Assistant Minister for Defence - Call for veterans to apply for forfeited awards

Veterans, or the families of deceased veterans, who forfeited their medals have been urged to contact the Department of Defence.

The Assistant Minister for Defence, the Hon Darren Chester MP, made the call today as he announced that the Australian Government had received the Report of the Inquiry into the Refusal to Issue Entitlements to, Withholding and Forfeiture of Defence Honours and Awards.

Mr Chester said the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal was directed to inquire into Defence decisions to withhold medals from serving personnel as far back as 1939.

“The vast majority of veterans who forfeited their medals served during World War Two," Mr Chester said.

“The Government is currently considering the report and will later respond formally to the Chair of the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal and the community."

Meantime, Mr Chester called for veterans, or the families of deceased veterans, who forfeited their medals to contact the Department of Defence.

“There is no register of withheld or forfeited medals, so it is not known how many veterans forfeited their awards,” Mr Chester said.

Mr Chester said that veterans and their families greatly value service medals and this was evident from the submissions made to the enquiry.

Media note:

Veterans or their families can contact the Department of Defence on 1800 333 362.

Further information about Defence honours and awards is available at www.defence.gov.au/medals and the full report of the Inquiry into the Refusal to Issue Entitlements to, Withholding and Forfeiture of Defence Honours and Awards is available at https://defence-honours-tribunal.gov.au/inquiries/completed-inquiries/

Media contacts:

Brie Colley (Mr Chester’s office) (02) 6277 4029 

Defence Media Operations (02) 6127 1999