Celebrating 99 years of David Trist OAM

 

Wounded Heroes Australia's NSW / ACT State Manager Jemma Pigott connected with him this year and is very inspired by his Service and strong sense of community spirit.

David was born on the 3rd of September 1925. On his 14th birthday, the UK declared war on Germany after Germany’s invasion of Poland (effectively the start of WW2).  

 

The day after Japan’s 7 December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbour, Australia declared war on Japan.

This was the first declaration of war Australia had ever made independently of Britain. Many young Australians joined up to defend our country from invasion. 

 

In December 1943, an 18-year-old David enlisted in the Australian Army to do just that. 

 

After training, he deployed to Darling Harbour to help load ammunition onto ships heading north where conflict was raging across the Pacific.

He also assisted in transporting recaptured POWs to Hay internment camp after the Cowra Breakout.

David had already been trained with the Queanbeyan Volunteer Defence Corps, gaining skills in commando tactics and facility defence. 

 

In 1944, his 58/59th Battalion was sent to New Guinea, where he faced harsh conditions and contracted a severe skin disease that required hospitalisation. David saw most action in Bougainville, enduring relentless fighting, sleepless nights, and tense encounters with enemy forces, including grenade exchanges and artillery fire.  

 

Jemma met David on 15 August 2024 at the 79th anniversary of Victory in the Pacific (VP) Day. On that day in 1945, Australia received news that Japan had accepted the Allied Nations’ terms of surrender and Australia’s then Prime Minister, Ben Chifley, announced WW2 was over. 

 

A 19-year-old David was in south Bougainville at the time and shared these recollections 79 years later with Jemma: 

 

“Everything was flooded! The infantry battalion was dug in and the slit trenches were full of water. We had a Matilda tank supporting us which had a radio and if you went to the back of the tank, you could pick up a signal. That’s how we heard the ABC in Sydney talking about the end of the war”. 

 

Jemma told David about her work for Wounded Heroes and how she connected with it through her film honouring Aboriginal Diggers who defended Australia on the Kokoda Track in WW2.

David told her he served with Aboriginal men in Bouganville and was disgusted they were allowed to fight and die for Australia but weren’t allowed to vote.

Jemma requested to film an interview with him at his home which David welcomed. She was honoured to do this on Thursday 29 August 2024, sharing these words after the interview:

 

“Men liked David, my Granddad and the Aboriginal soldiers my film is about defended Australia from invasion. We owe our freedom to them and I am privileged to have connected with David through my work at Wounded Heroes Australia.

My Granddad Corporal Brian Pigott served in PNG during WW2, and was born exactly 8 years and 1 day before David. He passed away on Christmas Day in 2006. I was honoured to wear his medals when I met David on the 79th anniversary of VP Day this year.

I look forward to sharing the wonderful interview footage filmed with him at his beautiful home”. 

 

You can read more of David's remarkable WW2 stories here: https://www.warmemorialsregister.nsw.gov.au/nsw-stories/david-trist 

You can also listen to Prime Minister Chifley’s broadcast of the end of the war in 1945 here: https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/resources/chifley-victory-speech  

 

You can also view Jemma's short film clip honouring Aboriginal WW2 Diggers (featuring music sung by John Paul Young OAM) here: https://youtu.be/3BPyQ_wLp_I