Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

“Ted” attended school at Scotch College in Perth (1936-1941). On 23 July 1942, only 3 days after his 17th birthday, Ted joined the Royal Australian Navy at Fremantle WA as an Ordinary Seaman 2nd Class. From basic training at HMAS Cerberus (Victoria) Ted was posted to HMAS Westralia on 22 July 1942 to start specialist training which continued from 1 September 1942 at the newly established HMAS Assault at Port Stephens, NSW. Here during 1943 and 1944 intensive training was provided and Ted became a Navy Commando, involved in both Commando and joint Army-Navy assault training at Port Stephens and Cairns. On 6 January 1944 The RAN formed the Naval Beach Commando as part of the RAN Beach Unit. Ted was one of the Commandos in this elite unit.

On 10 June 1945 A/B Ted Jones landed on Green Beach, Labuan Island as part of the advance beach party of Naval Beach Commando ‘A’. With success of the landing, Ted was for some while attached to a US Army unit, the 593rd Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment which ranged up and down the coast of British North Borneo, inserting and removing soldiers and special operatives and liaising with local Dyak populations. Ted’s service life is detailed in his book ‘Sailor and Commando - A Royal Australian Navy Special Service Beach Commando 1942 - 1946” (Hesperian Press, WA 1998).

Discharged from the RAN in March 1946, Ted took work in the footwear industry and by the mid-1950s had settled in Melbourne where he bacame a Podiatrist specialising in foot orthopaedics. Returning to West Australia in the 1970’s, Ted took up farming and eventually moved to a Retirement Village at Bibra Lakes, WA. It was there that he died shortly after his 82nd birthday.