View source for Teddy Sheean

{{short description|Royal Australian Navy sailor}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=November 2011}}
{{Infobox military person
| name          = Edward "Teddy" Sheean
| image         = Sheean Portrait Awm044154.jpg
| caption       = Teddy Sheean c.1941
| birth_date    = 28 December 1923
| death_date    = {{Death date and age|1942|12|01|1923|12|28|df=yes}}
| birth_place   = [[Lower Barrington, Tasmania|Lower Barrington]], Tasmania
| death_place   = [[Timor Sea]]
| placeofburial = 
| nickname      = 
| allegiance    = Australia
| branch        = [[Royal Australian Naval Reserve]]
| serviceyears  = 1941–1942
| rank          = [[Ordinary seaman (rank)|Ordinary Seaman]]
| unit          = {{HMAS|Armidale|J240|6}}
| commands      = 
| battles       = 
{{tree list}}
* [[Second World War]]
** [[South West Pacific theatre of World War II|South West Pacific theatre]]
** [[South-East Asian theatre of World War II|South-East Asian theatre]]
** [[Battle of Timor]]{{KIA}}
{{tree list/end}}
| awards        = [[Victoria Cross for Australia]]
| relations     = 
| laterwork     = 
}}
'''Edward "Teddy" Sheean''', {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100%|sep=,|VC}} (28 December 1923 – 1 December 1942) was a sailor in the [[Royal Australian Navy]] during the [[Second World War]]. Born in [[Tasmania]], Sheean was employed as a farm labourer when he enlisted in the [[Royal Australian Naval Reserve]] in April 1941. Following training at [[HMAS Derwent (naval base)|HMAS ''Derwent'']] and the [[HMAS Cerberus, Victoria|Flinders Naval Depot]], he was posted to [[Sydney]], where he joined the newly commissioned corvette [[HMAS Armidale (J240)|HMAS ''Armidale'']] in June 1942. Sheean served aboard ''Armidale'' as she took part in escort duties along the eastern Australian coast and in [[New Guinea]] waters. In October he transferred with the ship to [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]], where ''Armidale'' was tasked with assisting Australian operations in [[Timor]].

On 29 November 1942, ''Armidale'' set out for an operation to [[Betano]], Timor, along with [[HMAS Castlemaine|HMAS ''Castlemaine'']]. The two ships were attacked by Japanese aircraft along the way, and were subsequently late in arriving at their destination, missing a planned rendezvous with [[HMAS Kuru|HMAS ''Kuru'']]. While returning to Darwin, the pair encountered ''Kuru'' south of Betano and it was decided by ''Castlemaine''{{'}}s commanding officer—as the senior officer—that ''Armidale'' and ''Kuru'' should make for Betano. The two ships took different routes to Betano, during which both vessels came under aerial assault. During a subsequent confrontation with thirteen Japanese aircraft on 1 December, ''Armidale'' was struck by two torpedoes and a bomb, and began to sink; the order to abandon ship was given. After helping to free a life-raft, Sheean was wounded by two bullets. He made his way to the aft [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|Oerlikon 20&nbsp;mm cannon]] and began to fire on the Japanese aircraft to protect those in the water. Sheean managed to shoot down one of the Japanese bombers, but was killed when ''Armidale'' sank. Many of the survivors credited their lives to Sheean and he was posthumously [[mentioned in despatches]], this award was later cancelled on 1 December 2020 when upgraded to the Victoria Cross for Australia.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/3680700|title=CENTRAL CHANCERY OF ORDERS OF KNIGHTHOOD |access-date=18 June 2023 |work=London Gazette }}</ref>

Consideration was given to awarding Sheean the [[Victoria Cross for Australia]] (VC) and, in 1999, the [[Royal Australian Navy|RAN]] submarine [[HMAS Sheean (SSG 77)|HMAS ''Sheean'']] was named in his honour. An inquiry in 2013 recommended that he not be awarded the VC. A 2019 inquiry recommended in favour of the award, but was rejected by the Government. Another inquiry held during 2020 recommended that Sheean be awarded the VC, and this was accepted by the Government. Queen [[Elizabeth II]] approved the award on 12 August 2020.

