Victor William Graham (1915 - 1992)

Ancestors Descendants

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 DETAILS FROM AWM ENTRY 1.2 DETAILS ON ATTESTATION FORM 1.3 25th INFANTRY BATTALION BATTLE HONOURS 1.4 SERVICE AND CASUALTY FORM DETAILS 2 Sources

Biography

For more inline image options and instructions. WW2 service records, complete copy 10 pages-[1]

DETAILS FROM AWM ENTRY

📍NO - QX31006

📍SERVICE - AUSTRALIAN ARMY

📍Date of birth - 11/5/1915

📍ENLISTED on - 31/3/1942

📍LOCALITY on ENLISTMENT- NAMBOUR

📍PLACE of ENLISTMENT - BRISBANE. QUEENSLAND.

📍Next of Kin - May Graham

📍DATE of DISCHARGE - 3/4/1946

📍POSTING on DISCHARGE-25th AUST INF BATTALION.

DETAILS ON ATTESTATION FORM

WW2 SERVICE

📍NAME--VICTOR WILLIAM GRAHAM.

📍ENLISTED AT--BRISBANE...ON THE 16/1/1942

📍BORN--BRISBANE.

📍AGE--26YR AND 7 MONTHS.

📍DOB--11/5/1915

📍OCCUPATION--SUGAR MILL LABOURER.

📍MARITAL STATUS--MARRIED.

📍PREVIOUS SERVICE--NONE.

📍NEXT OF KIN--MAY ELLEN GRAHAM.

📍ADDRESS OF NOK--MITCHELL STREET, NAMBOUR. QLD.

📍ADDRESS of nok AMENDED-4/5/1942 TO BARTON ROAD, HAWTHORNE

📍RELATIONSHIP OF NOK--WIFE.

📍ADDRSS OF SOLDIER ON ENLIST--MITCHELL STREET, NAMBOUR. QLD.

🎖OATH TAKEN AND SIGNED BY VICTOR WILLIAM GRAHAM ON THE 31ST, MARCH 1942. BRISBANE

___________END-OF-ATTESTATION-DETAILS___________

25th INFANTRY BATTALION BATTLE HONOURS

📍BARARA.

📍MAWARAKA.

📍MILNE BAY.

📍MOSIEGETTA.

📍PEARL RIDGE.

📍PURIATA RIVER.

📍SLATER'S KNOLL -[2]

___________________________________________________________

SERVICE AND CASUALTY FORM DETAILS

👉1942

3-4-42

☞Marched in 31-3-42 ENLISTED in AUSTRALIA

9-4-42

☞Private marched in to 7th Training Btn, Boggabilla.

☞EX RECEPTION DEPOT.

10-5-42

☞Private sick to C.Hospital GOONDIWINDI.

☞From 7th Infantry Battalion. (MEASLES)

16-5-42

☞Private returned to 7th Trg Btn.

2-6-42

☞Private transferred to 25th Battalion

☞and marched in from 7th Training Btn

8-7-42

☞Private EMBARKED per"TASMAN" in TOWNSVILLE.

11-7-42

☞Private DISEMBARKED 8MD, NEW GUINEA.

☞UNIT 25TH INFANTRY BATTALION

Pop loading food drop supplies.

The 25th INFANTRY BATTALION arrived at Milne Bay on 15 July 1942 and was deployed with the 61st defending the No. 3 strip at Gili Gili. The 25th also covered the beach. On 27 August the Japanese made an amphibious landing at Milne Bay and reached the edge of the airstrip the next day, waiting to be reinforced. Early in the morning of 31 August the Japanese forces charged but suffered against the Australian defence and withdrew at dawn. The battle ended on 7 September-[3]

5-11-42

☞Private sick to C.C.H 8MG, NG. (MALARIA.)

23-11-42

☞Private returned to unit, 8TH MILITARY DISTRICT, NG.

8-12-42

☞Private admitted 2/2 Field Amb recur-(MALARIA)

☞UNIT-25TH INFANTRY BATTALION.

