LONSDALE John VX20469 A Coy [F Force Ponds Party]
John (Jack) Lonsdale was born on 21 July 1913 in Henty, New South Wales, to George, 46, and Elizabeth, 45. He was the youngest of 11 children.
Following the family trade, Jack was a butcher. Prior to enlisting he worked as a butcher in Inglewood and Girgarre in Victoria. Jack played football for Kyabram and Girgarre during this time.
Jack enlisted in the army on 31 May 1941 at Caulfield. At the time of enlistment, he lived in Cheltenham. His next of kin was his father George Lonsdale who by then had moved to Holmby Road Cheltenham. He joined the 2/29th AIF Battalion on 29 November 1940. Also joining at the same time was his brother Ivan Oliver Lonsdale and future brother in law Patrick Herbert Sephton. Both Ivan and Paddy died as prisoners of war.
As a prisoner of war Jack, along with 398 other 2/29th members (including Paddy and Ivan), were part of Ponds Party working on the Thai-Burma Railway.
He married Edith Sephton, Paddy’s sister. on 30 November 1946 in Oakleigh.
Jack and Edie settled in Moe, Victoria where is worked as a plasterer. They had two children, Ivan and Joy.
He died on 25 August 1999 in Moe, Victoria, at the age of 86.
A Picture of three POWs
George Aspinall Photo – Songkurai Hospital, Oct 1943, three F Force men.
‘We grew up knowing that the photo of three POWs included my father (he’s the one in the middle), but whenever I mentioned it, I was told everybody thinks “that is their father”. My research kept drawing blanks until our recent visit to Myanmar and a visit to the Thanbyuzayat Museum where the photo was on display showing dad’s VX number 20469 – not a flattering photo, but that was a sign of the times.
When dad was initially sent the Aspinall book he saw the photo and put it away, but mum later wrote in the book, ‘Jack Lonsdale is in the middle!’ In the Barry Dickens book, ‘Ordinary Heroes’ dad is quoted, ‘We always knew what was going on. This guy Aspinall had radios in Changi. He seemed a bit strange to me, every time a Jap plane would crash he would scrounge to pinch parts for the radios and he also took pictures. He slept near me and someone said, “he’s stickin’ stuff under your bed!!”
I said to him, “stick that stuff under your own bloody bed!” This was followed by laughter from the three men.’
Joy Derham, Daughter of Jack Lonsdale, 2/29th
Sid McCartney, Bill Vanderfeen and Jack Lonsdale - drinking mates at the Moe RSL - April 1989