==Early life==
Sheean was born in [[Lower Barrington, Tasmania|Lower Barrington]], Tasmania, on 28 December 1923, the youngest of fourteen children to James Sheean, a labourer, and his wife Mary Jane (née Broomhall).<ref name="ADB">{{Australian Dictionary of Biography |last=Watson |first=N. |year=2002 |id=A160265b |title=Sheean, Edward (1923–1942) |access-date=26 March 2009}}</ref>{{sfn|McKernan|p=155}} Soon after his birth, the Sheean family moved to [[Latrobe, Tasmania|Latrobe]], where he was educated at the local Catholic school. Following the completion of his schooling, Sheean gained casual employment working on several farms in the vicinity of Latrobe and Merseylea.<ref name="ADB"/><ref name="AWM">{{cite web |url=https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P10676787 |title=Ordinary Seaman Edward (Teddy) Sheean |access-date=10 August 2020 |publisher=Australian War Memorial}}</ref>

==Second World War==
On 21 April 1941, Sheean enlisted in the Royal Australian Naval Reserve.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx?serviceId=N&veteranId=1163162|title=Sheean, Edward |access-date=26 March 2009 |work=World War II Nominal Roll |publisher=Commonwealth of Australia}}</ref> He had followed in the steps of five of his brothers who had already joined the armed forces—four in the [[Australian Army]] and one in the Royal Australian Navy—for service in the Second World War.<ref name="ADB"/>{{sfn|McKernan|p=155}} Sheean was initially posted to the [[Hobart, Tasmania|Hobart]] naval base [[HMAS Derwent (naval base)|HMAS ''Derwent'']] for training, where he gained a period of seafaring experience aboard HMAS ''Coombar'', an auxiliary [[Minesweeper (ship)|minesweeper]], from 17 to 31 December.<ref name="RAN bio">{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/biography/seaman-edward-teddy-sheean |title=Ordinary Seaman Edward Sheean |access-date=26 March 2009 |author=J.H. Straczek |work=People Histories |publisher=Royal Australian Navy}}</ref><ref name="ServRec">{{cite web |url=http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.asp?B=4541290&I=1&SE=1 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121127004730/http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.asp?B=4541290&I=1&SE=1 |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 November 2012 |title=Sheean, Edward |access-date=26 March 2009 |work=Records Search |publisher=National Archives of Australia }}</ref> On finishing his initial training course, Sheean was attached to the Flinders Naval Depot in [[Western Port]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], for further instruction from 11 February 1942.<ref name="ADB"/><ref name="ServRec"/>

[[File:Sheean family 044155.JPG|thumb|left|250px|Members of the Sheean family c.1941. L to R, back row: Edward (Teddy); Frederick. Front row: James (father); Mary (mother); William.]]

Completing his course at the Flinders Naval Depot, Sheean was posted to the [[Garden Island, New South Wales|Garden Island]] naval base [[HMAS Kuttabul (naval base)|HMAS ''Penguin'']] in [[Sydney Harbour]] on 11 May.<ref name="ADB"/><ref name="ServRec"/> During his time with ''Penguin'', he was [[Berth (sleeping)|berthed]] on [[HMAS Kuttabul (ship)|HMAS ''Kuttabul'']], a Sydney ferry requisitioned for use as a [[barracks ship]]. Granted a period of leave later that month, he returned home to Tasmania. While he was on leave, Japanese midget submarines [[Attack on Sydney Harbour|attacked Sydney Harbour]] and sank ''Kuttabul'' on 31 May. Returning to Sydney eleven days after the raid, Sheean joined the newly commissioned {{sclass|Bathurst|corvette|2}} HMAS ''Armidale'' as an [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|Oerlikon anti-aircraft gun]] loader.<ref name="ADB"/><ref name="AWM"/>

Leaving Sydney Harbour in late August 1942, Sheean served aboard ''Armidale'' as she carried out "relatively uneventful" escort duties along the [[North Queensland]], [[Port Moresby]] and [[Milne Bay]] coasts over the subsequent two months.<ref name="AWM"/><ref name="RAN bio"/> During October, ''Armidale'' was ordered to Darwin. Setting sail, she arrived on 7 November and was detailed to assist in the Australian operations in Timor.<ref name="RAN bio"/>{{sfn|Gill|p=214}}

