Branch of Service

Army

Conflict

World War II (1939-1945)

Date of Enlistment

03/11/1939

Place of Enlistment

Canberra ACT

Gender

Male

Other Name(s)

Nicknamed 'Tiger'

Date of Birth

27/11/1912

Place of Birth

Hobart, Tasmania

Address (at enlistment)

Hargreaves Crescent, Ainslie, Canberra ACT

School(s) Attended

Belmore Primary School, Hobart; Duntroon School, Telopea Park Intermediate High School [original Canberra High School], Hawkesbury Agricultural College.

Occupation

Dairy worker Fyshwick ACT, and labourer on construction work for the Department of the Interior, Canberra ACT

Next of Kin

Eldest son of James Clarence John and Florence May Begent, of Hargreaves Crescent, Ainslie, Canberra ACT; brother of Molly (Sydney), Harold (served in AIF), Doreen (Tasmania).

Burial Place

Damascus Commonwealth War Cemetery, Syria: grave Q.80

Service Number

NX4634

Final Rank

Corporal

Final Unit

2/3 Infantry Battalion AIF

Died 26 June 1941 aged 28 years, killed in action in Syria.

AWM Roll of Honour, Canberra ACT: Panel 29.
Canberra High School Memorial Tablet

Begent was a dairy worker at Fyshwick and a labourer on construction work for the Department of the Interior, Canberra. He joined the 3rd Battalion (militia) on 26 September 1939 but enlisted in the AIF in November 1939 and sailed for the Middle East in January 1940. He served in Libya with the 2/3 Battalion (part of the 6th Division) and was part of the successful attacks on Bardia and Tobruk in January 1941. In March 1941 the 6th Division was sent to Greece to meet the Germans but the campaign failed and they were forced to withdraw. His transport was sunk while evacuating from Greece but Begent made it to Crete before managing to escape the advancing Germans and reaching Syria. In June and July 1941 the 2/3 Battalion fought in Syria and Lebanon, around Damascus (from 20 to 22 June) and then at Jebel Mazar (from 24 to 28 June). Begent died on 26 June 1941 aged 28 years, killed in action in Syria.

Australia. Department of Veterans' Affairs. World War 2 nominal roll. <http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/>
Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Debt of Honour Register. <http://www.cwgc.org/cwgcinternet/search/>
AWM Roll of Honour and Roll of Honour Circulars <http://www.awm.gov.au/database/roh.asp>
Canberra High School. Roll of Honour 1939-1945. [Plaque in school]
Canberra High School. Albums compiled for student project researching names on School Roll of Honour, 1985.
Canberra High School. Unveiling of Memorial Tablet. Friday, 25th April 1947. [Programme]
Gavin Long, 'To Benghazi - Australia in the War of 1939-1945' (p.233)
NAA RecordSearch - Series B883
The Canberra Times - 21 November 1938, 27 January 1941, 16 July 1941, 14 January 1942, 26 June 1942 (p.2), 28 June 1943