Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of Frederick John and Isabella Skinner, of Tenterfield, New South Wales.

Five young men from the Mount Mackenzie area went off to World War II - Bill Waugh, Jack Finnerty, Eric Holley and John and Eddie Skinner, Eric died on the way to New Guinea.  John and Eddie were taken prisoner in Singapore, and never returned.  Jack died in the Middle East.

Convinced that within days the Allies would land at Sandakan, the Japanese decided to pull back into the interior taking with them any POW who could still get to his feet – 536 in all.  Edward went on that march and the POWs were in very poor shape.  Edward was with a group of five who decided that unless they escaped, death was inevitable.
They took advantage of an air strike when the column was about 80 kilometres from Sandakan.

As everyone went to ground the five slid down a slope into the thick jungle. As they made their way towards what they hoped was a river, Edward, who had dysentery, started to fall behind. Three of the party went on, leaving Owen Campbell to care for Edward.  As his condition deteriorated he urged Campbell to leave him and save himself. Campbell
refused. Unable to convince him to go, Skinner took his own life.  This act of self-sacrifice ultimately saved Campbell's life. He was found by a villager, who cared
for him until the local people managed to get the fugitive to a commando working behind enemy lines.