02/09/2026
The 100 years of Jack Le Cras OAM - WWII Navy Veteran.
What an absolute gentleman and a legend. It's been a week long birthday celebration across various locations and Jack hasn't missed a beat. We took the opportunity at City of Stirling to show Jack our appreciation for his decades of service. Happy 100th Birthday Jack 🎉🎂!
'Jack was born in Perth, Western Australia, in September 1926.
In July 1944, Jack enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). He was sent to Victoria for training at the HMAS Cerberus naval base. He qualified in seamanship and gunnery. In May 1945, Jack was posted to a brand-new warship, the destroyer HMAS Bataan. As a member of the ship’s crew, Jack deployed to the Philippines in July.
When the war ended, Bataan sailed for Japan. Jack was one of the thousands of Allied sailors on warships that assembled at Tokyo Bay for the surrender ceremony on 2 September 1945. Jack was one of three sailors from the Bataan tasked with transporting the chiefs of the Australian armed services to the American battleship USS Missouri, where the signing took place. Bataan continued serving in Japanese waters until November. Jack and his crewmates patrolled Japanese waters and helped with the evacuation of former Prisoners of War. Bataan then sailed back to Australia for service in home waters.
Jack was discharged from full-time service in the RAN in July 1946 but his naval service was not over. He served in the Royal Australian Naval Reserve for another 25 years. Jack recalls that the best thing about his service was the mateship. He says, ‘I met another lad on the journey from Fremantle to HMAS Cerberus in June 1944. We stayed in close contact until he passed away in January 2025.’
After the war, Jack worked for the Postmaster-General’s Department until 1950, then for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). He retired in 1985. Jack married Kathleen in 1949. The couple have 2 children, 7 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. Kathleen sadly passed away in 2017.
Jack spent 49 years as a member of Lions Club International. He has served for 40 years, and counting, in other community service roles. He was awarded an OAM in 2012 for service to the community of Perth, particularly through a range of service organisations and to the Naval Association of Australia. Recently, Jack was given the keys to the City of Wanneroo.'
Thank you for everything Jack❤️.
RSL WA
