Reg Saunders
Reg Saunders | |
---|---|
Captain | |
Unit | 2/7th Battalion (1940–45) 3 RAR (1950–51) |
Battles/wars | Second World War
Korean War
|
Awards | Member of the Order of the British Empire |
Other work | Department of Aboriginal Affairs |
Reginald Walter Saunders,
After the war, Saunders was
Early life
Saunders was born near
Saunders attended the local
Second World War
Following the outbreak of the Second World War, Saunders was determined to serve in the armed forces. Patriotism and his family's history of soldiering both played a major part in his decision. His father suggested that he wait six months; according to Reg, "They were talking about this war being all over in six months with the Maginot Line and all the other garbage that we were told ... But we waited six months and the duck season was over so there was no more shooting to do except go to war."[14] Saunders enlisted in the Second Australian Imperial Force on 24 April 1940,[1][15] joining up with friends he had made while playing Australian rules football.[11] The armed forces later adopted a policy to accept only persons "substantially of European origin or descent", but at the time Saunders encountered no barriers to his enlistment.[16] He recalled that his fellow soldiers "were not colour-conscious", and that during training in northern Queensland his white mates would sit alongside him in the "Aboriginal" section of movie theatres.[17] His natural leadership qualities gained him temporary promotions in quick succession: within six weeks of enlistment he was a lance corporal, and after three months he made sergeant.[9][18]
After completing his training, Saunders was allocated to an infantry unit, the
Following the
Saunders was among a party of men evacuated from Crete by a British submarine in May 1942, and returned to Australia in October.
Saunders went before an officer selection board that had been set up on the
After his promotion was confirmed, Saunders returned to New Guinea and, although it was contrary to policy, rejoined his old battalion. He subsequently took part in the Aitape–Wewak campaign, commanding a platoon until the end of the war.[36] Due to the discriminatory laws in force at the time, Saunders had fewer rights as a citizen than the white Australians he led.[37] He was wounded in the knee by Japanese gunfire during fighting around Maprik, and was hospitalised for three weeks as a result.[38][39]
Interbellum and Korean War
Saunders was discharged from the Army on 5 October 1945, following the end of the Second World War.[15] Returning to Australia, he volunteered for service in Japan with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force, but the government would not accept Aborigines for the operation.[34] Saunders spoke publicly against this policy, calling it "narrow-minded and ignorant";[40] the wartime restriction on non-European enlistments in the armed forces was not lifted until 1949.[41] Saunders moved to Melbourne with his family, which by this time consisted of his wife Dorothy, whom he had married in 1944, and their three young children.[42] Dorothy had served in the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force during the war.[41][43] Saunders recalled that he "had a hard time after the war ... and poor old Dotty, she, you know, didn't know what the hell to make of it".[44] Facing discrimination that he had rarely encountered as a soldier, he worked in the ensuing years as a tram conductor, a foundry worker, and a shipping clerk.[42][45]
In August 1950, the government called for Second World War veterans to serve in the Korea War as part of the specially raised 'K' Force. Saunders volunteered and returned to the Army as a lieutenant.
Later life
In 1953 the
Saunders went to work in the logging industry in
Saunders continued to serve with the Department of Aboriginal Affairs in Canberra until retiring in 1980.[61] In July 1985 he was appointed to the Council of the Australian War Memorial, and held this position until his retirement.[37][62] He was also involved in the RSL, though he fell out with leaders Alf Garland and Bruce Ruxton over Garland's suggestion that Aborigines be blood-tested to determine their entitlement to government benefits. "They can take all the blood they want from me," Saunders declared in a 1986 interview, "and they'll never find out what I am – least of all an Aborigine – bloody stupid!"[63]
During his two marriages, both of which ended in divorce, Saunders fathered ten children, two of whom predeceased him.[1] Having suffered recent heart trouble,[64][65] he died on 2 March 1990.[1] His ashes were scattered on Lake Condah, traditional territory of the Gunditjmara people.[65][66] Of Saunders' children, one of his sons followed him into the Army, and four of his daughters married soldiers.[5] His son Christopher portrayed him in a 1978 episode of the television series The Sullivans.[67]
Memorials
On 14 December 2001, Saunders was honoured with the dedication of Reg Saunders Way, which passes through the Canberra suburbs of Campbell and Russell, in a ceremony attended by the Secretary of the Department of Defence, Dr Allan Hawke, and the Chief of the Defence Force, Admiral Chris Barrie.[68][69] Saunders was also commemorated with a room in the Canberra Services Club, and by the RSL's Captain Reg Saunders Scholarship.[10][70]
The Australian War Memorial holds Saunders' medals and several personal effects in its national collection, along with an official portrait and several photographs.[37] On 11 November 2015 the Australian War Memorial's Western Gallery and Courtyard were renamed in Saunders' honour. These were the first sections of the Memorial to be named after any Australian.[71]
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Captain Reginald Walter (Reg) Saunders, MBE". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
- ^ a b O'Connell 2011, p. 26.
