| Accession Number | P02468.502 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Black & white - Film copy negative |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
Vic. Paybook photograph, taken on enlistment, of VX50079 Private William Charles Thonder, ...
Description
Vic. Paybook photograph, taken on enlistment, of VX50079 Private William Charles Thonder, Administrative Headquarters, Australian Imperial Force, Malaya. 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 POW's 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. Private Thonder, aged 27, died as a prisoner of the Japanese on 19 June 1945. He was the son of William Thomas Thonder and Ruby Francis Thonder, and the husband of Edna Florence Thonder, of West Brunswick, Vic. He is commemorated on the Labuan Memorial Panel 27. (Photograph copied from AWM232, items 4 and 5. Personal information from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database.)