topic Re: Forever 18 in Community Spirit

Forever 18

icyfroth — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 02:37:27 GMT

Australian war hero Teddy Sheean will be awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross following a review by an expert panel.

Sheean died in 1942 when the HMAS Armidale was sunk by Japanese bombers in the Timor Sea.

The 18-year-old strapped himself to an anti-aircraft gun as the vessel went down and is credited with saving the lives of 49 crew.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison established an independent panel earlier this year after Sheean was denied the military honour.

The panel found Sheean deserved the recognition.

Mr Morrison has contacted the Queen to recommend Sheean be given the Victoria Cross and is confident she will agree.

toria Cross and is confident she will agree.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=forever+18+youtube&qpvt=forever+18+youtube&view=detail&mid=BC1C0576BE91B1BE6DE6BC1C0576BE91B1BE6DE6&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dforever%2B18%2Byoutube%26qpvt%3Dforever%2B18%2Byoutube%26FORM%3DVDRE

Re: Forever 18

icyfroth — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 02:46:50 GMT

@icyfroth wrote:
Australian war hero Teddy Sheean will be awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross following a review by an expert panel.

Sheean died in 1942 when the HMAS Armidale was sunk by Japanese bombers in the Timor Sea.

The 18-year-old strapped himself to an anti-aircraft gun as the vessel went down and is credited with saving the lives of 49 crew.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison established an independent panel earlier this year after Sheean was denied the military honour.
The panel found Sheean deserved the recognition.

Mr Morrison has contacted the Queen to recommend Sheean be given the Victoria Cross and is confident she will agree.
toria Cross and is confident she will agree.

Edward "Teddy" Sheean was a sailor in the Royal Australian Navy during the Second World War.

Born in Tasmania, Sheean was employed as a farm labourer when he enlisted in the Royal Australian Naval Reserve in April 1941. Following training at HMAS Derwent and the Flinders Naval Depot, he was posted to Sydney, where he joined the newly commissioned corvette HMAS Armidale in June 1942.

Sheean served aboard Armidale as she initially took part in escort duties along the eastern Australian coast and in New Guinea waters, before he transferred with the ship to Darwin in October, where Armidale was given the task of assisting Australian operations in Timor.

Re: Forever 18

icyfroth — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 02:48:59 GMT

@icyfroth wrote:
@icyfroth wrote:
Australian war hero Teddy Sheean will be awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross following a review by an expert panel.

Sheean died in 1942 when the HMAS Armidale was sunk by Japanese bombers in the Timor Sea.

The 18-year-old strapped himself to an anti-aircraft gun as the vessel went down and is credited with saving the lives of 49 crew.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison established an independent panel earlier this year after Sheean was denied the military honour.
The panel found Sheean deserved the recognition.

Mr Morrison has contacted the Queen to recommend Sheean be given the Victoria Cross and is confident she will agree.
toria Cross and is confident she will agree.

Edward "Teddy" Sheean was a sailor in the Royal Australian Navy during the Second World War.

Born in Tasmania, Sheean was employed as a farm labourer when he enlisted in the Royal Australian Naval Reserve in April 1941. Following training at HMAS Derwent and the Flinders Naval Depot, he was posted to Sydney, where he joined the newly commissioned corvette HMAS Armidale in June 1942.

Sheean served aboard Armidale as she initially took part in escort duties along the eastern Australian coast and in New Guinea waters, before he transferred with the ship to Darwin in October, where Armidale was given the task of assisting Australian operations in Timor.

Re: Forever 18

imastawka — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 02:52:15 GMT

Thanks for posting, Icy.

A wrong that has finally been made right.

And thanks Teddy.

Re: Forever 18

zanadoo_56 — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 03:46:23 GMT

This is wonderful news.

There has been an ongoing fight for a L-O-N-G time to get Teddy Sheean awarded the VC.

If it is accepted by the Queen it would also be the Royal Australian Navy's first VC recipient.

The fifth Collins Class submarine was also named after him (HMAS Sheean).

Re: Forever 18

icyfroth — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 05:05:07 GMT

@zanadoo_56 wrote:
This is wonderful news.

There has been an ongoing fight for a L-O-N-G time to get Teddy Sheean awarded the VC.
If it is accepted by the Queen it would also be the Royal Australian Navy's first VC recipient.

The fifth Collins Class submarine was also named after him (HMAS Sheean).

A true-hearted young man deserves recognition.

Re: Forever 18

rogevibe — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 05:19:32 GMT

I believe that the current review committee also drew upon Nippon after action reports which I presume noted a report by their pilots of notable resistance by a solitary gunner - and the fate of one of their attacking aircraft...

Re: Forever 18

icyfroth — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 05:54:22 GMT

@rogevibe wrote:
I believe that the current review committee also drew upon Nippon after action reports which I presume noted a report by their pilots of notable resistance by a solitary gunner - and the fate of one of their attacking aircraft...

So what was the Nipponese report of Teddy Sheean's actions?

Re: Forever 18

icyfroth — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 06:10:23 GMT

@icyfroth wrote:
@rogevibe wrote:
I believe that the current review committee also drew upon Nippon after action reports which I presume noted a report by their pilots of notable resistance by a solitary gunner - and the fate of one of their attacking aircraft...
So what was the Nipponese report of Teddy Sheean's actions?

What was the fate of one of the attackining aircraft"

It's always good to hear both sides of the story.