- ^ Ramsland; Mooney 2006, pp. 181–182.
- ^ "Walter Christopher George Saunders". The AIF Project. Australian Defence Force Academy. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
- ^ a b Lennox 2005, p. 157.
- ^ a b c d e "Case Study: Reginald Saunders" (PDF). Memorial Box 3: Too Dark for the Light Horse. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
- ^ "No. 31061". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 December 1918. p. 14663.
- ^ Forbes 2010, pp. 271–272.
- ^ a b c d e Hall 1997, p. 65.
- ^ a b "Captain Reginald Saunders". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 23 June 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
- ^ a b c Lennox 2005, p. 158.
- ^ Ramsland; Mooney 2006, pp. 180–181.
- ^ a b c Ramsland; Mooney 2006, p. 181.
- ^ Hall 1995, pp. 63–64.
- ^ a b "WW2 Nominal Roll: Saunders, Reginald Walter". Department of Veterans' Affairs. Archived from the original on 20 April 2015. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
- ^ Hall 1995, pp. 67–68.
- ^ Hall 1997, p. 70.
- ^ a b Ramsland; Mooney 2006, pp. 182–183.
- ^ a b c d e f "2/7th Australian Infantry Battalion". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
- ^ a b c d Lennox 2005, p. 159.
- ^ Long 1953, p. 174.
- ^ "Battle of 42nd Street". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
- ^ Thompson 2010, p. 355.
- ^ Forbes 2010, p. 291.
- ^ Hall 1995, p. 74.
- ^ a b Ramsland; Mooney 2006, pp. 183–184.
- ^ Stanley 1997, p. 147.
- ^ "Casualty Details: Saunders, Harry". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
- ^ Hall 1995, p. 65.
- ^ Ramsland; Mooney 2006, pp. 184–186.
- ^ Hall 1995, p. 79.
- ^ Forbes 2010, p. 286.
- ^ Dexter 1961, p. 24.
- ^ a b c Dennis et al. 2008, p. 478.
- ^ Ramsland; Mooney 2006, pp. 188–189.
- ^ a b "Reginald Walter Saunders, MBE (1920–1990)". Fifty Australians. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
- ^ a b c d O'Connell 2011, p. 28.
- ^ Hall 1995, p. 80.
- ^ Ramsland; Mooney 2006, p. 191.
- ^ Ramsland; Mooney 2006, p. 193.
- ^ a b Hall 1995, p. 85.
- ^ a b c Lennox 2005, p. 162.
- ^ "WW2 Nominal Roll: Saunders, Dorothy Mary". Department of Veterans' Affairs. Archived from the original on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
- ^ Hall 1995, p. 86.
- ^ Ramsland; Mooney 2006, pp. 191–192.
- ^ a b O'Neill 1985, p. 64.
- ^ O'Neill 1985, pp. 154–157.
- ^ Dennis et al. 2008, pp. 302–303.
- ^ Forbes 2010, pp. 269, 382.
- ^ Ramsland; Mooney 2006, pp. 194–195.
- ^ Forbes 2010, p. 406.
