Rusbourne, Harold Ronald Roy (Corporal, b.1920 - d.1942)

Collection relating to the Second World War service of NX40701 Corporal Harold Ronald Roy Rusbourne, 2/18 Australian Infantry Battalion, Second Australian Imperial Force, Malaya, 1941.

Wallet 1 of 1 – Consists of three letters and one newspaper clipping relating to Corporal Harold Ronald Roy Rusbourne. The letters were written from Corporal Rushbourne to his sister, Mrs Ethel Linda Toft [née Rusbourne], during his service in Malaya with 2/18 Australian Infantry Battalion in 1941. In his letters to his sister, Corporal Rushbourne writes about his arrival in Malaya, living conditions, daily routines, buying coconuts, participating in training exercises, his first taste of dry rations, playing football, doing guard duties, sightseeing in local towns, celebrating the battalion’s anniversary, training at a Vickers gun school, receiving Christmas parcels, going to an open air picture theatre, and participating in a quiz. The newspaper clipping is from the 'Glen Innes Examiner', 8 January 1946. It reports that Corporal Rusbourne, previously reported missing, had died in January 1942.
This wallet contains:
1x Letter from Corporal Rusbourne to Mrs Ethel Linda Toft, Malaya, 16 March [1941]
1x Letter from Corporal Rusbourne to Mrs Ethel Linda Toft and Mr Allan Roy Toft, Malaya, 1 August [1941]
1x Letter from Corporal Rusbourne to Mrs Ethel Linda Toft, Malaya, 23 November [1941], [includes envelope]
1x Newspaper Clipping , Glen Innes Examiner, 8 January 1946

Corporal Harold Ronald Roy Rusbourne enlisted to the Second Australian Imperial Force on 28 June 1940. After a period of training in New South Wales, he embarked for overseas with 2/18 Australian Infantry Battalion in February 1941. With this unit, he served in Malaya. On 27 January 1942, Corporal Rusbourne was killed in action. He is commemorated in the cemetery of his home town, Glen Innes, New South Wales.