Parents:--- James Patrick Fagan and Margaret Mary Logue
married 11th June 1909, Queensland.
FAGAN, William John, Australian Military Forces, AMF, Army, World War Two Service
Australian Army Service Number: QX14023
Religion Roman Catholic
Trade/Calling: Clerk
Martial Status -single
Next of kin: Father, Mr James Patrick Fagan, Mt Carbine via Mt Molloy, Queensland.
Enlisted: 4th July 1940 at Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, Queensland.
Final Rank: Lance Corporal
Final Unit: Australian Infantry, 1 Independant Company. Lark Force.
Fate: Died at sea aboard the Japanese prisoner of war transport vessel, Montevideo Maru in the South China Sea on 1st July 1942, when it was sunk by American submarine USS Sturgeon.
Burial: No known grave - "Known Unto God" Lost at sea.
Commemorated: Panel 12, Rabaul War Cemetery and Memorial
Memorials: Australian Commando Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sinking of Montevideo Maru on 1st July 1942~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On 22nd June 1942, some weeks after the fall of Rabaul to the Japanese, a large number of Australian prisoners were embarked from Rabaul's port on the SS Montevideo Maru. Unmarked as a POW ship, she was proceeding without escort to the Chinese island of Hainan, when she was sighted by the American submarine USS Sturgeon near the northern Philippine coast on 30 June. The Sturgeon pursued, but was unable to fire, as the target was traveling at 17 knots. However, it slowed to about 12 knots at midnight; according to crewman Yoshiaki Yamaji, it was to rendezvous with an escort of two destroyers. Unaware that it was carrying Allied prisoners of war and civilians, the Sturgeon fired four torpedoes at the Montevideo Maru before dawn of 1 July, causing the vessel to sink in only 11 minutes. According to Yamaji, Australians in the water sang "Auld Lang Syne" to their trapped mates as the ship sank beneath the waves. There were more POWs in the water than crew members. The POWs were holding pieces of wood and using bigger pieces as rafts. They were in groups of 20 to 30 people, probably 100 people in all. They were singing songs. I was particularly impressed when they began singing Auld Lang Syne as a tribute to their dead colleagues. Watching that, I learnt that Australians have big hearts. Eyewitness Yoshiaki Yamaji, interviewed Oct. 2003 The sinking is considered the worst maritime disaster in Australia's history. A nominal list made available by the Japanese government in 2012 revealed that a total of 1054 prisoners (178 non-commissioned officers, 667 soldiers and 209 civilians) died on the Montevideo Maru. Of the ship's total complement, approximately twenty Japanese crew survived, out of an original 88 guards and crew. Among the missing prisoners was Reverend Syd Beazley of the Methodist Mission, the uncle of former Australian Labour Party opposition leader Kim Beazley. Another was Tom Vernon Garrett, the grandfather of former Midnight Oil lead singer and former Australian Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth, Peter Garrett. Another individual, Richard Kingsmill Pennefather Moore, had served in the Imperial Camel Corps as a Lieutenant and was awarded a Military Cross. His son, William Richard Moore, married Nora Wish Garrett, aunt of Peter Garrett. Also amongst those lost were 22 Salvation Army bandsmen.
married 11th June 1909, Queensland.
FAGAN, William John, Australian Military Forces, AMF, Army, World War Two Service
Australian Army Service Number: QX14023
Religion Roman Catholic
Trade/Calling: Clerk
Martial Status -single
Next of kin: Father, Mr James Patrick Fagan, Mt Carbine via Mt Molloy, Queensland.
Enlisted: 4th July 1940 at Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, Queensland.
Final Rank: Lance Corporal
Final Unit: Australian Infantry, 1 Independant Company. Lark Force.
Fate: Died at sea aboard the Japanese prisoner of war transport vessel, Montevideo Maru in the South China Sea on 1st July 1942, when it was sunk by American submarine USS Sturgeon.
Burial: No known grave - "Known Unto God" Lost at sea.
