465:. After being evacuated to Australia, Honner had surgery on his hip during which a metal plate was inserted into it. In early 1944, after being deemed only fit for duties of an administrative nature, he was posted as General Staff Officer Grade 1, Directorate of Military Training, G Branch, at Land Headquarters in Melbourne, where he worked on the creation of training manuals. In late 1944 Honner's medical classification was downgraded further as his hip injury worsened, and as a result in January 1945, he was discharged.
294:, where he started in the beginning of 1918 as a boarder. In his early teens Honner was quiet and was considered small and not very athletic by his peers. He was intensely bright, however, and did well in his studies. By his final year of school, however, he had filled out from working on his family's property at Cheltenham Park, and had grown to 6 feet (1.8 m); he had also become an "accomplished athlete". At the age of 18, in 1923, having completed his schooling, Honner enrolled at
501:. After his wife, Marjory, became sick, Honner spent most of his time taking care of her until she died in 1990. Ralph Honner subsequently died at his home in Sydney on 14 May 1994, aged 89 years. His funeral was held on 20 May at St Mary's Church, North Sydney. At his funeral an unknown Japanese veteran walked up to his coffin and bowed in respect. Honner was buried alongside his wife at the Northern Suburbs Cemetery.
425:
Using his previous combat experience and personal leadership qualities, Honner maintained the 39th
Battalion's cohesion and morale, and led them in a fighting withdrawal down the track, helping to blunt the Japanese advance towards Port Moresby until they were reinforced, and subsequently relieved,
305:
While he was studying, he met
Marjory Collier Bennett, who was also studying to become a teacher, and in 1925 they became "unofficially engaged". Lacking the money with which to get married, they would remain engaged for nine years before eventually marrying on 2 June 1934 at
473:
Following his discharge from the Army, Honner took a position as chairman of the No. 3 War
Pensions Assessment Appeal Tribunal in Perth, where he heard appeals by veterans in relation to pension claims. In 1949, Honner moved to Sydney with his family, taking up residence at
422:. With instructions to stop the Japanese advance at Isurava, Honner arrived on 16 August 1942. Upon reaching the battalion's position, Honner found that his new command was already depleted from tropical diseases and from earlier fighting and was heavily outnumbered.
341:
Upon completing his law degree, Honner went to work at the Parker and Parker law firm in Perth. He also continued his sporting interests and in 1936 rejoined the part-time military forces, which was then known as the
Militia. On 25 June 1936 he was appointed as a
33:
283:, Western Australia, on 17 August 1904. His parents were Richard and Eleanor Honner. His father was a police officer and the family were devout Catholics. At birth, Honner's full name was Hyacinth Ralph Honner, with his first name being derived from
394:
where they took part in the heavy fighting around Retimo. Honner then led a group across the island in order to evade capture and, after meeting up with a Royal Navy submarine, they were evacuated to
Alexandria. He was subsequently promoted to
287:, whose feast day was 17 August, however, growing up, this name caused Honner some heartache as he was sometimes mistaken for being female on paperwork and during his formative years at school he informally began using his middle name instead.
329:
in Perth. Taking the position, he undertook classes at night at the
University of Western Australia to obtain a law degree, which was conferred upon him in 1933. During this time he also played the occasional game for
410:
of an
Australian training battalion in the Middle East, to which he was posted in October 1941. Honner returned to Australia in May 1942. After being briefly reunited with his wife he was promoted to
390:
following the German invasion in April 1941. In Greece, Honner led his men through a series of fighting withdrawals as they were pushed back by stronger German forces. Later they were evacuated to
1157:
263:
and, as a result, was discharged from the Army in early 1945. In his later life, he worked as an administrator on the War
Pensions Assessment Appeal Tribunal. He was also President of the
449:
Although Honner took the decision to disband the 39th
Battalion hard, six days after he was appointed to command of the 2/14th Battalion, having been asked for personally by Brigadier
1167:
478:
and after this he assumed the chair of the No. 2 War
Pension Assessment Appeal Tribunal, undertaking the same duties as he had in Perth. In Sydney, Honner became involved with the
483:
264:
1152:
482:
Association (New South Wales Division) and between 1955 and 1957 he served as the association's president. Between 1961 and 1963, he also served as President of the
1187:
1172:
1076:
310:. They would subsequently have four children together: Richard (1936), Brian (1938), Margaret (1943) and John (1946). During this time, Honner also served in the
1142:
1104:
490:
268:
170:
1182:
461:
before being seriously wounded by a gunshot to his hip after leaving the battalion's main defensive perimeter to conduct a reconnaissance during the
1162:
446:, they were subsequently disbanded on 3 July 1943, as the decision was made to redistribute the battalion's personnel to reinforce other units.
