Time to Recognise Our Naval Heroes

After seventy-eight years of injustice, finally last December eighteen-year-old Teddy Sheean received a Victoria Cross for his heroism aboard HMAS Armidale in December 1942. Two war heroes who fought just as bravely still have nothing. Although retrospective VCs might not be in order for Robert Rankin and Ron Taylor, surely the government should look at Stars of Gallantry for these neglected men.

Imagine today if every approval for an Australian gallantry award had to be ticked off by someone in London. What’s more, unlike Royal Navy commanders, Australian warship captains were not allowed to recommend the nature of the award. That was what our Navy had to endure in the Second World War. The other two forces had their awards approved in Australia. Navies take a long time to grow, and ours had been “parented” by the RN. When war arrived, there was no time for revision. Fighting for its life against Germany and Italy, and later Japan, Britain was under extreme…