Vic. Paybook photograph, taken on enlistment, of VX65027 Private Walter James Carson, 2/10th ...

Vic. Paybook photograph, taken on enlistment, of VX65027 Private Walter James Carson, 2/10th Ordnance Workshop, Australian Corps of Electrical & Mechanical Engineers. 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. Private Carson, aged 22, died as a prisoner of the Japanese on 28 February 1945. He was the foster-son of John and Christina Carson, of Geelong West, Vic. He is commemorated on the Labuan Memorial Panel 29. (Photograph copied from AWM232, items 4 and 5. Personal information from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database.)