Harold Methuen Balding was a member of our Rotary Club, and subsequently enlisted to fight for his country during World War 2. He never returned home and his remains or the location of his grave have never been found. He died in North Borneo on 3 April, 1945.

Harold was born in Boort on 13 December, 1899. He was the son of Albert and Millicent Balding. He was married to Beatrix and they had 3 children. Of these, only his son, John Balding, is still alive today. His children were teenagers when he was sent overseas to fight the Japanese.

Harold Balding joined our Club in April, 1935. He was a baker and his bakery was on the corner of Fairy and Koroit Streets, diagonally opposite Ron Rauert’s shoe store. He became Club Secretary in 1936 and continued to hold this position in the Club until he enlisted in the Australian Infantry Forces in July, 1940. Harold was Club Secretary and Ivor Ryan was Club President, and they both decided to enlist at the same time. They both offered their resignations from the Club because they were enlisting and would obviously not be able to continue attending Rotary meetings, but their resignations were not accepted. By that time, Rotary International had introduced a new type of Rotary war service leave which would enable Rotarians to retain Rotary membership without having to attend Rotary Club meetings whilst they were serving their countries.

 

For the full story as presented by Ian Sharman, plus a letter from Heather Tuck, and an extract from the the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Other resources are the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website www.cwgc.org.uk, Australian War Memorial Photographic Website www.awm.gov.au & Lynette Ramsay Silver Sandakan – A Conspiracy of Silence:-, please click on the link below.