Gerald was born in Bristol, Somerset in the UK on the 4th of July 1912.
Working as an Insurance Agent (likely with the Mutual Life and Citizens Assurance Coy), Gerald married Margaret Joyce (nee Shepherd) in Gloucester in 1939 and lived in King Street, Gloucester.
Enlisting in Gloucester on the 17th of June 1940 Gerald marched in to RRD and was sent to the Artillery Wing at the Showground. He was taken on strength 1st RAR Glenfield on the 17th of September and then on the 22nd of November, he was transferred to the 2/15th Field Regiment and taken on strength with the 3rd Field Training Battery the same day.
Each battery eventually consisted of eight guns and after training with antiquated Ordnance QF 18-pounders, the regiment was re-equipped with 3-inch mortars due to a shortage of field pieces. Gerald was appointed Spec Group 2 on the 20th of February 1941. He was reported AWL from 09:00 hrs until 23:00 on the 14th of April and was awarded 5 days confinement to barracks (CB) on the 16th. Surprisingly, after his misdemeanor, he was appointed Acting Lance Bombardier on the 30th of April. On the 5th of May he was detached to 66 Signals Course No 6 School of Artillery and appointed Acting BDR the same day. He rejoined Unit EC School of Artillery No 8 on the 25th of May.
Embarking at Sydney on the 29th of July 1941 along with the 27th Brigade they were transferred at Freemantle, before disembarking in Singapore on the 15th of August. Gerald was promoted to Lance Corporal on the voyage and on arrival was again promoted to Lance Sergeant.
Having arrived they immediately began training. In September the Battalion went to take up a position around Tampines and in November, it was re-equipped with Ordnance QF 25-pounders.
In early December 1941, the regiment moved north into Malaya and shortly afterwards the Japanese invaded. The regiment was assigned to the 22nd Brigade, which had been deployed to Malaya earlier in the year and were on the east coast having established its headquarters around Kluang.
The initial onslaught of the Japanese thrust was directed against the British and Indian units in the northern part of peninsula, and so it was not until January that the Australians went into action. When they did, the regiment’s batteries were split up. Throughout January they had a heavy workload, taking part in significant actions at Gemas, Muar and around Ayer Hitam and the Namazie Estate, firing thousands of rounds as they conducted rearguard actions over a distance of 150 miles (240 km), as the Allied forces were pushed south towards Johore and then across the Causeway to Singapore island.
On the 8th of February, the Japanese launched a strike across the Strait of Johore, concentrating several divisions on the 22nd Brigade’s position in the north-west sector of the island. As the only artillery regiment positioned in support of the 22nd Brigade, the 2/15th was heavily engaged, attacking Japanese barges and assaulting troops, but as the defenders were stretched thinly, their lines were soon penetrated, and they were forced to withdraw to prevent encirclement. During the withdrawal, a large number of guns were lost after the 30th Battery’s transport became bogged. Over the course of a week, they were pushed back to Singapore city, and by the 15th of February, the garrison commander, Lieutenant General Arthur Percival gave the order for Allied forces to surrender.
In the days after the surrender the prisoners were marched across the city to Singapore’s notorious Changi camp. Later, the emaciated captives were farmed out to labour camps across Asia, notably the hellish Thai-Burma railway. A total of 556 personnel from the 2/15th were captured; they would spend three-and-a-half years in Japanese captivity, during which 294 men would die.
On the 26th of March 1942 Gerald was reported missing in Malaya. On the 6th of July 1943 he was again reported ‘Missing believed to be POW’ which was confirmed on the 17th of November 1943. On the 14th of May 1945 it was reported ‘Believed died of Illness’, which on the 1st of August 45 was confirmed ‘Died of Illness in Thailand – Cholera on the 25th of July 1943’.
Gerald left behind a wife and 1 child, possibly named Margaret Anne Alice (as a document dated 21st of October 1959 requested the will of Gerald stating he had a small policy on Margaret Anne Alice Crane for which a claim was being held). In 1947 Margaret Joyce Crane married Leslie Arthur William Crane in Manly, NSW.