===Sinking of ''Armidale''===
On 24 November 1942, the evacuation of the [[2/2nd Commando Squadron (Australia)|2/2nd Australian Independent Company]] from Timor along with 150 Portuguese people was approved by the [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] Land Forces Headquarters. In response to this, [[Commodore (rank)|Commodore]] Cuthbert Pope, the Naval Officer-in-Charge Darwin, organised an operation utilising HMA Ships [[HMAS Kuru|''Kuru'']], [[HMAS Castlemaine|''Castlemaine'']] and ''Armidale''. The operation was to involve the three ships undertaking two voyages each, the first to take place on the night of 30 November/1 December and involve a trip to Betano, Timor, in which the ships were to land 50 fresh Dutch guerrillas in the area along with supplies, and simultaneously withdraw 190 Dutch soldiers as well as the 150 Portuguese refugees. The second excursion was to be carried out on the night of 4/5 December, and entail the extraction of the 2/2nd Independent Company.{{sfn|Gill|pp=215–216}}

[[File:HMAS Armidale (AWM 026612).jpg|thumb|right|HMAS ''Armidale'' in [[Port Moresby]] harbour c. September 1942.]]

At 22:30 on 28 November 1942, ''Kuru'' set sail for Betano. ''Kuru'' was scheduled to arrive at approximately 20:30 on 30 November, where she was to unload the supplies on board and embark the Portuguese refugees, which were to transfer to ''Castlemaine'' once she arrived along with ''Armidale'' two hours later. However, ''Kuru'' hit bad weather during her voyage and arrived at Betano three hours late. ''Armidale''—with two Dutch Army officers, 61 [[Netherlands East Indies]] troops and three Australian Army soldiers aboard—and ''Castlemaine'' set sail from Darwin at 01:42 on 29 November. At approximately 09:15 on 30 November, while {{convert|190|km|nmi}} from their destination, the two ships were attacked by a single Japanese aircraft. Having missed with several bombs, the aircraft flew off in the direction of Timor an hour later. Fearing that their discovery by this aircraft would jeopardise the mission, ''Castlemaine''{{'}}s Commanding Officer, [[Lieutenant Commander]] Philip Sullivan, ordered evasive action and signalled Darwin for further orders. A signal returned decreeing that the operation must proceed and a party of fighter aircraft were to be dispatched as protective cover.<ref name="ADB"/>{{sfn|Gill|pp=215–216}}

Continuing in their voyage, ''Armidale'' and ''Castlemaine'' were attacked twice more by air, each time by a formation of bombers that bombed and machine-gunned the ships. Despite this, neither ship suffered damage or casualties and both arrived at Betano at 03:30 on 1 December, however there was no sign of ''Kuru''. Having made sure that ''Kuru'' was not in the bay, the two corvettes decided to abandon the mission and sailed south in order to return to Darwin. ''Kuru''{{'}}s commanding officer, Lieutenant John Grant, had loaded 77 of the Portuguese refugees as well as one critically injured Australian soldier on board the ship and set sail at around 02:00 on 1 December from Betano, fearing he had missed the rendezvous with the other two ships. While approximately {{convert|110|km|nmi}} south of Betano, ''Armidale'' and ''Castlemaine'' sighted ''Kuru'', and the three ships closed by dawn.{{sfn|Gill|pp=215–216}}{{sfn|Macklin|p=246}}

{{Quote box
|width=30%
|align=left
|quote=During the attack a plane had been brought down and for this the credit went to Ordinary Seaman Teddy Sheean. Teddy died, but none of us who survived, I am sure, will ever forget his gallant deed&nbsp;... When the order 'Abandon ship' was given, he made for the side, only to be hit twice by the bullets of an attacking Zero. None of us will ever know what made him do it,
but he went back to his gun, strapped himself in, and brought down a Jap plane, still firing as he disappeared beneath the waves.
|source=Ordinary Seaman Russel Caro{{sfn|Gill|p=218}}
}}

