Ration Truck massacre

Ration Truck massacre
Part of the Battle of Timor
Location	Dili, Portuguese Timor
Date	20 February 1942
Target	Australian Army
Attack type	Shooting and stabbing
Deaths	17 (3 at the Dili Airfield 3 along the Comoro River 11 in Dili)
Injured	3
Perpetrators	Imperial Japanese Army

The Ration Truck massacre or the 1942 Dili massacre was the execution of 14 Australian soldiers and the killing of three others on 20 February 1942 in Portuguese Timor during the Battle of Timor.

Massacre

In the early hours of 20 February 1942 around 1,500 Japanese soldiers attacked the 18 Australians stationed at the Dili Airfield, during the attack Fred Smith mortally wounded by a grenade, Bryant Gannon was also killed by a grenade while Merv Ryan was wounded and captured over 8 hours later. The same day Reg Alexander was captured as he rode a motorcycle near the airfield and was subsequently executed. ^{[1] [2] [3]} At least 200 Japanese were killed. ^[4]

Later that day 16 Australian soldiers who were driving a ration truck to Dili were ambushed by Japanese soldiers, all 16 were captured and were forced to continue to Dili, four of them were forced to follow the truck on foot. While they were near the Comoro River, Dutch soldiers spotted the Japanese and engaged unaware of the captured Australians, the Japanese were able to repel the Dutch attack, and in would then shoot and then bayoneted the four men on foot, one of whom Keith Hayes survived and was rescued by two East Timorese boys and their mother Berta Sandanah Martines, the family would hide him in their home for several days before sneaking him to Australian forces. After the 12 men arrived in the Dili, they were taken to the shed of a church near the airfield, the Japanese soldiers decided to execute all but one of the soldiers, they took them to the side of the rode and were shot and or killed with a sword, at least six of the bodies were burnt. The bodies were then buried in a shallow grave on the side of the road. The only soldier that wasn’t executed was Pvt. Peter Alexander and was kept alive for interrogation. ^{[1] [2] [5]}

Victims

Killed at the Comoro River and Dili:

1. LSgt. Gordon Albert Chiswell (born 22 September 1922) ^[6]
2. Pvt. Francis Joseph “Frank” Alford (born 16 May 1920) ^[7]
3. Pvt. Harvey William Marriott (born 5 February 1907) ^[8]
4. Pvt. Donald Hylton “Don” Airey (born 10 July 1920) ^[9]
5. SSgt. John William Ernest “Jack” Walker (10 September 1919) ^[10]
6. Pvt. Frederick Thomas “Dick” Crowder (born 30 December 1916) ^[11]
7. Pvt. Charles Lenard “Charlie” Stanton (born 4 August 1919) ^[12]
8. Cpl. John Frederick “Jack” Simpson (born 10 May 1905) ^[13]
9. Pvt. Reginald Herbert “Reg” Murray (1 November 1918) ^[14]
10. Pvt. Anthony John “Tony” Lane (13 April 1920) ^[15]
11. Pvt. James “Jim” Pollard (7 July 1919) ^[16]
12. Pvt. Kenneth Tasman “Ken” Hogg (20 September 1919) ^[17]
13. Pvt. Henry James “Harry” Cotsworth (5 January 1918) ^[18]
14. Pvt. Robert Stanley Raymond “Bob” Chalmers (16 April 1919) ^[19]

Injured at the Comoro River and Dili:

1. Pvt. Keith Mortimer Hayes (born 15 January 1921) ^[20]
2. Pvt. Peter Alexander (born 2 April 1918) ^[21]

Killed at the Dili Airfield:

1. Pvt. Bryant Illong Gannon (born 15 July 1912) ^[22]
2. Pvt. Frederick George "Fred" Smith (born 17 July 1922) ^[23]
3. Pvt. Reginald Gordon “Reg” Alexander (born 20 September 1917) ^[24]

Injured at the Dili Airfield:

1. Pvt. Mervyn Peter “Merv” Ryan (born 8 June 1919) ^[25]

References

1. "The Ration Truck Massacre | Western Australian Museum". museum.wa.gov.au. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
2. "The Ration Truck Massacre - 75 years ago". 2/2 Commando Association of Australia. 2017-02-19. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
3. Willis, Edward (2021-06-29). "THE MERV RYAN STORY – Courage, Survival and Resilience". 2/2 Commando Association of Australia. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
4. "Remembering 1942: The Battles on Timor | Australian War Memorial". www.awm.gov.au. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
5. "THE FATE OF THE NO. 2 AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT COMPANY MEN WHO WERE VICTIMS OF THE RATION TRUCK MASSACRE AND KILLED IN ACTION DEFENDING THE AIRFIELD". 2/2 Commando Association of Australia. 2022-02-17. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
6. "Gordon Albert CHISWELL". Virtual War Memorial Australia. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
7. "Francis Joseph ALFORD". Virtual War Memorial Australia. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
8. "Inscription 15890832 - Harvey William Marriott". Australian Cemeteries Index. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
9. "Donald Hylton AIREY". Virtual War Memorial Australia. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
10. "Staff Sergeant John William Ernest Walker". www.awm.gov.au. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
11. "Private Frederick Thomas Crowder". www.awm.gov.au. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
12. "Charles Lenard STANTON". Virtual War Memorial Australia. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
13. "John Frederick SIMPSON". Virtual War Memorial Australia. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
14. "Reginald Herbert MURRAY". Virtual War Memorial Australia. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
15. "Inscription 15890829 - Anthony John Lane". Australian Cemeteries Index. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
16. "James POLLARD". Virtual War Memorial Australia. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
17. "Kenneth Tasman HOGG". Virtual War Memorial Australia. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
18. "Henry James COTSWORTH". Virtual War Memorial Australia. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
19. "Robert Stanley Raymond CHALMERS". Virtual War Memorial Australia. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
20. "Keith Mortimer HAYES OAM". Virtual War Memorial Australia. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
21. "Vale Peter Alexander WX12344 2/4/1918 - 12/9/2003". 2/2 Commandos Association of Australia. 2003-12-03. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
22. "Bryant Illong GANNON". vwma.org.au. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
23. "Frederick George SMITH". vwma.org.au. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
24. "Reginald Gordon ALEXANDER". vwma.org.au. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
25. "Mervyn Peter RYAN". Virtual War Memorial Australia. Retrieved 2025-02-27.