The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (VX57043) Gunner Alan William Glover, 4 Anti Tank Regiment RAA, Second World War

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial every 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 Craig Berelle the story for this day was on (VX57043) Gunner Alan William Glover, 4 Anti Tank Regiment RAA, Second World War.

VX57043 Gunner Alan William Glover, 4th Anti Tank Regiment RAA
Executed 6 June 1942 (executed)
Photograph: P04254.001

Story delivered 8 July 2013

Today, we remember and pay tribute to Gunner Alan William Glover of the 4th Anti-Tank Regiment, 2nd Australian Imperial Force.

Alan was born in Avoca, Victoria on the 25th of April 1911. Although his home town had once been in a gold rush district, with plenty of employment, Alan could not find adequate work. In 1938, aged 29, he and his sweetheart, Violet, moved to Melbourne, where he worked as a contract truck driver.

With the onset of the Second World War, the nature of urban employment changed. Violet found work in a munitions factory. Young men once again were called on to leave their occupations and "join up", but Alan's job was regarded as a "reserved occupation". Although he was needed at home and could have avoided military service, he felt that it was his duty to enlist.

He did so on the 2nd of June 1941 and married Violet five days later. They had a ten-day honeymoon before he left for basic military training in Puckapunyal. But before was completed, his unit received was sent to Singapore. Alan had courted Violet for many years, yet after seven weeks of marriage he had to leave her behind.

He joined the 8th Division on the Malay Peninsula in September 1941, a place of great importance to the defence of the region. Just a few months later, Japanese forces invaded, the speed of their advance taking everyone by surprise.

Alan and the 4th Anti-Tank Regiment were rushed to provide cover for retreating Allied infantry, holding the bridge at Yong Peng while they withdrew. As his regiment retreated towards Singapore, Alan was captured by the Japanese. Imprisoned in Singapore, Alan and fellow members of his unit volunteered for service in Burma. Led by Brigadier Arthur Varley, 3,000 Allied prisoners laboured to level Japanese airfields.

Although camp conditions were adequate and the work load manageable, Alan tried to escape. Ignoring warnings from the Japanese that any prisoner found outside the camp would be shot, Alan and seven other members of 4th Anti-Tank Regiment simply walked out of the camp. A fellow prisoner, Ken Dumbrell, tried to persuade them not to go. He later said: "The boys had made up their minds. They had all the courage in the world. For them it was now or never."

The following day they were captured, returned to camp and sentenced. Brigadier Varley stayed with them until their death and later wrote: "Just before death the spirit of the eight Australians was wonderful. They all spoke cheerio and good luck messages to one another, and never showed any sign of fear. A truly courageous end."

Alan was executed on the 6th of June 1942, on the eve of his first wedding anniversary. Violet continued her work in the munitions factory unaware of his fate until two years later.

Alan's name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my left, along with about 40,000 others from the Second World War. Alan and Violet's wedding photo is displayed today beside the Pool of Reflection.

This is one of the many stories of courage and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Gunner Alan William Glover, and all those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.