430:. The 39th Battalion was then withdrawn from the line and rested for a brief period of time before they were recommitted to the fighting around
458:
260:
185:
1021:
1002:
928:
1059:
1040:
983:
434:
in December 1942. For his role during the capture of the Japanese beachheads around Gona and Sananada, Honner was later awarded the
355:
335:
299:
1177:
522:
Dennis et al and Brune list Honner's date of death as 14 May 1994, but the Australian War Memorial lists it as 15 May 1994.
498:
322:
1147:
427:
359:
131:
438:. In January 1943, the 39th Battalion was withdrawn to Australia for rest and re-organisation. After reforming on the
435:
307:
228:
202:
497:, he served in this post from October 1969 until January 1972 when he returned to Sydney and established himself at
415:
295:
252:
136:
475:
399:
and, for his leadership during the fighting around Thermopylae in the earlier Greek campaign, he was awarded the
454:
375:
331:
311:
155:
721:
976:
On Shaggy Ridge—The Australian Seventh Division in the Ramu Valley: From Kaiapit to the Finisterre Ranges
419:
248:
175:
489:
Honner retired from the pensions tribunal in 1968, and later that year he was appointed as the second
1137:
1132:
439:
431:
291:
180:
816:
778:
821:
783:
411:
407:
371:
284:
222:
121:
1055:
1036:
1017:
998:
979:
387:
379:
244:
160:
150:
418:, who were involved in a desperate campaign against the Japanese forces fighting along the
462:
383:
165:
101:
479:
450:
400:
363:
232:
206:
1126:
1114:
358:(2nd AIF) on 24 October 1939. In December 1939 he took command of 'C' Company of the
396:
256:
32:
457:
of which the 2/14th was a part. Honner subsequently led the 2/14th early in the
367:
326:
338:, as well as playing rugby union and representing the university in athletics.
443:
343:
845:
756:
594:
290:
In 1917, Honner attended Perth Boys School before receiving a scholarship to
255:, which fought a series of delaying actions as the Japanese advanced towards
280:
240:
63:
370:
in April 1940, arriving the following month. After undertaking training in
321:
In 1927 Honner completed his teaching qualification and began working in
315:
354:
Following the outbreak of the Second World War, Honner enlisted in the
325:. Two years later he was offered a position as Senior House Master at
247:. He is considered particularly notable for his leadership during the
494:
80:
314:, joining the 11th/16th Battalion in 1924 and achieving the rank of
391:
1050:
Dennis, Peter; Grey, Jeffrey; Morris, Ewan; Prior, Robin (1995).
374:, Honner's company then proceeded to fight in the battles of the
406:
Following this Honner undertook a training role, serving as
362:, a Western Australian infantry battalion, with the rank of
595:"WX15 Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Hyacinth (Jump) Honner"
484:
Liberal Party of Australia (New South Wales Division)
265:
Liberal Party of Australia (New South Wales Division)
414:
and sent to Papua where he was given command of the
1158:
Australian rules footballers from Western Australia
1052:
The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History
486:. He was the first Catholic to undertake the role.
212:
198:
143:
127:
117:
107:
95:
87:
70:
50:
42:
23:
1016:. Crows Nest, New South Wales: Allen & Unwin.
997:. Crows Nest, New South Wales: Allen & Unwin.
271:between 1969 and 1972. He died in 1994, aged 89.
1014:A Bastard of a Place: The Australians in Papua
302:, majoring in the English and Modern History.
235:(17 August 1904 – 14 May 1994), known as
1168:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
825:(Supplement). 23 December 1943. p. 5574.
