Narrabri-born Haig ‘Jock’ Logan’s diary sheds light on World War II service

By KATRINA KITTEL

Narrabri-born Haig ‘Jock’ Logan NX41219, 2/30 Battalion, was taken prisoner-of-war of the Japanese on February 15, 1942, following the Fall of Singapore.

Jock’s wartime diary begins in January 1944, after his work within ‘F’ Force on the Burma-Thailand Railway ends, and four months before his return to Changi POW camp.

Among the Australian POWs briefly mentioned in Jock’s diary, are 18 soldiers from Narrabri Shire, or its close vicinity. Most of these 18 POWs were captured within their respective units on same day as Jock —February 15, 1942 — but their captivity experience and outcomes varied.

Most diary mentions are when these POWs are at Changi POW camp with Jock from late April to September 1945.

Where Jock’s POW colleagues mentioned in this article were taken prisoner on a different date, it is stated.

Jock signed his Oath of Enlistment at Tamworth on August 28, 1940, stating his occupation as cabinet maker and his next-of kin as his father Henry Logan of Maitland Street, Narrabri.

Jock resided at 45 Barwan Street before he was ‘taken on strength’ as a Private, 7th R.R. Battalion, on September 6, 1940.

He was transferred into 2/30 Battalion on February 5, 1941.

One month before Jock stepped onto HMT FF at Sydney on July 29, 1941, bound for Singapore, Jock’s younger brother Robert ‘Bob’ Logan, enlisted at Sydney to enter the RAAF.

Bob Logan, born 1922, was a clerk for Logan & Co. Pty Ltd of Narrabri at the time.

Jock disembarked at Singapore on August 15, 1941.

Jock was soon suffering from malaria. His subsequent transit locations included: October 23, 1941 at Kota Tinggi, November 28, 1941 at Malacca, then north to Batu Pahat (Johore State).

When Singapore fell on February 15, 1942, Jock was soon heading into Changi camp with other newly captured Australian POWs.

Large work forces left Changi during 1942 and 1943 to work on the Thailand-Burma railway and other locations. Jock entrained with ‘F’ Force; his group departed Changi on April 22, 1943.

Don Wall, one of the (non-Narrabri) POWs mentioned in Jock’s diary, was presumably the Don Wall who collated a book post war entitled Heroes of F Force.

The role of ‘F’ Force, formed at Changi, was to assist in the construction of the Burma-Thailand Railway.

Don Wall wrote that most of the members of ‘F’ Force arrived back in Changi on December 17, 1943.

Don Wall cites David Griffin NX69235 who recalled that he and fellow Changi POWs were ‘totally unprepared for the human wreckage which returned to Changi as the survivors of ‘F’ Force.’

Jock’s diary begins in January 1944. He notes that on April 24 at 3.30pm, he departed Kanchanaburi.

Arriving to Singapore safely on April 29, 1944, he goes to Changi and receives four letters from his mother.

He sees familiar faces including Condon, Bob Gibbs, and J. Delaney.

Jock’s diary mentions work on the ‘drome’ and at Changi camp where he works on the gardens and goods trailers.

On Wednesday, February 14, 1945, Jock writes that he works on the ‘drome’ early, observing that men worked ‘fairly hard’.

He adds: ‘Leo Hogan, Ossie Vincent’s friend, makes me a new diary out of Red Cross envelopes.’

Of his own health, he is succinct: ‘Feel fair.’

Jock’s ‘Leo Hogan’ probably matches Norbert Leo Hogan NX57364, born in Brewarrina in 1903.

Hogan’s occupation was as a ‘clerk examining accounts records and stores.’

He was married and living in Manly when he enlisted into 2/20 Battalion, to embark HMT QM at Sydney on February 2, 1941 bound for Malaya.

He became a POW at 41 years of age.

Regarding Hogan’s friend ‘Ossie Vincent’, Ossie may have been 2/30 Battalion’s Horace Vincent NX15563.

Horace Vincent was born in Narrabri in 1917. He was from Bellata in 1940. His father lived in Maitland Street, Narrabri when Vincent put pen to paper to enlist into the Army at Paddington on May 17, 1940.

Horace Vincent died from beri beri on August 12, 1943.

He was cremated, then buried in Kanchanaburi War Cemetery.

Don Wall’s book includes an honour roll of F Force POWs.

Wall lists Horace Vincent NX15563 from Narrabri, as dying at Neike.

In early March 1945, Jock had a ‘long talk’ with a Percy Smith, likely to be Percy Smith NX68420, born in 1898 at Narrabri.

The oldest of the Narrabri-raised POWs mentioned by Jock, Percy Smith was married, his wife living in Marrickville.

After enlisting on March 3, 1941 at Paddington, Percy assumed rank of Driver for 2/3 Motor Ambulance Convoy in Malaya.

Percy was recovered from the Japanese and emplaned at Singapore on September 16, 1945 for Labuan, the initial stage of his journey home.

