Cecil George Henry Jukes, the son of Isaac Jukes and Emma May Jukes (nee White), was born at Mitchell in Queensland on 27th December 1908. He was educated at the Toowoomba Grammar School. At the age of 34 years he voluntarily enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force at Toowoomba in Queensland on 4th July 1940 after swearing the statutory oath of allegiance. He had no previous military experience. At the time of his enlistment he was married with one child, employed as a Cordial Manufacturer and resided at Alice Street, Mitchell, Queensland. His physical description was that he had dark brown hair and brown eyes. He stated that he was of the Methodist religion. He gave his next of kin as his wife, Mrs Flora Myrtle Jukes, residing at 36 Alice Street, Mitchell, Queensland. His wife’s address was later changed to c/- Post Office, Station Street, Helidon, Queensland.
Bombardier Cecil Jukes was allotted the regimental number of QX10433. He joined the Grovely Depot on 6th July 1940. He left Grovely on 15th July 1940 and proceeded to the Redbank Camp where he joined the 2nd/10th Field Regiment. He was promoted to the rank of Acting Lance Bombardier on 14th August 1940. He was classified as a Cook (Trade Group 2) on 28th August 1940. He was promoted to the rank of Acting Bombardier on 9th September 1940. He attended a course in signals at Lytton during the period 28th September until 11th October 1940. He was granted pre-embarkation leave to farewell his family and finalize his personal affairs during the period 7th January until 17th January 1941 prior to being deployed for overseas service in the Australian Imperial Force.
Bombardier Cecil Jukes’ regiment left Redbank and entrained from South Brisbane Railway Station on 1st February 1941 and travelled by rail transport to Sydney. On arrival at Sydney on the following day his regiment embarked for overseas service on His Majesty’s ship “Queen Mary” for overseas service in South East Asia. His regiment disembarked from the ship at Singapore on 18th February 1941. His regiment later moved to Malacca. He was admitted to the Australian Dressing Station in Malaya suffering from bilateral Otitis on 28th October 1941 and he remained a patient there until he was discharged on 3rd November 1941 and rejoined his regiment later that day. He was granted local leave during the period 23rd November until 26th November 1941.
Bombardier Cecil Jukes became a prisoner of war of the Japanese when the Allied forces at Singapore surrendered on 15th February 1942. He was interned at Changi with the rest of his regiment. He was admitted to the Australian General Hospital at Changi suffering from a hernia on 21st April 1942 and discharged on the following day. Whilst a member of a Japanese work party at Bukit Timah Road in Singapore on 15th April 1942 he suffered an accidental injury whilst unloading concrete slabs. He was a member of “B” Force that comprised 1494 Allied prisoners of war who boarded the Japanese ship “Yubi Maru” in Singapore and embarked for Sandakan in Borneo where they were to build an aerodrome for the Japanese. Cecil Jukes died of illness (malaria/acute enteritis) at No. 2 Jungle Camp at Ranau in Borneo on 23rd July 1945 and he was buried in the main cemetery at No. 2 Jungle Camp. At the time of his death Cecil Jukes was 36 years of age.
It was not until after the war ceased that his fate became known and his wife was notified of his death by telegram on 6th November 1945. After the war the Graves Registration Unit was unable to locate/identify his remains therefore his name is commemorated on the Labuan Memorial to the missing in Borneo. For his service during World War 2, Cecil Jukes had entitlement for the 1939/1945 Star, the Pacific Star, the War Medal and the Australian Service Medal 1939/1945. His name is commemorated on Panel No. 16 at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, the Mitchell War Memorial and locally on the Toowoomba Grammar School World War 2 Honour Board.
Note
The War Memorial states, ‘Qld. Paybook photograph, taken on enlistment, of QX10433 Bombardier Cecil George Harry Jukes, 2/10th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery. He was one of over 2000 Allied prisoners of war (POW) held in the Sandakan POW camp in north Borneo, having been transferred there from Singapore as a part of B Force. The 1494 POW’s that made up B Force, were transported from Changi on 7 July 1942 on board the tramp ship Ubi Maru, arriving in Sandakan Harbour on 18 July 1942. Bombardier Jukes, aged 39, died as a prisoner of the Japanese on 23 July 1945. He was the son of Isaac and Emma May Jukes, and the husband of Flora Myrtle Jukes, of Annerley, Qld. He is commemorated on the Labuan Memorial Panel 2. (Photograph copied from AWM232, items 4 and 5. Personal information from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database.)’
His wife applied for and received the Female Relative Badge on 28th January 1941. She also applied for the Mother’s & Widow’s Badge.
His mother applied for and received the Female Relative Badge with two stars on 21st March 1945.
Toowoomba Grammar School archive records show that he enrolled as a boarder on 8th July 1919 and that he left the School on 1st December 1920 after completing his Junior studies. His parent was shown as Mrs Jukes, Alice Street, Mitchell. After leaving school he entered employment in a bank.
External Links
Australian War Memorial Honour Roll
Mitchell War Memorial