Patrick Joseph Byrne (1922 - 1942)

Born 23 Sep 1922 in Bulli, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Biography

Patrick Byrne was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

Patrick Byrne died as a prisoner of war on the Montevideo Maru during the Second World War.

Patrick Joseph Byrne was born on 23 September 1922 at Bulli, NSW, the son of Joseph and Mary Byrne.

He enlisted in the Australian Army for overseas service at Paddington, NSW on 20 Jun 1940 as a Private (NX26672). He claimed to be over 21, but was probably 17. At the time he was single, an unemployed assistant cook and was living at Guildford, NSW with his mother. He had light brown hair and blue eyes.

After training he was transferred to No. 1 Independent Coy (a commando unit) on 10 May 1941.

He embarked on HMAT "Zealandia" on 12 Jul 1941 for Kavieng, New Ireland in the Territory of New Guinea, disembarking there on 29 Jul 1941.

When the Japanese invaded New Ireland on 23 Jan 1942 he was probably with the bulk of the Coy who escaped overland to Kaut on the south coast and boarded the "Induna Star" on 29 Jan 1942 before making their way along the coast of New Ireland heading to Rabaul. When they learned that Rabaul had fallen and hearing that the Japanese had landed to the east of them (false) the ship sailed south. It was spotted by a Japanese aircraft, bombed and taken under tow by a Japanese destroyer on 02 Feb 1942 and entered Rabaul on 03 Feb 1942 where he 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.

Sources

• Department of Justice, New South Wales, Registry of Birth, Deaths and Marriages: Birth. BYRNE, PATRICK J; 39698/1922; JOSEPH; MARY; BULLI. https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/

• WW2 Australian Army Service File - National Archives of Australia - BYRNE PATRICK JOSEPH : Service Number - NX26672 : Date of birth - 23 May 1919 : Place of birth - BULLI NSW : Place of enlistment - PADDINGTON NSW : Next of Kin - BYRNE MARY - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=4919773

• Roll of Honour - Family Notices (1945, October 25). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 14. Retrieved March 3, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27921295

• Roll of Honour - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1692521

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2615455/byrne,-patrick-joseph/

• Virtual War Memorial Australia: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/622148