Considering the wartime deaths of three other Percy Smith servicemen identifiable via DVA’s World War Two Nominal Roll, Narrabri’s Percy Smith was fortunate to survive his war.

Engaging in a long talk with Jock on April 23, 1945 was ‘Gordon’ Gaffney, probably Leslie Gordon Gaffney NX71862, born in 1915 at Inverell, who enlisted at Paddington on March 25, 1941.

His captivity period included work within ‘E’ Force.

Later in March 1945, Jock diarises: ‘Write letter card home. See Bill Smith.’

The identification of this POW is difficult.

Bill may have been a nickname, or middle name.

Among possible matches is William Benjamin Smith NX25803, born in Narrabri in 1910.

He worked as a labourer and was a share farmer of ‘Lochinvar’, Culgoora — located between Narrabri and Wee Waa — when he completed his attestation form on June 26, 1940 at Tamworth.

He was placed into 2/18 Battalion.

As did many of Jock Logan’s soldier friends, Smith underwent training at Tamworth and in Sydney.

He boarded HMT QM at Sydney on February 2, 1941 bound for Malaya, disembarking sixteen days later.

Following recovery at Changi in early September 1945, he embarked HMT Arawa on September 19, 1945 for his journey home.

On May 11, 1945, Jock chats with fellow prisoners in Changi regarding any news about Frank Ferrari and ‘Bob Gibbs’.

Bob may be Robert Gibbs NX29924, born 1911 at Casino.

His father William was at Cheviot Hills, Narrabri, when Gibbs enlisted on June 11, 1940 at Paddington into the 2/30 Battalion.

Gibbs sailed to Singapore on FF, as did Jock.

Gibbs was recovered from Adam Park, Singapore, to embark on Esperance Bay on September 22, 1945.

Enlisting at Paddington on the same day as Gibbs was Reginald Melbourne NX31375, known to Jock as Reg.

Born in Narrabri four years before Gibbs, Melbourne was married to Jessie and was occupied as a share farmer when he filled in the pink attestation document to enlist into 2/15 Field Regiment.

Leaving Singapore on Tamaroa on September 29, 1945, he arrived at Sydney on October 20, 1945.

‘Frank’ Ferrari was likely to be Frances Ferrari NX58230.

Born in Mungindi in 1913, Ferrari’s father Joseph Ferrari lived at 3 Maitland Street, Narrabri in 1940.

On July 19, 1940 at Paddington, Ferrari signed up and was placed into 2/6 Field Coy, to embark HMT HH on the first day of August 1941, reaching the Middle East late in September.

On the first day of February 1942, he embarked in Suez for Batavia, to disembark three days after the Fall of Singapore.

He is reported missing and POW in Java on March 7, 1942 and taken to a Thai camp at Moulmein, Burma.

At Singapore on September 29, 1945, he steps aboard Tamaroa bound for Sydney, touching Australian soil on October 20, 1945.

A ‘Padre Barrett’ is mentioned by Jock in May 1945.

Among possible matches is NX40985 Humphrey Barrett, born England, and at West Narrabri when he presented to recruitment officers at Tamworth on July 10, 1940.

His mother Gladys Tomlinson resided at ‘Cooma’, West Narrabri.

Padres offered spiritual support and Church services provided time for reflection on POW colleagues who had died.

Jock mentions the death of a ‘Lofty Condon’ on July 5, 1945.

One possible match, John Condon QX12228, born in Narrabri 1907, was located at Emerald when he enlisted in July 1940 at Rockhampton.

This soldier’s service file photo shows he stood 6’2” tall in the measurements of the time, perhaps indicating a match to a nickname of ‘Lofty’.

John Condon’s unit was 10 Australian General Hospital. John Condon died in Malaya on June 24, 1945 — earlier than the date Jock diarises —suffering from beri beri, dengue and metatarsal carcinoma.

John Condon was exhumed at Johore, to be reburied at Kranji War Cemetery, Singapore, on May 2, 1946.

The discrepancy of Jock’s diary entry with the officially reported date of death indicates that Jock recorded an incorrect death date or spelling of surname, or that ‘Lofty’ Condon is not easily found on DVA’s roll.

‘Lofty’ may not have been an Australian national.

Moreover, ‘Lofty’ may have been short of stature and not tall.

At some point during these tail-end months of Jock Logan’s captivity, Jock learns of the death of Frederick Hardman NX39076.

Jock writes of Hardman on an envelope: ‘Fred Hardman, 55 Kilo [camp] Thailand Oct 1944.’ Narrabri-born in 1919, Hardman enlisted on July 18, 1941 at Paddington.

His next-of-kin was his father Harold Hardman who lived at 16 Denison Street, Narrabri.

Hardman sailed from Sydney on HMT HH, disembarking Singapore on September 25, 1941.

He served as a Sapper in 2/6 Field Coy in Java, disembarking there on February 18, 1942, three days after the fall of Singapore.

He was taken prisoner in Java in March 1942.

As was Jock Logan, Hardman was sent to Moulmein and to work on the Thailand-Burma rail.

