Reuben Clive Goldsworthy, 2/10th Field Regiment

By Marg Powell, Specialist Library Technician, Metadata Services · November 26, 2023

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Reuben 'Clive' Goldsworthy, 2/10th Field Regiment, QX9926, the letters and memoirs of a survivor of the Burma Thailand Railway

When Clive 'Goldie' Goldsworthy wrote home to his family in Brisbane in 1941, it was as a young fresh-faced man, who was soon to embark on an unimaginable journey of strength and survival. Stationed in Malaya with the 2/10th Field [Artillery] Regiment, it was his first time overseas, and for the most part of that year, their work was a rehearsal for events they never believed would happen.

Men of the 2/10 Field Regiment, Malaya, 1941. Included are: Claude Sims, Norman Perkins ? QX14054, Douglas Balgue, QX13672, Reginald Harris, QX9275, Ted Gould ?, Kenneth Murray, QX16522, Russell Adams QX9683, Francis Graham ? QX17538, and Leslie Cooper QX11015. Image: 33598 Reuben Clive Goldsworthy collection, State Library of Queensland

Activities of Australian troops before the fall of Singapore

Play video: https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/F01157/video/4303075.MP4 [1 hr +] Footage from the Australian War Memorial, taken by Reg Edwards and Melmer Nichols, between 25 April 1941-6 October 1941, Singapore. Accession FO1157, Australian War Memorial

But as the Imperial Japanese Army swiftly made their way down the Peninsular, supported by air and armour, allied troops withdrew across the Johore causeway linking Malaya and Singapore, where they were trapped.

Reuben 'Clive' Goldsworthy [aka Goldy] prior to embarkation; Clive Goldsworthy with his 'mate' he enlisted with. Images: 33598 Reuben Clive Goldsworthy collection, State Library of Queensland

130,000 allied troops - including 15,00 Australians were taken prisoner of the Japanese in February 1942, initially interned at Changi Prison (Selarang Barracks) they were later divided into working parties.

Clive Goldsworthy was attached to 'D Force' in March 1943 and was sent by train to Bampong, Tarsau, and then on to Wampo Camp, to work on the infamous Hellfire Pass (Konyu Cutting) of the Burma-Thailand Railway. Very little was heard of his welfare until August 1943 when the family were notified via telegram that he was alive and a prisoner of war of the Japanese, in Thailand.

Telegram from the Minister for the Army, dated 25 August 1943, to the Goldsworthy Family informing them of their son Reuben 'Clive' Goldsworthy's whereabouts, as a prisoner of war, in Thailand 33598 Reuben Clive Goldsworthy collection, State Library of Queensland

Following his work on Hellfire Pass, Clive was treated for severe leg ulcers at Tarsau hospital camp, where Lieutenant-Colonel Edward 'Weary' Dunlop was the medical officer in charge. Clive was later sent on to Nakon Pathom Base Camp, Tamuang, Tamajo, Tamarkan (Kanchanaburi), Bampong and Rajburi, where he remained until the end of the war.

Tarsau Prisoner of War Cemetery [Tarsau (Tarsao), now known as Nam Tok]. Photographed by the War Graves Commission survey party whose task was to locate prisoner of war (POW) cemeteries and grave sites along the Burma-Thailand railway. Accession P01910.005, Australian War Memorial

After being recovered from Thailand, Clive was flown home from Singapore in October 1945. Clive married Joyce Dargush in January 1946, they had two children Gaynor and Douglas.

**Clive's brother-in-law Albert 'Bert' Dale was also taken prisoner of war of the Japanese, and as part of 'B Force' worked on the Burma end of the railway. In February 1945 Albert Dale was one of 50 POWs in Group 7 who set out on the nineteen day trek from Sandakan to Ranau, on the north east coast of Borneo. On 13 February Albert Dale, aged 38, collapsed about 3 kilometres from the night's stopping place west of the Celo River. Bill Moxam NX19570 and three others brought him back to the camp, where he died during the night. He was buried by his comrades and they marked his grave site.

Clive returned five times to Thailand in his later years, and after his death, his family chose to scatter his ashes at Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, where so many of his comrades lay.