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WELL
DONE: The Governor General MAJGEN Michael Jeffery meets
veterans at the Battle of the Java Sea Memorial ceremony,
held at Martin Place in Sydney’s CBD.
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Photo:
ABPH Brenton Freind
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By
Graham Davis
World War II veteran Frank Glover received two telephone calls
from afar on the morning of February 22. One was from Canada,
the other from Cobar.
“On Friday would you please lay a red rose on the Martin Place
Cenotaph in remembrance of CMDR Robert Rankin,” was the request
from both callers.
One was Ms Patricia Rankin the daughter of hero Rankin (she’s
now a Canadian school teacher) and the other was from Cobar
Council, the town in which Robert Rankin spent his early years.
Mr Glover eagerly carried out the request on Friday, February
25 when more than 400 people gathered at the Cenotaph to mark
the 63rd anniversary of the Battle of the Java Sea and area.
Mr Glover is the chairman of the Battle of the Java Sea Commemoration
Committee. The battles, between February 15 and March 4, 1942,
involved the Japanese and ships of four Allied navies, Britain,
Australia, Netherlands and the US.
Many ships and hundreds of lives were lost. HMAS Perth and HMAS
Yarra were among the ship’s sunk.
The actions of CMDR Hec Waller in Perth and LCDR Robert Rankin
in Yarra, and their crews, were outstanding.
Two of the RAN’s six submarines have since been named after
the two men.
In his address to the assembled crowd of ex-service personnel,
family members, government and consular representatives and
the public, the Governor General, MAJGEN Michael Jeffery applauded
those who had fought in the battles against overwhelming odds.
CDRE Kevin Taylor represented the Maritime Commander while HMAS
Kuttabul provided the catafalque party.
CHAP Ian McKendrick led the prayers.
The Sydney detachment of the RAN Band provided the music.
The service concluded with the singing of the national anthems
of Australia, Britain, the US and Netherlands.
The Governor General and Mrs Marlena Jeffery then met and spoke
with many veterans and members of the public.
