Michael Lord and World War II

Michael Lord was born in Sydney on 3 January 1922. On 23 December 1941, Michael enlisted to join the A I F at the St Martin Place Recruiting Office in Sydney. He was 19 years old (almost 20) and his occupation was listed as being a clerk. The family address was Metavale, Cunnamulla Queensland and his father, Arthur Lord, was listed as next of kin.

Later that day he signed the Oath of Enlistment at Paddington. His service number was NX80050. Michael marched to the General Details Depot - a recruit training centre at the Royal Agricultural Society Showground at Moore Park Sydney. It also acted as a transit camp for soldiers moving to and from leave as well as those passing through Sydney. He then had three weeks unpaid leave before marching out to the E C A A S C (Eastern Command Australian Army Service Corps) Training Depot on 15 January 1942. On 17 March he transferred to Second Division Ammunition Company. In May he attended the Driver and Maintenance School at Narellan for 18 days.

On 19 February 1942 the Japanese staged the first of a series of bombing raids on Darwin. Japanese aircraft attacked Broome in Northern Western Australia on 3 March. In 1942 and 1943 there were many Japanese air attacks on the northern coast of Australia including Townsville and Horn Island. As Western Australia became vulnerable to Japanese air attack the Western Australian government requested more support from the Commonwealth government. Two of the six divisions originally stationed in New South Wales and Victoria were relocated to Western Australia including the Second Division in July 1942.

Michael Lord therefore left Sydney on 12 July with the Second Division to support the Western Australia Line of Communication Branch. Michael remained there until 21 September 1943 when he boarded the ship, Nieu Amsterdam at Freemantle to travel to Melbourne. While in Western Australia he became an 18 Company Australian Service Corps Training III clerk.

The Nieu Amsterdam arrived in Melbourne on 26 September and the soldiers spent time with the Victorian Line of Communication. They returned to Sydney in December 1943.

On 16 January 1944 the soldiers were on the move again, this time aboard the Van Heritz for Finschhafen in Papua New Guinea. In 1943 there had been several battles between the Japanese and Australian armies for the occupation of Finschhafen and the surrounding region. The Australians eventually prevailed in October 1943. Finschhafen became one of the main bases for the Allies and was used as a staging camp for further campaigns.

View of Finschhafen October 1943 - AWM

From Finschhafen the Australian soldiers travelled 277 kilometres north west to Madang, further up the coast. The Battle for Madang was fought between early February 1944 and late April of that year.

Google Maps

It is not known to what extent Michael was involved in this battle. We know from his service record that he was in Madang in September 1944 as he embarked on the Duntroon at Madang on 13 September on its way to Queensland. When in Papua New Guinea Michael contracted malaria and was in and out of hospital before returning to Australia. He was discharged from the army on 7 April 1945. Among the papers he received on discharge included advice for treating malaria.

Medals awarded included 1939/45 Star, Pacific Star,War Medal 1939/45 and Australian Service Medal.

 References:

 Michael Lord's service records - National Archives Australia

Air raids in Australia 1942-1943 - Wikipedia

Australian malariology during World War II (part 3) - JMVH