Following the transfer of passengers from ''Kuru'' to ''Castlemaine'', the former received orders that she was to return to Betano that evening "and do the job tonight".{{sfn|Gill|pp=215–216}} At this time, a formation of Japanese aircraft was spotted and ''Kuru'' sailed for cover. Assessing the situation, Sullivan—as senior officer—decided that ''Armidale'' would accompany ''Kuru'' in order to unload the former's passengers at Betano while ''Castlemaine'' returned to Darwin. ''Armidale'' and ''Kuru'' assumed separate routes to Betano, and at approximately 13:00 ''Armidale'' was attacked by a party of five Japanese bombers; the explosives, however, fell wide of their target. At 13:58, ''Armidale'' reported that she was under attack from "nine bombers, four fighters" over the [[Timor Sea]].{{sfn|Macklin|p=246}}{{sfn|Gill|pp=216–217}}

''Armidale'' undertook evasive action, manoeuvring frantically to avoid the aerial attack. However, at 15:15, the vessel was struck by two [[air-launched torpedo]]es, one hitting her port side and the other colliding with the engineering spaces, before a bomb exploded aft.<ref name="ADB"/> ''Armidale'' listed sharply to port at this stage, and the order was given to abandon ship.{{sfn|Macklin|p=247}} As the crew leapt into the sea, they were [[Strafing|strafed]] by the attacking aircraft. Sheean—after assisting to free a life-raft<ref name="ADB"/>—was hit by two bullets from one of the aircraft,{{sfn|Gill|p=218}} wounding him in the chest and back. Scrambling across the deck, he strapped himself into the [[aft]] Oerlikon 20&nbsp;mm cannon and began shooting at the fighters in an effort to protect some of the sailors already in the sea.<ref name="ADB"/>{{sfn|Macklin|p=247}} Subject to the fire from Sheean's Oerlikon, the Japanese aircraft were kept at bay and were unable to effectively strafe those in the water.<ref name="AWM"/>

With ''Armidale'' rapidly sinking, Sheean continued to fire and managed to shoot down one of the Japanese bombers. He damaged a further two aircraft before ''Armidale''{{'}}s stern was engulfed by the sea.<ref name="RAN bio"/><ref name="Latrobe">{{cite web|url=http://www.latrobe.tas.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=198&c=160|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090208213326/http://www.latrobe.tas.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=198&c=160|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 February 2009|title=Teddy Sheean Memorial / Sheean Walk|access-date=13 May 2009|publisher=Latrobe Council, Tasmania}}</ref> Despite this, Sheean maintained his fire as the water rose above his feet, and remained firing as he "disappeared beneath the waves".<ref name="ADB"/>{{sfn|Gill|p=218}}{{sfn|Macklin|p=247}} Sheean's crewmates later testified to witnessing [[Tracer ammunition|tracers]] rising from beneath the water's surface as Sheean was dragged under.<ref name="AWM"/>

==Legacy==
[[File:HMAS Sheean, Fremantle.jpg|thumb|right|HMAS ''Sheean'' at Fremantle, Western Australia]]

Sheean was among 100 of the original 149 people on board HMAS ''Armidale'' at the time of the attack who were killed during the ship's sinking and its aftermath.<ref name="ADB"/><ref name="AWM"/> Many of the survivors attributed their lives to Sheean.{{sfn|Gill|p=218}}{{sfn|McKernan|p=156}} For his "bravery and devotion when HMAS ''Armidale'' was lost",<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/AWM192/00310/003100273.pdf |title=Recommendation for Edward Sheean to be awarded a Mention in Despatches |access-date=10 May 2009|work=Index to Recommendations: Second World War |publisher=Australian War Memorial}}</ref> Sheean's actions were recognised with a [[Posthumous award|posthumous]] [[Mention in Despatches]], awarded on the recommendation of ''Armidale''{{'}}s commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander David Richards,{{sfn|Gill|p=218}} and announced in a supplement to ''[[The London Gazette]]'' on 29 June 1943.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=36072|date=29 June 1943|page=2947 |supp=y}}</ref> However, many held the opinion that Sheean's gallantry, devotion to duty and self-sacrifice were worthy of the [[Victoria Cross]],{{sfn|McKernan|p=155}}<ref name="AWM"/> with author [[Robert Macklin]] stating his "actions were in the highest tradition of the Australian military" and comparing them with those of [[Vietnam War]] Victoria Cross recipient [[Kevin Wheatley]].{{sfn|Macklin|p=247}}

