| Place | Asia: Singapore, Singapore Harbour |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | P00838.001 |
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Black & white |
| Physical description | Black & white |
| Place made | Australia |
| Date made | c 1941 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
Informal group portrait of some members of 2/14 Infantry Battalion taken during training ...
Description
Informal group portrait of some members of 2/14 Infantry Battalion taken during training manoeuvres. VX15290 Sergeant (Sgt) Albert Lesley Sargent is sitting in the front row holding a letter. Sgt Sargent later joined the Commando Z Special Unit in 1944, which was involved in raids on Japanese shipping in Singapore Harbour, fixing limpet mines to the ships. Operation Rimau was one such raid undertaken in October 1944 by twenty three members of the Commando Z Special Unit, including Sgt Sargent. The raid was aborted following detection of the commandos who then attempted to flee. Sgt Sargent, along with two others, captured a prahu (boat) manned by a Chinese crew. Whilst sailing they were attacked by the crew off the south west coast of Borneo. Sargent escaped but was eventually captured by the Japanese. He was taken to Pontianak in Borneo for questioning, then moved to Java and from there to Outram Road Gaol, Singapore. Sargent was tried and executed along with nine other members of the raiding party. This was carried out on 7 July 1945, only 39 days before the end of the war.