‘Wal’ Williams OAM: Narrabeen war vet activist’s memorial dream finally comes true

The legacy of respected WWII veteran activist Walter ‘Wal’ Williams has finally been unveiled on the northern beaches — a memorial to 1800 prisoners lost at sea while being shipped to Japan.

The memorial to commemorate the 1800 servicemen and women who lost their lives at sea while being transported to Japan and its islands, It was unveiled on Mona Vale Headland on Friday. War veteran, Walter ‘Wal’ Williams, had lobbied for years for funding for the dedicated memorial. Picture: Northern Beaches Council

The mission by a local Australian Army veteran activist for a memorial to those killed while being transported as prisoners to Japan in World War II has finally been successful.

Walter “Wal” Williams was an outspoken and vigorous campaigner for the rights of war vets and their families up until his death at 99, earlier this year.

As a POW himself after his capture in Singapore in 1942, Mr William’s lobbied furiously for decades for cash to have the “lost at sea” memorial placed on Mona Vale Headland.

World War II veteran Walter ‘Wal” Williams OAM at the RSL ANZAC Village in Narrabeen in 2020. He lobbied authorities for decades for the “lost at sea’ memorial unveiled on now on Mona Vale Headland on Friday. Picture: Tim Hunter.

On a blustery Friday morning, with his son Neil representing him alongside a group of dignitaries, the permanent memorial recognising the sacrifice of Allied service personnel and civilians who died on the POW ships, was unveiled in Robert Dunn Reserve.

Mr Williams was told, just days before he died, that his years of lobbying had paid off and the memorial would be put in place by the end of the year.

He had been working closely with Northern Beaches Council, the NSW Government and Pittwater RSL on the funding, location and design of the memorial.

Wal Williams scoping out Mona Vale Headland in January 2000. Picture: Joe Murphy

The popular and widely respected Mr Williams cheated death numerous times as an Australia Army soldier and a prisoner of the Japanese for more than three years. He was one of the last survivors of the infamous Thai-Burma “death railway”.

Mr Williams was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for his relentless efforts to raise awareness of the sacrifice and suffering of those lost at sea on Japanese ships sunk by Allied submarines.

Wal Williams (hand on hips) and mates are reunited with their former commanding officer at Singapore after liberation. Picture Supplied

State MP for Pittwater Rob Stokes said one of the last things Mr Williams did was to approve the wording for the memorial.

Mr Williams arrived in Singapore in December 1941. He was wounded, including being hit by a grenade resulting in a flesh wound. He also survived when a piece of shrapnel from an artillery round that tore a hole in his helmet but didn’t pierce his skull.

The British surrendered Singapore in February 1942 and Mr Williams ended up in Changi Prison.

As a Japanese POW, Mr Williams, was sent to work on the Thai-Burma Railway.

Despite the malnutrition, brutality and disease that claimed 90,000 fellow forced labourers, Mr Williams survived that ordeal before he was sent to work in Japan.

On the way the ship, crammed with 1300 Australians was torpedoed by a US submarine. Just 136 survived.

Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Regan (left) on Friday with Neil Williams, the son of World War II veteran, Walter ‘Wal’ Williams, who had lobbied for years to have a dedicated memorial to commemorate the 1800 servicemen and women who lost their lives at sea while being transported to Japan during World War II been installed on Mona Vale Headland. Picture: Northern Beaches Council

After 12 hours in the water and surviving depth charges exploding around him, he and two mates were picked up by a Japanese whaling boat and eventually found themselves in a labour camp where they were forced to work in an engineering factory in Kawazaki.

Mr Williams managed to survive devastating US air raids that eventually destroyed the labour camp. He also survived the firebombing of Tokyo and Yokohama by Allied planes. He made it back to Australia on his 23rd birthday before meeting his future wife Helen. They raised their son on the northern beaches, where Mr Williams opened a second‑hand furniture shop at Narrabeen.

Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Regan said it was important to honour the men and women lost at sea and the sacrifices they made for our country.

The ceremony to unveil a memorial to commemorate the 1800 servicemen and women who lost their lives at sea while being transported to Japan as prisoners during World War II. Picture: Northern Beaches Council

“Wal was nothing short of a hero and sadly he will not see the completed memorial, but his legacy will live on,” Cr Regan said.

“The memorial will be a contemplative space and acknowledges the 1,800 Australian Prisoners of War, Nurses and Civilian Internees who lost their lives at sea in the Pacific between 1942 and 1945, during World War II.”

Mr Stokes said Mr Williams was an inspirational veteran who was passionate about making sure those who have served our country, and particularly those who did not survive, were never forgotten.

“Wal was a thoroughly decent, brave and courteous man who represents an amazing generation of Australians.”

The memorial, which includes a north facing bench a sandstone plinth and a plaque set on paved sandstone, was unveiled by Mr Stokes and NSW Veterans Minister David Elliott.