John Frederick Bradbury (1917 - 1942)

Born 5 Feb 1917 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Husband of Norma Mary (McDonald) Bagley — married 1938 in Victoria, Australia

Died 1 Jul 1942 at age 25 in At Sea

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Biography

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

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

John Frederick Bradbury was the son of Charles Milton and Rachael May Bradbury (nee Harvey) and claimed he was born in 1917 in Melbourne, VIC. His parents were married in 1917 so it is possible his birth name was Harvey, but his birth registration has not been located under either name.

He married Norma Mary McDonald in Victoria in 1938. There was 1 child, Kay.

He enlisted in the Australian Army for overseas service at Royal Park, Melbourne, VIC on 01 Jul 1940 as a Private (VX34278). At the time he was married, a tailor and was living with his wife in East Brunswick, VIC. He had brown hair and blue eyes and was about 5 ft 9 in tall.

He was posted to 2/22nd Bn on 05 Dec 1940.

He entrained from Victoria for Sydney on 11 Apr 1941, embarking there on HMAT "Katoomba" on 12 Apr 1941 for Rabaul, New Britain in the Territory of New Guinea and disembarking there on 26 Apr 1941. His Battalion was to form the core of "Lark Force" for the defence of the Territory.

After the Japanese invasion of 23 Jan 1942, he was captured on the Wide Bay coast and became a Prisoner of War, initially held at Rabaul. Japanese records have him as a part of A Coy. One escaped soldier reported that he had been seen trying to evade capture in a motor launch along with 18 others. Another soldier (probably more accurately) said he had seen him 3 days after the invasion, about 25 miles from Rabaul, making his way to the centre of the island with 6 or 7 others

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.

AIF VX34,278 Husband Norma, father of Kay. Son-in-law of Emma and Harold McDonald, brother-in-law of Fred, Mona, Alma, Mavis, Floris, Roma, Melva (Cook), brother-in-law of Bill Cook.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ Death notices, The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), 30 October, p. 8. , viewed 21 Apr 2016,

• Marriage - Victoria BDM Marriage index - Event: marriages; Registration number: 13217 / 1938; Family name: BRADBURY; Given name(s): Jno Fredk; Personal detail Spouse's family name: MCDONALD; Spouse's given name(s): Norma Mary

• WW2 Australian Army Service File - National Archives of Australia - BRADBURY JOHN FREDERICK : Service Number - VX34278 : Date of birth - 05 Feb 1917 : Place of birth - MELBOURNE VIC : Place of enlistment - ROYAL PARK VIC : Next of Kin - BRADBURY NORMA - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=6213510

• Deaths On Active Service - Family Notices (1945, October 29). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 8. Retrieved April 16, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205655951 ... and ... Family Notices (1945, October 30). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 8. Retrieved April 16, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205643568 ... and ... Family Notices (1945, October 31). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 7. Retrieved April 16, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205651604

• Roll of Honour - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1698442

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2615412/bradbury,-john-frederick/

• Virtual War Memorial Australia: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/620829

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