The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (H1171) Able Seaman Albert Samuel Purdon, HMAS Swan (II), 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 Craig Berelle, the story for this day was on (H1171) Able Seaman Albert Samuel Purdon, HMAS Swan (II), Second World War.

H1171 Able Seaman Albert Samuel Purdon, HMAS Swan (II)
KIA 19 February 1942
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 21 September 2014

Today we remember Able Seaman Albert Samuel Purdon, who was killed during the bombing of Darwin in 1942 while serving in HMAS Swan (II).

Known as “Albert” to his family and “Sam” to his shipmates, Purdon was born in Hobart on 1 March 1912. He was one of four children of Albert and Ethel Purdon. Growing up New Norfolk on the Derwent River, Purdon worked as a farm labourer and in 1930 he enlisted in the Militia at the age of 18. He served part-time in the 40th Battalion for three years but was not the most efficient of soldiers.

Purdon married in the mid-1930s but in May 1936 his wife successfully applied for a divorce on the grounds of desertion; the couple allegedly spent only one night together.

Purdon was working as a labourer when the Second World War began. In March 1940 he enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy Reserve, following the example set by his younger brother Leading Seaman Eric Thomas, who had joined in 1934. Following his initial posting at the navy’s training establishment HMAS Cerberus, Purdon joined the ship’s company of HMAS Perth in August 1940 with the rating of ordinary seaman.

In late 1940 Perth left Australian waters for the Mediterranean and service with the Royal Navy, and the following March Purdon was promoted to able seaman. A few weeks later the cruiser participated in the battle of Cape Matapan, soundly defeating the Italian navy. In April and May Perth helped evacuate Commonwealth troops from the disastrous campaigns on Greece and Crete, and in June supported Commonwealth forces fighting against the Vichy French in Syria before returning to Australia in July. Twice hit by enemy bombs, Perth also suffered several near misses.

In mid-December Purdon was posted to the sloop HMAS Swan (II). Armed with three 4-inch guns, the sloop was fitted out as a minesweeper. Following the outbreak of war in the Pacific, Swan swept the approaches to Port Moresby for sea mines and carried out convoy escorts. In January 1942 it participated in evacuating civilians from Amboina, in the Moluccas, and was attacked by Japanese bombers, experiencing several near misses.

From February 1942 Swan continued its minesweeping and escort duties from Darwin. In February the sloop was escorting a convoy taking reinforcements to Timor, but was forced to return to Darwin after being attacked by Japanese aircraft.

Four days later, on the 19th of February, the Japanese bombed Darwin. Swan was in the harbour but was able to get away despite being attacked seven times and suffering several near misses. Purdon and two other ratings from Swan’s company were killed and 19 were wounded.

Purdon was 29 years old. He was buried at sea off Darwin wharf. His brother Leading Seaman Eric Thomas was killed just four months earlier when HMAS Sydney was lost in the action against the German raider Kormorant.

On the first anniversary of Albert Purdon’s death, the in-memorandum notice his family placed in the newspaper read simply: “Sadly missed, but never forgotten.”

Purdon is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial in Britain. His name is also listed here, on the Roll of Honour on my left, along with some 40,000 other Australian who died during the Second World War.

We now remember Able Seaman Albert Samuel Purdon, and all of those Australians who have given their lives in service of our nation.