Grossly underplayed

THE excellent editorial about the ongoing campaign to award Edward (Teddy) Sheean a Victoria Cross revealed that Defence Minister Reynolds is incorrect in her assertion that new evidence was not presented by the Defence Honours and Appeals Tribunal (Mercury, May 20). I am a retired member of the Australian Defence Force with a keen interest in Australian military history. While in no way claiming to be an expert, I agree with Mr Sullivan, the chair of the tribunal, that Teddy’s heroic actions on that fateful day on December 1, 1942 were “underplayed” in a report to the British Admiralty.

From my research, I would say “grossly underplayed”. The initial brief report by the captain of HMAS Armidale was in my opinion insulting to the memory of Teddy Sheean. If a reader is interested in what transpired as the HMAS Armidale was attacked, I recommend looking up military historian Dr Kevin Smith’s address to the Naval Historical Society of Australia on April 18, 2017.

An action by young Royal Navy sailor Jack Mantle on HMS Foylebank on July 4, 1940 is also worth a read. Spookily, his heroism, which won him a Victoria Cross, was almost identical to that of Teddy Sheean.

Bill Perry Kingston