Isabel Justelius papers relating to Frank H. Tuckey, 1942-1943, ca. 1990

MLMSS 8581

fonds

1942-1943, ca. 1990

981220

0.04 metres of textual material (1 box)

Francis Harmston Tuckey (1904-1944), soldier, was born in South Grafton, NSW. He lived in North Sydney and worked in the NSW Department of Agriculture where he met his fiancée, Isabel Justelius (1913-2011). He enlisted in the 2nd AIF and, soon after their engagement in June 1941, sailed with the 2/30 Battalion for service in Singapore and Malaya. In February 1942 he was captured by the Japanese and spent the rest of his life as a prisoner of war. He was imprisoned in Changi, and in the camps of Great World and River Valley Road. From April-November 1943 he was in camps at Three Pagodas Pass providing labour for the construction of the Burma-Thailand Railway. Tuckey succumbed to several bouts of malaria which ultimately claimed his life in Changi on 11 January 1944. Isabel Justelius never married and died at Mollymook, NSW.

References:
Compiled from the collection
Library correspondence file

Frank H. Tuckey's letters, diary, notebook, sonnet and certificate were collected after his death by his friend and fellow POW in Changi, Stan Arneil, who delivered them to Isabel Justelius on his return to Australia in November 1945.

This collection chiefly documents Private Frank Tuckey’s term as a POW in Changi, including his ‘epistles’, being personal letters, to his fiancée, Isabel Justelius, received by her after the war.

1. Letters from F. H. Tuckey to Isabella Justelius, nos 1-7, 14 July 1942-23 Aug. 1942 (15 pp.). Written in pencil.

2. ‘Epistles’ to Isabella from F. H. Tuckey, nos 8-27, 9 Oct. 1942-15 Nov. 1943, pp. 1-77, being letters written in pencil in red pocket notebook continuing the ’epistles’ in nos 1-7. The writing in red ink and pencil on pages 78-80 belongs to Stan Arneil who made a brief summary of part of his own diaries which he had feared losing.

3. Photocopy of typed transcription, ‘Epistles’ to Isabella, nos 1-27, 14 July 1942-15 Nov. 1943, compiled by Rita Appleyard, ca. 1990

4. ‘Diary No.3’ of F. H. Tuckey, 23 Oct. 1942-9/11 Feb. 1943, pp. 143-228, being red pocket diary of pencil-written entries, with dates and places where he was imprisoned inscribed inside the front cover, followed by record of a competition between Stan Arneil, Sid Hart and Frank Tuckey, 15 Sept. 1942-15 Apr. 1943, estimating dates of events, such as release from Changi, defeat of Japan, and return through Sydney Heads

5. Sonnet by F. H Tuckey, Nov. 1942, being corrected typescript, with annotation, ‘Awarded 2nd prize in the Literary Competition held in the P.O.W. camp at Changi, Singapore Island.’, inscribed and signed by Captain Leslie Greener

6. Certificate of Second Prize in Literary Contest, Section IVa – Verse, awarded to Pte F. H. Tuckey, 2/30 Bn AIF, 23 Nov. 1942, signed by Commander Lt. Colonel Frederick Galleghan

Copyright status:: In copyright - This collection has multiple rights owners
Research & study copies allowed: Applies to the writings by Frank H. Tuckey and the transcriptions by Rita Appleyard
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and Courtesy copyright holders