1939-45 Star : Lance Corporal H W F Elmhirst, 2/10 Field Ambulance

1939-45 Star. Impressed on reverse with recipient's details.

Associated with the service of NX55177 Lance Corporal Harry William Frederick Elmhirst. Elmhirst was born in Sydney, New South Wales on 22 November 1908 to Harry Augustus and Ellen Elmhirst. He was husband to Kathleen Charlotte Elmhirst and was a railway shunter on enlistment in the Second Australian Imperial Force (AIF) on 14 June 1940. With the rank of Private he was taken on strength by 6 Battalion on 28 June, but was transferred to 22 Infantry Brigade on 1 August.

Elmhirst was promoted to Lance Corporal on 19 August, before transferring to 2/10 Field Ambulance on 13 September. The unit entrained for Western Command on 25 July 1941, and embarked for overseas service on 7 August as part of 27 Brigade. Disembarking in Singapore on 15 August the 2/10th was deployed for training on the Malayan mainland at Segamat. However on 28 October, Elmhirst was admitted to the main dressing station at Serangoon (on the island of Singapore) with gastritis. He was discharged and able to return to his unit on 31 October.

Following the Japanese invasion of northern Malaya in December, the 2/10th was deployed in support of the combat troops establishing Advanced Dressing Stations in the rear of the defensive lines. However, with the fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942, the entire unit was taken prisoner. During the last days before the surrender (and immediately after the surrender) his unit had repurposed the historic St Andrews Cathedral in Singapore City as an improvised hospital, this is depicted in the Official War Artist Murray Griffin's work 'St. Andrew's Cathedral, Singapore' (ART26531). The AIF was not able to confirm Elmhirst had been taken prisoner until 17 November 1943 by which time he had been transported to Thailand to work as slave labour on the Burma-Thailand Railway. He died only two weeks later on 30 November from illness and is buried at Kanchanburi War Cemetery, Thailand. Harry was 35 years old and left behind his widow Kathleen.

• Australia Service Medal : Lance Corporal H W F Elmhirst, 2/10 Field Ambulance
• Pacific Star : Lance Corporal H W F Elmhirst, 2/10 Field Ambulance
• British War Medal 1939-45 : Lance Corporal H W F Elmhirst, 2/10 Field Ambulance