The Hon Darren Chester MP
25 Jun 21
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The Hon Darren Chester MP
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs
Minister for Defence Personnel
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27 August 2018
Minister for Defence Personnel Darren Chester today announced 28 servicemen will be posthumously awarded the Commendation for Gallantry.
The servicemen identified were killed while escaping Japanese Prisoner of War camps or following recapture during World War II. They were imprisoned in camps throughout the Pacific including in Java, Dutch Timor and Burma, as well as along the Burma-Thailand Railway, Ambon, Sandakan, Singapore, Sumatra, Japan, Northern Celebes and New Britain.
“Today we recognise the bravery and courage of these servicemen and their heroic attempts to escape the often horrific conditions of captivity in the Far East during World War II,” Mr Chester said.
“I am calling on the next-of-kin of these 28 servicemen to come forward and register their details with the Department of Defence, so they can be invited to accept the Commendation for Gallantry on behalf of the servicemen,
“We are keen to hear from family members who currently possess the campaign medals of these men.”
The recommendation for the posthumous awarding of the Commendation for Gallantry for these servicemen was accepted by His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd) following an inquiry by the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal from 2015 to 2017.
The recognised servicemen are:
Table 1: Australian Army
|
Name |
Service Number |
Date of Death |
Place of Death |
|
Lieutenant John Leslie Appleby |
NX76266 |
6 September 1943 |
Java |
|
Corporal James Hubert Armstrong |
TX3283 |
16 June 1943 |
Timor |
|
Private Phillip Mowbray Frank Bessell |
WX7639 |
April 1942 |
Java |
|
Private Arthur Francis Davey |
QX20799 |
18 June 1942 |
Burma |
|
Private John Edward Durkin |
VX19728 |
14 August 1945 |
Thailand |
|
Private James Frederick Elmore |
VX66131 |
23 May 1945 |
Ambon |
|
Corporal Edward Victor Emmett |
NX51899 |
18 July 1945 |
Sandakan |
|
Lieutenant Wilkins Fitzallen |
TX3482 |
23 October 1942 |
Timor |
|
Private Arthur Edward Ford |
QX8367 |
17 March 1942 |
Singapore |
|
Private Charles Thomas Foster |
NX55454 |
17 March 1942 |
Singapore |
|
Private Raymond Leslie Geraghty |
NX42478 |
17 March 1942 |
Singapore |
|
Private Edwin Money Goodrick |
NX27912 |
22 March 1942 |
Sumatra |
|
Private Robert Goulden |
NX10420 |
12 July 1942 |
Burma |
|
Corporal Michael David Grace |
NX32767 |
17 March 1942 |
Singapore |
|
Private George Alfred Irwin |
VX50024 |
21 August 1943 |
Japan |
|
Private Jack Victor Jones |
WX7928 |
April 1942 |
Java |
|
Sergeant Howard Thomas Manning |
WX4609 |
April 1942 |
Java |
|
Private Norman Heather McArtney |
VX33158 |
12 July 1943 |
Thailand |
|
Private Edward Moffatt |
NX4334 |
17 March 1942 |
Singapore |
|
Private James O’Dea (aka Whitcombe) |
NX77958 |
17 March 1942 |
Singapore |
|
Private Frederick Norman Schaefer |
VX19415 |
30 April 1945 |
Ambon |
|
Corporal Kenneth Stewart |
WX6574 |
April 1942 |
Java |
|
Corporal Henry Francis Thompson |
WX4113 |
April 1942 |
Java |
|
Private Sidney Arthur Webber |
NX53777 |
18 July 1945 |
Sandakan |
|
Sergeant Bertram John West |
TX3397 |
23 October 1942 |
Timor |
|
Sergeant Henry Whitton |
WX4758 |
April 1942 |
Java |
Table 2: Royal Australian Air Force
|
Name |
Service Number |
Date of Death |
Place of Death |
|
Flight Sergeant John Victor Orgill |
441469 |
28 July 1945 |
Celebes |
|
Squadron Leader Daryl Maxwell Sproule DFC |
250641 |
16 August 1943 |
New Britain |
Mr Chester said this follows a similar inquiry conducted in 2009 where 20 servicemen were identified to be awarded the Commendation for Gallantry. A public call for the next-of-kin for these servicemen at the time resulted in 18 commendations being posthumously awarded. The next-of-kin of two servicemen identified in the 2009 inquiry are still being sought.
Table 3: Commendations for Gallantry waiting to be claimed from the 2009 Far East Prisoner of War Inquiry
|
Name |
Service Number |
Date of Death |
Place of Death |
|
Sergeant Joseph Kenneth Bell |
VX34637 |
16 September 1942 |
Kuala Lumpur |
|
Major Alan Mull |
NX12243 |
10 March 1943 |
Burma |
More information on the servicemen can be found at www.defence.gov.au/medals.
The next-of-kin of all of these servicemen can register by calling 1800 333 362 or by writing to:
honours.awards@defence.gov.au; or
Directorate of Honours and Awards
Department of Defence
PO Box 7952 CANBERRA BC ACT 2610