Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's with deep regret that I advise the House that Second World War veteran VX67548, Captain Jim Ellwood, passed away on Saturday evening. Jim was surrounded by his family. During World War II, Jim was a cipher signaller. He arrived on the island of Timor with the 4th Independent Company in September 1942. He was attached to Sparrow Force headquarters and then continued with Lancer Force once the 2/4th returned to Australia. Jim volunteered as a member of the stay-behind party that was established in early 1943 to continue to observe and report on Japanese activities. This stay-behind party was evacuated from Timor to Fremantle by the submarine USS Gudgeon in February 1943. Jim Ellwood then returned to Timor seven months later as a member of the SRD's ill-fated Operation Lagarto. He was captured and spent the remainder of the war as a prisoner of war, mostly in Dili, and was subject to terrible deprivation and torture. Jim was liberated after the war, in late 1945.

Jim went on to live a big life. He was a proud member of many ex-service associations. Our condolences to Jim's wife, Loretta, their sons and their descendants. He was a true gentleman. Vale Jim Ellwood.