Vetaffairs / Department of Veterans' Affairs, [1984]-

Call Number
Nef 362.86840994 VET
Created/Published
[Canberra] : [Dept. of Veterans' Affairs]
Issue
Vol. 28 No.1 Autumn (March - May 2012)
Images
12
View Catalogue

Contents

VETAFFAIRS 1
Returning to Singapore 1
Pensions and allowances rise 1
No title 1
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR A potential Debunking the Myths? 2
Agent Orange 2
Positive feedback 2
NEWS FROM THE DEPARTMENT 2
New Repatriation Medical Authority Chair 2
Calling all F-111 workers 2
New pension rates from 20 March 3
Veterans' Pharmaceutical Reimbursement Scheme 3
Travelling to Gallipoli or France for Anzac Day in 2012? 3
More transport providers now available 3
Deputy Commissioner Victoria retires 3
Household assistance for a Clean Energy Future 4
How are pensions indexed? 4
Changes to Payment Summaries 4
Single Claim Process is coming 4
WIDOWS’ NEWS NATIONAL COMMEMORATION FOR BOMBING OF DARWIN 5
BREAST CANCER SCREENING FOR OLDER WOMEN 5
ANZAC FIELDS OF REMEMBRANCE 5
START THINKING ABOUT VETERANS' HEALTH WEEK 5
A conference for war widows 5
Bambi Kindergarten 5
Story Writing and Art Competition 5
Damage to War Graves, Benghazi, Libya 6
Re-opening of the Bullecourt Museum, France 6
Sandakan Memorial Park, Sandakan, Malaysia 6
Service for Corporal Richard Atkinson 6
Refurbishment of the 2/30th Battalion Memorial, Gemas, Malaysia 6
Visit to Springvale 6
Vietnam Veterans Education Centre, Washington DC 6
The digital switch 6
DEBUNKING THE MYTHS... DVA White Card and non-liability health cover 7
DVA study updates 7
DENTAL HEALTH 8
How's your ticker? Improve your heart health with some fellow veterans 8
Tinnitus treatment available 8
HEARING LOSS the invisible disability 8
Medals Lost & Found Lost 8
Found 8
These boots were made for walking 8
United ADF reaches out to help Wagga flood victims 9
70th anniversary of the sinking of the Vyner Brooke 9
Join us on Facebook and Twitter 9
A NEW START 9
Advertising 10
NEWS FROM THE AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL 10
Advertising 10
Reunion notices 11
Home front: wartime Sydney 1939-45 11
Off the shelf 11
University graduates join DVA 11
Advertising 12

Text

VETAFFAIRS  

Page  

Page  

Page  

Vol. 28 No.  

Autumn 2012  

ISSN 0819-8934  

Returning to Singapore  

journey made by more than 20,000 Australians dur-  

ing the Second World War was retraced by five surviving  

soldiers and sailor in February to mark the 70th anni-  

versary of campaigns fought in Malaya and Singapore.  

The commemorative mission particularly recognised  

the hardships endured by the more than 15,000 Aus-  

tralian sailors, soldiers, airmen and nurses who were  

captured at the fall of Singapore and held prisoner by the  

Japanese, including more than 8000 who never returned  

home.  

Each veteran played unique role in what was one  

of the most costly campaigns in which Australia was  

involved during the Second World War.  

Led by Repatriation Commissioner Major General  

Mark Kelly, AO DSC and accompanied by the Minis-  

ter for Veterans’ Affairs, Warren Snowdon, the veterans  

represented all Australians who fought and made the  

ultimate sacrifice during the war in the Pacific.  

Ranging in age from 86 to 93, Mr Gordon Butler, Mr  

William Ennis, Mr Roydon Cornford, Mr Derek Holyo-  

ake, Mr Peter Dimopoulos and Mr George Smith were  

selected to represent their mates in arms.  

“We must never forget the courage of these men and  

women who were captured in Singapore and all across  

the Pacific region during the Second World War,” Mr  

Snowdon said.  

“It has been truly great honour to return to these  

places with them and to listen to their remarkable  

stories.”  

The Malayan Campaign, which ended with the fall of  

Singapore, lasted just 68 days from December 1941 to  

15 February 1942.  

On 15 February 1942, Allied forces laid down their  

arms and Singapore fell silent. Consequently, more than  

15,000 Australian soldiers became prisoners of war.  

“It is vital we continue to honour the memory of those  

who fought and those who were subjected to horrendous  

conditions in prisoner of war camps, not only in Singa-  

pore, but all around the Pacific,” Mr Snowdon said.  

“I hope this journey will be remembered by these great  

men for many years to come.”  

The veteran representatives fought in pivotal bat-  

tles in Malaya, and survived horrendous conditions as  

prisoners of war in places like Changi, the Thai-Burma  

Railway and in labour camps in Japan.  