On 1 May 1999, the submarine {{HMAS|Sheean|SSG 77|6}} was launched by Ivy Hayes—sister of Teddy Sheean—named in the ordinary seaman's honour.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.minister.defence.gov.au/1999/ss0199.html |title=Speech by the Hon Bruce Scott MP at the launch of the submarine ''Sheean'' |access-date=10 May 2009 |work=Department of Defence |publisher=Australian Government |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090830015344/http://www.minister.defence.gov.au/1999/ss0199.html |archive-date=30 August 2009}}</ref> ''Sheean'' was subsequently [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] into the Royal Australian Navy on 23 February 2001, and was the first Royal Australian Navy vessel to be named in honour of a [[naval rating]].<ref name="AWM"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-sheean|title=HMAS ''Sheean''|work=Royal Australian Navy |access-date=10 May 2009 |publisher=Australian Government}}</ref> Carrying the motto "Fight On", the vessel was one of six {{sclass|Collins|submarine|1}}s entered into service. A painting depicting Sheean's final moments is held by the [[Australian War Memorial]].<ref name="AWM"/> His home town of Latrobe commemorates his life via the ''Sheean Walk'' and ''Teddy Sheean Memorial'', opened in 1992.<ref name="Latrobe"/> In 2003, the [[Australian Navy Cadets]] established a training ship at [[Tewantin, Queensland]], called NTS ''Sheean'' in his honour.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/australian-navy-cadets-nts-sheean/2544937/ |title=Australian Navy Cadets - NTS Sheean |access-date=23 March 2015 |publisher=Sunshine Coast Daily}}</ref>

===Victoria Cross for Australia===

In 2001 a Bill was introduced into the [[Australian Senate]] to have three awards of the [[Victoria Cross for Australia]] made, one being to Sheean.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aph.gov.au/Hansard/senate/dailys/ds040401.pdf |title=Parliamentary Debates, Senate (1 April 2001) |access-date=10 May 2009|publisher=Hansard |pages=86–89 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111220065607/http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/senate/dailys/ds040401.pdf |archive-date=20 December 2011}}</ref> The Bill came as part of a campaign by the then-leader of the [[Australian Labor Party]] and [[Opposition (Australia)|Federal Opposition]], [[Kim Beazley]], to secure more rights for war veterans.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ozpolitics.info/election2004/2001ALP/veterans.pdf |title=Kim Beazley's plans for veterans |access-date=10 May 2009 |publisher=Australian Labor Party |archive-date=22 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090922182007/http://www.ozpolitics.info/election2004/2001ALP/veterans.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, it was subsequently rejected by the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Government]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/genpdf/chamber/hansardr/2000-12-04/0130/hansard_frag.pdf;fileType%3Dapplication%2Fpdf |title=HMAS ''Armidale'': Ordinary Seaman Teddy Sheean |access-date=10 May 2009|publisher=Parliamentary Debates: House of Representativies}}</ref>

