Hayley McClure, great granddaughter of Leo Christopher Laragy (VX43170), was awarded the inaugural Ben Hackney Trust Education Grant. Hayley’s essay follows:
My name is Hayley McClure. I am commencing Year 11 at Mentone Girls’ Grammar School in 2019.
My Great Grandfather, Leo Christopher Laragy (VX43170), born 1913 and died 1983, is our family hero, and it is through his stories passed down through the family that we are able to achieve a deeper understanding and appreciation for the life he led.
Leo enlisted in the AIF in 1941 and was a private in the 2nd/29th battalion. He trained in Bonegilla and Bathurst and was deployed to Malaysia. He was held as a Japanese POW from 1942 to 1945.
My interest and understanding of the 2nd/29th Battalion first began when researching for a school Anzac Day presentation in Year Six (2014), and then again while writing an Australia History essay in Year 10 (2018) on World War II. Following this, I commenced tracing the family genealogy to understand the connections that we have to his life and experiences.
My father and I began discussing the connection we have with our own family hero, whom was held and survived the brutal captivity of the Japanese from 1942 to 1945. In our family, my Great Grandfather is seen as a remarkable hero, and together, my dad and I have begun to catalogue his story.
My research has been undertaken with my father, whom holds a variety of primary and secondary sources which allow us to map Leo’s life before, during and after the Second World War. My father owns the family collection of books and artefacts, which include messages and letters from Leo to his wife and family during his war service. The books we hold include A History of the 2/ 29th Battalion – 8th Australian Division AIF, No Lost Battalion and Surviving Captivity. Our library also contains Changi Brownlow, Weary Dunlop Diaries and Grim Glory – the AIF in Malaya. Although having not read all these myself, I have used them as resources and references in investigations and have had the assistance of my father to understand the content. I have watched many documentaries on Changi, Thai Burma Railway that are available on YouTube and ClickView.
My father spent time with Leo before his passing and without knowing that it was insensitive to ask veterans about their experiences, he was able to obtain information not previously known by the family.
Life before service
Before enlisting, Leo worked for the Herald and Weekly Times (HWT) where he completed an apprenticeship as a photo engraver. Originally based in Melbourne, he was transferred to Brisbane to work on Courier Mail before the outbreak of the war. He married in Brisbane and then returned to Melbourne just before the outbreak of WWII, buying a house in Elsternwick with his new wife. He only had one occupation and one employer for his working life. He would return to the HWT after the war, and continued with this job until his retirement in 1977.
Leo was athletic and would occasionally play football for North Melbourne reserves. He would follow North Melbourne for his entire life.
Details of service
As Leo lived in Elsternwick, we understand he volunteered in Caulfield Melbourne in 1941. Although not keen to participate in the war, he did see it as a part of his civic duty to volunteer. Also, he understood that conscription was imminent and that this had a social stigma associated. Leo preferred to be seen as a volunteer than conscripted as this was more socially acceptable and important to him and his family.
I understand from my Grandmother (Leo’s daughter) that he was trained in Bonegilla and Bathurst NSW before transporting to Queensland. By reading his letters, we can see he connected with family in QLD before travelling overseas to complete his service. From these letters I assume pay in the army must not have been very good as he was continually asking for money to be sent to him. Through his service records, we can see that he seemed to be frequently injured during training as he has many days in recuperation.
Service in Malaysia/Singapore
Leo saw action in Malaysia. He received a minor wound when a bullet was shot into his back. Fortunately, the bullet ricocheted off his buckle in his backpack and instead hit his helmet. We understand this to be his luckiest escape!
He was a part of the retreat down the coast and was taken as a prisoner of war immediately following his landing return to Singapore.
On stepping off the boat from Malaysia to Singapore, Japanese greeted them with guns drawn. The Japanese soldier whom captured the company showed an element of kindness and offered them cigarettes. Leo had never smoked a cigarette until that time (and never did again).
Life as a prisoner of war
Leo would talk about his time in Changi prison before his role on the Thai Burma Railway. He described the cramped, disease-ridden conditions and recalled how rats would run across his feet at night whilst trying to sleep.
