1939-45 Star : Corporal S J McEvoy, 1 Australian Army Provost Company

Places	Oceania: Australia, Queensland, North Queensland, Torres Strait, Thursday Island Oceania: New Guinea1, Papua New Guinea, Morobe Province, Lae Oceania: New Guinea1, Papua New Guinea, Papua, Port Moresby
Accession Number	REL41876.001
Collection type	Heraldry
Object type	Medal
Physical description	Bronze
Maker	Unknown
Place made	United Kingdom
Date made	c 1946
Conflict	Second World War, 1939-1945

Description

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

History / Summary

Associated with the service of Corporal Stanley James McEvoy. McEvoy was born in Sydney, NSW on 14 July 1918 and was working as a driver when he enlisted in the Second AIF on 25 July 1942. On 11 September he transferred to 26 Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers but was admitted to a month later with a hernia. McEvoy was discharged from hospital on 7 November, undertaking a period of convalescence at the Lady Gowrie Convalescent Home, Gordon before rejoining his unit.

On 30 December McEvoy joined 2A Wireless Telegraph Group. He was promoted to acting corporal on 11 January 1943. On 1 March, McEvoy embarked from Ormiston, Queensland for Thursday Island, arriving there on 3 March. On 15 April he was evacuated to 6 Australian Camp Hospital (6 ACH) in the Torres Strait suffering head injuries but rejoined his unit on 27 April.

Over the next two months McEvoy was evacuated to 6 ACH three more times due to the effects of his initial injury. McEvoy rejoined his unit on Thursday Island on 11 September but on 20 September he transferred to 14 Australian Water Transport Operating Company.

McEvoy served with this unit in Townsville and Thursday Island, but was admitted to hospital on three occasions in 1944 due to illness. On 15 September McEvoy was transferred to the Torres Strait Provost Company where he remained until 5 December when he transferred to 1 Australian Army Provost Company.

McEvoy embarked from Townsville on 31 January 1945 aboard the troopship Charon disembarking in Port Moresby, New Guinea on 2 February. He had a brief illness in early April, and was only back with his unit a week before he was admitted to hospital with arthritis in the base of his spine. He was eventually evacuated to Australia and reverted to the rank of private.

He was discharged from hospital on 9 August to the NSW Lines of Communication Area General Details Depot. On 29 September he joined 8 Australian Lines of Communication Provost Company. He was promoted to acting corporal again on 13 October and had this rank confirmed three months later. McEvoy discharged from the Second AIF on 3 May.