The NOTA was advised by Terry Allen of the Raymond Terrace RSL sub-Branch that WWII veteran Edward ‘Ted’ William Flower, who was also a crew member on the Manoora, is alive and residing in Mayfield.

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Ted Flower went to war in 1941 as a teenager and served on the HMAS Manoora in the Pacific region for five years.

Ted was a guest of honour at the Grahamstown Public School commemorative ANZAC Day service last week.

Ted and his daughter Kathleen Pickering delivered a presentation to the school students which highlighted the HMAS Manoora being attacked by a Japanese kamikaze pilot, similar to the recollections which have been recorded by the Tomaree Museum Association from veteran Jack Bartlett’s recollections.

Kathleen Pickering Ted’s daughter told News Of The Area, “Ted was seventeen when he enlisted but he didn’t see service until he was eighteen..

“Our family has a focus on ‘Never forget, keep on remembering’, and as such our family has made a booklet titled ‘ANZAC Ted’, which does include stories from Ted’s service on the Manoora for his grandchildren,” she said.

Ted has attended a number of ANZAC services at schools in the last few years.

At Hunter Christian School in 2023 he met a grandson of another Manoora serviceman.

During the ceremony, the whole school community gave Ted a standing ovation, which Kathleen said he was very touched by.

Both Ted Flower and Jack Bartlett are now centenarians.

Doug Cross from the Tomaree Museum Association (TMA) told News Of The Area, “I will make it an urgent priority to meet with Ted Flower and to record his story.

“I would also like to be a part of bringing Ted Flower and Jack Bartlett together,” he said.

Cross anticipates that a meeting between the two veterans may well uncover forgotten stories, while being a true celebration of the ANZAC spirit.

Manoora Close and Kanimbla Close in Salamander Bay are named after the two sister ships from WWII.

There is a memorial to the HMAS Manoora at Port Phillip Bay.

“HMAS Manoora was commissioned as a landing ship infantry on the 2nd February 1943,” the inscription reads.

“She was refitted to carry 25 landing craft, a crew of 600 and accommodation for 1200 troops and their equipment.

“During April and May 1943, Manoora began amphibious training in Port Phillip Bay with the American 1st Marines Division, participating in dawn landings on Safety Beach, Dromana.

“Manoora later became part of the American 7th Amphibious Task Force and took part in eight D`Day assault landings in the South West Pacific.”

The NOTA is looking forward to sharing the story of Ted and Jack’s reunion which we are working on bringing about with the assistance of the TMA.

The NOTA salutes Ted Flower and Jack Bartlett along with all others who have served our nation – Lest We Forget.

By Marian SAMPSON