YOUR STORIES

 

The George Cross (left) awarded to Korea War veteran Horace 'Slim' Madden is on display in Canberra.


The George Cross medal, awarded posthumously to Australian prisoner-of-War Private Horace "Slim" Madden, has gone on display at the Australian War Memorial.
The AWM said this medal had been loaned anonymously and was now displayed in the Korea section of the Conflicts 1945 to Today galleries.
This was the highest medal awarded to any Australian during the Korean war which ran from 1950-53 and in which 14,087 served and 339 died.
The George Cross ranks immediately after the Victoria Cross and could be awarded to civilians as well as servicemen for acts of gallantry not in the face of the enemy.
Under the current Australian award system, the George Cross has now been replaced by the Cross of Valour.
Private Madden, 27, a member of 3RAR was captured by Chinese communist forces at the battle of Kapyong in April 24, 1951, one of 29 Australian POWs from the Korean conflict.
He died in captivity on November 6, 1951, as a result of malnutrition and mistreatment.
Private Madden resolutely rejected all enemy efforts to force him to collaborate, and his name and example became widely known among fellow prisoners.

Compliments of the AWM.

DEAR ALLAN, AS PER MY PREVIOUS EMAIL, I WILL ATTEMPT TO GIVE YOU A BREIF OUTLINE OF DAD AND HIS SERVICE IN KOREA AND MALAYA.

GEORGE DAVID GRAY, ARMY No 3/3749. ENLISTED 4/12/51, 2RAR. EMBARKED FROM SYDNEY ON THE NEW AUSTRALIA ON 5/3/53. ARRIVED PUSAN 17/3/53.
THE FOLLOWING INFO IS FROM MEMORY AS DAD PAST AWAY A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
IM NOT SURE WHICH COMPANY HE WAS IN, IN KOREA BUT HE USED TO TALK ABOUT A LT SULLIVAN A LOT.
OTHER NAMES MENTIONED WERE HONK MORRISON, JIMMY BURGE, DARCY SAMSON (KIA), KEITH FORAN (KIA),
TUBBY HAWORTH (KIA), ALAN SMITH (KIA), AND MANY MORE. AS FAR AS I KNOW,
DAD WAS ON THE HOOK IN 53 AS I HAVE A LOT OF PHOTOS OF HIS. 
I BELIEVE HE DID A WAR DOG COURSE WHILE HE WAS THERE, AND USED PATROL DOGS ON PATROL IN THE SAMICHON AREA.
SOME DOGS NAMES WERE, EROS, TIGER, BRUCE AND OTHERS.
DAD RETURNED HOME TO PUT TOGETHER THE WAR DOG SECTION THAT WENT TO MALAYA IN 55/57 WITH THE 2RAR.
I WILL KEEP THIS EMAIL BREIF, AS IF I WROTE EVERTHING DAD HAS TOLD ME OVER THE YEARS I WOULD BE HERE FOR DAYS.
I HAVE ATTACHED A FEW PHOTOS TO THIS EMAIL, BUT HAVE MANY MORE IF YOU ARE INTERESTED.
DAD WAS A MEMBER OF THE 2RAR IN QLD AND THE TRACKERS ASSOC QLD.
WHERE BOB BETTANY PRESENTED A PLAQUE TO ME AT DADS FUNERAL FOR DAD BEING ONE OF THE ORIGINAL DOG HANDLERS.
DAD WAS ALSO INTERVIEWED BY THE AUSTRALIAN ARMY ARCHIVES SOME TIME AGO.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ANY MORE INFO REGARDING DAD, I WILL BE HAPPY TO SEND A MORE DETAILED EMAIL.

REGARDS
GEORGE GRAY JNR.

GOOD NEWS STORY

FROM MRS ELAINE LANGDON Wife Of a KOREA Veteran, both KVAA Inc members.

On tuesday afternoon Ringwood Police station rang ( MELBOURNE VICTORIA AUSTRALIA SUBURB)
 

me asking if I could help find the owner of Koea Medals found in the EASTLAND SHOPPING CENTRE CAR PARK.
 

Shortly after receiving this phone call I got in touch with Gerry Steacy who gave me the number for the
 
DVA,
who informed me the Veteran -D.F.Petersen was deceased and they had spoken to his widow.
 

Shortly afterwards I received a phone call from a delighted Pauline Petersen so relieved to have got the 

medals the medals back, after they had ben stolen from her home in Moonee Ponds Vctoria.
 

I was so pleased to be able to help her since the medals were very precious to her .

Elaine Langdon.

Authors Require Australian POW stories urgently

Dear Sir  

After just releasing Aussie Soldier- Up Close and Personal we are once again seeking assistance with documenting Australian Soldiers stories. Our next project is on POWs.  

If possible could you distribute the attached questionnaire to your members. All input is welcome also if people are unable to complete the questionnaire either Craig or I are able to interview them to capture their story. Finally this is open to all services not just Army.  

A brief synopsis is as follows;

In our first book, Aussie Soldier up close and personal, we looked at the core values of the Australian soldier. We are currently researching Aussie Soldier - Prisoners of War the second in this series. In this book we wish to tell the story of the Armys men and women who were captured and held Prisoners of War from the Boer War to Korea . We are asking Australian soldiers who were prisoners of war to contribute to this book.  

The stages of being a prisoner of war that we will examine are as follows:

We would also like to include a chapter on Australian Seamen and Airmen prisoners of war.  

We invite you to participate in this book by completing, in as much detail as you like, the following questionnaire. Whilst we cannot guarantee your story will be published, we will try wherever possible to include as many stories, quotes and anecdotes as possible. At a minimum, all those who do complete the questionnaire will have their names published in the acknowledgments to thank you for your assistance. Your participation will assist in documenting part of our Australian military history and will be of value to all who read.  

If you have any further questions or wish to assist in other way please contact one of the authors:  

Denny Neave

Mobile: 0407615490

Email: denny@bigskypublishing.com.au  

Craig Smith

Mobile: 0403162966

Email: craigedwinsmith@yahoo.com  

Questionnaires should be returned by no later than 30th July 2008 to either of the above emails or hard copies can be sent to:  

Aussie Soldier

Big Sky Publishing

PO Box 303

Newport NSW 2106  

Cheers  

Denny Neave

Big Sky Publishing

mob: 0407615490

fax: 02-99182396  

www.aussiesoldier.com.au

 

Click here for questionnaire