| Accession Number | P07583.002 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Black & white - Print silver gelatin |
| Maker |
Unknown |
| Place made | Australia |
| Date made | 1941 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
Studio portrait of QX23514 Private (Pte) William Turnbull, 2/26 Battalion, of Brisbane, Qld. Pte ...
Description
Studio portrait of QX23514 Private (Pte) William Turnbull, 2/26 Battalion, of Brisbane, Qld. Pte Turnbull and his brother QX22722 Private (Pte) Kenneth Turnbull, also of 2/26 Battalion, were taken prisoner of war (POW) of the Japanese in Java. Both had enlisted in August 1941. A third brother, 20401 Stoker (Sto) John James Samuel Turnbull, RAN, survived the sinking of HMAS Waterhen off Salum, Egypt, on 29 June 1941. After returning to Australia, Sto Turnbull was posted to HMAS Perth. On 1 March 1942 he was also taken prisoner of war of the Japanese following the sinking of the Perth by Japanese destroyers during the Battle of Sunda Strait. The three brothers worked together on the Burma Thailand Railway and were later selected to for a work party to be transferred to Japan. They were killed when the Japanese prison ship in which they were travelling, the Rakuyo Maru, was sunk by the United States Navy submarine USS Pampanito on 12 September 1944. Pte William Turnbull was aged 27, Sto Turnbull 32, and Pte Kenneth Turnbull 23.