25-12-42

☞Private transferred from Hospital to H.S. TAIVANA.

☞EMBARKED IN 8MD, NG...ON 25-12-42

☞DISEMBARKED IN TOWNSVILLE, QLD...ON 28-12-42

______________________END-OF-1942______________________

👉1943

The 7th Brigade remained at Milne Bay until March 1943 when it was transferred to Donadabu, near Port Moresby, to continue training.

4-1-43

☞Private EVAC to 116 AGH

☞TO 114 A.C.D. TOWNSVILLE.

15-2-43

☞ENTRY FROM CO MET TROOPS.

☞ PRIVATE AWOL FROM-0330hrs-on-15-2-43

☞TO 2345 hrs on-4-3-43. BRISBANE.

6-4-43

☞Private evacuated from 114 ACD

☞TO 2/14 ACH (Malaria recur)

☞UNIT 25TH INFANTRY BATTALION.

3-6-43

☞Private evacuated to 13 BASE STAGING CAMP.

24-6-43

☞Private marched out to L of C PROVOST.

21-8-43

☞NOK-MAY ELLEN GRAHAM NEE KING DIED IN QUEENSLAND

26-8-43

☞PRIVATE GIVEN LEAVE- SEVEN DAYS.

9-9-43

☞Private marched in to 13 A P S C

☞from L of C om 7-9-43

7-10-43

☞Private marched into 5 AGC from 3 AUST Gd.

☞Private marched out to QLD L of C from 5 AGC.

☞Private evacuated to 1/14 AGH .(MALARIA)

23-10-43

☞Private evacuated from 116AGH

☞ TO 114 CONVAL DEPOT.

23-11-43

☞Private discharged from 114 Con Dep

☞TRANSFERRED to 13 APSC.

26-11-43

☞Private EMBARKED IN TOWNSVILLE

☞per "Canberra"

29-11-43

☞Private DISEMBARKED IN PORT MORESBY, NG.

30-11-43

☞Private TAKEN ON STRENGTH

☞from 13 APSC VIA NG GGD.

☞UNIT- 25TH INFANTRY BATTALION

22-12-43

☞Private EMBARKED IN PORT MORESBY

☞per "CANBERRA". NG.

24-12-43

☞Private DISEMBARKED in CAIRNS,

☞QUEENSLAND. AUST

____________________END OF 1943_________________________

👉1944

20-7-44

☞Private EMBARKED in CAIRNS

☞per "KATOOMBA". AUSTRALIA.

24 -7-44

☞Private DISEMBARKED in MADANG. NG

🌿Photo🌿 5-9-1944/COOKS HUT in WEWAK-[4]

20-9-1944

VICTOR'S BROTHER CLIFFORD GRAHAM DIES--PLACE OF DEATH IS SIAR, MADANG. NEW GUINEA. CLIFFORD WAS ALSO SERVING IN THE AUSTRALIAN ARMY

12-11-44

☞Private EMBARKED in MADANG

☞per "SANTA MONICA".

15-11-44

☞Private DISEMBARKED in BOUGAINVILLE.

🌿photo🌿30 -12-1944/D COY, 25TH INFANTRY BATTALION WALKING THE NUMA NUMA TRAIL-[5] 🌿photo🌿D COY, NUMA NUMA TRAIL-[6]

🌿photo🌿30-12-1944/NUMA NUMA TRAIL in BOUGAINVILLE-[7] 🌿photo🌿30-13-1945/POP having a cuppa on the trail to PEARL RIDGE-[8]

_________________________END OF 1944______________________

👉1945

February 1945, the Brigade regroups on the Atherton Tablelands in Queensland. In July the brigade returned to New Guinea, garrisoning the Madang area before being transferred to Torokina in Bougainville in November. About one-third of the men in the brigade were veterans of Milne Bay-[9]

🌿MOVIE🌿 APPEARS TO BE PTE VW GRAHAM IN FIRST COUPLE OF MINUTES HELPING TO LOAD WEAPON ON THE 3RD OF JANUARY 1945/25 Battalion in action at Artillery Ridge, Bougainville | The Australian War Memorial-[10]

