Service Details
- Branch of Service
- Army
- Conflict
- World War II (1939-1945)
- Date of Enlistment
- 09/08/1940
- Date of Discharge
- 22/05/1946
- Place of Enlistment
- Canberra ACT
Personal Details
- Gender
- Male
- Date of Birth
- 12/04/1917
- Place of Birth
- Canberra ACT
- Address (at enlistment)
- Causeway, Kingston ACT
- School(s) Attended
- Williamsdale School (1923-1930), Tharwa School (1930- )
- Occupation
- Labourer
- Next of Kin
- Rene Gregory (mother), Causeway, Kingston ACT
Unit and Rank Details
- Service Number
- N43806
- Final Rank
- Corporal
- Final Unit
- 3 Battalion
Notes
Gregory was mobilised with the 3rd Battalion (militia) on 9 August 1940 in Canberra and was appointed as a battalion cook in January 1942. He arrived in Port Moresby, Papua in May 1942 and promoted to Corporal in August 1942. The following month he was part of the 3rd Battalion contingent sent on to the Kokoda Track and fought at Ioribaiwa and Imita ridges, Templetons Crossing, Oivi and at Gona on the north coast of Papua before succumbing to malaria in November 1942. He returned to Australia in January 1943 and transferred to the 36th Battalion in May 1943 following the disbandment of 3 Battalion. He suffered several further bouts of malaria, including once when on leave in Canberra. Gregory was sent to New Britain in October 1944 and served there until June 1945 with the 36th Battalion when he returned home. He died on 6 September 1988 and is buried in the Queanbeyan Lawn Cemetery, Tharwa Road.
Description - height 5 feet 8 inches, blue eyes, fair complexion, grey hair.
Sources
WWII Nominal Roll http://www.ww2roll.gov.au
ACT Electoral Rolls 1916 to 1967 http://canberraheritageportal.org/default.php
Colin Richardson, 'Port Moresby to Gona Beach : 3rd Australian Infantry Battalion 1942', 1992
ACT Archives (AA1968/269.5) Williamsdale Register of Admissions and Class Roll
NAA RecordSearch - Series B884 (Citizen's Military Forces Personnel Dossiers, 1939-1947)
The Canberra Times - 12 March 1943