While in Malaysia, commemorative services were held  

at sites that hold great significance in Australia’s mili-  

tary history including Gemas and Parit Sulong, once the  

site of great atrocity of the Second World War.  

Bill Ennis and Gordon Butler both fought at Gemas.  

Bill was involved in the heavy fighting experienced by  

the 2/30th Battalion at Gemas and during the retreat  

down the Malayan Peninsula towards Singapore.  

Following moving ceremony at Changi Chapel Back (l-r) Derek Holyoake, George Smith, Bill Ennis;  

front (l-r) Gordon Butler, Roy Cornford and Peter Dimopoulos.  

Gordon’s regiment moved in at Gemas as reinforce-  

ment relieving its sister unit. At 93 years of age, this was  

the first time Gordon had returned to Gemas. On reflec-  

tion, he said, “It was totally different war to what we’d  

been trained to do ... don’t think any words can really  

describe the brutality that we suffered.”  

Final salute to the veterans from Australia’s Federation Guard.  

In an emotional journey, some veterans returned to  

locations for first time since they served, and reflected  

on the memories of those who were left behind.  

Peter Dimpoulos described the experience as over-  

whelming. After visiting the Kranji War Cemetery for  

dawn service to commemorate the fall of Singapore, Peter  

said, “It brings back memories—as you walk around the  

cemetery and read the names and the ages, you wonder  

what it was all for.”  

Alongside the veterans were staff from the Depart-  

ment of Veterans’ Affairs and young men and women of  

Australia’s Federation Guard.  

Sharing stories across service experience, from the  

past to the contemporary, was rewarding experience.  

“The boys and girls have been great they made us feel  

young again,” said veteran George Smith. “They look  

after us and it’s great to have the guard all around you in  

formal ceremonies.”  

After final commemorative service at the Changi  

Chapel, where Roy, Gordon, Bill, George, Derek and  

Peter paid their respects to all those who walked through  

the iron gates of Changi, true display of mateship  

engaged the veterans as the Federation Guard mounted  

final salute to the group with guard of honour.  

Pensions and allowances rise  

Veterans’ pensions were increased on 20 March follow-  

ing the latest round of indexation adjustments. Pension  

rates are calculated on daily basis, so the pension paid  

on payday 22 March 2012 was paid at the old rates. The  

first full payment at the new rates of pension will be pay-  

day April 2012.  

The maximum rate of single service pension includ-  

ing pension supplement has risen by $6.70 to $755.50  

per fortnight and the maximum rate for couples has  

increased by $5.00 to $569.50 per fortnight (each).  

The Special Rate of disability pension (T&PI pen-  

sion) has increased by $10.40 to $1,154.20 per fortnight.  

The Extreme Disablement Adjustment has increased to  

$637.30 per fortnight and the 100 per cent General Rate of  

disability pension has increased to $410.10 per fortnight.  

The pension paid to war widow(er)s has increased by  

$6.90 to $765.60 per fortnight, while the ceiling rate of  

the income support supplement, which is paid to some  

73,000 war widow(er) s, has risen to $228.90 per fortnight.  

The quarterly instalment of seniors supplement  

($209.30 if single and $157.95 if member of couple)  

was paid on 22 March 2012.  

Payments have also increased for benefits under  

the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004  

(MRCA). The MRCA widowed partner’s payment is  

$382.80 per week, paid fortnightly.  

More information on the new pension rates is avail-  

able at www.dva.gov.au or by contacting DVA on 133 254  

or from regional Australia free call 1800 555 254.  

Page rates summary table  

PAGE  

MORE TRANSPORT PROVIDERS NOW AVAILABLE  

PAGE  

CHANGES TO PAYMENT SUMMARIES  

PAGE  

DEBUNKING THE MYTHS-WHITE CARDS  

Cite

Citation options:
Work identifier

http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1168559059

APA citation

Australia. Department of Veterans' Affairs. (). Vetaffairs / Department of Veterans' Affairs, Retrieved May 29, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1168559059

MLA citation

Australia. Department of Veterans' Affairs. Vetaffairs / Department of Veterans' Affairs, [Canberra]: [Dept. of Veterans' Affairs], . Web. 29 May 2025 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1168559059>

Harvard/Australian citation

Australia. Department of Veterans' Affairs. , Vetaffairs / Department of Veterans' Affairs, [Dept. of Veterans' Affairs], [Canberra] viewed 29 May 2025 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1168559059

Wikipedia citation

{{Citation
  | author1=Australia. Department of Veterans' Affairs.
  | title=Vetaffairs / Department of Veterans' Affairs
  | year=
  | section=v. : ill. ; 35-40 cm.
  | issn=0819-8934
  | issue=Vol. 28 No.1 Autumn (March - May 2012)
  | location=[Canberra]
  | publisher=[Dept. of Veterans' Affairs]
  | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1168559059
  | id=nla.obj-1168559059
  | access-date=29 May 2025
  | via=Trove
}}

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