Veterans returning to Brunei

Kyt · Nov 26, 2008

Veterans returning to Brunei - Breaking News - National - Breaking News

Six war veterans will return to Brunei for the dedication of a memorial honouring the Australians who fought there during the final few months of World War II.

The group will also visit wartime locations in Malaysia and Singapore and lay wreaths and poppies at the Labuan War Cemetery, where the 114 Australians who died in Brunei are buried.

The memorial, to be dedicated on December 13, is located at the site of allied landings at Muara Beach, Pantai Muara and Brunei Darussalam.

The successful Operation Oboe 6 landings were the largest amphibious assaults undertaken by Australians during the war.

About 20,000 Australians from each branch of the armed forces were involved in the operation to displace the Japanese in June 1945.

At Labuan they faced determined Japanese resistance in a tangle of jungle and swamp.

Operations around Brunei Bay continued with waves of Australians landing and advancing to Brunei town and further afield in North Borneo, ending the Japanese occupation.

During the operation the RAAF bombed airfields and other military targets while Royal Australian Navy minesweepers cleared mines from the approach channels.

The operation was the last Australian campaign of the war, which ended two months later.

Travelling to Brunei will be William Corey, 2/43rd Infantry Battalion, from Rostrevor, South Australia; Stephen Gooch, HMAS Kanimbla, Arana Hills, Queensland; Ronald Hatch, 2/12th Commando Squadron, Lesmurdie, Western Australia; Rex Kawelmacher, 2/17th Infantry Battalion, Shellharbour, NSW; Rex Smith, 25 Air Stores Park, RAAF, West Ulverstone, Tasmania, and Gordon Verney, 1st Australian Beach Group, RAN, Burleigh Waters, Queensland.

Veterans' Affairs Minister Alan Griffin said the trip would be emotional for the veterans because some of them were making their first visit to Brunei since the war.
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Antipodean Andy · Nov 26, 2008

Good to see these chaps getting this opportunity.

Antipodean Andy · Dec 10, 2008

Veterans head to Brunei for WWII memorial - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Six World War II veterans will travel to Brunei today to unveil a memorial honouring the efforts of Australian forces 63 years ago.

The Federal Government will dedicate the first memorial honouring Australian efforts to end the Japanese occupation of Brunei.

One hundred and fourteen Australians died during the campaign.

Brisbane veteran Steve Gooch has not been to Brunei since he was there as a stoker aboard HMAS Kanimbla in 1945 and says it will be an emotional return.

"Everything that took place there, on the day and afterwards and also there's the relief of knowing that there's a lot of POWs that came out of it OK afterwards," he said.

"I feel very privileged to represent the rest of my Navy mates who aren't going."

Mr Gooch says his crew were responsible for getting 1,200 men and 320 tonnes of equipment to shore at Brunei Bay.

"Until things get underway you never really know what it's like but once the beach had settled and then it's just head down tail up until you get all the unloading completed," he said.

"In the case of Brunei we were unloaded in somewhere around six hours."
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Nostalgair · Dec 10, 2008

Hi Andy,

There was a good report on this last night on the ABC's "7:30 Report" last night with some excellent footage.

Here's the media clip from the 7:30 Report.

The 7.30 Report - ABC

Some long overdue recognition once again.

Cheers

Owen

Antipodean Andy · Dec 10, 2008

Nice one, Owen, cheers.

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