The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (S6670) Stoker Class II Percival James Cameron, HMAS Patricia Cam, 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 , the story for this day was on (S6670) Stoker Class II Percival James Cameron, HMAS Patricia Cam, Second World War.

S6670 Stoker Class II Percival James Cameron, HMAS Patricia Cam
DOW 23 January 1943

Today we remember and pay tribute to Stoker Class II Percival James Cameron.

Known as “Percy”, Percival Cameron was born in Sydney on 5 August 1918 to John and Sylvia Cameron.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, Cameron was a qualified pastry chef working in Sydney. Shortly after learning of Australia’s involvement in the war, he married his sweetheart Nancy Margaret Lee. Their daughter, Janice Lee Cameron, was born two years later.

Cameron was remembered for bringing boxes of pastries home for his family after work, and was also thought to have snuck out at night time to take part in amateur boxing matches.
He was called up for militia service on 24 April 1942, but was discharged five days later as his occupation was listed as protected. But Cameron must have felt the pull of duty; a few months later he joined the Royal Australian Naval Reserve. He was first sent to HMAS Cerberus, where he became a member of Class 229 and underwent training to become a ship’s stoker. After completing his training, he and several of his class mates were posted to the shore base HMAS Melville in Darwin.

On 12 January 1943, Cameron was posted to the crew of HMAS Patricia Cam, an auxiliary transport ship. The following morning the ship left Darwin carrying supplies to outlying stations.

When the ship stopped at Goulburn Island on 19 January, two passengers were taken on board. One of whom was the Reverend Leonard Kentish, who was the senior Methodist chairman in the Northern Territory and chief coast watcher. The second man was Paddy
Babawun a local ships’ pilot who came aboard to aid the crew in navigating the islands.

Two days later the ship reached Millingimba Mission. Here five local Yolgnu men were taken aboard as passengers. Patricia Cam continued its journey early the next morning, heading for Elcho Island.

The day was perfect for travel with flat seas and a warm sun. By the early afternoon, most of the crew and passengers were relaxing on the deck and the hatches, but this idyll was about to be cruelly shattered.

At around 1pm, a Japanese floatplane, with its engine cut, dove out of the sun and released one of its bombs when it was no more than 100 feet above Patricia Cam.

The bomb crashed through the upper deck, killing one of the Yolgnu men before it struck the bottom of the wooden hull, blowing the bottom out of the vessel. Patricia Cam began sinking immediately. One of the sailors, Ordinary Seaman Neil Penglase, who was below decks, was likely killed in the explosion and went to the bottom with the ship.

Both of the ship’s life boats were destroyed, but the rescue raft remained intact and was used by some survivors. Others clung to hatch covers and other flotsam.

In a letter to Cameron’s daughter Jan, one of the survivors, Lieutenant John Leggoe described her father’s bravery in the aftermath of the first bomb going off: “He made a dash for the only gun in an effort to return fire, but the ship sank under him before he could get any shots away.”
He continued: “I can assure you that your father was a man of whom you can be very proud.”

The Japanese aircraft made another attack run and released its second bomb which landed amongst the men in the water. Able Seaman
Edward Nobes and brothers Djimanbuy and Djinipula Yunupingu were killed and Cameron was severely wounded.

The aircraft continued circling for another 30 minutes with the Japanese rear gunner unsuccessfully attempting to machine-gun the survivors in the water.
The plane then appeared to fly off, but returned soon after and landed. The rear gunner again attempted to murder the survivors bobbing in the water, but those in the water were again spared.

One of the airmen climbed down onto one of the aircraft’s floats, brandishing a pistol, and gestured for the men in the water to come closer. When the invitation was not taken up by anyone in the water, the aircraft taxied over to another group. Reverend Kentish was hauled from the water and the aircraft took off.

Twenty men were left to their fate in the water. Two were unable to make it to the main group. They disappeared after nightfall and were not seen again.

Cameron was laid on the raft along with another wounded sailor and a wounded Yolgnu man, Millirma Marika. The remaining survivors hung onto the sides of the raft and paddled towards land. After over 12 hours in the water, they came ashore on Guluwuru Island. The Yolgnu men started a fire to provide warmth and to signal the mainland.

Cameron died from his wounds just hours after reaching land. He was buried by his comrades above the water line on the beach. He was 24 years old.

The wounded Yolgnu man, Marika died later that afternoon and was buried beside him. The remaining survivors were rescued on 29 January.

Four sailors and three Yolgnu men died as a result of the sinking of HMAS Patricia Cam. Reverend Kentish was taken to the Japanese base at Dobo Island, where he endured beatings and torture before later being beheaded. His fate was discovered in 1946, eventually leading to the arrest, trial, and execution of the man who had ordered his death.

Today, Percival Cameron’s name appears on the Plymouth Naval Memorial in Devon, which commemorates British and Commonwealth sailors who died at sea and have no known grave.
His name is also listed on the Roll of Honour on my left, among almost 40,000 Australians who died while serving in the Second World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Stoker Class II Percival James Cameron, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Michael Kelly
Historian, Military History Section