PM clears a path for war hero Teddy Sheean’s VC, if strong ‘new evidence’

Scott Morrison announces a high-powered panel to review the case of war hero Teddy Sheean.

Ordinary Seaman Teddy Sheean.

Scott Morrison has paved the way for a potential backflip on his denial of a Victoria Cross to war hero Teddy Sheean, announcing a high-powered panel to review evidence in the case.

The Prime Minister’s announcement on Wednesday of an expert panel — to be headed by former Defence Minister Brendan Nelson — follows intense political and community pressure for a rethink of his stance.

Teddy Sheean and fiancee Kath Lapthorne. Picture: courtesy Garry Ivory

Mr Morrison had rejected a defence awards tribunal recommendation that a posthumous VC be granted to Sheean, who went down with HMAS Armidale in 1942, strapping himself to his gun and firing on Japanese fighters even as the ship sank.

While the independent panel found what it suggested was new or further evidence to justify the VC — including that Sheean had reached a lifeboat unwounded before turning back to his gun — Mr Morrison knocked back the award on advice, including from Defence Chief Angus Campbell.

General Campbell’s view — that retrospectivity in such awards could open the floodgates to others and might upset the Queen — was rejected by a raft of naval community figures and military historians.

It also prompted a Liberal backbench revolt, led by MPs from Sheean’s home state of Tasmania, as well as pleas for a rethink by Sheean’s family and Tasmanian Liberal Premier Peter Gutwein.

“Given there are different views on whether there is compelling new evidence about Sheean’s actions in 1942, I have today commissioned an expert panel to provide me with advice as to whether the 2019 review by the Defence Honours and Awards Appeal Tribunal had any significant new evidence, not available to the previous reviews and otherwise available,” Mr Morrison said.

This evidence would need to be “compelling enough to support a recommendation by the government that Sheean’s Mention in Dispatches be replaced by a VC”.

Sheean’s nephew Garry Ivory welcomed the development. “It’s wonderful,” Mr Ivory told The Australian. “We are very grateful and very hopeful of a good outcome.”

The nephew of Teddy Sheean, Garry Ivory. Picture: Patrick Gee

New evidence before the tribunal included that Sheean, only 18 and not long at sea, had reached the relatively safety of a lifeboat when, seeing his comrades being strafed in the water by Japanese fighters, decided to return to his gun post.

Other new evidence included that Sheean was not a gunner, but a loader; that he was only wounded after deciding to return to his gun, and; that he shot down at least one aircraft.

Mr Morrison defended the government’s handling of the matter. “Ordinary Seaman Edward ‘Teddy’ Sheean was an extraordinary Australian and Australia will remain eternally grateful for his service, dedication and sacrifice,” Mr Morrison said.

 “Overturning a decision relating to a Victoria Cross nearly 80 years after Sheean’s heroic actions in 1942 would need compelling reasons. That is why the government’s view and clear policy is that consideration of the awarding of a retrospective VC would only occur in light of compelling new evidence or if there was evidence of significant maladministration.

“The Victoria Cross for Australia is our pre-eminent Australian gallantry decoration. The government will always uphold the integrity of the Victoria Cross and everything that it stands for.”

 Dr Nelson, a former Tasmanian and Australian War Memorial director, will be joined on the panel by former solicitor general David Bennett and former PM’s department secretary Peter Shergold, as well as NSW Anzac Memorial senior curator Brad Manera. It will report by July 31.