NSW. Paybook photograph, taken on enlistment, of NX69320 Signalman William Henry Lebeau, 8th ...

NSW. Paybook photograph, taken on enlistment, of NX69320 Signalman William Henry Lebeau, 8th Division Signals, Australian Corps of Signals. He was one of over 2000 Allied prisoners of war (POW) held in the Sandakan POW camp in north Borneo, having been transferred there from Singapore as a part of E Force. The 500 Australian and 500 British POW's who made up E Force, left Changi on 28 March 1943, on board the S.S. DeKlerk arriving at Berhala Island (adjacent to Sandakan Harbour) on 15 April 1943. The POW's were held there until 5 June, when they were taken by barge to Sandakan. The next day they were transferred to the 8 Mile Camp, which was about half a mile from the B Force compound. Signalman Lebeau, aged 22, died as a prisoner of the Japanese on 24 January 1945. He was the son of George Ernest and Annie May Lebeau, of Surry Hills, NSW. He is commemorated on the Labuan Memorial Panel 8. (Photograph copied from AWM232, items 4 and 5. Personal information from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database.)