ROLL OF 2/3 PIONEER BATTALION. ABBOTT-ADAMS.

AS COMPILED BY BRUCE SANDERS BEGINNING ANZAC DAY 2000 AND CONCLUDING WITH HIS DEATH IN JUNE 2005.

ASI TAP	AGE DEC’D YR OF DEATH	SURNAME BIRTH AWARDS	GIVEN NAME ’NICK’	NZ OR ? RANK COYS POST	ENLIST OCCP’N	CAMPS	SHIPS	ACTIONS	DIS CHAR OCCP’N	POST DIS CHAR	WIFE DAUGH SONS ETC
	39 1943	ABBOTT	ERIC C .04	NX10246		L. G. CA DA. M. K	Q1 Q2	AL DIED FROM TYPHUS			SISTER IRENE
A2	61 1983	ABBOTT	HAROLD R 101222	QX38083 C	4-11-41 MOTHER GOODNA			TA
		ABBOTT	L	CPL.		CA
	58	ABERCROMBIE	W.T.	50367 6 PL		L G CA DA M	Q1	AL P W
		ABROOK	H.C.	C		L. G.CA
A3		ABSOLUM	Wm E SHORTY	35298 C	GRONG GRONG	L. G. CA DA. M. K. R.	Q1. Q2.	AL NG	RAIL WAYS	TOCUMWAL
A3		ACCIDENTAL	J.G.			M. B.
A3	47 1966	ACLAND	ALBERT E	60380 CAPT R.Q.M.B	BN JOCKEY	L. G.CA. DA. M. K.R.	Q1. Q2. AN	AL NG		NEW LAMPTON
A3		ADAIR 5-2-24	DES E.	88810 A	16-2-42 WAR OONGAH	M. B K. R.	Q2 AN. KL.	AL NG TA	7-5-46 CARPENTER	TURRA MURRA SUMMER	W.JOYCE D. KAREN ROBYN JAN S. IAN
		ADAM	H.T	146779 CPL HQ	MAITLAND	R	SC	TA
A3	96	ADAM	J.R. ’SAUB’	35022	EN. WALK I MILE BROKEN HILL ENGINEER CO	G. L. G. CO. DA. M. K. R.	Q1 Q2 AN KL	AL NG TA	7-5-46	ENGINEER MINING	TOORAK GARDENS SA
		ADAMS	A.H.	A		CO
		ADAMS	CON	C
A3		ADAMS 14-2-25	FRANK	42729 S.B.D.	MARRICKVILLE	DA. M. K. R.	Q1 Q2 AN KL	AL NG TA	SOLICITOR	SEAFORTH BENSISTE
	1984	ADAMS	NOEL B	35963 C		L G CO DA M K R	Q1 Q2	AL Wd NG TA	MINING	BROKEN HILL
	1991	ADAMS	Wm J ’RINGER’	24965 D.M.CO		L.G.CO DA.M K. R.	Q1 Q2 AN KL	AL NG. Wd. TA	FARMING	ADELONG
		ADAMS	N.C.	C		CO

ACTIONS

AL=ALAMEIN

TA=TARAKAN

CAMPS

L-LIVERPOOL

G=GLENFIELD

CA=CAMPBELLTOWN

CO=COWRA

MILITARY TERMS

CPL=CORPORAL

COY=COMPANY. NAMELY –A. B. C. D. COMPANIES.  HQ =HEADQUARTERS

PL=PLATOON

Wd=WOUNDED

SHIPS

Q1=QUEEN MARY FIRST VOYAGE

Q2=QUEEN AMRY SECOND VOYAGE

DIARY: PERSONAL INFORMATION.

BRUCE SANDERS NX27395

BORN	DULWICH HILL	19 JUNE 1920
ENLIST	MOORE PARK	19 JUNE 1940
DISCHARGE	SHOWGROUND	19 NOVEMBER 1945

 

Before enlisting, home, Ham and Beef Shop. 584 New Canterbury Road, Hurlstone Park.

Proprietor: FATHER. JOHN GEORGE SANDERS.

