Western Australia prepares for state funeral for World War II prisoner of war Arthur LeggettCBy Cason HoTopic:Funerals and Memorial Services25m ago25 minutes agoFri 9 May 2025 at 10:05pmArthur Leggett OAM was Western Australia's oldest and last surviving World War II prisoner of war. (Supplied)In short:Western Australia will today farewell its final World War II prisoner of war, Arthur Leggett, with a state funeral at St George's Cathedral.Mr Leggett died last month at the age of 106.Members of the public will be able to view a live broadcast in a viewing area in the Stirling Gardens, or on ABC TV and DAB+ Digital Radio from 9:45am.abc.net.au/news/arthur-leggett-state-funeral-st-georges-cathedral-may-10/105275380Link copiedShareShare articleWest Australians will gather on Saturday to commemorate the state's last World War II prisoner of war, Arthur Leggett, who died on April 6.He was 106 years old.The veteran was a survivor of the infamous Lamsdorf Death March to Munich — where captured soldiers were forced to march across the Czech Alps while starving in the midst of the European winter.He was 22 years old when he was captured by German forces following the Battle of Crete, and spent four years as a prisoner of war.A state funeral will be held for Mr Leggett, which WA Veterans Minister Paul Papalia has described as a "once in a generation event".Loading Instagram contentAt 9:40am on Saturday, a riderless horse — symbolising a fallen service person — will lead a military procession from West Perth down St Georges Terrace.The number of steps taken by soldiers during the procession will equate to approximately one step for every kilometre Mr Leggett walked during his march in captivity.The St Georges Cathedral's tenor bell will toll 106 times, once for every year of Mr Leggett's life.The funeral will commence at 10:30am inside the cathedral.The state funeral for Arthur Leggett will be held at St George's Cathedral. (ABC News: Emma Wynne)Members of the public will be able to view a live broadcast in a viewing area in the Stirling Gardens, or on ABC TV and DAB+ Digital Radio from 9:45am.Brave serviceArthur Leggett was born on September 8, 1918 in Sydney, and first enlisted in the army in 1936 as part of the Cameron Highlanders of Western Australia.His first exposure to warfare was as part of the 2/11th Battalion, in the Battle of Bardia in January 1941, which was the first battle fought by Australian troops in World War II.Arthur Leggett died last month at the age of 106. (Arthur Leggett)By May of that year, Mr Leggett had been deployed with his battalion to Crete, where the German Airborne Division commenced its assault.Ten days of intense fighting ensued, with planes and German paratroopers cluttering the sky.On May 30, the decision was made to surrender.Mr Leggett was captured and put into Nazi Germany prisoner of war camps, where he was made to work 12-hour days in coal mines.In 1944, Russian advancements towards the war camps prompted the Germans to relocate — the Lamsdorf Death March — 800 kilometres through heavy snow.Arthur Leggett's prisoner of war identification. (Supplied: Ray Galliott)The group marched 15 to 25 kilometres each day, suffering from frostbite, and eating whatever rations they could scrounge along the way.American forces eventually arrived to liberate the prisoners of war, including Mr Leggett, and the Germans surrendered.WA's oldest surviving WWII prisoner of war dies aged 106Photo shows World War II veteran Arthur Leggett sitting on a chair looking into the distanceWestern Australia's oldest surviving World War II army prisoner of war, Arthur Leggett, dies in Perth aged 106.Following the German surrender Mr Leggett, and the 20 men he had led throughout his time as a prisoner of war, boarded a plane to fly to England, but that plane crashed after a wheel fell off.Fortunately, there were no injuries, and the men were able to board another plane to freedom.'Don't Cry for Me'Mr Leggett served as the president of the Ex-Prisoners of War Association of WA for 29 years.Later in life, he became a well-known visitor of schools around Perth, educating children about the experiences of war.Mount Lawley Senior High School named its library the Arthur Leggett OAM Library in 2018.In 2015, Mr Leggett wrote the autobiography Don't Cry For Me, documenting his life up to his 88th birthday.LoadingPosted 25m ago25 minutes agoFri 9 May 2025 at 10:05pmShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)Top Stories'Third party' vote looks set to beat CoalitionTopic:ElectionsPhoto shows A triangular chart showing an example of some electorates shifting from LNP to 'Other candidates' at the 2025 federal election'We've hit the lottery': Businesses cash in on Labor's home battery rebateTopic:Energy IndustryPhoto shows A man with a t-shirt, hat and sunglasses on top of his head smiles at camera.Labor win turns sour as the bloody realpolitik takes centre stageLAnalysis by Laura TinglePhoto shows Two men in orange hi vis vest, with one holding up a dollar coinIndia's retaliation to terror attacks reflects a changed strategy. 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