Jo Lindgren (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 25 April every year since World War I, Australians have gathered to remember those who lost their lives in war and those who served this great country. So I thought it was fitting that I also speak about the contribution animals have made to our Anzac story.

A short time after midnight on 2 March 1942, after fierce fighting, HMAS Perth, along with USS Houston, were sunk in the Battle of the Sunda Strait. Of the 354 lives lost from the Perth, one was the ship's cat, Red Lead. We know this, because at the end of the war those survivors who lived through Japanese imprisonment were able to confirm this.

It is not known if he survived the battle to drown as the ship went down, struggling to stay afloat, or if he had lain there on the deck, injured and dying with his shipmates, or was killed outright. Like so many sailors, we just will never know what this cat's final minutes were like. But we do know that he shared death with many of his shipmates.

Interestingly, the log of HMAS Perth showed that Red Lead had tried to leave, or 'desert', ship three times just prior to sailing to its fate. Each time a sailor stopped him and returned him to the ship. The log reads:

Red Lead, ship's kitten, endeavoured to desert, but was brought back on board, despite vigorous protests.

Today's HMAS Perth has a painting of Red Lead on the bridge, a fitting memorial to an animal who shared the life and dangers of a sailor.

Animals have been with our armed forces either as working animals or as mascots, and many a time they have shared the same fate as their human mates. We all know the story of Simpson and his donkey, Murphy, but he was not the only donkey that carried wounded to the beach. We know of at least two others: one with Bert Latrobe of the 1st Australian Field Ambulance and the other with Dick Henderson of the New Zealand Medical Corps.

There were horses and considered fit enough to be sold to the Indian Army after World War I. There are plenty of stories of the stress felt by the Light Horsemen, leaving the horse that had faithfully carried them. One of our former senators, Major General Harold 'Pompey' Elliott left behind his trusted mount in England; after it served him well in Europe during World War I. He was so distressed that he had done this that he left a note with his horse, Darkie, outlining his service as a trusted mount. He was delighted later to receive a letter from the new owner assuring him that Darkie was being well cared for.

At the end of Australian involvement in Vietnam, the Australian Army left behind 11 labrador tracking dogs due to quarantine regulations and attitudes of the time. I am, like most Australians, happy to see that today's animals, such as Sabi, are returned to Australia. And we no longer see other shameful acts, such as animals being treated badly due to quarantine issues back home. Some animals, such as a small dog called Horrie, did not serve as either a working animal or mascot but became a pet of some soldiers during the North African campaign in World War II.

Why do servicemen and woman become attached to animals while on the battlefield? Well, no doubt, some were taken in by soldiers out of sheer human decency, because they were hungry and abandoned. But what did they offer in return? Often cats and kittens were adopted by troops on the battlefield, and cats have performed other essential roles, such as raising morale. With their amusing and affectionate behaviour, they helped remind men and women far from Australia of 'normal' life, and the comforts of home.

I could name many other animals that went to war as working animals, mascots or pets. There are the names of animals that are known to us, but there are many more who are unknown but which were no less important to those who they served with.

I have been fortunate to have met a man called Nigel Allsopp, who leads an organisation called the Australian War Animal Memorial Organisation. I congratulate Nigel on his efforts to share the stories of our war animals, and I support his endeavours to ensure Australians appreciate and understand their contribution to our war efforts.

I will conclude with words from the Australian War Animal Memorial Organisation:

Throughout history, in war and in peacetime, animals and mankind have worked alongside each other. As beasts of burden, messengers, protectors, mascots, and friends … (Time expired)