Wearing his grandfather CAPT Hec Waller's medals, David Waller places a floral tribute

The sudden appearance of a very elderly woman with a bunch of flowers...and her equally sudden disappearance...provided a poignant moment in the 60th anniversary remembrance ceremony of the Battle of the Java Sea at the Sydney Cenotaph on March 1.

ABSTD Adam Thomson from the NUSHIP Yarra was standing easy after doing car-door opening duties when the 'mystery' woman approached him.

"I estimate she was about 90 and from an Asian background," Adam said later.

"She carried a bunch of fresh flowers.

"She asked me if I would mind putting them on the Cenotaph when the time came," Adam added. "I said that I would. Then she was gone."

The elderly donor gave no clue to her identity, why she was present in Martin Place, nor why she wanted to remember the thousands of Australian, US, British and Dutch sailors who lost their lives around March 1, 1942.

When the time came Adam, with his new HMAS Yarra tallyband on his cap, stepped forward and placed the cellophane wrapped flowers on the memorial plinth.

He completed the laying with a snappy salute.

Adam is one of 27 members from the ship's company of the NUSHIP Yarra now under construction by ADI Ltd in Newcastle.

The memorial service was the first time the 27 officers and sailors, led by LCDR Alex Hawes, had worn the Yarra tallyband. Their ship is expected to commission at Garden Island on October 5.

All remembered the loss of the 1060-tonne Grimsby Class sloop, HMAS Yarra sunk in the Java Sea 60 years earlier. More than 300 members of the RAN, returned service personnel, diplomats, police, family members, friends and members of the public attended the 11am service.

Among the family members was 41-year-old Campsie man, Mr David Waller, the grandson of CAPT Hec Waller who went down with great courage on HMAS Perth in the battle.

For David it was his first time at such a service and he proudly wore the medals and ribbons awarded his grandfather as he too, laid a floral tribute.

In his formal address to the gathering the Commander Australian Theatre, RADM Chris Ritchie, told of how 833 Australians had lost their lives in the battle against the Japanese.

He said services such as the Java Sea remembrance were clear indicators that Australia's ties with her allies "run deep."

"No battle, no war, is glorious. Sixty years on these sailors are not forgotten and in another 60 years they won't be forgotten either," he said

The service ended with the singing of the national anthems of Australia, the US, Britain and Holland, whose countries lost so many men in the fateful battle.

By Graham Davis

Photo by ABPH Bill Louys