Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The recent commemorations marking the centenary of the departure of the first Anzac convoy from Albany were especially meaningful for two residents of Albany. On the afternoon of Saturday, 1st of November, brothers Murray and Eric Maxton were presented with the Legion of Honour by France's Minister for Defence, who was in Albany to attend the Anzac commemorative events. Both now aged in their 90s, Murray and Eric Maxton flew 30 bombing missions over Germany aboard a Lancaster aircraft with the RAAF Bomber Command in 1944, in the process helping to liberate France from Nazi occupation.

Elements of the Maxton's story are not atypical from the wartime experience of so many Australian families in the 1930s and 1940s. Wartime service was a family tradition. Their uncle had been killed at Gallipoli, and their own father, Eric Sr had served in the First World War, was gassed by the Germans and was subsequently repatriated to Western Australia. Their father's horrific experiences meant he urged his sons not to enlist when the Second World War commenced, but both Eric and Murray felt the call to service strongly.

Murray was the first to enlist in the RAAF, and he was joined by his brother a year later. Both eventually found themselves in the United Kingdom, though training in different places. By pure chance, they were reunited when they ran into each other in a London cafe one afternoon, and from that point remained together. At the time, the RAAF had a strict rule in place that no two members of the same family were to fly in combat missions aboard the same aircraft. However, the war had already extracted a heavy toll. Bomber Command had lost thousands of men, and a shortage of qualified RAAF personnel by this stage of the war meant that the rules were increasingly being sidestepped.

So it was that Murray and Eric Maxton came to fly combat missions together over Europe, believed to be the only brothers to do so. Yet, their heroic service went unrecognised for too long. Indeed, the brothers recently spoke of feeling 'shunned' when they returned to Australia and a seeming atmosphere of resentment towards RAAF airmen with Bomber Command because they had fought in Europe rather than fighting the Japanese, closer to home. This parochial attitude was most unfortunate. The threat to freedom at that time in world affairs was not confined to the Pacific region, and Australians were right to participate in the war in Europe. The Maxtons received their Legion of Honour awards almost 70 years to the day after their tour of duty. Others are still waiting.

Some senators may be familiar with the circumstance of 93-year-old Mr. Doug Groome, also of Albany, which has received some media attention this week. Mr. Groome also served in Bomber Command but as a British citizen with the RAF. He later emigrated to WA following the war in 1957. Like the Maxtons, Mr. Groome put his life in grave danger flying bombing missions over Germany. Like them, he is entitled to appropriate recognition for his service, and I am pleased that, as soon as his case came to light, the government moved quickly to work with Mr Groome's family to establish how this could best be achieved. However, I suspect there are many others like Mr. Groome, not just in Western Australia but around our country, whose service has gone unrecognised, or under-recognised, for too long.

Of course, not every war veteran seeks recognition. For some, it simply serves to bring painful memories to the fore, and we should respect their wish for privacy. However, for those who do wish to be identified and more fully recognised, the Centenary of Anzac offers an appropriate opportunity. Last week, I wrote to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Senator Ronaldson, and said I would be happy to work closely with him and other parliamentary colleagues in making certain that veterans and their families better understand the process for obtaining honours, particularly from foreign governments.

The Centenary of Anzac program, which will continue until 2018, is giving many Australians a fuller appreciation of our nation's military heritage, making certain that the service and sacrifice of those who fought on our behalf is a crucial aspect of that history. Now is the time to make sure we get it right.