Telegram cards and communication cards show us that Leo had access to one of the hidden radios in prison, which the POWs cleverly developed using transistors and batteries. The radios were wired to the Allied Force’s radio stations which allowed them to receive news of progress on the war. The prisoners’ use of these radios highlights a key aspect of the ‘Australian Spirit’ of ingenuity and courage, as I understand from watching documentaries that it was extremely dangerous to be in possession or use these radios.
The telegram cards also show that they reached main land Australia in Cape York and have been handed from person to person in a journey many thousands of kilometres to arrive at Elsternwick, Melbourne.
We have read his letters that were passed through the Red Cross to his family in Melbourne. These letters contain lots of insight into his life and also the censorship applied by his Japanese captors. Being conscious of the censorship, Leo would use language that would enable him to advise his family of information that would otherwise be redacted. An example of this was how he communicated the death of another friend POW. He used his own code to make his wife aware of the death to inform his friends’ family.
Leo talked of how his friends died of cholera and dysentery. I understand he suffered from beriberi swollen legs while working on the railway. Leo only talked of deaths of friends from dysentery and that his friend, a doctor, whom was very particular about hygiene, succumbed to dysentery and died.
Leo did not discuss much of his experiences on the railway other than the story where of one Korean guard, spotted Leo’s crucifix around his neck. The guard asked if Leo was Christian. Fearful, but ever honest, Leo responded. Fortunately, the Korean guard was also Christian and as a result, he kindly allowed Leo to work in food preparation. We expect this meant that Leo’s nutrition was not as dire as many of his fellow POW’s. We believe that this deed may have contributed to his good fortune and enabled him to better survive in the appalling conditions.
In undertaking his duties in food distribution, I understand that Leo would look to ensure the men that were in worst condition were looked after with their portion of food, even when they were unable to line up to receive it, further displaying acts of mateship and comradery, important characteristics of the ‘Australian Spirit’.
At the end of their time as POWs, Leo described that some of the men felt shame when being liberated. The fit soldiers had a look of shock and disbelief that these men were in fact soldiers. This must have been another very difficult moment for the proud soldiers that had been through such an atrocity.
Life after the war
We understand that Leo spent time at the repatriation hospital in Heidelberg. He returned to his place of work and continued there, where he attained 50 years of service.
As with many returned POWs, Leo was a changed man. We understand he had relapses related to malaria. His main form of release was to surround himself with his friends at his local RSL. The Elwood RSL became a very important part of his life. I understand that he and his friends relied on each other and alcohol to help them through.
Leo would also attend lunches and dinners with ex POWs and we still have restaurant menus signed by his friends in the 2/29th. We understand that the bond that Leo shared with the men had on their return was like no other due to the mateship that developed during their time of service and captivity.
Throughout the 70’s, Leo stopped attending the Anzac Day marches, however we are unsure why. It was not until encouraged by his grandchildren (where they wanted to see him on television) that he resumed in 1980.
Leo died on the 15th August 1983. Strangely this was the same date as his liberation from captivity some 38 years later.
Why this history is important to me
I have a deep interest in history and understanding my family’s role in it. I am studying both History and Japanese in Year 11 & 12. I know the Japanese culture well and struggle to connect the brutality I understand from my Great Grandfather’s experiences. Although my Great Grandmother could not forgive the Japanese, the only evidence Leo showed of any negativity towards the Japanese was the increasing awareness of Japanese cars in the 70’s and 80’s and disappointment of Australians to support them.
Some things I have learnt from my investigations on my Great Grandfather and the 2/ 29th. I believe I have a different perspective on events especially in relation to the end of the war to many others my age. I understand that the controversial and rapid end to the war, as brutal as it was to the Japanese people, meant that my grandfather was released earlier that what would have been the case. As such, all of us, as decedents of returned Japanese POW soldiers, are somewhat indebted to the United States for ending the war in the manner and time that they did.
I think that more students should look into their families’ past and understand the sacrifices, experience and achievements. It has helped me connect my place in the world and I am keen to connect with other surviving families as we have a common remarkable history that should never be forgotten.
Hayley McClure