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Honours for an extraordinary life:

The man who gave the orders which resulted in the first Australian shots to be fired in two world wars died in Melbourne on July 28, 1987.

Commander Stan Veale, who died at his Elwood home in Victoria aged 94 achieved the distinction when in charge of naval units in Port Phillip Bay, he gave orders to fire warning shots at vessels attempting to put to sea without authorisation.

In August, 1914, he hoisted a signal in the Naval Examination Service vessel 'Alvina' at the Port Phillip entrance, resulting in the firing of a shot across the bows of the German motor vessel 'Hobart', which was attempting to put to sea.

The 'Hobart' returned to port where a search revealed a copy of the German mercantile code book, which turned out to be one of the most important intelligence finds of the war.

The book, rushed to the Admiralty, was used to decode German naval signals intercepted throughout World War I.

The second occasion on which Commander Veale gave his historic order to fire was in September, 1939, when, as Officer in Charge of the Bass Strait approaches to Port Phillip, he gave the order to Fort Nepean to fire across the bows of a ship attempting to put to sea without official clearance. It turned out that the ship was skippered by an Australian merchantman who apparently chose to ignore the new wartime regulations.

Commander Veale also took part in other historic actions. In September, 1914, he was one of 237 officers and men who landed in German New Guinea, now New Britain. The party fought its way up the Kabakaul-Bitakapa Road to destroy the wireless station by which the German Pacific fleet communicated with Berlin and German merchantmen in neutral ports.

The action led to the surrender of all of Germany's south-west Pacific territories. It was the first British victory of the war, the RAN's first action and the first time a British force fought Germans on their own territory.

Commander Veale joined the Commonwealth Naval Forces at Williamstown in 1909 and served in vessels varying from torpedo boats to cruisers.

From January, 1920, he served as an active RANR officer, was mobilised for fulltime service in 1939 and filled several senior posts in south-eastern Australia during World War II.

From July, 1945, until his retirement from mobilised service and the active list of the RANR in September, 19S2, he was Director of Naval Recruiting and Chief Rehabilitation Officer at Navy Office, Melbourne.

During his retirement he maintained an active association with the RAN and was guest of honour at many Royal, vice-regal and historical service occasions.

In 1979 he was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in recognition of 75 years of outstanding service to the Royal Lifesaving Society sjnd for service to veterans.

Full naval honours were accorded him at a service at St John's Anglican Church, Toorak, and at the Boyd Chapel, Springvale Crematorium.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Mike Hudson, said in a tribute that he valued Commander Veale's friendship and his support of every aspect of the Navy's activities.

"His deep affection for the service and his pride in his own extraordinary contribution were obvious to us all," he said. "His presence during the RAN's 75th anniversary celebrations served as a reminder of all that the Navy has achieved since 1911."

Reference:

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article118147013