787:(Supplement). 30 December 1941. p. 7335.
8:
1035:. London, United Kingdom: Cassell & Co.
978:. South Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
901:
899:
261:the fighting in the Ramu and Markham Valleys
913:
911:
553:
551:
549:
547:
545:
543:
541:
539:
1081:
704:
702:
700:
698:
565:
563:
366:. Honner and his battalion sailed for the
279:Honner was born the third child of six in
31:
20:
1153:Australian Army personnel of World War II
846:"39th Battalion (Hawthorne–Kew Regiment)"
634:
632:
630:
931:(Press release). Australian Government.
535:
515:
1188:University of Western Australia alumni
1173:People educated at Perth Modern School
1054:. Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
716:
714:
589:
587:
585:
583:
581:
579:
577:
575:
386:and Derna before being dispatched to
267:from 1961 to 1963, and served as the
7:
318:by 1927 when he took his discharge.
298:and began a Bachelor of Arts at the
259:. In 1943 Honner was wounded during
37:Captain Ralph Honner in Libya, 1941.
1143:Ambassadors of Australia to Ireland
459:campaign in the Ramu–Markham Valley
929:"Australian Ambassador to Ireland"
14:
1183:Recipients of the Military Cross
1105:Australian ambassador to Ireland
491:Australian ambassador to Ireland
356:Second Australian Imperial Force
269:Australian ambassador to Ireland
251:, during which he commanded the
186:Ramu and Markham Valley campaign
1163:Claremont Football Club players
692:Brune 2000, p. 35, 292 and 295.
336:West Australian Football League
300:University of Western Australia
216:Ambassador to Ireland (1968–72)
1077:Biography at Kokoda Historical
927:Hasluck, Paul (21 July 1968).
1:
346:in the 11th/16th Battalion.
728:. Commonwealth of Australia
436:Distinguished Service Order
308:Nedlands, Western Australia
203:Distinguished Service Order
1204:
905:Dennis et al 1995, p. 296.
557:Dennis et al 1995, p. 295.
296:Claremont Teachers College
171:South West Pacific theatre
1111:
1102:
1089:
1084:
995:Ralph Honner: Kokoda Hero
974:Bradley, Phillip (2004).
848:. Australian War Memorial
759:. Australian War Memorial
726:World War II Nominal Roll
597:. Australian War Memorial
30:
959:Brune 2000, pp. 312–313.
941:Brune 2000, pp. 303–305.
875:Bradley 2004, pp. 46–47.
378:against the Italians at
376:Western Desert campaign
156:Western Desert campaign
16:Australian Army officer
1012:Brune, Peter (2004) .
683:Brune 2000, pp. 30–34.
624:Brune 2000, pp. 12–13.
239:, was a distinguished
1178:People from Fremantle
1031:Clark, Alan (2000) .
993:Brune, Peter (2000).
249:Kokoda Track Campaign
226:Hyacinth Ralph Honner
176:Kokoda Track Campaign
108:Years of service
1097:as Chargé d'affaires
1148:Australian colonels
950:Brune 2000, p. 309.
917:Brune 2000, p. 296.
893:Brune 2000, p. 293.
884:Brune 2000, p. 292.
866:Brune 2000, p. 274.
835:Brune 2000, p. 270.
806:Brune 2004, p. 465.
797:Brune 2004, p. 125.
569:Brune 2000, p. 312.
453:, commander of the
440:Atherton Tablelands
292:Perth Modern School
243:soldier during the
181:Battle of Buna-Gona
66:, Western Australia
822:The London Gazette
784:The London Gazette
757:"2/11th Battalion"
746:Clark 2000, p. 91.
708:Brune 2000, p. 33.
674:Brune 2000, p. 24.
665:Brune 2000, p. 27.
656:Brune 2000, p. 21.
647:Brune 2000, p. 19.
638:Brune 2000, p. 30.
615:Brune 2000, p. 12.
