Paybook photograph, taken on enlistment, of NX71313 Private James John Grant, 2/18th Battalion, ...

Paybook photograph, taken on enlistment, of NX71313 Private James John Grant, 2/18th Battalion, aged 20. 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 POWs 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. Private Grant, aged 24, died as a prisoner of the Japanese on 7 January 1945. He was the son of Robert and Ellen Eliza Grant, of Lakemba, NSW. He is commemorated on the Labuan Memorial Panel 17. (Photograph copied from AWM232, items 4 and 5. Personal information from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database.)