Frederick Broadbent (1913 - 1942)

Born 13 Apr 1913 in Leongatha, Victoria, Australia

Ancestors

Died 1 Jul 1942 at age 29 in At Sea

Biography

Frederick Broadbent was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

Frederick Broadbent died as a prisoner of war on the Montevideo Maru during the Second World War.

Frederick Broadbent was born in 1913 at Leongatha, VIC, the only child of Frederick Broadbent and Ruby Keys.

He enlisted in the Australian Army for overseas service at Caulfield, VIC on 11 Jun 1940 as a Private (VX24734), having completed his attestation form at Leongatha, VIC on 25 May 1940. At the time he was single, a baker and was living with his mother in Leongatha.

He had been an active sportsman and a farewell for him and others was organised in Leongatha at the Memorial Hall where he was presented with a certificate and a money belt.^[1]

Although he was initially identified for the Australian Army Service Sorps (because he was a baker) he was posted to the 2/22nd Bn on 31 Jul 1940.

He entrained from Victoria for Sydney on 10 Mar 1941, embarking there on HMAT "Katoomba" on 12 Mar 1941 for Rabaul, New Britain in the Territory of New Guinea and disembarking there on 28 Mar 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 part of A Coy.

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.

Research Notes

Father's Death Notice - Family Notices (1940, November 7). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 4. Retrieved April 15, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11306042

Sources

1. ↑ Sportsmen's Honor Roll (1940, December 28). Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), p. 35. Retrieved April 15, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223197873

• Birth - Victoria BDM Birth index - Event: births; Registration number: 14012 / 1913; Family name: BROADBENT; Given name(s): Fredk; Place of event: LEONGATTHA, VIC, Australia; Personal detail Mother's name: Eleanor Ruby Flor; Mother's family name at birth: KEYS; Father's Name: Fredk

• WW2 Australian Army Service File - National Archives of Australia - BROADBENT FREDERICK : Service Number - VX24734 : Date of birth - 13 Apr 1913 : Place of birth - LEONGATHA VIC : Place of enlistment - CAULFIELD VIC : Next of Kin - BROADBENT RUBY - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=6216089

• Death Notices On Active Service - Family Notices (1945, November 10). The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954), p. 4. Retrieved April 15, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article245665509

• Roll of Honour - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1694678

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2615416/broadbent,-frederick/

• Virtual War Memorial Australia: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/621138

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