlisted in the New Guinea Volunteer Rifles, an Australian Army Militia unit and was serving as a Corporal (NG4042).

He was married. His wife's name was Jessie (nee Taylor) and there were 3 children, all born in Rabaul (John Taylor, b. 1931, Robert and Rosemary (later Lewis)).^[1] They were all evacuated to Queensland in Dec 1941. Jessie was living in Sandgate, QLD during WW2.

He was called to full time duty with the NGVR on 21 Jan 1941, two days before invasion.

When the Japanese invaded New Britain in Jan 1942 he was captured at the Toma and became a Prisoner of War, initally 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 transferred to the AIF as NGX500.

Sources

1. ↑ Dead Soldiers’ Gifted Children (1 April 1953). (1953-04-01). In Pacific islands monthly : PIM. XXIII (9), https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/234110361

• Birth - Queensland BDM Birth index - Robert Allen Bird; Event date: 19/10/1907; Event type: Birth registration; Registration details: 1907/B/15809; Mother: Maude Alice Allen; Father/parent: John Theodore Harvey Bird

• WW2 Australian Army Service File - National Archives of Australia - BIRD ROBERT ALLEN : Service Number - NGX500 [NG4042]: Date of birth - Unknown : Place of birth - Unknown : Place of enlistment - T N G : Next of Kin - BIRD Jessie - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=5890176

• Roll of Honour - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1683467

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2615392/robert-allen-bird/

• Virtual War Memorial Australia: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/620116

• The Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial https://www.powmemorialballarat.com.au/prisoners-of-war/bird-robert-allen/