412:lieutenant colonel
408:commanding officer
223:Lieutenant Colonel
122:Lieutenant Colonel
1121:
1120:
1112:Succeeded by
1100:
1085:Diplomatic posts
1033:The Fall of Crete
1023:978-1-74114-403-1
1004:978-1-74175-372-1
220:
219:
83:, New South Wales
1195:
1094:
1090:Preceded by
1082:
1065:
1046:
1027:
1008:
989:
960:
957:
951:
948:
942:
939:
933:
932:
924:
918:
915:
906:
903:
894:
891:
885:
882:
876:
873:
867:
864:
858:
857:
855:
853:
842:
836:
833:
827:
826:
813:
807:
804:
798:
795:
789:
788:
775:
769:
768:
766:
764:
753:
747:
744:
738:
737:
735:
733:
718:
709:
706:
693:
690:
684:
681:
675:
672:
666:
663:
657:
654:
648:
645:
639:
636:
625:
622:
616:
613:
607:
606:
604:
602:
591:
570:
567:
558:
555:
523:
520:
463:advance on Dumpu
428:2/14th Battalion
360:2/11th Battalion
350:Second World War
245:Second World War
161:Battle of Greece
151:Second World War
132:2/14th Battalion
97:
77:
60:
58:
35:
21:
1203:
1202:
1198:
1197:
1196:
1194:
1193:
1192:
1123:
1122:
1117:
1108:
1093:
1073:
1068:
1062:
1049:
1043:
1030:
1024:
1011:
1005:
992:
986:
973:
969:
964:
963:
958:
954:
949:
945:
940:
936:
926:
925:
921:
916:
909:
904:
897:
892:
888:
883:
879:
874:
870:
865:
861:
851:
849:
844:
843:
839:
834:
830:
815:
814:
810:
805:
801:
796:
792:
777:
776:
772:
762:
760:
755:
754:
750:
745:
741:
731:
729:
722:"Honner, Ralph"
720:
719:
712:
707:
696:
691:
687:
682:
678:
673:
669:
664:
660:
655:
651:
646:
642:
637:
628:
623:
619:
614:
610:
600:
598:
593:
592:
573:
568:
561:
556:
537:
527:
526:
521:
517:
507:
471:
352:
312:Citizens Forces
277:
213:Other work
205:
194:
166:Battle of Crete
135:
112:
102:Australian Army
79:
75:
62:
56:
54:
38:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1201:
1199:
1191:
1190:
1185:
1180:
1175:
1170:
1165:
1160:
1155:
1150:
1145:
1140:
1135:
1125:
1124:
1119:
1118:
1113:
1110:
1101:
1091:
1087:
1086:
1080:
1079:
1072:
1071:External links
1069:
1067:
1066:
1060:
1047:
1041:
1028:
1022:
1009:
1003:
990:
984:
970:
968:
965:
962:
961:
952:
943:
934:
919:
907:
895:
886:
877:
868:
859:
837:
828:
808:
799:
790:
770:
748:
739:
710:
694:
685:
676:
667:
658:
649:
640:
626:
617:
608:
571:
559:
534:
533:
532:
531:
525:
524:
514:
513:
512:
511:
506:
503:
480:United Nations
470:
467:
451:Ivan Dougherty
416:39th Battalion
401:Military Cross
351:
348:
285:Saint Hyacinth
276:
273:
253:39th Battalion
218:
217:
214:
210:
209:
207:Military Cross
200:
196:
195:
193:
192:
191:
190:
189:
188:
183:
178:
168:
163:
158:
147:
145:
141:
140:
137:39th Battalion
129:
125:
124:
119:
115:
114:
109:
105:
104:
99:
93:
92:
89:
85:
84:
78:(aged 89)
72:
68:
67:
61:17 August 1904
52:
48:
47:
44:
40:
39:
36:
28:
27:
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1200:
1189:
1186:
1184:
1181:
1179:
1176:
1174:
1171:
1169:
1166:
1164:
1161:
1159:
1156:
1154:
1151:
1149:
1146:
1144:
1141:
1139:
1136:
1134:
1131:
1130:
1128:
1116:
1115:Keith Brennan
1107:
1106:
1099:
1098:
1088:
