Reg Saunders
Encyclopedia
Reginald Walter Saunders MBE (7 August 1920 – 2 March 1990) was the first Aboriginal
commissioned officer
in the Australian Army
. Enlisting as a soldier in 1940, he served during World War II
in North Africa
, Greece
and Crete
before being commissioned as a lieutenant
and serving as a platoon
commander in New Guinea
in 1944–45. After World War II Saunders was demobilised and returned to civilian life, however, he later served as a company
commander with the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
(3 RAR) during the Korean War
. He eventually left the Army in 1954 and later worked as a liaison officer in the Office of Aboriginal Affairs, and was appointed MBE for his services in 1971. He died in 1990 aged 69.
on the Framlingham Aboriginal Reserve
in western Victoria
on 7 August 1920. Saunders' father, Chris, was a veteran of the First World War and he was also the nephew of William Reginald Rawlings
who received a Military Medal
for his services with the 1st AIF
in France.
Following the death of his mother in 1924, Saunders was raised by his grandmother at Lake Condah in Victoria. He attended school only rarely and by the age of 14 he took work in a sawmill
as a millhand, but dreamt of travelling overseas to fight for oppressed and impoverished people with whom he could identify.
on 24 April 1940. After completing initial training he was allocated to the 2/7th Battalion, which was serving overseas in North Africa
at the time. Saunders' natural leadership qualities led to him being promoted quickly. Within six weeks of enlistment he was promoted to lance corporal
, within three months he had made sergeant
.
In early April 1941 the 6th Division was sent to Greece to help defend against German invasion
. After a series of withdrawals the battalion was evacuated on 26 April and after the ship they were travelling on was bombed and crippled by German aircraft, they were taken under tow by British destroyers and landed on Crete
. Following the Invasion of Crete
in May the 2/7th Battalion were initially used to defend the coastline before taking part in the fighting around Canea
and later carrying out a bayonet charge at 42nd Street that briefly checked the German advance. As the Allies
began an evacuation, the 2/7th were called upon to carry out a series of rearguard actions. After the final Allied ships departed the island on 1 June 1941, the 2/7th were left behind. Many of its men were taken prisoner although some were able to evade capture by hiding out in the hills and caves around the island. With the help of a number of local inhabitants Saunders himself managed to remain hidden for twelve months.
Saunders managed to escape from Crete in May 1942 and returned to Australia, rejoining the 2/7th, which had been reformed in Palestine before being brought back from the Middle East to help defend against the threat posed by Japan
's entry into the war. Saunders subsequently fought in the Salamaua-Lae campaign
, where while serving as a platoon sergeant he took over command of a platoon
when his platoon commander was wounded. For his leadership, he was recommened for a commission
by his commanding officer
. Undertaking a 16-week course at an officer training unit in Australia, Saunders was promoted to lieutenant
in November 1944, becoming the first Aboriginal
commissioned officer in the Australian Army. His commission had caused the Army some trepidation due to its "special significance", finally going before the Commander-in-Chief, General Sir Thomas Blamey
, for approval. Nevertheless, Blamey is reported to have "insisted upon following the usual procedure" and, after his promotion was confirmed, Saunders returned to New Guinea and rejoined the 2/7th, taking part in the Aitape-Wewak campaign
and commanding a platoon until the end of the war.
. Saunders volunteered for service in Japan with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force
, but the government would not accept Aborigines for this operation. In the ensuing years he worked as a shipping clerk and a builder's labourer before rejoining the Army when the Korean War
began.
Promoted to captain, Saunders served with the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
commanding 'C' Company during the Battle of Kapyong
in April 1951. He returned to Australia in November 1951.
. However, he soon became dissatisfied and in 1954 he was discharged from the Army and went to work in the logging industry in Gippsland
in Victoria. After this he moved to Sydney, New South Wales where he worked with the Austral Bronze Company until 1967. Due to his achievements Saunders was seen by many as a role model and spokesman for Aboriginal Australians; in 1967 he took up a position in the Office of Aboriginal Affairs as an Aboriginal Liaison Officer. He also became involved in the Returned and Services League
. In the Queen's Birthday Honours
of June 1971 his community work was recognised when he was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (Civil Division)
.
A well-respected soldier, leader and spokesman for the Aboriginal community, Saunders was married twice, with both marriages ending in divorce. He was the father of ten children, two of whom predeceased him. He died on 2 March 1990.
