David Edward Kitchener Granberg
From Our Contribution
Pre War
War Service
Enlisted in Claremont, and on 22 Jan 1941 he was transferred to the No 1 Training Battalion at Northam. On 12 Feb 1941 this changed to the 13th Training Battalion as a member of the 5th reinforcement draft for the 2/16 Battalion. On 30 Apr 1941 he was granted pre-embarkation leave, and despite needing medical attention from 5 - 13 May 1941 he was still able to board HMT Aquitania on 5 Jul 1941 which was to form part of Convoy US 11A leaving Fremantle on 9 Jul 1941, sailing for Egypt via Ceylon. On 25 Jul 1941 they disembarked at Port Tewfik, and on 19 Sep 1941 David transferred from the 21st Australian Training Battalion to the 2nd/16th Battalion which was in Lebanon as part of the garrison forces.
On 6 Dec 1941 David was evacuated to the 2nd/3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station with a broken jaw and facial lacerations, but returned to the battalion 2 days later. On 29 Jan 1942 he embarked on the SS Île de France for Australia, but at Bombay on 11 Feb 1942 he was transhipped to the Polish ship SS Kosciusko which as part of Convoy JS3 had been ordered by Churchill to divert to Burma. Guided by senior Australian Military figures Curtin insisted that they be returned to Australia
Discharged 2 Nov 1944
Post War
Address on discharge was 7th road, Armadale. In Feb 1949 he was working at the State Brickworks, Byfor.
Notes