THIS story is part of a series about military veterans laid to rest at Dungog General Cemetery by Dungog RSL sub-Branch Vice-President Martin Holmes.

NX41741 Private Aubrey Clarence Pritchard – WW2

AUBREY was born at West Maitland NSW in 1920 to parents Thomas and Sarah Pritchard.

He enlisted in the Militia at age 20 on 8 January 1941 and was allocated to Camp Dressing Station, Dubbo.

His initial training took place in Rutherford and Dubbo.

He volunteered for service in the 2nd AIF and was discharged from the Militia and enlisted in the AIF on 2 August, joining the 1st Training Battalion.

On 3 September he embarked for the Middle East and joined the 16th Training Battalion in Palestine.

On completing training he joined the 2/2nd Infantry Battalion on 24 January 1942 in Palestine.

In March the unit sailed to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) for its defence against the Japanese and returned with his unit for Melbourne in July.

In October he was on the Kokoda Track fighting in New Guinea.

He fought the Japanese across New Guinea, ending fighting in Sanananda on the north-east coast, part of the Buna-Gona campaign.

During 1943-44 the unit was in rest and training in the Atherton Tableland, Queensland.

In December 1944, Aubrey had sailed with his unit to Aitape in the Wewak region of PNG.

He fought against the Japanese in this area until wounded on 27 June 1945, with serious shrapnel injuries to his face and legs.

Through medical evacuation he was at 2/7 Australian General Hospital (Lae, PNG) on 20 July when airlifted to Townsville for further medical treatment.

He remained in various hospitals until he was released on 29 October.

On 27 November he was discharged from the Army.

Due his war injuries Aubrey was to become a totally and permanently incapacitated (TPI) pensioner.

After discharge he returned home to Speers Point NSW.

Aubrey may have formed a connection with the Clarence Town-Dungog area by serving in the 2/2nd Battalion as this Battalion had drawn enlistees mainly from the Newcastle and northern NSW areas.

In 1946 he married a local Dungog girl, Miss Vera May McFadyen.

Aubrey and Vera had several children and some of his family remained in Dungog.

Aubrey died on 30 January 1987 in Maitland Hospital after a heart attack.

He was buried in the Dungog General Cemetery (Presbyterian Section) as a returned soldier from WW2.

His headstone is a cement plinth with a bronze plaque erected by the Office of Australian War Graves.

By Martin HOLMES CSM