🌿photo🌿7-3-1945/PTE VW GRAHAM LOADING FOOD AT BARARA-[11]

🌿photo🌿 7-3-1945/FRESH MEAT in BARARA-[12]

🌿photo🌿April 1945/25th INFANTRY BATTALION MEDIUM GUN CREW.-[13]

11-5-45

NAMBOUR CHRONICLE Friday 11 May 1945 Page 4

GRAHAM, V. W., QX31006 (Bougainville). — Many happy returns on 11th May to Victor. From Mum, Dad and family.

14-6-45.

☞PRIVATE STILL SERVING WITH UNIT ABROAD.

13-9-45

☞Private EMBARKED in BOUGAINVILLE.

18-9-45

☞Private DISEMBARKED in TOWNSVILLE, NTH QUEENSLAND.

20-10-45

☞Private transferred

☞HOLDING STRENGTH

☞UNIT 25th INFANTRY BATTALION.

☞Private marched in from Qld L of C Area for DISPOSAL.

27-10-45

☞Private marched out to 7th Base Ord Depot from GDDQ.

31-10-45

☞Private marched in to 7th Base fro QLD L of C Area.

4-11-45

☞Private Evacuated to 102 AGH

☞ to xlist (FOOD POISONING)

7-11-45

☞Private discharged from 102 AGH

☞ to 1 APSC (food poisoning)

8-11-45

☞Private rejoined Unit IN T BOD from 1 APSC.

25-11-45

☞Private evacuated from 7 BOD

☞ to Military Hospital (DYSPEPSIA)

☞AND Tranferred to xlist.

30-11-45

☞Private discharged from Military Hosp 102 AGH

☞AND transferred to 1APSC 112 Military Hosp.

☞(sub ac GASTRITIS)

4-12-45

☞Private rejoined UNIT from 1 APSC.

☞112 BRISBANE MH , QLD.

11-12-45

☞Private evacuated to 112 BMH

☞(MALARIA) to xlist.

27-12-45

☞Private discharged from 112 BMH

☞ to UNIT 25TH AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY BATTALION.

The 25th served in both the Central and Southern Sectors in Bougainville. In the Central Sector, the 25th relieved the 9th and captured Pearl Ridge on 30 December, 1945.

____________________END OF 1945________________________

In January 1946 the 25th  was transferred to the Southern Sector, where it joined the brigade's advance to the Puriata River until March-[14]

👉1946

9-1-46

☞Private rejoined UNIT from 112 BMH.

15-1-46

☞Private evacuated to 102 (NP) Military Hosp.

☞(MALARIA)

☞AND TRANFERRED TO XLIST.

22-2-46

☞Private discharged to 1 APSC

☞ from 102BMH (bt.MALARIA)

30-1-46

☞Private rejoined UNIT-25TH AIB,

☞7th BOD from 1st APSC.

4-3-45

☞Private transferred from 7 BOD

☞and sent to 9th AWAS BARRACKS.

5-3-46

☞Private marched into 9 AWAS Barracks from 7 BOD.

27 -3-46

☞Private transferred to QLD Lof C AREA.

☞TAKEN ON STRENGTH FROM 9 AWAS BARRACKS FOR DISCHARGE.

13-4-46

☞PRIVATE DISCHARGED FROM ARMY IN REDBANK, QUEENSLAND. AUSTRALIA.

_________________END OF SERVICE RECORD______________

INFORMATION ON 25TH AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY BATTALION. HISTORY AND BATTLES-[15]

Compiled by S.D Weekes, Granddaughter of Private Victor Graham.

☆Other siblings of Victor's.. Leslie, Beryl (never married), Elena Mae Reeve (aunty Mae) and Dawn Jensen.

Pop

Sources

• QLD birth certificate 1915/ B40158;
• QLD death certificate
• NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF AUSTRALIA
• AWM