Sir John Carrick (2)

Today we remember Sir John Carrick, who was taken prisoner of war (POW) by the Japanese. He pays tribute to the medical orderlies as recalls how they would complete their duties with strength and courage.

Sir John Carrick — The common sight was to watch a medical orderly holding in his arms a dying friend. People died — often in their mate’s arms.

Sir John Carrick audio file (MP4 24.01 MB)

Sir John Carrick audio script

75th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War

Audio actuality

“Fellow Citizens, the War is over” — (The Hon J B Chifley, Prime Minister of Australia)

On the 75th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War, Australia remembers Sir John Carrick, who served his country, first in uniform, and then in the Federal Parliament.

He was taken POW by the Japanese, where he spent three-and-a-half years including time on the infamous Hellfire Pass section of the Burma-Thailand Railroad.

Sir John Carrick

I think the most outstanding tribute should be paid to medical orderlies. You have to understand that people died of highly contagious diseases — cholera, dysentery, typhoid, typhus. The medical orderlies were handling the whole of the mess, day after day. But the common sight was to watch a medical orderly holding in his arms a dying friend. People died — often in their mate’s arms. Death was there every day. I’ve never seen such courage as orderlies handling cholera patients. It was the dirtiest of the jobs altogether because they were amongst the human excreta all the time. I have to pay tribute to doctors, but I would not select any one doctor in contrast to others. By and large, they all did a great job.

Saturday, August 15 marks the 75th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War. Let’s pay our respects to that amazing generation of Australians.