Daniel Alexander Blennerhassett (1915 - 1942)

Born 4 Apr 1915 in Preston, Victoria, Australia

Husband of Meryl Puryer (Davey) Sims — married 1933 in Victoria, Australia

Died 1 Jul 1942 at age 27 in At Sea

Biography

Daniel Blennerhassett was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

Daniel Blennerhassett died as a prisoner of war on the Montevideo Maru during the Second World War.

Daniel Alexander Blennerhassett was born in 1915 at Preston, VIC, the son of Alexander Blennerhassett and Alice Mouchemore.

He married Puryer Meryle Davey in Victoria in 1933.

He enlisted in the Australian Army for overseas service at Caulfield, VIC on 10 Jun 1940 as a Private (VX23502). At the time he was married, a printer and was living with his wife at Preston, VIC. He had dark hair and blue eyes.

Daniel was posted to 2/22nd Bn on 15 Jul 1940.

He entrained in Victoria for Sydney on 11 Mar 1941, embarking there on 12 Mar 1941 on HMAT "Katoomba" for Rabaul, New Britain in the Territory of New Guinea, where he disembarked on 28 Mar 1941. His Battalion became the core of "Lark Force" sent to defend the Territory from the Japanese.

He was classified as a Driver-Mechanic Group III on 14 Apr 1941 and promoted Lance Cpl on 02 Jun 1941. He reverted to Private on 06 Nov 1941 and his classification as a Driver-Mechanic terminated on 11 Nov 1941.

After the Japanese invaded on 23 Jan 1942, he was captured at Massawa and became a Prisoner of War, initially held in Rabaul. Japanese records have him as a Driver with Headquarters. 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 - Victoria BDM Birth index - Event: births; Registration number: 15830 / 1915; Family name: BLENNERHASSETT; Given name(s): Danl Alex; Place of event: PRESTON, VIC, Australia; Personal detail Mother's name: Alice; Mother's family name at birth: MOUCHEMORE; Father's Name: Alexander

• Marriage - Victoria BDM Marriage index - Event: marriages; Registration number: 11676 / 1933; Family name: BLENNERHASSETT; Given name(s): Daniel Alex; Personal detail Spouse's family name: DAVEY; Spouse's given name(s): Puryer Meryle

• WW2 Australian Army Service File - National Archives of Australia - BLENNERHASSETT DANIEL ALEXANDER : Service Number - VX23502 : Date of birth - 04 Apr 1915 : Place of birth - MELBOURNE : Place of enlistment - CAULFIELD VIC : Next of Kin - BLENNERHASSETT MERYLE - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=6228079

• Roll of Honour - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1700111

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2615399/daniel-alexander-blennerhassett/

• Virtual War Memorial Australia: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/620318

• The Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial https://www.powmemorialballarat.com.au/prisoners-of-war/blennerhassett-daniel-alexander/