Commemorated: Panel 12, Rabaul War Cemetery and Memorial
Memorials: Australian Commando Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sinking of Montevideo Maru on 1st July 1942~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On 22nd June 1942, some weeks after the fall of Rabaul to the Japanese, a large number of Australian prisoners were embarked from Rabaul's port on the SS Montevideo Maru. Unmarked as a POW ship, she was proceeding without escort to the Chinese island of Hainan, when she was sighted by the American submarine USS Sturgeon near the northern Philippine coast on 30 June. The Sturgeon pursued, but was unable to fire, as the target was traveling at 17 knots. However, it slowed to about 12 knots at midnight; according to crewman Yoshiaki Yamaji, it was to rendezvous with an escort of two destroyers. Unaware that it was carrying Allied prisoners of war and civilians, the Sturgeon fired four torpedoes at the Montevideo Maru before dawn of 1 July, causing the vessel to sink in only 11 minutes. According to Yamaji, Australians in the water sang "Auld Lang Syne" to their trapped mates as the ship sank beneath the waves. There were more POWs in the water than crew members. The POWs were holding pieces of wood and using bigger pieces as rafts. They were in groups of 20 to 30 people, probably 100 people in all. They were singing songs. I was particularly impressed when they began singing Auld Lang Syne as a tribute to their dead colleagues. Watching that, I learnt that Australians have big hearts. Eyewitness Yoshiaki Yamaji, interviewed Oct. 2003 The sinking is considered the worst maritime disaster in Australia's history. A nominal list made available by the Japanese government in 2012 revealed that a total of 1054 prisoners (178 non-commissioned officers, 667 soldiers and 209 civilians) died on the Montevideo Maru. Of the ship's total complement, approximately twenty Japanese crew survived, out of an original 88 guards and crew. Among the missing prisoners was Reverend Syd Beazley of the Methodist Mission, the uncle of former Australian Labour Party opposition leader Kim Beazley. Another was Tom Vernon Garrett, the grandfather of former Midnight Oil lead singer and former Australian Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth, Peter Garrett. Another individual, Richard Kingsmill Pennefather Moore, had served in the Imperial Camel Corps as a Lieutenant and was awarded a Military Cross. His son, William Richard Moore, married Nora Wish Garrett, aunt of Peter Garrett. Also amongst those lost were 22 Salvation Army bandsmen.
Parents:--- James Patrick Fagan and Margaret Mary Logue
married 11th June 1909, Queensland.
FAGAN, William John, Australian Military Forces, AMF, Army, World War Two Service
Australian Army Service Number: QX14023
Religion Roman Catholic
Trade/Calling: Clerk
Martial Status -single
Next of kin: Father, Mr James Patrick Fagan, Mt Carbine via Mt Molloy, Queensland.
Enlisted: 4th July 1940 at Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, Queensland.
Final Rank: Lance Corporal
Final Unit: Australian Infantry, 1 Independant Company. Lark Force.
Fate: Died at sea aboard the Japanese prisoner of war transport vessel, Montevideo Maru in the South China Sea on 1st July 1942, when it was sunk by American submarine USS Sturgeon.
Burial: No known grave - "Known Unto God" Lost at sea.
Commemorated: Panel 12, Rabaul War Cemetery and Memorial
Memorials: Australian Commando Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sinking of Montevideo Maru on 1st July 1942~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On 22nd June 1942, some weeks after the fall of Rabaul to the Japanese, a large number of Australian prisoners were embarked from Rabaul's port on the SS Montevideo Maru. Unmarked as a POW ship, she was proceeding without escort to the Chinese island of Hainan, when she was sighted by the American submarine USS Sturgeon near the northern Philippine coast on 30 June. The Sturgeon pursued, but was unable to fire, as the target was traveling at 17 knots. However, it slowed to about 12 knots at midnight; according to crewman Yoshiaki Yamaji, it was to rendezvous with an escort of two destroyers. Unaware that it was carrying Allied prisoners of war and civilians, the Sturgeon fired four torpedoes at the Montevideo Maru before dawn of 1 July, causing the vessel to sink in only 11 minutes. According to Yamaji, Australians in the water sang "Auld Lang Syne" to their trapped mates as the ship sank beneath the waves. There were more POWs in the water than crew members. The POWs were holding pieces of wood and using bigger pieces as rafts. They were in groups of 20 to 30 people, probably 100 people in all. They were singing songs. I was particularly impressed when they began singing Auld Lang Syne as a tribute to their dead colleagues. Watching that, I learnt that Australians have big hearts. Eyewitness Yoshiaki Yamaji, interviewed Oct. 2003 The sinking is considered the worst maritime disaster in Australia's history. A nominal list made available by the Japanese government in 2012 revealed that a total of 1054 prisoners (178 non-commissioned officers, 667 soldiers and 209 civilians) died on the Montevideo Maru. Of the ship's total complement, approximately twenty Japanese crew survived, out of an original 88 guards and crew. Among the missing prisoners was Reverend Syd Beazley of the Methodist Mission, the uncle of former Australian Labour Party opposition leader Kim Beazley. Another was Tom Vernon Garrett, the grandfather of former Midnight Oil lead singer and former Australian Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth, Peter Garrett. Another individual, Richard Kingsmill Pennefather Moore, had served in the Imperial Camel Corps as a Lieutenant and was awarded a Military Cross. His son, William Richard Moore, married Nora Wish Garrett, aunt of Peter Garrett. Also amongst those lost were 22 Salvation Army bandsmen.
