Klicke, Allan Reginald (b.1912 - d.1944)

Collection relating to the Second World War service of VX17485 Private Allan Reginald Klicke (Kliche) 2/2 Pioneer Battalion.

Wallet 1 of 1 - Wallet consists of two letters sent by the Australian Military Forces, to Mr R T Klicke of Torrensville SA, concerning the missing status of his son, Private Klicke. The wallet also includes an envelope, postmarked 09 July 1942.

Allan Reginald Klicke was born in Kabininge, South Australia on 16 October 1912. He worked as a labourer and had served in the CMF. He enlisted on 27 May 1940. Private Klicke transferred to 2/2 Pioneer Battalion on 30 May and received initial training at Puckapunyal. In late 1940 he was temporarily appointed Group III Spec Concretor. Klicke disembarked from Sydney on 7 April 1941, arriving in the Middle East in early May. The Battalion served in Syria and were involved in various offensives against the Vichy French before their surrender in late 1941. During his service in the Middle East, Klicke suffered from a bout of sandfly fever in August 1941 and from malaria in October the same year. In late January 1942 he embarked on the SS Orcades which was meant to return to Australia. Instead, caught up in the Japanese invasion of Singapore and the Netherlands East Indies, 2/2 Pioneer Battalion disembarked in Batavia on 18 February. Together with a battery of American artillery and a squadron from the 3rd King's Own Hussars, they formed an ill fated defense of Java. They were known as the 'Blackforce'. Klicke was reported missing on 30 April that year. By October 21 that same year he was believed to be a POW of the Japanese. Much later it was confirmed that he had been interned in Thailand. Klicke died of pneumonia on 8 January 1944. He had in fact been one of 865 men from 2/2 Pioneer Battalion taken prisoner in Java, and was amongst the 258 that had died in Japanese hands. A letter from the military authorities to his father dated 10 April 1945, included the testimony of an informant, stating that Klicke had died of illness during the interrogation of prisoners by Japanese, following their rescue from sinking Japanese transport.

• Wallet 1 of 1 - Letters relating to the Mising status of Allan Reginald Klicke from Australian Military Forces, 1942