Extraordinary seaman Teddy Sheean defined valour ‘in the presence of the enemy’

Not brave enough? Annika Smethurst, The Sunday Telegraph, May 24:

A wounded Teddy Sheean tied himself to an anti-aircraft gun and died firing it at the Japanese to save his mates, who described seeing the cannon­ still shooting at the planes as the waves closed over the sinking ship. But Scott Morrison doesn’t think that’s “indisputable evidence” of braver­y and intervened to overturn a recommendation to posthumously award a Victoria Cross to the teenage war hero. The move has angered several­ cabinet ministers who disagree with the government’s position to move to overrule a unanimous decision­ by an independent tribunal to award Australia’s highest wartime honour to Sheean.

ABC, March 25, 2019:

The Defence Honours and Awards Tribunal … (recommended) a VC be awarded to Sheean.

Assistant defence minister Bruce Scott at the launch of the submarine HMAS Sheean, May 1999:

Your former shipmate served his country with great distinction and, in so doing, made the ultimate sacrifice for his mates and his country. It is very fitting that Australia should recognise and honour his bravery and his sacrifice by the naming of this submarine for him … the first time an Australian warship has been named for a former junior sailor.

Uncommon valour? Chris Schacht, speech to the Senate, April 4, 2001:

Sheean was a junior sailor on HMAS Armidale when she was attacked and sunk by Japanese aircraft off Timor on December 1, 1942 … Frank Walker best relates the detail of the ensuing action in his book The Ship That Had to Die … “There was mayhem as … survivors­ of the ship’s company scrambled to release flotation devices and get away from the rapidly sinking ship. The Japanese pilots continued their attack and having finished with the ship, turned their attention to the survivors in the water … Sheean was still on board the sinking ship while this was happening, and although he was uninjured and free to take whatever shelter he could find either in the water or on board the sinking wreck, instead he made his way to the ­Oerlikon gun, strapped himself into the mount and fired at the incoming planes. Sheean shot down one Japan­ese fighter and other planes were forced to swerve away from their deadly pursuit or risk being damaged as well. Sheean had his chest and back ripped open when he was hit on a number of occasions, but still he fought on, aiming streams of bullets at the incoming planes as the ship sank beneath him.

Sid Sidebottom, House of Representatives, December 4, 2000:

In the certain knowledge that his action­ will lead to his death, and while mortally wounded, (Sheean) literally goes down with his ship with his guns blazing. His valour and self-sacrifice helped save many of his colleagues battling to survive in the sea.

   

ABC, May 19:

Jacqui Lambie also took aim at Scott Morrison … “There’s nowhere to hide for the PM any more. … The only thing stopping Teddy from getting the recognition and credit and honour­ he deserves is the stubbornness of the bloke living in The Lodge.”

Matthew Denholm, The Weekend Australian, May 23:

Scott Morrison said Australia would “remain eternally grateful” for ­Sheean’s “service, dedication and sacrifice­”, but he believed the 2013 inquiry­, which did not back a VC, was “more comprehensive” than the 2019 review. “We have not taken this decision­ lightly.”