How the Association was formed 1951 to Now
Our journey begins - 1945 the Japanese Forces sign the unconditional surrender of their Armies, Navy and Air Force as well as all War materials.
The Australian Government agrees to a request by General McArthur to provide a force of 16,000 men and women, AIF, RAAF and RAN to disarm Japan and repatriate their armies. The British Commonwealth Occupation Force was raised from volunteers from the WW2 AIF veterans , young Australians looking to help their country at a time that their families were still suffering for the personal loses for the last 6 years.
Their service cost lives , especially in the first 3 years. It was 6 years before their task was completed. They returned to Australia not as hero's like WW2 veterans, they were forgotten and the promises made were not met. In 1951 the first service men and women formed the first Associations.
Japan and Service at War
.We arrived with duty on our minds and in many cases hate in our hearts
We knew of the dangers and were unaware of the dangers that the Government knew of that cost us dearly, not just those who died , but what would eventually kill us when we returned home.
Told that we were true soldiers of the AIF, our enlistment papers confirmed this, we were promised that we would receive the same as the others who had continued their service after the surrender, but they never came.
When our time was over we returned to our homes with no great parades or even a handshake and thanks for what we had achieved, so we joined together and although it was many years after we had ended the hate in Japan and brought peace "The Forgotten Force " , The First Peacekeepers , Came together.
The Struggle Begins
When they returned the difficulties began , no recognition, even by the other veterans , they found it difficult to march on Anzac Day their battalions no longer existed, The 65th 66th and 67th Battalions were now 1, 2 and 3 Royal Australian Regiments all veterans of the Korean War, while they had nothing to show that they were veteran soldiers.
The nightmares of what they had seen and witnessed came, their health was decaying , suddenly and debilitating at a much younger age but what others received was kept from them and no hope of a pension existed.
There was not even a memorial to their mates that they could go to any mention of such things were ignored and scoffed at.
Many years after 1952. Because BCOF personnel originally marched under their specific unit or service banners of the units that came after them (like the RAAF or infantry battalions), a distinct BCOF Association was not established until 1978. The BCOF Association of Australia held its earliest dedicated Anzac Day marches and reunions in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Finally in 1993 the government buckled and called for an investigation in Service Medals and Entitlements (CIDA)and every state branch was called to make submissions and they did and so did their children and in 1994 they won their right to be a part of the veteran community.
They received confirmation that they had fought and died with the Active Service Medal, they were given the basic entitlements that all servicemen receive (not for being in combat)and TPI.
In 1995 the first BCOF memorial was granted and installed in the Major Memorial In Brisbane (Anzac Square). The work was carried out by the veterans and their children.
But The Fight for what they were promised and the memories of what they did continues (In Memory of H Gill, R Stevens and QX500202 Roy Nightingale who passed in 1992 from radiation and asbestos)
Today
The Veterans have passed, on Anzac day 2026 the average age of a volunteer to Bcof in 1946 would be 100 today.
A large number of those veterans never made it to pension age because of illnesses related to their service.
But their Association will continue because of the love and respect of their children , It is us who continue it on to keep their memories as fresh and as well known as the Anzacs as the men who fought in the middle east and France in ww1 as fresh as those who fought at Tobruk and Kokoda in WW2.
As the last official representative of the BCOF Association Queensland who made the submission to CIDA and was a part of the first memorial being installed and a proud son of a veteran who lost his life too early and as an ex-serviceman , I and many others will not let their memory die. We will make sure they are recognized properly by the other medals they should have received.
Our membership is our link to them and that creates a strong link between us to keep their memories alive and their stories told, and available to our schools and universities. To march proudly in their places.
We already have our sites that pass on their stories like The British Commonwealth Occupation Force Association https://www.facebook.com/groups/1503252588113271
BCOF Australian Veterans https://www.facebook.com/groups/1955690941308968
Australia in Japan 1945 - 1952 BCOF https://www.facebook.com/groups/920920491716311
Come Join Us
Ronald John Nightingale
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