British War Medal 1939-45 : Sapper F A Carley, 2/12 Field Company

British War Medal 1939-45. Impressed around edge with recipient's details.

Service medal awarded posthumously to NX20419 Sapper Frederick Archibald Carley, 2/12th Field Company, Australian Engineers. Born in Kent, England to Stephen and Emily Jane Carley on 27 August 1916, Carley’s family emigrated to Australia and settled in Punchbowl, NSW. Frederick enlisted at Paddington in Sydney on 5 June 1940 and after training was assigned to 2/12 Field Company, part of the 8th Division, most of whom were captured by the Japanese at the fall of Singapore. He was one of over 2000 Allied prisoners of war (POW) held in the Sandakan POW camp in north Borneo, having been transferred there from Singapore as a part of B Force. The 1494 POW's that made up B Force, were transported from Changi on 7 July 1942 on board the tramp ship Ubi Maru, arriving in Sandakan Harbour on 18 July 1942. Sapper Carley, aged 28, died as a prisoner of the Japanese on 13 June 1945. He is commemorated on the Labuan Memorial Panel 6. Only six Australian survived Sandakan captivity and the forced marches to Ranau.