Edward Henderson Craghill

Edward Henderson Craghill

Personal Information
Date of Birth	6 Jan 1918
Place of Birth	England
Death	6 Apr 1993, aged 75
Place of Death	Shenton Park, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	22 years, 11 months
Occupation	Truck driver
Religion	Church of England
Address	c/- PO Byford
Next of Kin	Father , Mr. Edward Craghill
Military Information
Reg Number	WX11998
Date of Enlistment	29 Apr 1941
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	2/2nd Independent Company
Military Movement
1st Departure from Australia
Journey Dates	8 Dec 1941 ‒ 12 Dec 1941
Transport Details	SS Zealandia Darwin to Timor
Return to Australia
Journey Dates	23 May 1942 ‒ 25 May 1942
Transport Details	unknown Timor to Darwin
Post War Details
Fate	Wounded in Action 1942 Returned to Australia
Medals	1939-45 Star Pacific Star Defence Medal War Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1939-45

Pre War

Edward embarked in London for Australia via Cape Town aboard SS Bendigo on 7 Sep 1922 as a 4 year old with his parents Edward (32yo farm worker) and Constance (33) from Haltwhistle, Northumberland. They arrived in Fremantle 12th ?? October. From 1923 to 1930 Edward attended school at "Bateman's Homestead, Oaklands' (Group Settlements 29, 30, and 31 Oakford).

War Service

Edward enlisted at Claremont on 19 Apr 1941 and was sent to Northam to join the 3rd Training Battalion and almost immediately was granted pre-embarkation leave from 5 - 13 May 1941. On 17 Jun 1941 Edward was charged with having been AWOL from 8:00am on 14 June until midnight 16 Jun 1941. He was awarded 14 days CB (Confined to Barracks) and forfeited three days pay. On 29 Jun 1941 Edward was transferred to the 7th Infantry Training Centre at Caulfield in Victoria arriving there on 3 Jul 1941. On 11 Jul 1941 he was again transferred, this time to the 2/2nd Independent Company which was being raised at the centre at that time.

On 16 Sep 1941 the unit moved to South Australia enroute to Darwin where they arrived on 26 Oct 1941. On 29 Nov 1941 Edward was charged with having disobeyed a lawful command given him by a superior officeer. Guilty he was fined £2/10/- ($5 or 10 days pay equivalent).

On 8 Dec 1941 Edward's unit embarked on SS Zealandia in Darwin for Koepang in Timor as part of Sparrow Force in keeping with the Australian undertaking to the Dutch East Indies administration. They disembarked at Koepang in Dutch Timor but after the Japanese invasion, the survivors of the 2/40th Battalion and the Independent Company moved into the hills to continue harrassing the Japanese invadors. At some point Edward received a gunshot wound to his left ear which caused deafness, and to his shoulder. There is no record of treatment on Timor, or his actual return to Australia, but it was believed that he returned to Darwin on 25 May 1942, the day that he was admitted to 19th General Hospital in Darwin. He was also found to be affected my Malaria.

On 9 Jun 1942 Edward was transferred from the Northern Territory to the Medical Section of Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot, arriving the next day so it would have been by plane. Granted 4 days leave on arrival, he was finally well enough to be assessed by a Medical Board on 8 Oct 1942, and classified B2. Transferred internally to the Discharge Section, two more periods of leave followed, from 9 to 16 Oct 1942, and from 21 Nov until 5 Dec 1942 before his discharge took effect on 5 Dec 1942.

Post War

During 1949 Edward married Marjorie Joan. Electoral Rolls: 1949 - 1968 at 169 Vincent street, North Perth, electric welder; 1972 at 177 Charles street, Perth, electric welder; 1977 - 1980 at 21 Donar street, Innaloo