Victory in the Pacific Day — Also Known As ‘VP Day’ — WWII

75 Victory in the Pacific Day 1 CONTENTS. WELCOME 03 THE WAR IS OVER 04 CEC DRISCOLL 10 ANDREW BISHOP 16 WARTIME MELBOURNE 18 HAROLD RISTOM 22 JIM KERR 24 WELCOME. JOHN HOOK 28 Victory in the Pacific Day — also known as ‘VP Day’ — WWII. I thank the Victorian Government for providing ABOUT OUR COVER IMAGE 31 is commemorated across Australia and the world, as funding to make this special commemorative booklet the anniversary of the end of World War II. It’s a date possible. I also hope that you will read and enjoy that we’ll never forget. these stories, and use them as an opportunity to reminisce, start conversations and even educate. On 15 August 1945, Japan accepted the Allied Nations’ terms of surrender and Australia’s Prime Minister, Ben For me, on VP Day I will be thinking of my parents, Chifley, announced that the war was over. who both served during WWII, and all the of the WWII veterans that I have had the immense privilege of On 15 August 2020, Australia will commemorate the meeting, and even calling friends, over my more than 75th anniversary of the end of WWII. In Victoria, due to 40 years of RSL Victoria membership. COVID-19 restrictions, this occasion won’t be marked with the traditional service at the Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance. There will be no gatherings at local Lest we forget. RSL Sub-Branches, and for many of us, we will mark the occasion alone, but united by the ANZAC Spirit and our solemn commitment to remembrance. RSL Victoria has produced this booklet in the spirit of remembrance. It contains seven stories; five interviews with WWII veterans, and two stories about Dr Robert Webster OAM Melbourne and what our city looked like during Victory in the Pacific Day 3 THE WAR IS OVER. 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Before we commemorate this milestone, let’s revisit the mood on August 15, 1945. With just four words, Australian Prime Minister Benjamin Chifley officially announced to the nation in a radio broadcast on August 15, 1945, “the war is over.” It was an announcement the world, and in Crowds were so big that trams were the only particular the Allied Nations, had been anxiously traffic on the street, slowly making their way waiting for; the end to war hastened by the through the crowd. bombings of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima on The city was finally experiencing “illuminated August 6, 1945, and Nagasaki three days later. shops, bright Neon signs, and a large number of Not only did this mean the end of Australia’s lighted windows,” in stark contrast to the brown out war with Japan, but the end of hostilities in conditions during the war. the Second World War, after Germany had Similar scenes played out across Victoria. In the capitulated on May 8, 1945. tiny township of Merbein, in north-west Victoria, Bill As we commemorate the 75th anniversary of Case was just eight years old when the war ended. the end of the Second World War, it is easy He recalls the night news spread around Merbein, to imagine that this news was received with and his father’s surprising reaction. overwhelming joy and jubilation. However, there “Dad was in bed, and for a man who always went were mixed emotions experienced by Australians up the street immaculately dressed, he must have for so many reasons. Hostilities may have been heard the fire siren going. Word had got around over, but the war would continue for many people that the war had ended,” explains Bill. beyond August 1945. In Melbourne, crowds slowly gathered over several days as people anxiously waited for the “So next minute, he jumped news that never seemed to arrive. Unofficial reports circulated on August 14 about Japan’s in the car in his pyjamas surrender, met by incredible scenes in towns and cities alike across the country. and dressing gown and There was spontaneous rejoicing in streets went up the street and around the nation. “Wild excitement” was reported in city streets, with around 500 people started dancing around like gathered in Collin Street near The Block by 5pm. In less than three hours crowd numbers grew to everyone else.” more than 4,000, people singing and dancing as the news spread. Many remained past midnight. “He was happy it was over. His two brother’s and The Argus reported that in the area around brother’s-in-law were coming home safe and sound.” The Block in Collins Street, “hundreds waved flags, blew cardboard trumpets and battered On the frontline, and for those servicemen and cornets, tossed around confetti, and hurled women who’d already returned home, their 1945 Released Prisoners of War from occasional fire crackers into the air and at recollections of hearing that the war was over Ambonia Arrived at Spencer Street Station passersby,” with torn paper floating down give a unique insight into the war itself. The late Melbourne. Image courtesy of the AWM. from the surrounding buildings. 