REMEMBRANCE DAY 2017 – Welcome address and introduction of guest speaker
Jim Burrowes – The last Coastwatcher
Aged 18, Jim Burrowes eagerly signed up to join his two brothers already involved in the Pacific War in the early days after Pearl Harbour. After brief training as a signaller, by various turns of events he became a coastwatcher – at one point in the US Amphibious Landing Force. Later Jim joined collegues behind enemy lines to report on enemy activity as part of Allied Intelligence Bureau.
Warnings of Japanese attacks provided by Coastwatchers became pivotal in turning the tide of the Japanese advance and saving Australia from occupation during those dark days for Australians during 1942.
Jim speaks with passion about those days and the history of in the wartime era, including his good fortune to be able to return home – when his brothers didn’t make it.
Jim is the last surviving Coastwatcher to record the history.