Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

My father John Frederick Hartley (born as 'Park') has been on my mind and in my heart so much, as I remembered the traumas of December 1941 that befell all of south-east Asia, the Philippines and Pearl Harbour, and the action that he took to stand up and fight against tyranny and cruelty in what would become the SWPA and the Pacific War.

My Dad, John Frederick Hartley, a young man of 20 in 1941, would embark on a great struggle commencing with enlistment in the 2nd AIF on 11 December 1941 until discharge on 10 April 1947.

The extraordinary aspect to this story of my Dad also includes his parents, his Chinese-born father & Australian mother re-identified as a "Chinese National" due her marriage, and the fact that they had to register as "Aliens" under the National Security Act 1939 due the declaration of war in September 1939.

This discrimination of the time, which also included aspects of the 'White Australia Policy' and enlistment restrictions in the AIF, did not deter not stop my Dad, nor his brothers, all sons of this "Chinese Nationals" married couple, from all joining up to fight WW2. They understood the times and context, and accepted it in good grace.

Upon hearing of the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong and Malaya, and the air attack on Pearl Harbour on 08 December 1941 (Sydney time), a young man immediately rushes to Sydney to enlist for overseas service.

On 10 December 1941, the young John Donald Frederick Park (born 22 July 1921) in Barraba NSW, having travelled from Barraba to Newcastle, and then on to Sydney, presented himself at the Sydney Recruiting Centre, and waited in a long line all day without making it through the front door.

He was still there early the next morning on 11 December 1941, and finally entered the building and approached the desk.

Knowing full well that he had walked away from his militia/lighthorse unit and that his true identity would be known, as well as being under the approved age, he gave his name as JOHN FREDERICK HARTLEY, born 22 August 1920 in Barraba NSW. He had used his mother's maiden name (HARTLEY) and made himself a year older so that he could immediately be deployed overseas to confront the Japanese aggression offshore.

He had heard the news on 08 December 1941 of the Japanese air attack on Pearl Harbour as well as their launched attacks and invasion of Hong Kong and Malaya, and he had resolved that he would not be waiting for the enemy to attack and/or invade Australia, as was the desperate thinking of the time.

Having enlisted on 11 Dec 41, he was quick to volunteer for a so-called "hush hush" unit when Officers looked at their new recruit Diggers and had asked the questions: "Can anyone shoot ? Ride a horse? Swim rough waters? Live off the land?" He quickly found himself transported to Wilson's Promontory for training to become a member of the No. 2 Australian Independent Company, of whom around 2/3 of full Company strength had already deployed to Timor in the days immediately after the Pearl Harbour.

The balance of the Company (reinforcements) to complete full unit strength of just over 280 men, would complete rigorous training (fieldcraft, navigation, weapons proficiency, sabotage, explosive/demolitions, ambushes and confirming mental and physical toughness) in barely 4 weeks, and would be in Portuguese Timor by mid-January 1942.

They had one month to acclimatise, develop good relations with the natives, prepare their caches around the countryside, plan their safe places, and prepare for enemy attack. On19 February 1942, the Japanese launched a heavy air attack on Darwin, effectively ensuring that Timor could not be resupplied or reinforced. In the early hours of 20 February 1942, the Japanese invasion of Timor commenced at each end of the island, with the allied bases in Dutch Timor around Koepang and Penfui bearing the brunt of heaviest enemy forces.

In Portuguese Timor, in Dili harbour and the airdrome, a few thousand Japanese marines came ashore after the early bombardment of the township and hasty withdrawal of the Dutch forces.

"A" Section of No. 2 Australian Independent Company, just over 20 men, lay in wait at the airdrome along with their already-set demolitions. A fierce firefight ensued, and it is said by eye witnesses that the Japanese lost at least 200 men in their attack on the airdrome. As the enemy numbers were overwhelming and could not suppressed, the Australians blew the drome and withdrew into the hills.

So began the 1942 campaign of my father and his comrades of the No. 2 Independent Company against the Japanese invasion and occupation of Timor.

Dad was a tommy-gunner and therefore very much in the face of the enemy during ambushes, skirmishes and rapid hit & run operations in Timor during all of 1942.

They would remain on Timor until mid-December 1942 when evacuated as a whole Company of fighting men back to Darwin for intense debriefing, rest & health repair, further training & rebuilding of the Company to a renewed full strength for their next campaigns in New Guinea, starting from mid-1943.

This is just part of what I know about my Dad. There is so much more to his record of service in World War II, and more that I can say, but not just now.

Once the war was over in 1945, these same men had formed their own association, the 2/2 Commando Association, and deeply prided themselves not just on military prowess, but more significantly on the depth of their common bonds and relationships with each other.

They quite rightly described themselves as "A Great Fraternity". They set up their own welfare arrangements to support those members in need; they held regular reunions or "safaris" as they became known, because they would gather every 2 years in a difference State; single men became married with children, and the "safaris" would continue with the families, so we kids would all be as "cousins" to each other, and the soldiers were all our "uncles". The men would provide comfort, welfare and support to those who fell on hard times or were not coping with their war traumas.There would be hospitality and stopovers provided in each other's homes as people were travelling and visiting - this went on all through the late-1950s to the late-1990s. Sadly, by the 1990s, too many men had gone on their final patrols.

For those who may be interested, take a leisurely stroll through the website www.doublereds.org.au and you will witness a brilliant resource of the history of one of the 2nd AIF's greatest units who packed a huge punch against the enemy during Australia's efforts in the SWPA.

This is a significant part of how I remember my Dad's life. He was a tough, resilient and quiet young man. He knew what loyalty meant. He knew what duty meant. And he gave his all selflessly. He had been Secretary of the 2/2 Commando Association (NSW Branch) for over 40 years in the service of his mates. My Dad was not unique. There were hundreds of thousands of other young (and older) Australian men and women of that generation who saw evil coming and stood up resolutely to resist and fight until victory was achieved, and peace and freedom restored.

Who of us can say honestly that we could do the same ?

John Frederick Hartley died on 12 June 2000 at the age of 78.

I miss him so much, and I miss all those "uncles" and "aunts" of the 2/2 Commando Association who have also passed.

LEST WE FORGET what that generation did for us and the entire world.