WA. Paybook photograph, taken on enlistment, of WX8731 Private Thomas Ernest Smith, 2/4th Machine ...

WA. Paybook photograph, taken on enlistment, of WX8731 Private Thomas Ernest Smith, 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion, Australian Infantry. 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 Smith, aged 32, died as a prisoner of the Japanese on 18 December 1944. He was the son of Thomas William and Sarah Jane Smith, of Grass Patch, WA. He is commemorated on the Labuan Memorial Panel 19. (Photograph copied from AWM232, items 4 and 5. Personal information from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database.)