1083:
1078:
1075:
1074:
1070:
1063:
1061:0-19-553227-9
1057:
1053:
1048:
1044:
1042:0-304-35226-8
1038:
1034:
1029:
1025:
1019:
1015:
1010:
1006:
1000:
996:
991:
987:
985:0-19-555100-1
981:
977:
972:
971:
966:
956:
953:
947:
944:
938:
935:
930:
923:
920:
914:
912:
908:
902:
900:
896:
890:
887:
881:
878:
872:
869:
863:
860:
847:
841:
838:
832:
829:
824:
823:
818:
812:
809:
803:
800:
794:
791:
786:
785:
780:
774:
771:
758:
752:
749:
743:
740:
727:
723:
717:
715:
711:
705:
703:
701:
699:
695:
689:
686:
680:
677:
671:
668:
662:
659:
653:
650:
644:
641:
635:
633:
631:
627:
621:
618:
612:
609:
596:
590:
588:
586:
584:
582:
580:
578:
576:
572:
566:
564:
560:
554:
552:
550:
548:
546:
544:
542:
540:
536:
529:
528:
519:
516:
509:
508:
504:
502:
500:
496:
492:
487:
485:
481:
477:
468:
466:
464:
460:
456:
452:
447:
445:
441:
437:
433:
429:
423:
421:
417:
413:
409:
404:
402:
398:
393:
389:
385:
381:
377:
373:
369:
365:
361:
357:
349:
347:
345:
339:
337:
333:
328:
324:
319:
317:
313:
309:
303:
301:
297:
293:
288:
286:
282:
274:
272:
270:
266:
262:
258:
254:
250:
246:
242:
238:
234:
230:
227:
224:
215:
211:
208:
204:
201:
197:
187:
184:
182:
179:
177:
174:
173:
172:
169:
167:
164:
162:
159:
157:
154:
153:
152:
149:
148:
146:
142:
138:
133:
130:
126:
123:
120:
116:
110:
106:
103:
100:
94:
90:
86:
82:
73:
69:
65:
53:
49:
45:
41:
34:
29:
22:
19:
1103:
1096:
1095:
1051:
1032:
1013:
994:
975:
955:
946:
937:
922:
889:
880:
871:
862:
850:. Retrieved
840:
831:
820:
811:
802:
793:
782:
773:
761:. Retrieved
751:
742:
730:. Retrieved
725:
688:
679:
670:
661:
652:
643:
620:
611:
599:. Retrieved
518:
499:Beauty Point
488:
472:
455:21st Brigade
448:
424:
420:Kokoda Track
405:
353:
340:
320:
304:
289:
278:
257:Port Moresby
237:Ralph Honner
236:
225:
221:
144:Battles/wars
76:(1994-05-14)
25:Ralph Honner
18:
1138:1994 deaths
1133:1904 births
1092:K. I. Gates
817:"No. 36297"
779:"No. 35396"
732:14 November
493:. Based in
368:Middle East
327:Hale School
74:14 May 1994
43:Nickname(s)
1127:Categories
1109:1969–1972
967:References
469:Later life
444:Queensland
344:lieutenant
323:Kalgoorlie
275:Early life
241:Australian
88:Allegiance
57:1904-08-17
530:Citations
510:Footnotes
372:Palestine
332:Claremont
281:Fremantle
139:(1942–43)
113:1936–1945
111:1924–1927
91:Australia
64:Fremantle
852:27 April
763:27 April
601:20 April
476:Seaforth
316:sergeant
128:Commands
96:Service/
426:by the
364:captain
334:in the
1058:
1039:
1020:
1001:
982:
495:Dublin
388:Greece
384:Tobruk
380:Bardia
199:Awards
134:(1943)
98:branch
81:Sydney
46:"Jump"
505:Notes
397:major
392:Crete
1056:ISBN
1037:ISBN
1018:ISBN
999:ISBN
980:ISBN
854:2011
765:2011
734:2008
603:2011
432:Gona
118:Rank
71:Died
51:Born
442:in
229:DSO
1129::
910:^
898:^
819:.
781:.
724:.
713:^
697:^
629:^
574:^
562:^
538:^
403:.
382:,
233:MC
231:,
1064:.
1045:.
1026:.
1007:.
988:.
856:.
767:.
736:.
605:.
59:)
55:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
