Private
Sidney Kingston Bignell
Sidney Kingston Bignell was born in Southport Queensland on the 12th of November 1919 to Mr Samuel Stanley Bignell and Mrs Rebecca Annie Bignell (nee Gray) as the youngest of their 10 children.
| Service Number: | QX21930 |
| Place of Enlistment: | Brisbane |
| Age of Enlistment: | 21 Years 7 Months |
| Date Of Enlistment: | 2nd of July 1941 |
| Embarked: | Sydney, 7th of September 1941 |
| Transport Ship: | HMAT ‘JJ’ for Singapore |
| Medals: | 1939-45 Star, Pacific Star, War Medal, Australian Service Medal |
| Place of Death: | Taken Prisoner of War, 15th of February 1942, Singapore Died of Illness, on the 8th of October 1943, Myanmar |
| Resting Place: | Buried Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery, Plot A16, Row A, Grave 8, Myanmar |
| Unit | 2/26th Australian Infantry Battalion |
Sidney Kingston Bignell was born in Southport Queensland on the 12th of November 1919 to Mr Samuel Stanley Bignell and Mrs Rebecca Annie Bignell (nee Gray) as the youngest of their 10 children. His siblings were (from eldest to youngest) Robert, Charlotte, Ethel, Dorothy, Samuel, Isaac, Susan, Walter and Mary. Prior to his enlistment in the 2nd AIF, Sidney lived in Upper Coomera where he worked as a farm labourer and served in the Australian Militia Force.
Many members of the local Bignell family served in the Second World War. However, only Sidney (Sid) and his brother Walter (Wally) were killed. Both brothers were local farmers from Upper Coomera. A pair of trees were later planted at the then Maudsland State School in memory of the fallen brothers.
After his enlistment, Sidney served with the 2/26th Australian infantry Battalion and was taken prisoner during the fall of Singapore. Over 22,000 Australians would become prisoners of the Japanese during the Second World War. More than 8,000 Australians died in Japanese captivity, most of these deaths were due to the indifference and brutality of their captors. Conditions were particularly brutal for those prisoners who were forced to build the Thai-Burma Railroad, one of whom was Private Bignell. 2,815 Australians, over 11,000 other Allied prisoners and roughly 75,000 Asian labourers died due to the relentless labour and inadequate rations.
Family Links: Sidney Kingston Bignell and his brother Walter Bignell are the nephews of Sydney Kingston Bignell who also appears on the Upper Coomera Cenotaph. Their father, Samuel Stanley Bignell is the older brother of Sydney.
Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery - Photo Find a Grave Muriel Butler
Medals & Awards
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The 1939–45 Star is a campaign medal awarded to Australians who had served between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945 for a minimum of 6 months, or two months for air crew personnel.
The Pacific Star was awarded for operational service in the Pacific Theatre of Operations between 8 December 1941 and 2 September 1945.
The War Medal 1939-45 was awarded for 28 days full time service in the armed forces over the duration of the Second Word War.
Civilians who worked with the armed services as well as those who served in military hospitals also received this medal.
The Australia Service Medal 1939-45 was instituted in 1949 to recognise the service of members of the Australian Armed Forces and the Australian Mercantile Marine during World War II.
Unit Patch of the 2/26th Australian Infantry Battalion
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