In September our Association Brisbane Branch Secretary, Tony Wadeson, visited Victoria where he presented the Association’s Honorary LIFE MEMBER to KEITH HEARNE – Past President of 2/31st & 2/25th Battalion Association Victoria. In an email to the President of the Frankston RSL Tony gives a brief of Kieth’s achievements over many years of RSL and community involvement.

For Attention President Kevin:- I refer to our Visit to your Club on Wednesday 7th Sept. for Lunch & to present an “Honorary Life Membership Tribute” to 97 Year old Keith Hearne WW2 Digger, & Past President of the 2/31st Bn & 2/25th Bn Association Victoria, who now resides in “Micare Avondrust Village.

As Requested I’m forwarding you:- (A) Details of Keith Hearne & his RSL Resume, – Details of the 31st Bn Association. (B) Photo of Presentation at Frankston RSL Names in Photo – from left to Right – Tony Wadeson Secretary 31st Bn Association Brisbane, – Keith Hearne WW2 Digger 2/31st Bn & Past President of 2/31st & 2/25th Bn’s Victoria, – Brian Mullarvey 31st Bn Assoc. Member. (Brian served with 42Bn as 2IC Biloela Company for a short period in the early 1970’s I believe? – He was The ARC Engineering P/L Manager of our Gladstone Factory at the time before being transferred to Manager/Tasmania.
Please refer to the Attached details & Photos.

Kevin, I would like to Congratulate you on Your Excellent Club, particularly your Staff who bent over backwoods to cater for our needs in the restaurant & where to take photos etc for the Presentation. It really made our visit enjoyable & successful.

KEITH HEARNE

2/31^st Bn – WW2 Veteran

President of the 2/31^st & 2/25^th Battalions Assoc. Victoria

Gold Badge – Life Membership RSL

Life Member – 7^th Division AIF Association

Honorary Life Member – 31^st Infantry Battalion Association Inc.

The 31^st Bn Association first made contact with Keith Hearne during July 2010 when a group of WW2 Veterans of the 2/31^st Bn AIF were touring their old pre battle training areas in North Q’ld. They called in to Kissing Point Townsville to present an old “31^st Bn Flag” to the North Queensland Military Museum. Keith who was, and had been, President of the 2/31^st & 2/25^th Bn’s Association Victoria as long as anyone could remember and one of the last operating in Australia, made contact with Committee Members of 31^st Bn Association to request that we might take over the job of “Remembrance of the 2/31^st Bn“ due to their Association’s dwindling Numbers. Our Committee members indicated that they would certainly be proud to take on the Caretaker role to ensure that such a famous Battalion as the 2/31^st would “LIVE ON”. Twelve years on and that is work in progress with the Brisbane Branch joining with the Descendants of Veterans of 2/31^st Bn in the Anzac Day Memorial Service at South Bank and the Brisbane Anzac Day March. Brisbane Branch member Tim Lewis, whose Father served with the 2/31^st at Balikpapan, took on the role of 2/31^st Bn co-ordinator, and has made contact with family members of past 2/31^st Bn Presidents or committee members from all Eastern States. The Victorian Branch of the 2/31^st Bn & 2/25^th Bn Association folded about 5 years ago as numbers dwindled. It was the last Branch to close in Australia. As far as we are aware Keith Hearne & his Secretary Walter Robertson are the only two WW2 members of the 2/31^st Bn still alive today. (Refer Keith’s RSL Resume – here under).

For your Info:- 2/31^st & 2/25^th Bn’s were sister Bn’s in the 25^th Brigade – 7^th Division- 2^nd AIF

25^th Brigade was formed in England & served in ENGLAND as part of the Defence Force of England. Then Served in SYRIA & Palestine. – NEW GUINEA:- – Kokoda Track, Ioribaiwa – Oivi Gorari – Buna, Gona. – Lae, Nadzab, – Ramu Valley. BORNEO:- Balikpapan

The 31^st Infantry Battalion Association Inc. – WEBSITE:- Google – 31bnassn.org

The 31^st Bn is the only Battalion from the WW1 – Fifth Division still on strength in the Australian Army’s Order of Battle today. It’s now known as 31/42 Bn RQR – HQ’d in Townsville, but drawing its Troops from Cairns down to Gladstone and west of those towns. Both the 31^st Bn originally the Kennedy Regiment, and 42^nd Bn, originally the Capricorn Regiment trace their history back to 1881. Most members of the 31^st Bn Association have served with the 31^st Bn. In North Queensland. The Association has Branch’s in Townsville, – Charters Towers, – Ingham, & Brisbane.

