5 years ago
AUSTRALIAN FAR EAST PRISONERS OF WAR
The Hon Darren Chester MP
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 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.