		BORN	PLACE	DIED	PLACE
FATHER.	JOHN GEORGE SANDERS.	10-4-1881	KINCHELA	10-11-1950.	SYDNEY
MOTHER.	ELIZABETH SANDERS. nee CRAIG	1880	KINCHELA	28-12-1943.	SYDNEY
	MARRIED 28-8-1905.		KINCHELA
DAUGHTER	DORIS	1907	KINCHELA	21-1-1932
SON	CLYDE	1909	KINCHELA	19-2-1979
DAUGHTER	MAY	1911	KINCHELA	5-6-1991
DAUGHTER	VERA	1913	KINCHELA	21-6-1967
SON	BRUCE	1920	SYDNEY	5-6-2005	BELLINGEN
DAUGHTER	BETTY	1927	SYDNEY

 

SCHOOLS

KINDERGARTEN	HURLSTONE PARK	1925-28
PRIMARY	CANTERBURY	1928-32
INTERMEDIATE HIGH	PETERSHAM	1933-35
TECHNICAL	ULTIMO	3 NIGHTS PER WEEK 7-9pm CARPENTRY & JOINERY APPRENTICE 4th YEAR COMPLETE.

 

B.S. Married JOYCE BELL. Born 29-11-1926, Died 28-8-2001. from ROSEBERY at MASCOT. 23-10-1948.

B.S. lived

1940	2 ROSLYN ST ASHBURY
1941	HURLSTONE PARK
B & J lived
1953	27 PAXTON AVE BELMORE
1974	42 MORGO ST URUNGA
1975	7/25 MORGO ST URUNGA
1984	35 BELLINGEN ST URUNGA

 

CHILDREN.

DAUGHTER	LYNNE	B 19-10-1949
DAUGHTER	SUSAN	B 26-5-1952
SON	JON	B 17-12-1955

 

“SUPREMA PETO” = AIM FOR THE HIGHEST.

Motto – PETERSHAM INTERMEDIATE BOYS’ HIGH SCHOOL.

DIARY ENTRIES.

This diary started 23 March 2002 Saturday from 1982 diary donated by Russell Green who BS (BRUCE SANDERS) worked for from 1967 to 1992 for NEETA HOMES and war diaries , notes , memories.

Russell Green owes B.S. $11567.

1992 to 1999 for IMPALA HOMES.

_______________________________________________ 

2/3 PIONEER BN 2^nd A.I.F.  

“PIONEER BATTALION”- trained to fight as infantry or to carry out comparatively simple engineering work. WWII – Corps troops, not of a Brigade.

 

Hence triangular colour patch.

PURPLE = engineering.

 

“PIONEER” – to open or prepare a way.

“PIONEER” – one of a body of foot soldiers detailed to make roads, entrenchments etc in advance of the main body.

“PIONEER” – one who clears the way for others.

_______________________________

FORMED – GLENFIELD NSW JULY 1940

FIRST complete battalion overland to Darwin. 1941.

LAST complete battalion by ship to Middle East. 1941.

ATTACHED 6 Div Syria, 7 Div Syria, 8 Div Darwin, 9 Div Syria, Palestine, Egypt, New Guinea (NEW GUINEA), Tarakan, Australia.

 

Colour patch = Purple – engineering. White – infantry. Grey – A.I.F. -2^nd Australian Imperial Force.

 

Volunteered to serve anywhere for duration of war and 12 months thereafter.

 

 

 

1941:NOVEMBER 3

3rd NOVEMBER 1941

3 NOVEMBER 1941 NX27395 Sanders. B. Sgt B. Coy. 2/3 Pioneer Bn. A.I.F Abroad. 3/11/1941 Dear Mum & Dad,                    Here we are & no complaints so far, as a matter of fact, the stripes have meant all the difference in the mess situation. We are in the same type of cabins as the boys, some of them, are in two bunk cabins, what a break, however the dining room is just like a large hotel saloon & the English waiters  are quite smart. I am enclosing a menu, isn’t it a surprise?                    Duties are , of course, plentiful but they seem to work in with mess and so on. There is, no doubt about the fascination of sea travel , when this business is over, I’ll do an island trip. It must be grand with the right company.                    Bob showed me the note, ‘ though how it reached him, I do not know, I was disappointed at not seeing you all but it’s too late now, I was watching for you. This bed is the best I’ve had in the Army, a real sheet and pillow, & believe it or not, a mattress. Some unfortunates are in hammocks, but, for once, the Pioneers are lucky. I had a letter from Nev. Wood to day, still going strong, one never knows, our paths may cross. There were photographers on the wharf & two of them took a close up of a group of us, so, when we reach our destination, maybe you’ll be able to get a snap, I do not know what papers they represented. A carpenter can find much of interest in these cabins & halls, there is some wonderful work, a credit to the builder. We have a slight roll up but no ill effects yet, I suppose later things may happen but it is just a lulling motion right now. The second cake is a good one, we are on it now. I cut the first slice with a soapy knife & wondered what was wrong till it dawned on me. Well I’ll get to sleep as I am still a long way behind & shall write in a day or so. Love to all,                                       Lots of love,                                       Bruce.