Webster, Alexander John (Sapper, b. 1905 – d.1979)

Collection relating to the Second World War service and prisoner of war experience of NX24108 Sapper Alexander John Webster, 2/6 Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers, Second Australian Infantry Battalion, 1940-2013.

Wallet 1 of 1 – Contains 2 folders of letters written by Sapper Webster to his wife Dorothy Johanna (née Reynierse) Webster and son Peter Webster, and one letter written to Sapper Webster by Marjorie Thomson and John Webster, dated from 1940 to 1941.

Folder 1 of 2 contains 44 letters [with associated envelopes] written by Sapper Webster to Dorothy Webster, Middle East, dated from 1940 to 1941. In his letters he writes to inform her of his movements, local weather, first impressions of Arabic and Jewish civilians, site seeing tours, his health and hospitalisations, food rations and meals, sending souvenirs, receiving mail and parcels, seeing old friends, local wildlife and personal sufferings from experiences of local warfare. This folder also includes a reference document written by Peter Webster, dated 24 March 2013. This document provides context to these letters, and additional information regarding Sapper Webster’s difficult repatriation home.

Folder 2 of 2 contains three letters written by Sapper Webster to his son, Peter Webster, and one letter written by Marjorie Thomson [classmate of Sapper Webster’s daughter, Gloria Genevieve Webster] and Sapper Webster's son, John Sydney Hilton Webster to Sapper Webster. The letter written by Marjorie Thomson to Sapper Webster is one of well wishes, and a request for a souvenir from the Middle East. On the reverse of this letter is a message from his son, John Webster and the signatures of the staff and pupils at Clemton Park Public School, New South Wales, dated 25 June 1941. These three letters written by Sapper Webster to Peter Webster are dated December 1941, and send Peter well wishes.

Oversized folder 1 of 1 – Contains one scrapbook of material complied by Sapper Webster’s son, Peter Webster, c 2013. This scrapbook relates to the service of Sapper Webster in the Middle East, imprisonment in Burma and Thailand, discharge, and post-war life in Australia. The content is dated from 1940 to 1978 and includes photographs, postcards, letters, envelopes, telegrams, menus, tickets, service documents, currencies, foreign passports, map, certificate, newspaper cutting, lists and hand-written notes.

Sapper Alexander John Webster enlisted in the Second Australian Imperial Force in Paddington, New South Wales on 3 June 1940. He served with the 2/6 Australian Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers, in the Middle East from 25 November 1940. On 1 February 1942 Sapper Webster was posted to Java, Indonesia. On 24 April 1942 he was reported as missing in action, and on 16 December 1942 he was officially listed as a prisoner of war. During his three year internment, Sapper Webster was sent to Changi, and later Burma to work on the Burma-Thailand Railway. In September 1945 the prisoner of war camp Sapper Webster was in was liberated, and he returned home. Sapper Webster was discharged on 19 March 1946.