Australian War Graves in Sri Lanka

Discussion in 'Australian' started by Mozzertad, May 11, 2012.

  1. graeme

    graeme Senior Member

    Dave,

    Many thanks for posting, fascinating reading, (and Mozza, of course)

    Graeme
     
  2. Mozzertad

    Mozzertad Junior Member

    Dave - I really cannot thank you enough. I hope others can find their way to our efforts.

    Cheers Graeme.
     
  3. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    Purser Polson is a new one though.

    I will go have a look in the Battle of Ceylon gallery.

    Aus Merchant Navy, Purser, L E Pulson, 19/8/44 aged 25


    Nominal roll shows his last ship as SS Nellore and he was from Sydney


    Naval history site has SS Nellore, 29 June 1944, ship loss


    AWM ROH has SS Nellore (Greenock) - Place of death: At sea


    None of his files digitised at the NAA


    NLA newspaper - ROLL OF HONOUR


    POLSON. - August 19, died at R.A.N. Hospital, Colombo, through enemy action Purser Lloyd Ernest, Merchant Navy, dearly beloved son of Mr. and Mrs. E. Polson, and loved brother of Roma, 23 Cremorne Road, aged 25 years.





    (He must have survived the sinking of his ship and made it to hospital in Ceylon, only to succumb to his injuries some 6 or 7 weeks later)



    See - http://www.rusinsw.org.au/Papers/2012A10.pdf
     

    Attached Files:

  4. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    A picture of his ship - courtesy of the State Library of Victoria
     

    Attached Files:

  5. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    "Gunner Ernest John SANDFORD NX3303 of 2/1 Field Regiment RAA (AWM ROH = Injuries) (CWGC & AWM ROH disagree on Date of Death - I will get this checked out)"



    I have been in contact with the Office of Australian War Graves (OAWG - part of the DVA) concerning the incorrect date of death recorded against this member on the CWGC website. I just received an info copy of an email from the OAWG to the CWGC that requests them to alter his listing to reflect the correct date as per his headstone. They also checked his pers file to make sure that the correct date was already in use by other Aussie authorities and they confirmed his cause of death.

    (I just had a look on the CWGC site and the correction has already applied - fast work by all involved....)




    -----Original Message-----
    From: K
    Thursday, 17 May 2012 16:13
    To: xxx@cwgc.org
    Subject: Correction to website


    Hello M

    Can you amend this entry on the Commission's website please:

    SANDFORD, ERNEST JOHN
    Rank:Gunner
    Service No:NX3303
    Date of Death:20/05/1942
    Age:37
    Regiment/Service:Royal Australian Artillery A.I.F. 21 Field Regt.
    Grave Reference Plot 6B. Row J. Grave 13.
    Cemetery COLOMBO (KANATTE) GENERAL CEMETERY

    The date of death should be 25 May 1942, as is correctly recorded on the
    headstone.

    We have sighted his official Service record which states he was involved
    in a motor vehicle accident, on 24 May 1942, and died the next day, 25
    May 1942 (copy can be forwarded if required).

    Regards

    K
     

    Attached Files:

  6. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    Captain Robert Allan SPENCE NX76241 of 12th Australian General Hospital (AWM ROH = Accidental) (First enlistment in the Papua Militia (he is on the Honour Roll in Rabaul), previously had the service number of P1)

    http://www.samrainc.org/Pdf/Whats%20In%20a%20Number.pdf


    Just received the following info after getting his service files checked - "Spence died from a broken neck while surfing"
     

Share This Page