Robert Henry (Brunton) Alexander (1920 - 1942)

Born 21 Sep 1920 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Died 1 Jul 1942 at age 21 in At Sea

Biography

Robert (Brunton) Alexander was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

Robert (Brunton) Alexander died as a prisoner of war on the Montevideo Maru during the Second World War.

Robert Henry (Brunton) Alexander was born in 1920 in Sydney, the son of Malcolm and Violet Brunton, and foster-son of Artie S. Alexander of Bega, NSW. He went by the foster-father's surname of Alexander.

He enlisted in the Australian Army Militia at Paddington, NSW on 02 May 1941 as a Gunner (N109820) in the Royal Australian Artillery allocated to 1 Anti Aircraft Brigade at North Head, Sydney. At the time he was single, a plasterer and was living at Bega, NSw with his foster-father. He had fair hair and blue grey eyes.

He embarked on HMAT "Neptuna" at Sydney for Rabaul, New Britain in the Territory of New Guinea on 06 Aug 1941, disembarking on 16 Aug 1941 as part of the Rabaul Anti Aircraft and Anti Maritime Craft Defence.

Because the Battery was positioned high above the harbour to permit coverage of the sky and the guns could not be depressed to cover ships it was useless in the anti-maritime role. Requests for star shell in case of a night time attack were refused.

The battery was equipped with 2 WW1 vintage 3 inch guns which had never been fired before Japanese aircraft began attacking - one of the guns had a cracked breech and there was concern at what would happen when it was fired. Crews drilled without ammunition and of the 54 members only 1 officer and 2 of the sergeants had ever heard a 3 inch gun fired.

Nevertheless the battery performed well, managing to shoot down 1 confirmed Japanese plane.

The battery was destroyed ahead of the Japanese landing to prevent the guns falling into enemy hands.

After the Japanese invasion on 23 Jan 1942 he was captured at the Warangoi River and became a Prisoner of War, initially held at Rabaul.

He died on board the "Montevideo Maru" when it was torpedoed and sunk off the coast of the Philippines on 01 Jul 1942, en route from Rabaul to Hainan where he was destined for forced labour.

He was posthumously enrolled in the 2nd AIF as NX191471.

Sources

• Birth - NSW BDM Birth index - BRUNTON ROBERT H; 25912/1920; MALCOLM; VIOLET M; SYDNEY

• WW2 Australian Army Service File - National Archives of Australia - ALEXANDER ROBERT HENRY : Service Number - NX191471 : Date of birth - 21 Sep 1920 : Place of birth - SYDNEY NSW : Place of enlistment - RECRUITING DEPOT E C NSW : Next of Kin - ALEXANDER ARTIE - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=5609098

• Roll of Honour - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1699762

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2615307/alexander,-robert-henry/

• Virtual War Memorial Australia: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/617897

• The Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial https://www.powmemorialballarat.com.au/prisoners-of-war/alexander-robert-henry/