AUSTRALIAN ARMY HONOUR JIM EASTON

When a story about Grace Joel resident Jim ‘Curly’ Easton’s recent 106th birthday came to the attention of Brigadier Gregory Novak, Commander of the Australian Army’s 6th Brigade and Head of Corps (Signals) via social media, it set off an unprecedented flurry of excitement across the Tasman Sea.

That’s because Brigadier Novak and his colleague Regimental Sergeant Major 1st Signal Regiment Warrant Office Class 1 Benn Goulter, realised they had found one of their own - a fellow Signals man.

In the space of just two weeks, they organised a visit with Jim to coincide with a trip to mark the Royal New Zealand Corps of Signals’ centenary.

“We think it’s a pretty safe bet that you would be the veteran of Royal Australian Corps of Signals with the longest history with the Corps,” Brig Novak told Jim.

“I don’t think there’s anybody more senior to you still with us so you have an absolutely unique standing in the Corps and we wanted to come and say gidday and wish you a happy birthday for last December. And to congratulate you on your standing within the Corps,” he said.

Jim was a member of the Australian Army’s 8th Division Signals when he was captured by the Japanese in WW2 and sent to work on the infamous Burma Railway.

Incredibly, he survived the three and a half years of horror, and went on to live a long and fulfilling life working the showgrounds around New Zealand, only retiring in his 90s.

Now, as Ryman Healthcare’s oldest Kiwi resident, he amazes everyone with his continued appetite for life.

Brig Novak and WO1 Goulter said it was ‘wonderful’ to have made contact with Jim, and their excitement also extended to the rest of Signals Corps in Australia.

In a letter to Jim which he read out, Brig Novak said: “Our reputation as a Corps in Army is built on those that went before us and your service and your sacrifice and those of your friends, so in this regard you set a fine example for all the soldiers in our Corps today to aspire to.”

To mark the occasion, he presented Jim with a special commemorative coin given for distinguished and honourable service within the Corps, of which only two have previously been issued, and one of them was to the Corps’ Colonel-in-Chief, HRH Princess Anne.