World War II heroes robbed of return home honoured
The nation is marking the heroic contributions of nearly 40,000 Australians killed during World War II, 80 years after the Allies’ victory in the Pacific.
A country boy who flew a B-24 bomber over Borneo in July 1945 did not live long enough to witness the end of World War II.
Warrant Officer Class 2 Frederick Balfe Emanuel died mere weeks before Victory in the Pacific Day on August 15, when Japan announced its unconditional surrender to the Allies.
At age 22, Emanuel enlisted in the Australian army serving in Papua New Guinea before joining the Far Eastern Liaison Office, where he took part in dangerous reconnaissance missions.
He is being honoured at the Australian War Memorial on Friday, as the nation marks the 80th anniversary of the bloody war coming to an end.
“His story is a heartbreaking reminder of how close some came to seeing peace yet never returned home,” memorial director Matt Anderson said.
“This is honouring a country boy who became a Sydneysider yet did not survive to finish his story.”
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Commemorative services will be held across the nation to mark Victory in the Pacific Day on Friday, including at the Cenotaph in Sydney’s Martin Place.
The national commemorative service in Canberra at the memorial will be attended by 12 WWII veterans and their carers from across the country.
Other commemorations include a Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon aircraft conducting a flypast over the National War Memorial in Adelaide.
“Victory in the Pacific Day marks the end of a great darkness – brought on by the most devastating global conflict in human history,” Federal Veterans’ Affairs Minister Matt Keogh said.
“Today, we reflect on this enduring wartime legacy and remember what it took to get here – the sacrifice, the sorrow and the strength. Lest we forget.”
Australia played a significant role in the Pacific during World War II, fighting against Japan from 1941 to 1945.
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Initially, Australian forces engaged in campaigns in Malaya and Singapore.
After the bombing of Darwin in February 1942, the focus shifted to defending the Australian mainland and supporting the US-led counteroffensive in the Pacific.
RSL national president Greg Melick said the occasion was an important time for Australia to recognise the sacrifices of so many fallen soldiers.
“For Australians, that day meant that the Second World War was finally over,” he said.
“As the number of WWII veterans dwindle, it is vital that we commemorate their collective contribution to our liberty and way of life.”
He said nearly one million Australians, about one in seven of the population at the time, served in uniform during the Second World War.
Almost 40,000 died and 66,000 were wounded.
Many thousands more became prisoners of war, with 8000 dying in captivity.
“The end of the war brought heartache for many families when, after years of waiting for news of the missing, they were told that their loved ones were not coming home,” Melick said.
-with AAP