In 2011, at the direction of the Parliamentary Secretary for Defence, Senator [[David Feeney]], the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal opened an inquiry into thirteen cases of unresolved recognition for past acts of gallantry. Among the group were eleven naval personnel, including Sheean. Known as the 'Valour Inquiry', the Tribunal was directed to determine if the individuals were unduly overlooked for recognition at the time of their actions and, if so, whether late awards were appropriate. The inquiry lasted two years and included 166 submissions from 125 individuals and organisations, before the Tribunal reported its findings in January 2013. In the case of Sheean, the Tribunal found that there was no manifest injustice with the award of the Mention in Despatches, and that there was no new evidence to support the consideration of Sheean for the Victoria Cross for Australia. If Sheean had lived, they reported, he might have been recommended for either the [[Conspicuous Gallantry Medal]] or the [[Distinguished Service Medal (United Kingdom)|Distinguished Service Medal]] instead, but neither medal could be awarded posthumously in 1942. The Tribunal recommended that the RAN perpetuate the use of Sheean as the name of a major combatant vessel.<ref>{{Cite report|author=Rose, Alan|authorlink=Alan Rose (public servant)|date=21 January 2013|title=Report of the Inquiry into unresolved recognition for past acts of naval and military gallantry and valour (Valour Inquiry)|url=http://defence-honours-tribunal.gov.au/publications/archive/?c=reports&y=2013|publisher=Defence Honours and Awards Tribunal|access-date=21 April 2016|archive-date=27 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427075719/http://defence-honours-tribunal.gov.au/publications/archive/?c=reports&y=2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal panel conducted an inquiry during 2019 to consider whether Sheean should be awarded the Victoria Cross. It recommended in July that year that he be awarded the medal. This recommendation was rejected by Minister for Defence [[Linda Reynolds]] in May 2020 on the grounds that the panel had not presented any new evidence to support its recommendation. Reynolds' decision was endorsed by Prime Minister [[Scott Morrison]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Howarth |first1=Carla |title=World War II hero Teddy Sheean denied Victoria Cross, as decision branded 'slap in the face' for family |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-13/world-war-ii-hero-teddy-sheean-denied-victoria-cross/12244456 |access-date=13 August 2020 |work=ABC News |date=13 May 2020}}</ref> Mark Sullivan, the head of the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal subsequently wrote to Reynolds to complain that she had misrepresented the panel's findings and misled the Senate. Sullivan stated in his letter that the panel had found new evidence to support its recommendation despite not being required to do so. In response to Sullivan's letter, Tasmanian Veterans Affairs Minister [[Guy Barnett (Australian politician)|Guy Barnett]] and federal Senator [[Jacqui Lambie]] called for the decision to not award the medal to be reconsidered.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Baker |first1=Emily |title=Teddy Sheean VC battle rages on with PM in Lambie's sights after honours tribunal rebuke for Defence Minister |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-20/teddy-sheean-vc-snub-battle-rages-on-after-reynolds-rebuke/12264248 |access-date=13 August 2020 |work=ABC News |date=20 May 2020}}</ref> Federal Leader of the Opposition [[Anthony Albanese]] also wrote that Sheean should be awarded the Victoria Cross.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Albanese |first1=Anthony |title=Anthony Albanese Talking Point: Tasmanian war hero Teddy Sheean deserves Victoria Cross |url=https://www.themercury.com.au/news/opinion/anthony-albanese-talking-point-tasmanian-war-hero-teddy-sheean-deserves-victoria-cross/news-story/999b0b213121be8099f3221ef2a769ce |access-date=14 August 2020 |work=Mercury |date=24 May 2020}}</ref> The Chief of the Defence Force General [[Angus Campbell (general)|Angus Campbell]] strongly advised the government to not award Sheean the medal.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Galloway |first1=Anthony |last2=Harris |first2=Rob |title='Maladministration': PM recommends war hero Teddy Sheean for Victoria Cross |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/maladministration-pm-recommends-war-hero-teddy-sheean-for-victoria-cross-20200810-p55ka2.html |access-date=13 August 2020 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=10 August 2020}}</ref>

