Parliament House Canberra ACT 2602
Telephone 02 6277 7820 Facsimile 02 6273 4140
The Hon Alan Griffin MP
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs
VA121
Wednesday 10 December 2008
WWII VETERANS RETURN TO BRUNEI TO DEDICATE NEW MEMORIAL
Veterans of one of Australia’s final campaigns in the Pacific during the Second World War are
today beginning their journey back to site of the Australian landings in Brunei to dedicate a new
memorial honouring Australia’s efforts in the campaign, the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Alan
Griffin, said today.
Last night Mr Griffin hosted a function in Brisbane to farewell the six veterans who will represent
the 20,000 Australians involved in Operation OBOE 6 at the memorial unveiling.
“Sixty-three years on we are fortunate to have veterans of the Brunei campaign able to take part
in the Australian Government’s commemorative mission to dedicate the new Brunei-Australia
Memorial,” Mr Griffin said.
“This will be the first time most of these veterans have returned to the site of the landings—one
of the largest amphibious assaults undertaken by Australians in the Second World War. It will
be a poignant event for them.
“The six veterans––including former members of the Royal Australian Navy, the Australian
Army and the Royal Australian Air Force––were nominated by Australian ex-service
organisations to represent the veteran community,” Mr Griffin said.
The Brunei-Australia Memorial will be dedicated on Saturday 13 December at the site of the
Allied landings at Muara Beach, Pantai Muara, Brunei Darussalam.
The successful campaign, involving land, sea and air forces, was part of Australia’s last actions
in the Second World War that ended the Japanese occupation of Brunei and North Borneo in
1945.
The six veterans will also visit the Labuan War Cemetery in Malaysia, where the 114
Australians who died in the operation are buried, and Surrender Point where the Japanese
surrendered to the Australians after the war had ended.
The commemorative mission is being conducted through the Australian Government’s
commemorations program, Saluting their Service.
For information on the memorial, Brunei campaign and veterans travelling on the mission visit
Media inquiries: Laura Ryan 0437 863 109
Editor’s note: a list of veteran representatives follows.
The VVCS – Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service can be contacted 24 hours a day, seven days a
week on 1800 011 046.
To receive the Minister’s media releases automatically by email subscribe at minister.dva.gov.au/subscribe.htm
Veteran representatives
Name
Unit
State
Mr William (Bill) Corey
2/43rd Infantry Battalion,
Australian Army
Rostrevor, SA
Mr Stephen (Steve) Gooch
HMAS Kanimbla,
Royal Australian Navy
Arana Hills, Qld
Mr Ronald (Ron) Hatch
2/12th Commando Squadron,
Australian Army
Lesmurdie, WA
Mr Rex Kawelmacher
2/17th Infantry Battalion,
Australian Army
Shellharbour, NSW
Mr Rex Smith
25 Air Stores Park,
Royal Australian Air Force
West Ulverstone, Tas
Mr Gordon Verney
1st Australian Beach Group,
Royal Australian Navy
Burleigh Waters, Qld
NOTE: Biographies of the veterans are available on request.
NEWS 