4 Victory in the Pacific Day Victory in the Pacific Day 5 15 August 1945. Looking down on the crowd gathering in Collins Street soon after the news came through of the Japanese surrender called VP Day. Image courtesy Vin Horsfall had served with the 39th Battalion in pockets of Japs that might have been hiding in the of the AWM. New Guinea, before joining the 2/2nd Australian bush knew that the war was over. Infantry Battalion in July 1943. He recalled being Jack remained in Bougainville until January 1946, at Wewak where he again fell ill with malaria and when he was flown back to New Guinea where he’d was sent to hospital. served previously, before being sent to Rabaul for three months guarding Japanese prisoners. “Rabaul had about 30,000 Japanese there but they “That’s about the time they were no trouble, they wanted to get home just as dropped the atomic bomb,” much as we did.” Norm Furness was one of approximately 400 men explained Vin. “We were from the 1400-strong Lark Force on the island of New Britain that survived the Japanese invasion standing outside listening to the on January 23, 1942 before escaping the island and wireless, and the doc said they’d returning to Australia. Norm’s thoughts turned to his mates from Lark Force who had been captured dropped the bomb on Hiroshima. in 1942 and were never heard from again. “Tremendous” was how Norm felt at the time. But his Just wiped it out. There was no excitement and relief would soon be shattered when more fighting after that.” learning of the fate of his mates from Lark Force. “I thought, at that time, that all these mates that “We were sailing into Sydney Harbour,” said Vin. who have so long awaited the moment of their I knew nothing about, what happened to them, “There were crowds there on the wharf cheering liberation, will be enabled speedily to return to their and carrying on, and we were all standing there. native land, hearth and home.” Jack Braidie, of Mildura, was a signalman in the 3rd would be coming home,” explained Norm. “But Wasn’t a murmur out of anybody, not a murmur. Not Division Signals in Bougainville when the war ended. three and a half years before that, they were all However, the reality would be far different. Of a bloody sound out of anybody, we just watched dead. But we didn't know."* the more than 22,000 Australians captured by “I can remember exactly where I was,” Jack said. them. I don’t know what was wrong with us. You’d the Japanese in south-east Asia, most of whom “I was in Bougainville when the war ended, and I The return home for many would be a mix of think we’d be cheering with them, but we weren’t.” become prisoners after the fall of Singapore and didn’t get home until May the next year. emotions. While many would be relieved and excited, returning home after years of war wasn’t Though the war was officially over, the logistics of were scattered across the Pacific, over 8,000 died “They had a Beaufighter and it had ‘Japan bringing Australia’s service personnel home was a easy for many service personnel. After four years whilst prisoners of the Japanese in the three and a surrenders’ written in Japanese under the wings, monumental task. The demobilisation the thousands of service in New Guinea, Vin Horsfall recalled half years since their capture. and it flew round and round the island so that of personnel still on active duty took several months, returning home in November 1945. with priority given to long service personnel. For POWs who survived the war, their homecoming was marked by great excitement. The first While many Australians were returning home after prisoners of the Japanese to make it home arrived active duty, more than 16,000 Australians would in Melbourne in mid-September 1945. Crowds serve in the British Commonwealth Occupation gathered at Spencer Street station eagerly awaiting Force (BCOF) in Japan between 1945 and 1952, their return before they were paraded through enforcing the terms of Japan’s surrender. It marked Melbourne’s CBD, crowds cheered and waved as the first time Australians were involved in the the survivors were trucked passed. military occupation of a sovereign nation which it had defeated in war. The Melbourne Herald reported that, “Their passage through the city was marked by scenes of However, foremost on the minds of many were emotion.

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