In June 2020, Morrison commissioned another expert panel to examine whether Sheean should be awarded the Victoria Cross.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-10/review-into-teddy-sheean-vc-decision-after-tribunal-rebuke/12340798|title=Scott Morrison orders review of Victoria Cross decision for World War II hero Teddy Sheean|work=ABC News|date=10 June 2020}}</ref> On 10 August 2020, Morrison accepted the findings of the panel and recommended the [[Elizabeth II|Queen]] posthumously award Sheean the [[Victoria Cross for Australia]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Harris|first=Anthony Galloway, Rob|date=2020-08-10|title='Maladministration': PM recommends war hero Teddy Sheean for Victoria Cross|url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/maladministration-pm-recommends-war-hero-teddy-sheean-for-victoria-cross-20200810-p55ka2.html|access-date=2020-08-10|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-08-10|title=WWII hero Teddy Sheean to posthumously receive Victoria Cross, after almost 80-year struggle|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-10/scott-morrison-teddy-sheean-victoria-cross-recommendation/12540708|access-date=2020-08-10|website=[[ABC News Australia|ABC News]]|language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pm.gov.au/media/press-conference-australian-parliament-house-act-10aug20|title=PRESS CONFERENCE - AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT HOUSE, ACT|date=10 August 2020|access-date=10 August 2020|archive-date=23 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923100726/https://www.pm.gov.au/media/press-conference-australian-parliament-house-act-10aug20|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Queen approved the award on 12 August.<ref>{{cite news |title=Queen approves Victoria Cross for WWII hero Teddy Sheean |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-12/teddy-sheean-victoria-cross-approved-by-queen/12550210 |access-date=14 August 2020 |work=ABC News |date=13 August 2014}}</ref> An investiture ceremony was held on 1 December 2020 at [[Government House, Canberra|Government House]] in Canberra. Governor-General [[General (Australia)|General]] [[David Hurley]] presented the award to Sheean's nephew, Garry Ivory. Sheean's medal was the first VC awarded to a Royal Australian Navy crew member.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.gg.gov.au/about-governor-general/media/investiture-ceremony-ordinary-seaman-edward-teddy-sheean-vc-government-house |title=Investiture Ceremony for Ordinary Seaman Edward 'Teddy' Sheean VC, Government House |first=David |last=Hurley |date=1 December 2020 |publisher= [[Governor-General of Australia]] |access-date=1 December 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-01/wwii-hero-edward-teddy-sheean-awarded-victoria-cross/12935426 |title=WWII hero Teddy Sheean awarded Victoria Cross, 78 years to the day after 'stuff of legend' |first=Erin |last=Cooper |date=1 December 2020 |work=ABC News |access-date=1 December 2020}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
* {{cite book|first=George Hermon|last=Gill |title=Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945 |series=[[Australia in the War of 1939–1945]]|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RCDIG1070208/|publisher=Australian War Memorial|volume=2|location=Canberra, Australia|year=1962|ref = {{sfnRef|Gill}}}}
* {{cite book|last=Macklin|first=Robert|authorlink=Robert Macklin|year=2008|title=Bravest: How Some of Australia's Greatest War Heroes Won Their Medals|url=https://archive.org/details/bravesthowsomeof0000mack|url-access=registration|location=Crows Nest, New South Wales, Australia|publisher=Allen & Unwin|isbn=978-1-74114-882-4|ref = {{sfnRef|Macklin}}}}
* {{cite book|last=McKernan|first=Michael|title=The Strength of a Nation: Six Years of Australians Fighting for the Nation and Defending the Homefront in WWII|year=2006|publisher=Allen & Unwin|location=Crows Nest, New South Wales, Australia|isbn=978-1-74114-714-8|ref={{sfnRef|McKernan}}}}

==Further reading==
*  {{Cite book |last=Lewis |first=Tom |title=Honour Denied: Teddy Sheean, a Tasmanian Hero |publisher=Avonmore Books |year=2016 |isbn=978-0-9871519-7-1 |location=Adelaide |authorlink=Tom Lewis (author)}}
*  {{Cite book |last=Lewis |first=Tom |title=Teddy Sheean VC |publisher=Big Sky Publishing |year=2021 |isbn=9780369364272 |location=Sydney |authorlink=Tom Lewis (author)}}

==External links==
{{commons|Edward Sheean}}
* {{cite web|url=https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/wars-and-missions/world-war-ii-1939-1945/events/japanese-advance-december-1941-march-1942/fall-timor/ted-was-sort-boy-who-would-do-anything-his-mates|title=Ted was the sort of boy who would do anything for his mates|access-date=17 January 2018|work=Australia and the Second World War|publisher=Commonwealth of Australia}}

{{Good article}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sheean, Teddy}}
[[Category:1923 births]]
[[Category:1942 deaths]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Tasmania]]
[[Category:Australian World War II recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:Australian military personnel killed in World War II]]
[[Category:Deaths due to shipwreck at sea]]
[[Category:Royal Australian Navy personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Royal Australian Navy sailors]]