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Auction: 21001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals (conducted behind closed doors)
Lot: 671A

(x) Four: Sergeant A. W. Omond, Royal Australian Air Force, a POW of the Japanese in the Far East

1939-45 Star; Pacific Star; War Medal 1939-45; Australia Service Medal 1939-45, all medals officially impressed '16273 A. W. Omond.' in the Australian style, mounted in this order, contact marks, very fine (4)

Albert William Omond was born on 16 March 1915 in Meekatharra, Western Australia. Enlisted in Norseman, Perth with the Royal Australian Air Force on 30 January 1946 and posted to No.1 Squadron flying Lockheed Hudsons. They were deployed to Malaya in July 1940 and conducted martime patrol duties which included the sinking of the Japanese transport Awajisan Maru off Kota Bharu an hour prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Japanese advance forced the squadron to relocate to Java and, after heavy fighting, the three remaining aircraft were loaded with the sick and wounded and flown to Australia on 6 March 1942. Only 120 members of No.1 Squadron were able to escape the fall of the Dutch East Indies with 160, including Omond being taken as POW's. Most prisoners taken at this time were forced to work in camps and on the Railways and over 8000 died in captivity. Omond survived his ordeal - which included being held at Moulmein & Camp Thai - and was discharged on 30 January 1946 with the rank of Sergeant, at the time he was posted to 5 Personnel Depot.

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Sold for
£230

Starting price
£160