Re: Gallantry of Escapees Not Recognized

Date: April 27, 2004

"Galantry of WWII escapees not recognised

Reporter: Mike Sexton

KERRY O'BRIEN: Every year, Anzac Day brings an opportunity to commemorate the sacrifice and heroism of servicemen and women across the generations.

During World War II, thousands of Australian servicemen were subjected to brutality as prisoners of war to the Japanese, especially those who had to build the Burma Railway.

Within that wider saga, there's one little known story of eight Australians who escaped from a POW camp only to be recaptured and executed.

In all, there were 19 such cases from the war who should have received official recognition for gallantry but haven't for reasons unknown.

Now, an Adelaide historian has brought the anomaly to light and hopes almost 60 years after the end of the war, that the men will finally get due recognition.

Mike Sexton reports.

JUDY MUTIMER: They were very, very brave, very brave boys, and they were only boys.

MIKE SEXTON: Judy Mutimer was only eight when her older brothers Frank and Aubrey went to war.

The brothers signed up together and were both taken prisoner by the Japanese in 1942.

JUDY MUTIMER: I think the last communication we had from Aub was on the fall of the Singapore.

After he was wounded and went to hospital, he sent a telegram to say he and his brother are well, don't worry.

MIKE SEXTON: Three months later, 1,000 prisoners from Changi were shipped to the Burmese port of Tavoi where they were destined to work on the now infamous Burma Railway.

Among them was Aubrey Emmett.

RAY WHEELER, EX-PRISONER OF WAR: Oh, 'Ak-Ak' Emmett - we used to call him 'Ak-Ak'.

He was a nice bloke, Ak-Ak, he got on alright with most of us.

MIKE SEXTON: Ray Wheeler was also held at Tavoi and remembers the prisoners took very seriously their obligation to try to escape.

RAY WHEELER: You talked about it all night, every night.

You - sometime, somewhere in your conversation would come up, "What about an escape?"

MIKE SEXTON: Aubrey Emmett was among a group who were desperate to break out of the temporary camp at Tavoi.

They explained their plan to fellow prisoner Ken Dumbrell, who wasn't convinced the timing was right and so tried to talk the Australians out of it.

KEN DUMBRELL, EX-PRISONER OF WAR: They said, "Nah."

They all decided, "This is the time to go because we're close to India, and things will tighten up, we won't probably be able to get away. Now is the time."

And I said, "Well, if you have definitely made up your mind I'll try and save you from being counted when they bring up the count properly so that you can get a few days' start."

MIKE SEXTON: On the evening of 3 June, 1944, Aubrey Emmett and seven others slipped out of the camp.

KEN DUMBRELL: They had gone out where the latrines had been dug and they sneaked out there.

MIKE SEXTON: For three days, the Australians were on the run in the jungle, being guided by locals they believed were helping them.

But it seems they were double-crossed.

JUDY MUTIMER: The Japanese, after about three days I think it was, they sent out messages to say that they would pay double for anyone who had any information and so they were sold out.

KEN DUMBRELL: I saw them coming back in a truck and they were standing up in the back of the truck and, "Oh, God, here we go."

MIKE SEXTON: The escapees were taken outside the camp where fellow POWs were already digging their graves in preparation for the execution to come.

Ken Dumbrell says, because of the example made there were no further escape bids, but the prisoners never forgot the courage shown.

KEN DUMBRELL: They were brave as hell to do it, I'll give 'em that.

MIKE SEXTON: It was several years before the official news of Aubrey Emmett's death was relayed to his family in country Victoria.

JUDY MUTIMER: I can remember being very anxious.

I remember sitting out on the back step and thinking, What is it all about?

(Reads letter) "Dear Mr and Mrs Emmett, firstly may I please convey to you my very deep sympathy on the loss of your dear son, a very gallant soldier."

MIKE SEXTON: After the war ended, Aubrey Emmett's parents received a letter from a fellow prisoner who had witnessed the execution of the eight men.

JUDY MUTIMER: (Reads letter) "The way they died was simply magnificent, and immediately prior to their death, there went up a cheerio to each other and a cheerio to all.

It was really a marvellous display of courage and complete contempt for an enemy who absolutely ignored all the humane laws of warfare.

To me, it was an inspiration and made me proud to be an Australian."

MIKE SEXTON: Stories of escapes from prison camps hold an honoured place in the ANZAC history.

A few weeks ago, the 60th anniversary reunion was held for the men involved in the most famous of them all -- when 76 prisoners tunnelled out of Stalag Luft 3 in Poland in what's become known as 'The Great Escape'.

Hollywood enshrined the legend with a film featuring Steve McQueen and an accent-challenged James Coburn playing one of the five Australians involved.

In reality, 73 were recaptured and 50, including the Australians, were executed and in keeping with military protocol, all were automatically awarded a posthumous mention in despatches.

JOHN BRADFORD, HISTORIAN: The policy had been instituted in November 1943 and so when the Great Escape took place in March 1944, there was a policy already in place to honour such instances of POWs losing their lives while attempting to escape.

MIKE SEXTON: John Bradford is a retired Defence scientist and a student of military history.

After extensive research here and in Britain, he is astonished, that as far as he knows, every POW who lost his life trying to escape in Europe has received posthumous recognition.

But of the 22 who died in similar circumstances in the Far East, 19, including the 8 from Tavoi, have never received awards.

JOHN BRADFORD: I believe there was a mix-up because certainly I have archival material to show that the Australians were well aware of this official policy.

MIKE SEXTON: John Bradford has written to Veterans Affairs detailing his information and seeking a reason why the posthumous awards can't be given.

He has been told the Queen drew a line under Imperial awards in 1952 and so-called 'hindsight' awards can be divisive for other veterans.

JOHN BRADFORD: I can't see any reason why people should complain about men who were actually being recommended for awards in 1942 shouldn't receive them, and yet, for some reason best known to themselves, they were never granted.

MIKE SEXTON: This Anzac Day, John Bradford, like other veterans and their families, paid their respects to the fallen.

And 61 years after the death of the brother she barely knew, Judy Mutimer is hoping he and others like him will one day soon receive the recognition they are due.

JUDY MUTIMER: The silence is pretty deafening from those that are in charge that should recognise that they WERE heroes.

KERRY O'BRIEN: Let's hope there's some answers forthcoming.

©2004 ABC
Australian Broadcasting Company"