Biography prisoner war david manning australia
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John Spillard Grimshaw MC, ED.
Prior to the &#;Commissioner&#; of Police was a Superintendent.
Born Scarborough, England 10/10/ Joined South Australia Police in , serving as Trooper, Criminal Investigation Branch, Sergeant Instructor and was latterly Officer in Charge Adelaide Police College. Was member of the Coronation Contingent and studied at Peel House, Hendon College and Birmingham Colonial Police College. Served WW2 as a Lieutenant with the 2/17th Australian Infantry Battalion. Later formed and commanded the 7th Division Provost Corps serving in the Western Desert, Greece, Crete and Syria. Served New Guinea, Owen Stanley Campaign as well as the Ramu Valley, Lae and Finschaffen operations as Provost Marshall, 1st Australian Corps. Appointed Superintendent Royal Papuan and New Guinea Constabulary 15/4/, resigning on 20/9/ Died South Australia in
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Fall of Singapore at Three prisoners of war share their stories
Japan's entry into World War II changed the situation dramatically for many Australians.
More Anzacs than ever before had been captured in the Malayan Campaign, including those caught up in the fall of Singapore when allied troops were ordered to lay down their arms on February 15,
More than 20, Australians served, with around 1, lives lost in battle and about 15, captured as prisoners of war.
David Manning was one of them.
He blown off HMAS Perth in the Battle of Sunda Strait off the north-west coast of Java while fighting Japanese destroyers.
"When I hit the vatten I was sort of summersaulting but when inom broke surface I knew I was still alive,"Mr Manning said.
The Perth sunk when a fourth torpedo hit on March 1,
Mr Manning managed to man it back to shore 27 hours later after climbing onto a life raft along with about 40 crew members, all covered in oil.
Of the crew, survived and went on to
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HMAS Perth survivors share stories of hardship on 75th anniversary of disaster
At nearly years of age, the last two survivors of the sinking of HMAS Perth off Indonesia have shared their extraordinary stories of survival at the opening of an exhibition to mark the 75th anniversary of the disaster.
David Manning, 94, described the moments that followed the order to abandon ship before midnight on February 28, He was 18 years old at the time.
"I was actually blown off by the four torpedoes that hit the ship," he said. "I have no memory of it other than sort of corkscrewing through the water."
Fellow veteran, year-old Frank McGovern was also lucky to survive.
"As I jumped, I went down under the ship and the propeller," he said.
"I could see the phosphorous in the water. A huge blade going around, and then another one. And I was dragged in towards it.
"I thought, 'well, this is it'. I said my last prayer."
"I was turn