TONY WADESON (Secretary- 31^st Bn Assoc. Brisbane)

Email:- wadesonriver@aapt.net.au

 

Keith Hearne’s – R S L Service Resume as at – “2002”

Sub Branch:- Bairnsdale

Service in Years Member 55

Committee 7

Welfare 35

V/Affairs 35

Anzac Poppy Appeals 35

Land Settlement/Rural 5

Hospital Visiting 25

Blood Bank 18

Conference Delegate 8

DISTRICT – 10 – BOARD

Chairman 6

State Councillor 7

Delegate 8

SUB BRANCH

State Executive 5

Committees 5

STATE BRANCH COMMITTEES ANZAC HOUSE

Veteran’s Affairs Committee (Chairman)

Land Settlement/Rural – (Secretary)

Appeals

Future of League

Membership

V.J. Commemoration

Diaster Fund Coordinator

OTHER ACTIVITIES.

Gippsland Veterans Welfare Management Committee Sale.

Veterans Affairs Coordination Council at – Veterans Affairs

R.S.L. Disaster Fund Coordinator East Gippsland Floods 1998

R.S.L. Disaster Fund Coordinator East Gippsland Bush Fires 2003

HONOURS & AWARDS

50 years Service Award

Gold Badge Life Membership RSL – June 26 2002

Certificate of Appreciation RSL – June 26 2002

Life Membership – 7^th Division Association

Life Membership – 31^st Battalion Association

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Addendum

A story on Keith Hearne and his previous wartime and peacetime involvements appeared on this

website in September 2020 (Type Kieth Hearne into he search box on this website).

The story includes his travelling Papua New Guinea to attend the re-interment of 

2/31 Bn victims of a wartime aircraft crash, remains finally recovered in 2005.

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The following copies of letters, orders, diary extracts relate to the the part played by Lt Richard Aubrey Lewis (B Coy 2/31st battalion) in the surrender of the Japanese forces in the Banjarmasin/Kotawaringin areas of Kalimantan, Borneo in September 1945.

Note: For ease of reading some of the documents and hand written script a high resolution screen may be necessary. Older computer monitors may present some difficulties. Modern mobile phones or tablets are likely to have greater definition than older computer monitors allowing easier reading of the documents herein.

They were gathered and collated by his son, 31st Battalion Association member Tim Lewis.

From the diary of NX177993 Lt Richard Aubrey Lewis Recollection No9 Dated 11^th Dec 1945:

“On the 25^th of September I left Bandjamasin to proceed to Kotawaringin to accept the surrender of the Jap garrison. It was an interesting trip Lieut C Allan Hard and Sub-Lieut Col Gillespie were the naval officers of HMAL 1359 which carried portion of my party. The remainder under Sgt Hewston, travelled on a Jap coastal steamer.”

 

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Lt Lewis with Navy personnel on HMAML1359 moving to Kota Waringin to

accept the surrender of members of Japanese Forces 

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Above and Below – Lt Lewis meeting with the Sultan at Pangkalan Bun

This is the main administration centre of the Kota Waringin Area

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Chart of the Kalimantan Coastline East of Banjarmasin

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Warning Order given to Lt RA Lewis and key personnel on the day prior (22 Sep 1945). The order was for the move to Kota Waringin on 23 Sep 1945 to bring back Japanese 156 Soldiers and 18 Civilians.

With him was a Pl of B Coy (4 NCO plus 32 OR)

2 RAP Orderlies

1 Int Sect

1 Cook

Lt Hard and crew of  HMAML Q1359

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Tke Kotawaringin Region of Central Kalinantan, Borneo

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Below is an extract from the War Diary covering the period between 23 Sep 45 to 28 Sep 45.

