Continuing on with my last
two blog posts about my grandfather Sergeant Keith Leo GRENFELL (1911-1944) who lived and worked in Yallourn and his
WWII experience…
I found this YouTube clip of
his battalion, the 2/21st on the Bonegilla march in September 1940.
There is no sound
unfortunately, but exciting nonetheless to know that he was in amongst these
soldiers.
The text that is included
with the YouTube clip is:
The only video of the 2/21st Btn
marching from Trawool to Bonegilla. September 1940. In December 1941 they were
sent to defend the Island of Ambon, most were taken prisoners by the Japanese
after an estimated 20,000 marines invaded the Island in 1942. By the end of
1945 after 3.5 years in captivity only few survived.
The death rate of the
Australian force was over 75%.
I’ve also included another
clipping about the Bonegilla camp,
and a photo of troops marching at Bonegilla,
from the Argus Newspaper Collection of Photographs, State Library of Victoria.
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