Branch of Service

Army

Conflict

World War II (1939-1945)

Date of Enlistment

14/07/1942

Date of Discharge

22/02/1945

Place of Enlistment

Operational Station, Papua

Gender

Male

Date of Birth

24/09/1919

Place of Birth

Coramba NSW

Address (at enlistment)

Kingston ACT

Occupation

Shop assistant

Next of Kin

Reginald Kermode (father), Coffs Harbour NSW

Service Number

NX128792 (N130785)

Final Rank

Lieutenant

Final Unit

3 Battalion

Kermode served with the 3rd Battalion militia before the war. In July 1941, 3 Battalion was marched into camp at Greta in the Hunter valley. They were sent to Papua in May 1942 and, after the Japanese landed on the north coast to attempt an overland assault on Port Moresby, joined Maroubra Force on the Kokoda Track in September 1942. Kermode was involved in battles at Imita Ridge, Templetons Crossing, Oivi and Gona. It was at Gona where Kermode was wounded twice, the second time in December 1942 where he suffered gun shot wounds to both legs and his left arm. The compound fracture to his left arm effectively ended his war as he was declared unfit for any occupation which required its use.

In March 1943 he married Dorothy Brodie at St. John's church in Reid. He left Canberra in 1951 to open a business in Bega and died on 15 May 1985. During his time in Canberra Kermode served as an ACT delegate to the National Football League, as secretary of the Eastlake Football Club, secretary of the Kingston Cricket Club, on the executive of the ACT Cricket Association, as secretary of the ACT Combined Sports Association and as editor of 2CA radio's sporting session.

WWII Nominal Roll http://www.ww2roll.gov.au
ACT Electoral Rolls 1916 to 1967 http://canberraheritageportal.org/default.php
NAA RecordSearch
The Canberra Times - 14 January 1943, 7 April 1943, 5 October 1951, 31 October 1951, 1 November 1951