Nola Marino (Forrest, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Territories) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to pay tribute to Norm Eaton, a very courageous World War II veteran and a constituent of mine who passed away recently. Norm was 101 years old. He was born in 1919 in Goomalling in WA. He worked as a farmworker, and in the 1930s he moved to Perth. He served in the Citizen Military Forces before enlisting in the Army on Remembrance Day, 11 November 1939. He served in campaigns with the 2/11th Western Australian battalion in the Middle East and in North Africa, from Bardia to Benghazi, during World War II. He became a dispatch rider with a mortar platoon. Then there was the ill-fated campaign in Greece, and many, many casualties in a fight they were not equipped to fight. Norm is quoted as saying many years later, 'We should never have gone. We had .303 rifles with which to try to stop Panzer tanks.'

During the evacuation, they were strafed and bombed as they drove along rough and cratered roads to the evacuation points. He was then sent to defend the island of Crete from invasion, and here they faced heavy attack from Hitler's paratroopers. Norm was severely wounded by an enemy sniper on the first day of battle. He was taken prisoner with his battalion's outpost when it was overrun. He spent four years in POW camps across Europe.

He returned to Australia on Anzac Day in 1945 and maintained a wonderful relationship with the Greek community in WA as a result. He joined the Bunbury RSL and was a member for almost 75 years. He was a president for five years, had life membership and was always happy, positive, energetic and encouraging of our veterans. John Gelmi, the president of Bunbury RSL, paid great tribute to Norm and, at his funeral, Brett Corkery, who is a master, came and played the haunting and evocative 'Last Post'.

Norm and his wife, Jean, had 10 children, 26 grandchildren and 33 great-grandchildren. He died surrounded by his much loved family, and I offer them our greatest sympathy. Family and service were everything to Norm. I want to really acknowledge this gentleman, who was truly a quiet and great Australian—a true gentleman. I think there is a great deal of gratitude in this House for Norm and all of those veterans who served in all of our engagements. Lest we forget. Rest in peace, the wonderful Norm Eaton.