Snake Bay Patrol

Snake Bay Patrol
Country Australia
Branch Royal Australian Navy
Type Auxiliary unit
Role Coastal patrol, search and rescue
Size 35 men
Engagements World War II

The Snake Bay Patrol was an auxiliary reconnaissance unit made up of Indigenous Australian residents of Melville Island in the Northern Territory that was raised by the Royal Australian Navy during World War II.[1] The unit was established by Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve officer Lieutenant J.W.B. Gribble during the Pacific War to detect any Japanese forces which landed on the island, with local Indigenous Australians being informally recruited and never formally enlisted into the military. The Patrol's 35 members served on a full-time basis, received firearms training, were issued naval uniforms and held naval ranks conferred by Gribble, but were not paid.[2][3] Similar units were raised on Bathurst Island, the Cox Peninsula and Groote Eylandt.[4]

During the war the Snake Bay Patrol conducted patrols along the shore of Melville Island, rescued downed Allied airmen and determined the location of naval mines. Two members of the Patrol are also believed to have formed part of reconnaissance parties landed on Timor from Allied submarines.[2]

The former members of the Snake Island Patrol only became eligible for service medals and payments in recognition of their service in 1962.[2] In December 1991 the few surviving members of the Patrol and the other auxiliary Indigenous units received compensation for not having been paid during the war, as well as the Defence Medal and War Medal; these were also provided to the next of kin of the members who had died by that time.[5] The next year the surviving men became eligible for veteran's benefits under the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986.[2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Clark, Chris. "A question of numbers – Second World War". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Peryman, John. "A Brief History of Indigenous Service to the RAN" (PDF). A Naval Salute: Celebrating the Centenary of the Royal Australian Navy 1911–2011. Royal Australian Navy. p. 24.
  3. ↑ The Hon Gordon Bilney MP Minister for Defence Science and Personnel and The Hon Robert Tickner MP Minister for Aboriginal Affairs (25 April 1991). "Government recognises WWII service by "Black Diggers"". Media release. Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  4. ↑ Dennis, Peter; Grey, Jeffrey; Morris, Ewan; Prior, Robin; Bou, Jean (2008). The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History (Second ed.). Melbourne: Oxford University Press. p. 4. ISBN 9780195517842.
  5. ↑ "Black diggers recognised belatedly". The Canberra Times. 6 December 1991. p. 4. Retrieved 10 June 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.