| Accession Number | P10827.003 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Black & white - Digital file TIFF |
| Maker |
Unknown |
| Date made | c 1945 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
Studio portrait of VX25850 Private (Pte) Stuart Mill Swanton, 2/21 Battalion. Pte Swanton was an ...
Description
Studio portrait of VX25850 Private (Pte) Stuart Mill Swanton, 2/21 Battalion. Pte Swanton was an office clerk from Hawthorn, Victoria before enlisting with the Australian Army on 17 June 1940. Pte Swanton was promoted to Acting Lance Corporal in August 1940 and then to Acting Corporal in April 1941. He became a Japanese prisoner of war (POW) at Ambon Island, Indonesia during April 1942. Pte Swanton performed the role of 'Padre' after Chaplain VX48124 Charles Henry Patmore, also of the 2/21 Battalion, was killed in an accidental bomb dump explosion at Ambon Island on 15 February 1943. In the later half of 1944 Pte Swanton was promoted to the local rank of Sergeant while in the POW camp (though local ranks were not officially recognised). Pte Swanton died while a POW at Ambon Island of beriberi - a disease caused by a deficiency of B1 vitamin. He was 31 years old.