Private Sidney Kingston Bignell
2/26th Australian Infantry Battalion
Service Number: QX21930
Place of Enlistment: Brisbane
Age of Enlistment: 21 Years 7 months
Date of Enlistment: 2nd of July 1941
Embarked: Sydney, 7th of September 1941
Transport Ship: HMT ‘JJ’ for Singapore
Medals Awarded: 1939-45 Star, Pacific Star, War Medal, Australian Service Medal
Place of Death: Taken Prisoner of War. 15th of February 1942, Died of illness in Burma 8th of October 1943
Resting Place: Buried Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery Plot A16, Row A, Grave 8 Myanmar
Unit Badge: 2/26th Australian Infantry Battalion
Additional Information:
Many members of the local Bignell family served in the Second World War. However, only Sidney (Sid) and his brother Walter (Wally) were killed. Both brothers were local farmers. Sidney was survived by his parents and his pet bull. A pair of trees were later planted at the then Maudsland State School in memory of the fallen brothers.
Over 22,000 Australians would become prisoners of the Japanese during the second World War. More than 8,000 Australians died in Japanese captivity, most of these deaths were due to the indifference and brutality of their captors. Conditions were particularly brutal for those prisoners who were forced to build the Thai-Burma Railroad, one of whom was Private Bignell. 2,815 Australians, over 11,000 other Allied prisoners and roughly 75,000 Asian labourers died due to the relentless labour and inadequate rations.