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
commissioned officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
in the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
. Enlisting as a soldier in 1940, he served during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
before being commissioned as a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
and serving as a platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
commander in New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
in 1944–45. After World War II Saunders was demobilised and returned to civilian life, however, he later served as a company
Company
A company is a form of business organization. It is an association or collection of individual real persons and/or other companies, who each provide some form of capital. This group has a common purpose or focus and an aim of gaining profits. This collection, group or association of persons can be...
commander with the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment is a parachute infantry battalion of the Australian Army, based in Sydney. 3 RAR was initially formed in 1945 as the 67th Battalion and has seen active service in Japan, Korea, Malaya, South Vietnam, East Timor, the Solomon Islands, Afghanistan and Iraq...
(3 RAR) during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. He eventually left the Army in 1954 and later worked as a liaison officer in the Office of Aboriginal Affairs, and was appointed MBE for his services in 1971. He died in 1990 aged 69.
Early life
Saunders was born near PurnimPurnim, Victoria
Purnim is a township in Victoria, Australia. The town is located south west of the state capital, Melbourne, on the Hopkins Highway midway between Warrnambool and Mortlake. At the 2006 census, Purnim and the surrounding area had a population of 459....
on the Framlingham Aboriginal Reserve
Framlingham, Victoria
Framlingham was an Aboriginal reserve established by the Board for the Protection of Aborigines in Victoria, Australia in 1861. It was located beside the Hopkins River in the territory of the Girai wurrung near the boundary with the Gunditjmara, not to far from Warrnambool on the south-west coast...
in western Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
on 7 August 1920. Saunders' father, Chris, was a veteran of the First World War and he was also the nephew of William Reginald Rawlings
William Reginald Rawlings
William Reginald Rawlings, MM was the uncle of Captain Reginald Saunders, MBE, the first Aboriginal commissioned officer in Australian Military Forces....
who received a Military Medal
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
for his services with the 1st AIF
First Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...
in France.
Following the death of his mother in 1924, Saunders was raised by his grandmother at Lake Condah in Victoria. He attended school only rarely and by the age of 14 he took work in a sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
as a millhand, but dreamt of travelling overseas to fight for oppressed and impoverished people with whom he could identify.
Second World War
Following the outbreak of the Second World War, Saunders enlisted in the 2nd AIFSecond Australian Imperial Force
The Second Australian Imperial Force was the name given to the volunteer personnel of the Australian Army in World War II. Under the Defence Act , neither the part-time Militia nor the full-time Permanent Military Force could serve outside Australia or its territories unless they volunteered to...
on 24 April 1940. After completing initial training he was allocated to the 2/7th Battalion, which was serving overseas in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
at the time. Saunders' natural leadership qualities led to him being promoted quickly. Within six weeks of enlistment he was promoted to lance corporal
Lance Corporal
Lance corporal is a military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organizations. It is below the rank of corporal, and is typically the lowest non-commissioned officer, usually equivalent to the NATO Rank Grade OR-3.- Etymology :The presumed...
, within three months he had made sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
.
In early April 1941 the 6th Division was sent to Greece to help defend against German invasion
Battle of Greece
The Battle of Greece is the common name for the invasion and conquest of Greece by Nazi Germany in April 1941. Greece was supported by British Commonwealth forces, while the Germans' Axis allies Italy and Bulgaria played secondary roles...
. After a series of withdrawals the battalion was evacuated on 26 April and after the ship they were travelling on was bombed and crippled by German aircraft, they were taken under tow by British destroyers and landed on Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
. Following the Invasion of Crete
Battle of Crete
The Battle of Crete was a battle during World War II on the Greek island of Crete. It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur...
in May the 2/7th Battalion were initially used to defend the coastline before taking part in the fighting around Canea
Chania
Chaniá , , also transliterated Chania, Hania, and Xania, older form Chanea and Venetian Canea, Ottoman Turkish خانيه Hanya) is the second largest city of Crete and the capital of the Chania peripheral unit...
and later carrying out a bayonet charge at 42nd Street that briefly checked the German advance. As the Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
began an evacuation, the 2/7th were called upon to carry out a series of rearguard actions. After the final Allied ships departed the island on 1 June 1941, the 2/7th were left behind. Many of its men were taken prisoner although some were able to evade capture by hiding out in the hills and caves around the island. With the help of a number of local inhabitants Saunders himself managed to remain hidden for twelve months.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
's entry into the war. Saunders subsequently fought in the Salamaua-Lae campaign
Salamaua-Lae campaign
The Salamaua–Lae campaign was a series of actions in the New Guinea campaign of World War II. Australian and United States forces sought to capture two major Japanese bases, one in the town of Lae, and another one at Salamaua. The campaign to take the Salamaua and Lae area began with the Australian...
