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Leongatha & District
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
HISTORY OF THE FORMER WOORAYL SHIRE
Dumbalk • Inverloch • Koonwarra • Leongatha • Meeniyan • Ruby
Tarwin Lower • Venus Bay • Walkerville
WATSON, Ronald
Number:
Number V190213
Battalion 22nd Infantry Battalion
Place of Birth Leongatha 29 April 1917
Next of Kin Irene Watson, his wife. He was the son of Robert and Mary Watson of Leongatha
Date and place of enlistment
12 March 1941 in Leongatha
Location on enlistment Whelan's Mardan
Occupation farmer
Date and place of death
4 December 1943 aged 26 in Papua New Guinea
Location of grave or memorial
He is buried in Lae War Cemetery Papua New Guinea
Relationship to Woorayl Shire
He and his family resided in Leongatha and Mardan.
Military History
Ron was an original member of the Leongatha detachment of the 22nd Militia Battalion when it was formed in 1938 and went on to full time army service in 1941.
The 22nd Australian Infantry Battalion sailed for New Guinea in early 1943 and saw action in Milne Bay, Lae and Finschhafen. In December 1943 Ron�s 18th platoon was attacked from a well sited Japanese position. Ron was killed and four others wounded. Ron was buried in the Lae War Cemetery.
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