Private Raymond Charles McLean 

2/26th Australian Infantry Battalion 

 

 

Service Number:                                  QX17385 

Place of Enlistment:                            Kelvin Grove 

Age of Enlistment:                              29 Years 6 months 

Date of Enlistment:                             29 of July 1940 

Embarked:                                           Melbourne, 30th of July 1942 

Transport Ship:                                   HMT ‘EE’ for Singapore 

Medals Awarded:                                1939/45 Star, Pacific Star, War Medal, Australian Service Medal 

Place of Death:                                    Wounded in Action Malaya 29th of January 1942 

                                                              Taken Prisoner of War 15th of February 1942, Singapore 

                                                              Died of Illness (old wounds and dysentery) on the 5th of May 1943, Myanmar 

Resting Place:                                     Buried Thanbyuzauat War Cemetery A10. F. 11, Myanmar 

Unit Badge:                                          2/26th Australian Infantry Battalion 

 

Additional Information:

Wounded in Action during the Malaya campaign. He was taken prisoner by the Japanese at the fall of Singapore and died of illness in captivity. More than 8,000 Australians died in Japanese captivity, most of these deaths were due to the indifference and brutality of their captors. Conditions were particularly brutal for those prisoners who were forced to build the Thai-Burma Railroad. 2,815 Australians, over 11,000 other allied prisoners and roughly 75,000 Asian labourers died due to the relentless labour and inadequate rations.