STIDOLPH, George Sidney James

STIDOLPH, George Sidney James – A Southern Downs Veteran

CONFLICT : WWII
SERVICE NO : QX21631
RANK : Private
UNIT : 2/29th Ballalion
ENLISTMENT DATE : 12/08/1941
AGE : 20
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT : Warwick, Queensland
PLACE OF BIRTH : Warwick, Queensland
RELIGION : Church of England
OCCUPATION : Printers Assistant
DATE OF DEATH : 12/09/1944
PLACE OF BURIAL : At Sea

MEMORIALS : Warwick State High School Roll of Honour 1939-1945, Warwick The Fallen 1939-1945, Warwick War Memorial, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Labuan Memorial to the Missing

View this person’s Service File : STIDOLPH, George Sidney James

NOTES : George was known to his family and friends as “Jimmy”. He was the son of George Ernest and Susan Stidolph of Wantley Street, Warwick.

Jimmy attended Warwick Central State School before entering Warwick State High School. Sport was one of his passions and he excelled at a number of sports and was also a member of the Warwick Amateur cycle club.

His first job was working for Appel Brothers Jewellers but after three years Jimmy left this job to work at the Warwick Daily News before enlisting in the Army.

Originally with the 2/26th Battalion, Jimmy received his transfer to the 2/29th Battalion while on board the Aquitania on its way to Singapore.

With the fall of Singapore, Jimmy was captured and taken as a Prisoner of War. He was on board the Kaykuyo Maru bound for Japan, when it was torpedoed and sunk by the US Submarine Sealionas.

The ship had no markings to distinguish it as carrying prisoners of war. The American submarine crews were most upset when they realised what had happened.

Jimmy was pronounced as died at sea.

Read about Southern Downs Military History here.