- ^ "Nominal Roll of Australian Korea War Veterans: Saunders, Reginald Walter". Australian Government. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
- ^ "Reg Saunders – our only "dinkum Aussie" officer". Portland Guardian. Portland, Victoria: National Library of Australia. 9 March 1953. p. 3. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
- ^ "Saunders to stay home". The Barrier Miner. Broken Hill: National Library of Australia. 10 March 1953. p. 3. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
- ^ Ramsland; Mooney 2006, pp. 196–199.
- ^ Rowse 2000, pp. 40, 72.
- ^ Hall 1995, p. 87.
- ^ "No. 45385". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 June 1971. p. 5994.
- ^ "Australian Honours Database Search: Saunders, Reginald Walter". Australian Government. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
- ^ "Identity Magazine – Institution". Reason in Revolt. 23 August 2005. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
- ^ O'Neill 1985, p. 671.
- ^ "Captain Reginald Walter (Reg) Saunders, MBE – Timeline". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
- ^ Hall 1995, pp. 88–89.
- ^ Flanagan, Martin (25 April 1989). "We can make peace, says an old warrior". The Age. p. 9. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
- ^ a b Lennox 2005, p. 166.
- Victorian Government. p. 50. Archived from the original(PDF) on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
- ^ Lahey, John (8 June 1978). "Flashback to forgotten hero". The Age. p. 2. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
- ^ "World War 2 Heroes to Be Honoured at Russell". Department of Defence. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
- ^ "Reg Saunders Way". Place name search. ACT Planning and Land Authority. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
- ^ "Captain Saunders honoured by club". Stand To. Returned and Services League of Australia. August–September 2009. p. 10. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
- ^ Kelly, Emma (11 November 2015). "Australian War Memorial gallery named in honour of Indigenous soldier Reg Saunders". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
References
- Dennis, Peter; Grey, Jeffrey; Morris, Ewan; Prior, Robin (2008) [1995]. The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History. South Melbourne: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-551784-2.
- Dexter, David (1961). The New Guinea Offensives. OCLC 2028994.
- Forbes, Cameron (2010). The Korean War: Australia in the Giants' Playground. Sydney: Pan Macmillan Australia. ISBN 978-1-4050-4001-3.
- Hall, Robert (1997) [1989]. The Black Diggers. Canberra: Aboriginal Studies Press. ISBN 0-85575-319-6.
- Hall, Robert (1995). Fighters From the Fringe: Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders Recall the Second World War. Canberra: Aboriginal Studies Press. ISBN 0-85575-286-6.
- Lennox, Gina (2005). Forged by War: Australians in Combat and Back Home. Carlton, Victoria: Melbourne University Press. ISBN 978-0-522-85171-7.
- Long, Gavin (1953). Greece, Crete and Syria. Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Series 1 (Army) Volume II. Canberra: Australian War Memorial. OCLC 3134080.
- O'Connell, Garth (October 2011). "Leading From the Front". Wartime. No. 56. pp. 26–28. ISSN 1328-2727.
- ISBN 0-642-04330-2.
- Ramsland, John; Mooney, Christopher (2006). Remembering Aboriginal Heroes: Struggle, Identity and the Media. Melbourne: Brolga Publishing. ISBN 1-920785-85-X.
- Rowse, Tim (2000). Obliged to Be Difficult: Nugget Coombs' Legacy in Indigenous Affairs. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-77353-9.
- ISBN 978-1-86448-278-2.
- Thompson, Peter (2010). Anzac Fury: The Bloody Battle of Crete 1941. North Sydney: William Heinemann. ISBN 978-1-86471-131-8.
Further reading
- Cadzow, Allison; Jebb, Mary Anne (2019). Our Mob Served: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories of War and Defending Australia. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: Aboriginal Studies Press. ISBN 9780855750718.
- Dolan, Hugh; Threlfall, Adrian (2015). Reg Saunders: An Indigenous War Hero. Sydney: NewSouth. ISBN 9781742234243.
- McIntyre, Darryl (2012). "Saunders, Reginald Walter (Reg) (1920–1990)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.