The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (WX17247) Private Royston Mortimer Atkins, 2/11th Battalion, 2nd AIF, Second World War.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Charis May, the story for this day was on (WX17247) Private Royston Mortimer Atkins, 2/11th Battalion, 2nd AIF, Second World War.

WX17247 Private Royston Mortimer Atkins, 2/11th Battalion, 2nd AIF
KIA 15 May 1945
No photograph in collection – supplied by family

Story delivered 3 December 2015

Today we pay tribute to Private Royston Mortimer Atkins, who was killed on active service during the Second World War.

Born in the Perth suburb of Subiaco on 22 October 1922, Royston Atkins was the son of Louise Florence Atkins and Michael Coops. Prior to his enlistment he worked as a labourer and as a spotter in a dry cleaning business.

In October 1941 Atkins volunteered for the Second Australian Imperial Force. After a period of training he was posted in November 1941 to the 2/11th Battalion as part of the 19th Brigade of the 6th Australian Division, which was then serving as part of the garrison forces based in northern Australia.

In October 1944 the 6th Division was sent to the north coast of New Guinea to destroy the Japanese forces remaining in the Aitape–Wewak area. Atkins arrived at Aitape with his battalion in December, from whence they became involved in a prolonged campaign of heavy fighting against Japanese forces. In coastal swamps prone to flooding, jungle, and steep mountainous terrain, the Aitape–Wewak campaign was fought in the some of the worst conditions that Australian soldiers faced during the Second World War.

On 15 May 1945 the 2/11th Battalion was engaged in heavy fighting for a razorback ridge not far from Wewak. It was during this battle, while ascending the steep slopes against a strongly defended Japanese position, that Atkins was killed in action. He was 22 years of age.

Atkins’ body is buried in the Lae War Cemetery in Papua New Guniea. His name is listed here on the Roll of Honour on my left, along with around some 40,000 Australians who died serving in the Second World War. His photograph is displayed today beside the Pool of Reflection.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Private Royston Mortimer Atkins, and all of those Australians who gave their lives during the Second World War.

Dr Lachlan Grant
Historian, Military History Section