Robert Vance Crozier (1920 - 1942)

Born 18 Jul 1920 in Malvern, Victoria, Australia

Ancestors

Died 1 Jul 1942 at age 21 in At Sea

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Biography

Robert Crozier was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

Robert Crozier died as a prisoner of war on the Montevideo Maru during the Second World War.

Robert Vance Crozier was born on 18 July 1920, the son of Thomas Vance Crozier and Elsie Margaret Hook (later Small).^[1]

On 03 Jul 1940 he enlisted in the Australian Army (Militia) for War service at Queenscliff, VIC as a Lance Corporal (V50824) in the 34 Fortress Coy, Royal Australian Engineers. At the time he was single, a clerk and living with his mother at St Kilda, Victoria. He had fair hair and hazel eyes.

He was appointed the rank of Corporal on 30 Aug 1940.

On 13 Mar 1941 he transferred to Lark Force and was made Sgt the same day. He embarked on HMAT "Zeelandia" on 18 Apr 1941 at Sydney for Rabaul, New Britain in the Territory of New Guinea, disembarking there on 26 Apr 1941 and becoming part of the Rabaul Fortress Coy.

When the Japanese invaded New Britain on 23 Jan 1942 he was captured in the vicinity of the Warangoi River and became a Prisoner of War. 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 transferred to the 2nd AIF as VX129398.

Sources

1. ↑ Birth - Victoria BDM Birth index - Event: births; Registration number: 23617 / 1920; Family name: CROZIER; Given name(s): Robert Vance; Place of event: MALVERN, VIC, Australia; Personal detail Mother's name: Elsie Margt; Mother's family name at birth: HOOD; Father's Name: Thos Vance

• WW2 Australian Army Service File - National Archives of Australia - CROZIER ROBERT VANCE : Service Number - VX129398 : Date of birth - 18 Jul 1920 : Place of birth - MALVERN VIC : Place of enlistment - QUEENSCLIFF : Next of Kin - CROZIER ELSIE - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=6082076

• Deaths On Active Service - Family Notices (1945, October 10). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 13. Retrieved December 27, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12146231

• Roll of Honour - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1710482

• Probate Notice - Advertising (1946, January 24). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 13. Retrieved December 27, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22223960

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2615542/robert-vance-crozier/

• Virtual War Memorial Australia: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/624850