Jingoism or a jolly good idea

Should Lieutenant-General Henry Gordon Bennett be posthumously stripped of his rank and all awards for deserting his troops of the 8^th Division, when they were taken into captivity by the Japanese on Singapore?

Bennett slipped the noose and came back to Australia, ostensibly to explain and elaborate on Japanese tactics to a nation facing the prospect of invasion, but more likely to keep himself in the running to be Commander in Chief of the Australia Army, a post he coveted and for which he saw himself well suited. Bennett's superior officer and the man in charge of the campaign, General Percival, stayed with his troops and went into captivity.

Should Field Marshall Sir Thomas Blamey be posthumously returned to the rank of General for his appalling handling of the Kokoda campaign, where he allowed the arrogant, over-bearing and vain US General MacArthur to bully, not only senior Australian officers including Blamey, but also the Australian Prime Minister, John Curtin.

Stuart Braga, the biographer of Major-General 'Tubby' Allen, in the book "Kokoda Commander", says, "In this culture of utter dependence on the Great Man, Curtin did not insist on the collaborative spirit of MacArthur's appointment being met...Curtin's failure to insist on an effective joint staff at MacArthur's GHQ cost the Australian Army dearly. It was relegated to a subordinate role for the whole of the Pacific War, and employed on campaigns of minor significance. The Australian people were entitled to believe that their government was in control of the nation's military affairs, but this was not the case. It was an abdication of responsibility that has affected Australia's relations with the United States of America ever since."

To protect his career Blamey stood by and watched this development, saying and doing nothing to advance Australian strategic input. He complied with a directive from MacArthur to go to New Guinea and take control of the Battle for Kokoda. The Australian generals on the ground had the situation under control, nonetheless Blamey sacked General's Potts, Allen and Rowell, which pleased MacArthur but which ruined three fine military careers and made no difference to the campaign. To top it off at a parade in Port Morseby of the gallant 21^st Brigade who had fought an outstanding, gallant and now recognised text book retreat along the Kokoda Track, Blamey accused the men of running away from the Japanese; it was all the officers could do to hold their men in check.

Finally should Chester Wilmot of the ABC be given a posthumous award for his honest reporting of the campaign, which Blamey so loathed that he had him withdrawn from PNG? And should Damien Parer be given a posthumous award for his outstanding photography and cinematography during WWII?

Where does one draw the line? Trying to justify issuing an award which should be recommended at the time the act of bravery was undertaken seems fraught with present and future difficulty. For instance the current value of an Australian VC on the open market is $750,000 to $1,000,000; a substantial gift to relatives should they wish a windfall.

In the cases under consideration by the Tribunal and others that might arise from the precedent created, why not institute a special posthumous award that can be issued by the Parliament of Australia for bravery and courage not previously acknowledged or recognised?

Bruce Haigh is a political commentator.