| Accession Number | P02468.401 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Black & white - Film copy negative |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
Northern Ireland. Paybook photograph, taken on enlistment, of VX37108 Gunner William Edward ...
Description
Northern Ireland. Paybook photograph, taken on enlistment, of VX37108 Gunner William Edward McCracken, 4th Anti Tank Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery. 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 B Force. The 1494 POWs that made up B Force, were transported from Changi on 7 July 1942 on board the tramp ship Ubi Maru, arriving in Sandakan Harbour on 18 July 1942. Gunner McCracken, aged 35, died as a prisoner of the Japanese on 10 June 1945. He was the son of Mr and Mrs R. McCracken, of Kaneghy, Northern Ireland. He is commemorated on the Labuan Memorial Panel 1. (Photograph copied from AWM232, items 4 and 5. Personal information from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database.)