Hardman died of dysentery in a Thai camp on November 28, 1943 and is buried in Burma’s Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery.

A double blow to his family, Frederick’s brother Dudley Hardman NX15578, born in Narrabri in 1919, was killed in action in Syria on June 18, 1941.

On July 26, 1945, Jock listens to a talk given by ‘Doug Frazer who is making pottery’ and who is also working on paper repurposing.

Douglas Fraser NX40359 was born in Inverell in 1913 and was at Narrabri when he visited recruitment officers at Tamworth to join the 2/18 Battalion on June 20, 1940.

Douglas’s occupation was a potter. He was recovered in Singapore less than two months after this talk.

On August 14, 1945, Jock writes that he sees ‘Arthur Cameron at 3pm.’

Jock fixes his patent flint cigarette lighter for him.

Jock wonders whether Arthur is ‘a bit in dumps?’ Arthur Cameron NX40607 signed up at Tamworth, June 27, 1940, stating he was married to Marjorie.

He served in the 2/18 Battalion and was 41 years old when taken prisoner.

On the same day entry, Jock adds that ‘Tom Smith from Wee Waa under shower.’

This Tom Smith leans well towards being Thomas Smith NX35838, born in Wee Waa in 1912.

He enlisted into the 2/19 Battalion on the same day as Arthur Cameron, June 27, 1940, but Smith did so at Wagga Wagga.

Smith stated his address as Clear Ridge, Wyalong, and his occupation as schoolteacher.

Smith travelled to Singapore aboard HMT QM. Smith’s journey home begins on the Duntroon on September 18, 1945, to step onto Sydney soil on October 7, 1945. His rank was Staff Sergeant at time of his discharge in 1946.

Jock’s reference to a ‘Vic’ may fit another veteran with the surname Cameron: Victor Cameron NX40502 from ‘Aberfeldie’, Bellata, north of Narrabri.

Enlisting the same day and place as Victor Cameron — June 25, 1940 at Tamworth — was James Delaney NX40487, 2/18 Battalion.

James probably is the ‘Jim Delaney’ mentioned by Jock as looking ‘well’ on August 23, 1945.

James Delaney was born in Narrabri in 1913. At Narrabri, he worked as a tractor and motor truck driver.

Recovered at Changi on September 4, 1945, Delaney embarked HMT Arawa at Singapore on September 19, 1945 for his journey back to Australia.

Jock’s handwriting is unclear as to whether he refers to a Jock or Jack, with surname Murphy, who was ‘from Thorndale’.

A good-fit match is NX72657 Francis John Murphy, born 1908, Mungindi.

He, and his mother Isabella, were at Thorndale, Mungindi, in 1941.

Mungindi is located within the Moree Plains Shire.

Murphy, in the 2/18 Battalion, embarks FF on July 29, 1941, as did Jock Logan.

Murphy is in Johore on August 23, 1941.

On release from captivity just over four years later, Murphy, suffering from malnutrition, leaves Singapore and disembarked hospital ship Manunda at Labuan on September 21, 1945.

He’s taken to the 9 Div POW reception camp on October 1, and is emplaned at Labuan on October 5, 1945, deplaning in Sydney on October 11, 1945.

Jock Logan’s turn to embark Manunda comes on October 5, 1945 and he steps onto Sydney soil on October 27, 1945.

Less-common surnames assist with identification of a veteran.

Jock’s mention of ‘Swaddling’ likely refers to Malcolm Swaddling NX40282, born Maitland in 1916, and at Moree when he signed up at Tamworth on June 19, 1940 to enter the 2/18 Battalion.

His father was ‘A.W. Swaddling, c/- Crane & Co.’ of Moree.

Swaddling was reported alive at Changi on September 4, 1945.

On or about this date in 1945, Jock and many of these Narrabri-region POWs mentioned by him, were reported alive in Singapore, and in readiness for repatriation home.

Although Ramalli is not mentioned in Jock Logan’s diary, Cecil Ramalli NX55040 was born in Moree in 1919, and lived at Mungindi.

Ramalli enlisted at Paddington on June 27, 1940, same day as Arthur Cameron and Tom Smith. He stated his mother Adeline as next of kin.

He’d have farewelled his mother by February 2, 1941, the day he embarked HMT QM for Singapore in early 1941.

Thomas Smith also embarked with this cohort. Lance Corporal Ramalli served in 8 Division Signals.

His captivity locations included Fukuoka, Japan, and the coal mines of Nagasaki.

When he was repatriated, he was severely malnourished, weighing 38 kilograms.

Cecil Ramalli became a well-known talented player of rugby league, becoming the first indigenous and Asian member of the Wallabies.

As Rohan Goyne observes (Sabretache, March 2022), veteran vignettes gleaned from accessible primary and secondary sources provide glimpses into a community’s service during the Second World War.

Note: Jock Logan’s diary has been in the possession of Susan Mason. Susan has worked with Katrina Kittel to extract details from the diary. If family members have information about the POWs mentioned in this article, please contact The Courier on 02 6792 1011 or email [email protected]

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