It covers the move to Kota Waringin for the purpose of accepting the surrender and

Transporting of Japanese forces for processing at Banjarmasin.  

The Kota Waringin area is approx 450km to the west of Banjarmasin. The journey took just over 24 hrs to complete

Because of Navigation concerns they spent the night of 24/25 anchored (with the HAPGOAN, the coastal vessel that was to transport the Japanese) at the mouth of the river before going upstream to Kumai on 25 Sep. At Kumai, the village headman reported that majority of the Japanese had been assembled 1km north of Kumai.

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A number of Japanese Officars (4 Naval and 1 Army) presented themselves to Lt Lewis at the Kumai wharf. Lt IIzuka reported that 153 soldiers and 18 Civilians  were in their party north of Kumai, 9 of whom were hospital cases suffering from (2 x appendicitis, 6 Malaria and 1 a Violent Lunatic). Weapons were centralised and stored. The OC of their sub unit Sub-Lt Takare had previously committed Hari Kari. Lt Lewis was able to inspect and confirm these reported numbers.

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All Japanese were moved to the wharf and placed under guard. Lt Iizuka was given a warning order that they were to be moved to BANJARMASIN on 26 Sep. An English speaking Chinese was interrogated. Report shown below.

Arrangements were made for meeting with the Sultan in PANGKALAN BUN.

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Travelled to PANGKALAN BUN by car (approx 15KM via road) to Sultans palace.

Lt Lewis was received by the Sultan at a civic reception at his Palace. The civil administration was 

returned to the Sultan whose position had been eroded during the Japanese occupation.

The Sultan returned with Lt Lewis to Kumai to be briefed on the stores and supplies that were to be policed.

The Japanese and one of their local collaborators (Hadji Mochamad Kasim) were loaded on the vessels.

Both boats (the “HMAML Q 1359” and the coastal vessel “Hapgoan”) set sail for Banjarmasin on 26th Sep at1555hrs.

Arrival in Banjarmasin was two days later.

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The above list is the weapons and equipment handed over by the Japanese. A number of rifles and LMGs most of which were dumpted at sea. The Dutch captured weapons were returned to the Dutch.

The Japanese swords were returned to the Bn store. 

Equipment included Diesel and Petrol engines, Generators for lighting and radio equipment, workshop equipment (lathe drills, saws, grinding wheel, etc) and 10 vehicles of various types.

Most of this equipment was left to be policed by the Sultan’s men.

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This image was taken from either NAA or AWM footage.

This note is from Tim Lewis (the son of Lt RA Lewis)”I can only assume that my father accepted the garrison surrender from Captain Iizuka with WO Iwase by his side. ( These names appeared elsewhere in my father’s diaries)”.

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These are some of the handwritten notes written during the conduct of the operations at Kota Waringin

Covering note to the CO 2/31 Battalion 28 Sep 1945

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Below is a hand written description of the meeting between Lt Lewis and the Sultan

to discuss the restoration of the civil administration.

The Sultan expresses his concerns regarding his reduced status during the Japanese Occupation.

Lt Lewis held meetings with district headmen to re-establish the Sultan as the centre of Administration in the district

pending the arrival of the Dutch Administration. 

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Document F is a Patrol Report

The patrol was to ascertain whether and large numbers of Japanese were in the area and to locate any Japanese weapons.

It was determined that no large numbers of Japanese were in the area and that all former store houses were

searched but no weapons were found. Weapons previously founded were handed to a patrol from C Coy.

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Document C is an Interrogation Report

This report is from the interrogation of an English speaking Chinese concerning the man Hadji Mochamad Kalim who was brought back from Kumai to Banjarmasin on the Naval vessel. Kalim was named as a Japanese collaborator. He had lived in the Kumai area since 1936 There were two occasions where Kalim received a token punishment from the Japanese for trying to buy a radio and for fishing. The same offences perpetrated by others would result in much harsher punishment.

In 1942 There were 1000 British and Dutch troops in the area but these had subsequently been transferred to Banjarmasin. since then there were not many Japanese in the area until they built an airstrip 6 months before the end of the war. The factory and equipment at Kumai was used in the manufacture of swords and in support of the air strip operations.

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Below is the report from the Chinese person in his own handwriting.

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