Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, children, special guests and service men and women alike, My name is Scott Wasley and I am the Vice President and Welfare officer of this Sub Branch. Today I have the pleasure to talk to you about a special person within our Subbranch (Doyalson-Wyee NSW) and make an honourable presentation to him.

His name is Howell BRUCE Emery who currently lives in Chain Valley Bay not 5 kilometres away from here. He was Born June 1925, at the young age of 17 he enlisted in the Navy 1943. His first depot or base was Flinders Naval base (Now HMAS Cerberus). On completion of his training, he was posted to Darwin as an engine room maintainer operator aptly called a Stoker 2nd class. I myself was a modern-day Stoker, well not so modern now days but I guess in comparison. In Sept 1943 Bruce served on HMAS Ambon and sailed in and around Darwin harbour in support and protection of larger ships in the harbour.
After Darwin Bruce was posted to HMAS Penguin in Sydney in Feb 1945 be-fore being sent to Melbourne to join HMAS Cessnock (one of the Navies some 60-corvette minesweeper) for duties in the pacific.
While in the pacific at the end of the war Cessnock was tasked with transporting some Indonesian troops to Banjarmasin, Borneo and extracting some of the Australian troops who were stationed there. The large ships with their deep draughts were unable to manoeuvre up the river to get to their destination as they were restricted by sandbars which is why the HMAS Cessnock took on the task.
On completion of these taskings HMAS Cessnock went to Hong Kong to join the British Pacific Fleet and was tasked, with Bruce onboard, to escort the Navy Fleet into Tokyo Bay, Japan for the historic Japanese surrender ceremony and the signing of “The Japanese Instrument of Surrender”.
The HMAS Cessnock returned to Australia early 1946 and shortly after Bruce discharged from the Navy in Jun 1946.

Bruce comes from a line of honourable service family and today wears the medals that he himself earned and those of his fathers (Acton Emery) who served in WW1 with the Australian Light Horse Regiment in the Middle East.
So, after all of my ramblings, I would like to present to you Mr Howell Bruce Emery, this 75th Anniversary medallion in commemoration of the end of the second world war. The Department of Veterans Affairs have minted these medallions and have presented them to all the remaining living second world war veterans. So, in keeping with the traditions of the armed forces and those of our Subbranch here at Doyalson-Wyee RSL, I present your personal commemorative medal. Thank you for being here with us all and most of all Thank you for your service.