Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Hansard source

It is a great honour to stand here and to remember Tom Pritchard, a Rat of Tobruk. I say that incredibly sincerely because I've had the great honour to go to Tobruk and to see where our Rats of Tobruk served. It's obviously a desolate spot in Libya. It is a port, but it's the smallest of ports, and there is nothing around it. It is desert, and where our Rats of Tobruk fought there are a couple of trees. There is no protection. There is no shelter. The way that they dug themselves in and fought on our behalf is something that I think is truly, truly remarkable. When you go there, it's hard to see the strategic importance that it had at the time, but it was seen as having immense strategic importance, and that is why they dug in and that is why they are legends of our country.

Tom himself was born in Portland in my electorate, and so there is a significant attachment to the electorate of Wannon when it comes to Tom's life. Also, he worked in Hamilton in my electorate. He was an SES employee and he worked in Hamilton for a period of time. I don't know this, but I can only imagine that he probably knew the other Rats of Tobruk from the electorate of Wannon. Jack Caple, who, sadly, passed away a few years ago, was another great Rat of Tobruk, whom I had the great honour of knowing, and I discussed with him what it was like to fight and serve at Tobruk. Having been there myself, I asked him questions about what they thought about defending the terrain there at Tobruk. When we went to Tobruk, we held a commemorative service at the war graves at Tobruk. It was extraordinarily moving. There is one thing that has never let me—and this is where the Commonwealth War Graves people need our utmost respect, and it was local Libyans who did it on their behalf. The way that those war graves are respected and are kept is exemplary and a true tribute to everyone. It's incredibly important that we always remember those who have served on our behalf and that we continue to remember them in the most dignified way for their service.

It was a great honour over the weekend to have Sir Peter Cosgrove and Lady Lynne Cosgrove visit the electorate of Wannon on Sunday, when they came to Warrnambool. Sir Peter is the most highly decorated officer ever to come to Warrnambool, and it was wonderful to have him. The community really appreciated his visit. He came to the local Legacy and spoke there, and he was able to thank those wonderful legatees for the work they do right across the electorate of Wannon. He then went to the cadets. We've got Navy, Army and Air Force cadets, and they were able to assemble and parade in front of him. It was wonderful to see these young cadets all doing their bit, many of them wanting to go on and serve their nation into the future, parading in front of him. They loved having him there, and it was great to see.

Then together we did the Vietnam veteran's commemorative event. As everyone knows, it was Vietnam Veterans' Day on Sunday, so we had a very moving commemorative event at the Warrnambool RSL. Sir Peter was able to lay a wreath. Then some of our Vietnam veterans gave a guest speech on what it was like in Vietnam during the war, and we were able to remember the service of Air Commodore Peter Raw. Air Commodore Peter Frank Raw was a senior officer and pilot in the Royal Australian Air Force. He saw combat in a heavy bomber unit in the European theatre during the later stages of World War II and was a senior officer in Vietnam, serving in many flying, training and administrative roles. The way that his role in particular in Vietnam was able to be laid out was incredibly important. I've got to say, it was great information to everyone who was there.

Just to give you a sense of the record of Air Commodore Peter Raw, he was a companion of the Distinguished Service Order, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Force Cross, 1939-1945 Star, Africa Star, Defence War Medal 1939-1945, Australian Service Medal 1939-1945, Australian Active Service Medal 1945-1975 with the clasps 'VIETNAM' and 'SE ASIA', Vietnam Medal, Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee Medal 1977, Defence Force Service Medal with first, second, third and fourth clasps, National Medal with first and second clasps, Australian Defence Medal, Cross of Valour from Poland, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and Warsaw Uprising Cross.

The way he served our nation was extraordinary. I say to Peter's wife: you should be rest assured that Peter's service at all times was exemplary, that he did his best and that he always tried to do the best by his nation. To our Vietnam veterans in Warrnambool and right across South-West Victoria, thank you for what you continue to do to commemorate the service of all those who fought in Vietnam. I end where I started. It is so important that we remember those who have served for us and do it in the most dignified and respectful way.

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