CAMDEN DISTRICT ROLL OF HONOUR

CAMDEN REMEMBERS Bradley John MEEK (Leading Seaman S147321)

Birth: 16 July 1972 Camden NSW Australia Death: 5 May 1998 (age 25) HMAS Westralia, Killed in the Line of Duty. Cemetery or Memorial: Leppington Forrest Lawn Cemetery                                       Plaque, Rose Garden Memorial Camden RSL                                       Plaque, HMAS Stirling, Perth                                       Plaque, HMAS Penguin, Sydney                                       Plaque, Monument Hill Fremantle                                       Plaque, Garden Island Chapel Sydney Three Memorial Awards are presented in Bradley's name at: Camden Primary School Annual Presentation Night. Camden High School Annual Sports Achiever Award. Royal Australian Navy Bradley John Meek Award for the most outstanding Combat Servisability Instructor at the RAN School of Servisability and Ship Safety. Bradley's Decorations and Medals include: Chief of Defence Force Commendation For Bravery. Commonwealth of Australia Group Citation For Bravery. The Australian Defence Medal. Australian Service Medal with Clasp Somalia. Australian Bravery Award. Father: Victor Meek Mother: Robyne Books Bradley attended Camden Public School and Camden High School until 1989. His grandfather Kenneth Arthur Books born at Narellan (1920) served as Sergeant (NX138407) in 2 Division Australian Army Corps from 1942-1946. Leading Seaman Bradley John Meek joined the Royal Australian Navy on 5 February 1990 and was posted to HMAS Cerberus. He served on the Submarine HMAS Otway and HMAS Tobruk in 1991. During the next six years Bradley had postings to HMAS Platypus, Marine Headquarters, HMAS Tobruk, HMAS Kuttabul, HMAS Kanimbla, HMAS Penguin, the old HMAS Kanimbla, HMAS Stirling and his final posting on 10 December 1997 to HMAS Westralia. He saw duty in Somalia during Operation "Solace" and was in the process of working for his Petty Officer's Ticket at the time when he was tragically killed. At the inquest into the deaths of Bradley and the other sailors Shaun Smith, Megan Pelly and Phillip Carroll, who died when fire swept through the engine room of HMAS Westralia, near Rottnest Island off the coast of Western Australia, the State Coroner of Western Australia Alastair Hope noted: "Leading Seaman Meek assumed a supervisory role in the last phase of the emergency and assisted three other personnel to escape. At some time after the last of these three was able to escape he also attempted to make his way up the ladder but became overcome by fumes and collapsed. All four deceased died in circumstances where they faced great danger while attempting to save the ship and their fellow navy personnel. Bradley Meek showed outstanding bravery in saving others as the terrible conditions in the engine room became worse and tragically left his own attempt to escape until too late as a consequence." Leading Seaman Bradley John MEEK was tragically killed In The Line Of Duty from Acute Smoke Inhalation in Australia's worst naval peacetime disaster in nearly 40 years on 5 May 1998 age 25.

LEST WE FORGET