Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They
AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e
BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German
Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who
By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an
Navigation
Primary Navigation
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular
Secondary Navigation
Australia
China
India
Indonesia
Japan
Malaysia
Philippines
Thailand
Vietnam
Search
Search:
Emotional Brunei ceremony for Aussie WWII vets: witness
AFP - Saturday, December 13
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (AFP) - - Veterans of one of Australia's final actions in World War Two returned to a Brunei beach on Saturday for an emotional memorial dedication ceremony, a witness said.
The six ageing servicemen, most of whom were returning for the first time, represented 20,000 fellow Australian soldiers, sailors and airmen who took part in the operation known as OBOE 6 which helped end the Japanese occupation of Borneo island.
The memorial stands a few metres (yards) from Brunei's Muara Beach, which the troops knew as Green Beach. It was dedicated at almost the exact time naval guns opened fire for the attack on that Sunday morning, June 10, 1945.
"I think tears were held back," a spokeswoman for Australia's Department of Veterans' Affairs told AFP. "It was definitely very emotional."
Among the returning veterans was Steve Gooch, a navy stoker who helped man one of 25 barges that ferried the soldiers and their gear from HMAS Kanimbla to the shore.
One of those soldiers, Rex Kawelmacher, also returned for the ceremony. He earlier told AFP his B Company led the way that morning when Australia's 2/17th Infantry Battalion, part of the 9th Division, went ashore.
Gooch and an army veteran, Bill Corey, unveiled the memorial along with Australia's Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Alan Griffin, while Kawelmacher laid a wreath, the spokeswoman said.
Three other veterans gave readings, she added.
"Today as we unveil the new memorial we honour Australia's efforts and the cooperation of the people of Brunei at the site of these landings," Griffin said.
In the overall OBOE 6 operation, 114 Australians lost their lives and 221 were wounded, Veterans' Affairs says.
The Office of Australian War Graves sought permission from Bruneian authorities before building the memorial, which includes photographs and details of the landings at Green Beach.
The memorial's green centre stone reads simply: "1945 in memory".
Email Story
IM Story
Printable View
Blog This
Recommend this article
Average (0 votes)
Sign in to recommend this article »
Most Recommended Stories »
Related Articles: Asia Pacific
Britain promises more anti-terror aid to PakistanAP - 55 minutes ago
Gamba beat Adelaide in Club World Cup quarter finalAFP - 59 minutes ago
Number of litter bugs issued CWO up nine—fold in past two yearsChannel NewsAsia - 1 hour 37 minutes ago
Parents return passport to Bangladeshi doctorAP - 1 hour 50 minutes ago
Gunmen abduct Filipino businessman, school officerAP - 2 hours 23 minutes ago
Enlarge Photo
Emotional Brunei ceremony for Aussie WWII vets: witness
Most Popular – Asia Pacific
Viewed
US carmakers mull options as White House vows aid
Actress Jennifer Aniston appears naked in GQ magazine
Russia crowned Miss World 2008 in African event
Fortis bank, saved from collapse, again on shaky ground
Rich and powerful top Madoff's fraud victims: report
View Complete List »
Search:
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular