The Rockliff Liberal Government enthusiastically supports the Latrobe Council's proposal for a nationally significant memorial precinct at Latrobe to commemorate Edward 'Teddy' Sheean VC and the crew of HMAS Armidale.
On 1 December 1942, HMAS Armidale was attacked and sunk off Betano Bay, on the south coast of Portuguese Timor. As a result, 100 souls were lost at sea including Australian and Dutch service personnel.
Of the personnel lost, four Tasmanians made the ultimate sacrifice of the 149 service personnel onboard. The significance of this event is something that should be memorialised for all those who served onboard HMAS Armidale, with particular attention to Ordinary Seaman 'Teddy' Sheean VC.
When the HMAS Armidale was attacked and the order to abandon ship given, Teddy Sheean assisted with the release of the lifeboat before returning fire with the deck mounted anti-aircraft gun while badly wounded.
He fastened himself in the gun's shoulder mounts and re-engaged the attacking forces, bringing down enemy planes so his crew mates could escape the doomed vessel. The ship then broke below the waves and the ocean took him to his final resting place. Ordinary Seaman Teddy Sheean was the youngest sailor aboard.
Teddy's acts of courage, mateship and selfless sacrifice the day HMAS Armidale was attacked saw him posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, the 101st awarded to an Australian, 15th to a Tasmanian and the first for the Royal Australian Navy.
Latrobe Council is currently seeking ideas from the public for a memorial which commemorates HMAS Armidale's crew and Teddy Sheean's acts of Valour.
The Memorial Precinct has an estimated budget of $300,000 with the Latrobe Council contributing $100,000 towards the project. The Tasmanian Government is extremely supportive of this project providing $50,000 to the Latrobe Council which is seeking $150,000 from the Australian Government to see the Memorial realised.
To support the Council's request for federal funds, I have written to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Matt Keogh, to emphasise the national importance of this project.
Tasmanians are encouraged to provide ideas for the Memorial Precinct including designs, poems, short stories, concepts for sculptures or other ideas with proposals needing to be made by 31 March 2023.
The Memorial Precinct will be something of significance not only to Latrobe, but to all Australians.
Lest We Forget
