Studio portrait of NX47765 Private (Pte) Andrew Carson Alcorn, 2/30th Infantry Battalion, of ...

Studio portrait of NX47765 Private (Pte) Andrew Carson Alcorn, 2/30th Infantry Battalion, of Bangalow, NSW. Pte Alcorn enlisted on 3 September 1940 in Newcastle, NSW. The 2/30th Infantry Battalion was formed on 22 November 1940 at Tamworth in New South Wales. They embarked for Singapore aboard the Dutch ship Johan Van Oldenbarnevelt in July 1941, then set off for Malaya. Just before midnight on 7 December 1941, Japanese forces landed at Singora and Patani in Thailand, and Kota Bharu in northern Malaya. They fought against British and Indian troops, until B Company ambushed the Japanese at Gemencheh Bridge, shortly before 4 pm on 14 January 1942. The rest of the battalion, located 4 miles to the rear of this position (in front of Gemas, on the Gemas-Tampin road), engaged the Japanese the next day. It was a brilliant ambush and the first AIF attack against the Japanese. The 2/30th suffered 20 killed or missing believed dead and 58 wounded. The Japanese casualties were thought to be about 1,000. Pte Alcorn was among those who were killed in action on the 15 January 1942.

• Studio portrait of NX47772 Private (Pte) Leslie George Dillon, 2/3rd Infantry Battalion, of ...