Private David William Thomas
- Rank
- Private
- Service number
- WX6623
- Unit
- 2/4 Machine Gun Battalion
- Cause of death
- Died as Prisoner of War
- Place of death
- South China Sea
- Date of death
- 12 September 1944
- Age
- 24
- Plaque number
- M302A
- Co-located plaques
- M302 - CPL Owen Burton
- Dedicated by
- Family on 14 May 2016
- More information
Biography presented during plaque dedication:
Private David William Thomas was born in Perth in September 1919. He was one of six sons and two daughters of Joseph Thomas and Emily Coomb Towns (who was formerly married to Corporal Owen Burton).
The family farmed at Jardee near Manjimup on 'Karri Hills' farm. As a consequence of the great depression in the early 1930s, the family left the farm and moved to Brisbane Street, Perth.
David worked as a butcher in Perth until he enlisted in the army in July 1940. He was not married.
After initial training, he was transferred to the eastern states and eventually into 2/4 Machine Gun Battalion which was later moved to Singapore, disembarking there in January 1942.
With the Japanese army advancing on Singapore, the 2/4 Machine Gun Battalion was engaged in heavy fighting. They suffered with many casualties, killed, wounded and taken prisoner.
Private Thomas was posted missing in Malaya in February 1942. Later, he was recorded as a prisoner of war and later again presumed deceased.
He was actually aboard the prisoner of war ship Rakuyo Maru which was torpedoed by an American submarine.
Private David William Thomas, service number WX6623 of 2/4 Machine Gun Battalion, died as a prisoner of war on 12 September 1944 in the South China Sea.
He was 24 years of age and his name is recorded on the Labuan Memorial, Borneo.
His plaque is placed alongside that of his mother's first husband, Corporal Owen Burton of 28 Battalion who died in World War 1.