Victory in the Pacific Day

75 years ago today my Mum and Dad, together with their nine-month-old son, went in to Sydney to celebrate with thousands upon thousands of others. The end of the war in the Pacific had been announced the day before when Japan surrendered. They said it was an amazing day but, like for so many others, it was tinged with sadness because their very great friend, Micky Dargue had been killed in New Guinea in February that year. (He was 22.) It was at the time when the Japanese forces were retreating and Micky had already been fighting there for over a year.
 
My collage shows my Mum and Dad and my brother, not on VP Day but a few months later, taken by a street photographer at Central Railway, Sydney. The top right-hand side photo was taken in Sydney on 16 August 1945. The lower photo is Micky taken before he enlisted in 1941.
 
I often heard about Micky as I was growing up. He was clearly a dearly loved friend. Some years ago I decided to do some research into his time in the army. In a book called ‘In All Things Faithful: A History and Album of the 30th Battalion and New South Wales Scottish Regiment 1885-1895’ I found out what happened to Micky. Here is the excerpt.
 
On 8 February 1945, two patrols, each of platoon strength, were ordered to Wagan and Watam. The Wangan patrol encountered a strongly held bunker position on an inland track junction. Mortar fire support was called to assist the patrol’s advance, but, being unable to outflank the enemy position and having a wounded member, the patrol was forced to withdraw.
 
The Watam patrol, meanwhile, proceeded with two scouts forward. After travelling to within sight of the village gardens, the patrol suddenly came under heavy fire from about 60 Japanese dug in at the gardens and snipers concealed in the trees. Private Mick Dargue, one of the forward scouts, was killed and his companion, Private Bob Grant, was shot in the chest.
 
Corporal John Graham, Section Commander of the forward section, tried to recover his forward scout’s body, but, despite the covering fire from his section, the enemy’s fire was devastating, so he had to abandon the attempt. Without hesitation, and with the aid of Private ‘Butch’ Webster, his medical orderly, Corporal Graham turned his attention to Grant, the wounded scout and eventually managed to drag him to safety.
 
Airstrikes were made on Watam and Wangan targets on 9 February and on the following day a patrol from the company returned to Watam, recovered our comrade’s body and occupied the village area without opposition.
 
I was born four years later on 9 February. I wonder had I been a boy if I would have been called Michael.

I have also found an 'In Memoriam' notice published in the Sydney Morning Herald by John Graham who tried to recover Micky's body. It was published on the day before I was born.
 
My extra was taken this weekend 13 years ago when we went to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra to find Micky’s name on the WWII Roll of Honour. I could barely reach his name to add a poppy.