Corporal Charles Harry Orme

Charles Orme was a married father of three and working as a farmer at the outbreak of the Second World War, and he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in June 1940. Posted to the 2/19th Battalion of the 22nd Brigade as part of the 8th Division, he embarked on the ocean-liner-cum-troopship Queen Mary, and arrived in Singapore in February 1941.

The Malay Peninsula was invaded by Japanese forces in early 1942 and the 8th Division was involved in fierce fighting to repel the enemy. The 2/19th Battalion’s first action was in mid-January around Bakri, where it was forced to withdraw as the Japanese overwhelmed the Australian and Indian soldiers attempting to defend their positions. The Australians and Indians were encircled by the Japanese, and after a period of intense fighting Lieutenant Colonel Charles Anderson gave the order for the Allies to break free and attempt to make it back to the British lines. During this time, Orme was listed as missing. However, he eventually made it back to the Commonwealth lines, where he was hospitalised with wounds sustained during his escape.

British and Commonwealth forces had fallen back to Singapore, where the Japanese began landing on 8 February. The 22nd Brigade bore the brunt of the invasion, fighting on the north-west of the island. There were heavy casualties on both sides. Corporal Charles Orme recovered from his wounds and re-joined his unit on the 10th, but sometime that day was listed as missing. He was presumed to have been killed in the last days before Singapore fell. By 8.30 pm on 15 February 1942 all British and Commonwealth forces on the island had surrendered.

Orme was one of almost 1,800 Australians killed in the month-long campaign in Malaya and Singapore, and one of almost 900 Australians killed during just one week of fighting on Singapore Island. His body was never recovered.

Charles Orme’s name is listed on the Singapore Memorial at the Kranji War Cemetery. His family was initially informed that he was missing, and it would be some time before he was officially declared killed in action.

Corporal Charles Harry Orme is located on the Roll of Honour panel 53, Second World War