Service: Army – 2/21 Australian Infantry Battalion
Service number: VX45224
Locality on Enlistment: Larpent
Duration of Service: 8 Jul 1940 – 20 Feb 1942
Prisoner of War: Yes
Honours: None for display
Date and Place of Birth: 2 Apr 1903 Christchurch New Zealand
Parents: Colonel Edwin Thomas WATCHORN and Ethel Maud BAYNTON
Spouse: Charlotte Augusta BARBER
School/s: Hutchins School Hobart
Occupation: Grazier
Date and Place of Death: 20 Feb 1942 Ambon Netherlands East Indies
Place of Burial: Ambon War Cemetery
NOTES: The 2/21st was deployed to Ambon as part of Gull Force in December 1941 following the Japanese invasion of Malaya; however, with the defence of the island considered untenable due to the limited military resources available and overwhelming Japanese strength it was subsequently captured despite determined resistance, surrendering on 3 February 1942. Most members of the battalion became prisoners of war, and a large number died in captivity. Gull Force lost 15 men killed during the defence of Ambon, and another 309 men at Laha who were either killed in action or by mass executions by the Japanese which occurred on 6 February and between 15–20 February. Captain Watchorn was one of the victims of the mass executions. Wikipedia