2/5 Australian General Hospital

Cpl Norman Walkington

 

NX16953   

 

At the outbreak of WW2, Norm enlisted in the A.I.F on the 24 April 1940. He was assigned to the 2/5 AGH, and on the 20 October 1940, aboard the troopship “Queen Mary” sailed out of Sydney Harbour, bound for overseas duties.

 

He wasn’t aware then, that it would be six years before he was to return to Australia.

 

The Unit arrived in Palestine in December 1940, and by the April of 1941, had established a 1200 bed hospital at Kokkinia – Greece.

 

In March 1941, the Greek Army capitulated, resulting in the evacuation of all Allied troops. However, because of the nature of the wounded  -- 167 men of the 2/5 AGH, volunteered to stay behind - to nurse and comfort them. Norm was one of these.

 

On the 27 April 1941, the Hospital was overrun by the advancing German Army, and so they became Prisoners Of War.

 

In October 1941, Norm was relocated to a POW camp at Bad Suza – Stalag 1XC

 

He was interred here until May 1942, and then sent to Obermassfield near Meiningen, until liberated in April 1945 by the United States 3rd Army - led by General George Patten and was finally trans shipped to England in May 1945.

 

Norm was a Prisoner Of War for four years,

 

In England, Norm met and married Edith, and finally returned home to Australia in October 1946.

 

Acknowledgement

This information and photos, was kindly given by Norm Walkington, for copy and reproducing on the 2/5 AGH Memorabilia Disk and the Unit Website ------ July 2006.