Teddy Sheean’s VC on its way home

A celebrated ceremony held in the United Kingdom has heralded one step closer to Teddy Sheean’s Victoria Cross arriving home.

• Heroic Aussie sailor’s VC cross coming home
• If Teddy Sheean was alive, he would be nearly 97. How would we treat him?

AN EXCLUSIVE ceremony held in the United Kingdom has heralded one step closer to Teddy Sheean’s Victoria Cross arriving home.

The Royal Navy handed over the medal to Australian High Commissioner George Brandis in a private ceremony in Portsmouth on Friday morning.

It comes after a sustained campaign for the Tasmanian war hero to be awarded the nation’s highest military honour for his bravery during World War II.

Ordinary Seaman Teddy Sheean, top left, has been awarded a Victoria Cross. Source: Australian War Memorial

The medal is now set to be securely sent to Australia ahead of a planned public ceremony.

The Victoria Cross is now in the custody of Australia’s Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Michael Noonan.

“Teddy Sheean’s Victoria Cross is worthy recognition of an extraordinary Tasmanian and I am very pleased another milestone has been reached to bring it home,’’ Mr Barnett said.

“The ceremony occurred onboard the flight deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth II, the Royal Navy’s brand new aircraft carrier and largest vessel in the British fleet.”

Mr Barnett said the Victoria Cross has been awarded to 101 Australians, including 15 Tasmanians, since being instituted by Queen Victoria in 1856.

A letter from Ordinary Seaman Teddy Sheean to his mother. Source: Australian War Memorial

“The medal, suspension bar and link are cast in bronze, believed to be obtained from the cascabels of two Chinese cannons captured from the Russians during the Crimean War,’’ he said.

Sheean was 18 when he died on board the HMAS Armidale, refusing the opportunity to board a lifeboat while the ship was sinking, returning to an Oerlikon anti-aircraft gun and firing at Japanese enemy aircraft and defending shipmates from enemy attack.

Prime Minster Scott Morrison announced last month that a report issued by a recent tribunal review into the matter had found Sheean to be an eligible recipient for the Victoria Cross.

The latest review followed pressure from the public and Mr Morrison’s own party after the Government did not accept a tribunal recommendation in May to award the war hero the VC.

Follow @cwhiteley12