With the bombing of Darwin on 19 February 1942, the Second World War suddenly struck Australian shores.  On the same night, Japanese troops landed in East Timor, and for the 270 Australian soldiers of the 2/2nd Independent Company a remarkable ten-month guerrilla campaign began. Although vastly outnumbered, the 2/2nd commandos held down 10,000 crack Japanese troops. Corporal Tom Foster WX13202 from Geraldton was one of those men.

WA Museum history curator Stephen Anstey, co-curator of the Debt of Honour exhibition which tells this story, will host four floor talks about the exhibition on August 15 and 16. He said the men of the 2/2nd were selected for their ability to cope in hostile territory.

“The 2/2nd commandos were predominantly bush-men and farmers who were trained specifically for action behind enemy lines. Tom grew up in Geraldton and was working as a farm manager near Northampton when he enlisted in 1941,” Mr Anstey said.

“For the first two months of their 10-month campaign, the 2/2nd were without contact with Australia, and the Australian Army believed them to be dead or captured. Lacking supplies, the commandos relied on support from the people of East Timor who risked their lives to help the Australians by providing food, shelter and information.”

Tom, now 93, was in the thick of the fighting for almost the whole campaign. When he attended the Debt of Honour exhibition launch with his family earlier this month, he identified himself and best mate, Corporal Jack Maley from Greenough, in the copy of war artist Charles Bush’s painting ‘Ambush at Nunamogue’.

“The painting depicts his platoon’s last major and very successful ambush against the Japanese before the Australians were evacuated in December 1942,” Mr Anstey said.

Stephen Anstey’s floor talks will take place at the Western Australian Museum – Geraldton on Thursday 15 August at 1:30pm, 3pm and 6pm, and Friday 16 August at 11am. Entry is by donation, and bookings are essential on 9921 5080.

Debt of Honour: Australia’s First Commandos and East Timor is on display at the WA Museum – Geraldton until October 13, 2013. For more information visit museum.wa.gov.au

Media Contact:
Niki Comparti
Western Australian Museum
6552 7805
niki.comparti@museum.wa.gov.au