, where while serving as a platoon sergeant he took over command of a platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
when his platoon commander was wounded. For his leadership, he was recommened for a commission
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
by his commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
. Undertaking a 16-week course at an officer training unit in Australia, Saunders was promoted to lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in November 1944, becoming the first Aboriginal
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
commissioned officer in the Australian Army. His commission had caused the Army some trepidation due to its "special significance", finally going before the Commander-in-Chief, General Sir Thomas Blamey
Thomas Blamey
Field Marshal Sir Thomas Albert Blamey GBE, KCB, CMG, DSO, ED was an Australian general of the First and Second World Wars, and the only Australian to date to attain the rank of field marshal....
, for approval. Nevertheless, Blamey is reported to have "insisted upon following the usual procedure" and, after his promotion was confirmed, Saunders returned to New Guinea and rejoined the 2/7th, taking part in the Aitape-Wewak campaign
Aitape-Wewak campaign
The Aitape–Wewak campaign was one of the final campaigns of the Pacific Theatre of World War II. Between November 1944 and the end of the war in August 1945, the Australian 6th Division, with air and naval support, fought the Imperial Japanese 18th Army in northern New Guinea...
and commanding a platoon until the end of the war.
Korean War
With the end of the Second World War, Saunders was discharged from the Army on 5 October 1945, and returned to Australia. There he learnt that his young brother Harry, with whom he had enlisted in 1940, had been killed in actionKilled in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
. Saunders volunteered for service in Japan with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force
British Commonwealth Occupation Force
The British Commonwealth Occupation Force , was the name of the joint Australian, Canadian, British, Indian and New Zealand military forces in occupied Japan, from 21 February 1946 until the end of occupation in 1952...
, but the government would not accept Aborigines for this operation. In the ensuing years he worked as a shipping clerk and a builder's labourer before rejoining the Army when the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
began.
Promoted to captain, Saunders served with the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment is a parachute infantry battalion of the Australian Army, based in Sydney. 3 RAR was initially formed in 1945 as the 67th Battalion and has seen active service in Japan, Korea, Malaya, South Vietnam, East Timor, the Solomon Islands, Afghanistan and Iraq...
commanding 'C' Company during the Battle of Kapyong
Battle of Kapyong
The Battle of Kapyong , also known as the Battle of Jiaping , was fought during the Korean War between United Nations forces—primarily Australian and Canadian—and the Chinese communist People's Volunteer Army...
in April 1951. He returned to Australia in November 1951.
Later life
Following the end of the war, Saunders remained in the Army overseeing training for national servicemenConscription in Australia
Conscription in Australia, or mandatory military service also known as National Service, has a controversial history dating back to the first years of nationhood...
. However, he soon became dissatisfied and in 1954 he was discharged from the Army and went to work in the logging industry in Gippsland
Gippsland
Gippsland is a large rural region in Victoria, Australia. It begins immediately east of the suburbs of Melbourne and stretches to the New South Wales border, lying between the Great Dividing Range to the north and Bass Strait to the south...
in Victoria. After this he moved to Sydney, New South Wales where he worked with the Austral Bronze Company until 1967. Due to his achievements Saunders was seen by many as a role model and spokesman for Aboriginal Australians; in 1967 he took up a position in the Office of Aboriginal Affairs as an Aboriginal Liaison Officer. He also became involved in the Returned and Services League
Returned and Services League of Australia
The Returned and Services League of Australia is a support organisation for men and women who have served or are serving in the Australian Defence Force ....
. In the Queen's Birthday Honours
Queen's Birthday Honours
The Queen's Birthday Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the celebration of the Queen's Official Birthday in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen...
of June 1971 his community work was recognised when he was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (Civil Division)
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
.
A well-respected soldier, leader and spokesman for the Aboriginal community, Saunders was married twice, with both marriages ending in divorce. He was the father of ten children, two of whom predeceased him. He died on 2 March 1990.