IT HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED BY THE AUSTRALIAN GOVENMENT THAT A 'VICTORIA CROSS for AUSTRALIA' HAS BEEN AWARDED TO ORDINARY SEAMAN EDWARD SHEEAN, HMAS 'ARMIDALE', ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVAL VOLUNTEER RESERVE |
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15 August 2020 |
An announcement has been made by the Governor General of Australia on the 12th August 2020, that Her Majesty The Queen has approved the posthumous award of the 'Victoria Cross for Australia' to Ordinary Seaman Edward Sheean, Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve, for heroic action on the corvette HMAS 'Armidale' in December 1942. This follows a recommendation from the Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison. The Edward Sheean Victoria Cross is on permanent display in the Australian War Memorial, Canberra. For the award of the 'Victoria Cross for Australia' [ Australian Commonwealth Gazette ], Arafura Sea, Netherlands East Indies, 1 December 1942, Ordinary Seaman Edward Sheean, Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve
On 1 December 1942, during operations in the Timor Sea, HMAS 'Armidale' came under aerial bombardment and torpedo attack from Japanese aircraft. Shortly after the commencement of the attack, 'Armidale' was hit by a torpedo and began listing to port. One minute later the ship was hit by a second torpedo which broke the vessel’s back, causing the Captain to order abandon ship. |
Iain Stewart, 15 August 2020