War - Ww2 - Hmas Armidale And Teddy Sheean's Fight Poem by Paul Warren

The HMAS Armidale was a convoy protecting corvette
That was built for the Second World War for the enemy to be met
Although it was planned to fight the Nazi world menace
They went to face the Japanese Imperial Navy in their Southern advance

On the 1 December 1942 the Armidale sailed out from Darwin
As a Japanese reconnaissance plane saw their voyage begin
They fought Japanese bombers sent with the help of Australian Beaufort fighter planes in defence
And the Japanese were forced off with the HMAS Armidale and HMAS Castlemaine their voyage just commenced


So they went to Betano Bay in East Timor to evacuate Dutch Allies as the Allied forces were swept away
Japanese bombers flew in and attacked putting the ships in mortal danger that day
Next the Japanese struck the Armidale with two torpedoes in the port side
The captain called out to abandon the ship to jump from the ship and to swim away wide

Ordinary Seaman Teddy Sheean on the Armidale was wounded but strapped himself in
To one of the Armidale's 20 mm Oerlikon guns shooting at the Zeros in the din
Sheean shot down one Zero and damaged two others in a fight so sublime
They say he was still firing his guns as he bravely slipped beneath the water line

So some sailors, soldiers and civilians were given a chance
To survive this deadly fight through Sheean's deadly dance
Now after all these years for the defence of his people and ship
He will be receive the Victoria Cross in recognition of the courage of it.

© Paul Warren Poetry