Re: Forever 18

ambercat16 — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 06:17:41 GMT

@icyfroth wrote:
@icyfroth wrote:
@rogevibe wrote:
I believe that the current review committee also drew upon Nippon after action reports which I presume noted a report by their pilots of notable resistance by a solitary gunner - and the fate of one of their attacking aircraft...
So what was the Nipponese report of Teddy Sheean's actions?
What was the fate of one of the attackining aircraft"

It's always good to hear both sides of the story.

According to the story I heard earlier today on the radio, Japanese reports on the sinking of the Armidale stated that two of their attacking planes sustained substantial damage from the gun onboard the boat and one subsequently crashed.

Re: Forever 18

icyfroth — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 06:38:08 GMT

@ambercat16 wrote:
@icyfroth wrote:
@icyfroth wrote:
@rogevibe wrote:
I believe that the current review committee also drew upon Nippon after action reports which I presume noted a report by their pilots of notable resistance by a solitary gunner - and the fate of one of their attacking aircraft...
So what was the Nipponese report of Teddy Sheean's actions?
What was the fate of one of the attackining aircraft"

It's always good to hear both sides of the story.

According to the story I heard earlier today on the radio, Japanese reports on the sinking of the Armidale stated that two of their attacking planes sustained substantial damage from the gun onboard the boat and one subsequently crashed.
Well Teddy Sheean did his job then, and I love him for the young man he was and his sacrifice of his young life for the sake of the living.

Especially he put his life on the line for the Australian cause.

His ancestry woulld have been Irish, who suffered so badly under British rule. So many of his Irish forebears transported to Australian (British) prisons.

Yet he had his loyalty.

And we have to respect that.

Re: Forever 18

rogevibe — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 10:59:11 GMT

@ambercat16 wrote:
@icyfroth wrote:
@icyfroth wrote:
@rogevibe wrote:
I believe that the current review committee also drew upon Nippon after action reports which I presume noted a report by their pilots of notable resistance by a solitary gunner - and the fate of one of their attacking aircraft...
So what was the Nipponese report of Teddy Sheean's actions?
What was the fate of one of the attackining aircraft"

It's always good to hear both sides of the story.

According to the story I heard earlier today on the radio, Japanese reports on the sinking of the Armidale stated that two of their attacking planes sustained substantial damage from the gun onboard the boat and one subsequently crashed.

Probably why they broke off the attack - would be something bushidou about a single gunner on a soon to go under the surface sinking ship shooting up their attack force when all others had abondoned ship - with even tracer fire seen still arching upwards after the ship went under

Re: Forever 18

ambercat16 — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 11:21:20 GMT

@rogevibe wrote:
Probably why they broke off the attack - would be something bushidou about a single gunner on a soon to go under the surface sinking ship shooting up their attack force when all others had abondoned ship - with even tracer fire seen still arching upwards after the ship went under

Who said they broke off the attack? The ship sank and the Japanese planes were firing on the survivors in the water. Do you just make these things up to show off some dubious knowledge or what?

Re: Forever 18

springyzone — Tue, 11 Aug 2020 00:37:15 GMT

I think it is good news and fitting that he is awarded this.

The great pity is that it had to be 78 years later, when his parents, any siblings, aunts, cousins etc are probably all gone.

It's hard to lose someone but it could have given them a bit of comfort if it had been awarded years ago.

Re: Forever 18

rogevibe — Tue, 11 Aug 2020 03:19:36 GMT

@ambercat16 wrote:
@rogevibe wrote:
Probably why they broke off the attack - would be something bushidou about a single gunner on a soon to go under the surface sinking ship shooting up their attack force when all others had abondoned ship - with even tracer fire seen still arching upwards after the ship went under
Who said they broke off the attack? The ship sank and the Japanese planes were firing on the survivors in the water. Do you just make these things up to show off some dubious knowledge or what?

Because there were survivors - no hope in water against 11 remaining super trained pilots of attack aircraft that are hyped up , and where no quarter is expected or given , on both sides - I am sure they observed something astonishing that appealed to the air leader's honour code and so ordered leaving survivors as witnesses or out of tribute , but is only conjecture - but could have been 11 armed aircraft shot at and missed sailors floundering in the ocean during sustained attack without return fire post ship sinking.....or the Zero's were low on fuel ( 2,600 km range)

Re: Forever 18

imastawka — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 07:36:25 GMT

Queen Elizabeth II has approved the posthumous awarding of the Victoria Cross to WWII hero Edward 'Teddy' Sheean, Governor-General David Hurley says.

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/queen-approves-victoria-cross-for-wwii-hero-teddy-sheean/ar-BB17QTsq?ocid=msedgntp

Finally.

Re: Forever 18

davewil1964 — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 07:52:59 GMT

Here you go - some fact (given the RAN hasn't edited it out) -

As the soldiers and sailors began to evacuate into the water, the Zeroes stopped attacking the sinking corvette and began strafing runs on those in the water.[14] Ordinary Seaman Edward "Teddy" Sheean, who had been wounded in the initial attack, strapped himself into one of Armidale's 20 mm Oerlikons and opened fire on the aircraft.[14][15] Teddy forced one Zero to crash into the sea and damaged at least two others; continuing to fire until he went down with Armidale.[14] Low on fuel, the Japanese aircraft headed for home.[14] The survivors found that the two ship's boats survived the sinking, and were able to fashion a raft from debris.[14]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_Armidale_(J240)

I doubt bushido came into it - that was a samurai code, and fighter pilots were unlikely to be samurai.

Re: Forever 18

icyfroth — Thu, 13 Aug 2020 00:42:32 GMT

Why unlikely? They may have followed a similar ethic, or code.