married 11th June 1909, Queensland.
FAGAN, William John, Australian Military Forces, AMF, Army, World War Two Service
Australian Army Service Number: QX14023
Religion Roman Catholic
Trade/Calling: Clerk
Martial Status -single
Next of kin: Father, Mr James Patrick Fagan, Mt Carbine via Mt Molloy, Queensland.
Enlisted: 4th July 1940 at Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, Queensland.
Final Rank: Lance Corporal
Final Unit: Australian Infantry, 1 Independant Company. Lark Force.
Fate: Died at sea aboard the Japanese prisoner of war transport vessel, Montevideo Maru in the South China Sea on 1st July 1942, when it was sunk by American submarine USS Sturgeon.
Burial: No known grave - "Known Unto God" Lost at sea.
Commemorated: Panel 12, Rabaul War Cemetery and Memorial
Memorials: Australian Commando Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sinking of Montevideo Maru on 1st July 1942~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On 22nd June 1942, some weeks after the fall of Rabaul to the Japanese, a large number of Australian prisoners were embarked from Rabaul's port on the SS Montevideo Maru. Unmarked as a POW ship, she was proceeding without escort to the Chinese island of Hainan, when she was sighted by the American submarine USS Sturgeon near the northern Philippine coast on 30 June. The Sturgeon pursued, but was unable to fire, as the target was traveling at 17 knots. However, it slowed to about 12 knots at midnight; according to crewman Yoshiaki Yamaji, it was to rendezvous with an escort of two destroyers. Unaware that it was carrying Allied prisoners of war and civilians, the Sturgeon fired four torpedoes at the Montevideo Maru before dawn of 1 July, causing the vessel to sink in only 11 minutes. According to Yamaji, Australians in the water sang "Auld Lang Syne" to their trapped mates as the ship sank beneath the waves. There were more POWs in the water than crew members. The POWs were holding pieces of wood and using bigger pieces as rafts. They were in groups of 20 to 30 people, probably 100 people in all. They were singing songs. I was particularly impressed when they began singing Auld Lang Syne as a tribute to their dead colleagues. Watching that, I learnt that Australians have big hearts. Eyewitness Yoshiaki Yamaji, interviewed Oct. 2003 The sinking is considered the worst maritime disaster in Australia's history. A nominal list made available by the Japanese government in 2012 revealed that a total of 1054 prisoners (178 non-commissioned officers, 667 soldiers and 209 civilians) died on the Montevideo Maru. Of the ship's total complement, approximately twenty Japanese crew survived, out of an original 88 guards and crew. Among the missing prisoners was Reverend Syd Beazley of the Methodist Mission, the uncle of former Australian Labour Party opposition leader Kim Beazley. Another was Tom Vernon Garrett, the grandfather of former Midnight Oil lead singer and former Australian Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth, Peter Garrett. Another individual, Richard Kingsmill Pennefather Moore, had served in the Imperial Camel Corps as a Lieutenant and was awarded a Military Cross. His son, William Richard Moore, married Nora Wish Garrett, aunt of Peter Garrett. Also amongst those lost were 22 Salvation Army bandsmen.
Inscription
"Known unto God" "Their glory shall not be blotted out."
Gravesite Details
"The fortune of war, has denied this known and honoured, ANZAC, burial given to his comrades in death."
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
