Bundaberg North has been badged as part of Council’s Streets of Remembrance program.
A young soldier killed in action one week before the end of World War II in the Pacific has been honoured on a Bundaberg North street named in his honour.
Robert Andrew Larsen was born in Bundaberg and was 17 ½ years old when he enlisted for military service as a private in the Australian Infantry Force on 12 April 1943.
In recognition of Private Larsen’s service, the Rising Sun badge of the Australian Army has been added to Larson Street, Bundaberg North, as part of Bundaberg Regional Council’s Streets of Remembrance program.
Private Robert Larsen
Robert was born in Bundaberg on 10 December 1924 to Andrew and Daisy Larsen, and he attended primary school and high school in the region.
He was single and working as a telegraph messenger at the time of his enlistment in April 1943.
After training in Redbank, Warwick and Canungra, Robert was sent to Papua New Guinea with the 2/25th Australian Infantry Battalion in November 1944.
He was wounded in action in February 1945, suffering a gunshot wound to his left arm, however he had rejoined his unit by 25 February.
Robert was killed in action on 7 August 1945, one week before the war in the Pacific ended.
2/5th Australian Infantry Battalion
The 2/5th Australian Infantry Battalion formed in Melbourne 1939 and initially served in Middle East and Greece.
They left the Middle East in early 1942 to join the war in the Pacific and were deployed to Milne Bay, Papua in October 1942.
The battalion met Japanese forces in battle at end of January 1943 and engaged in fighting throughout that year.
They spent much of 1944 training in north Queensland, leaving Cairns for Aitape in New Guinea, November 1944 for the battalion’s last campaign of the war.
The next seven months were spent patrolling the Torricelli and Prince Alexander mountain ranges until war ended on 15 August 1945.
It was one of only two Australian battalions to fight all of Australia’s major enemies during World War II.
Remembrance
Robert is buried in Lae War Cemetery, Papua New Guinea where his grave bares the inscription “HIS DUTY NOBLY DONE…EVER REMEMBERED”.
He is honoured on Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Bundaberg Civic Centre Memorial Portico and Postmaster-General’s Department Qld WWII Honour Roll.
Larson Street, Bundaberg North was named after Private Robert Andrew Larsen in July 1951.
Service Number: QX53929
Information about Private Larsen’s life and service is from the National Archives of Australia, Australian War Memorial, Virtual War Memorial and Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Bundaberg Regional Council’s Streets of Remembrance program recognises the service of veterans with a connection to the Bundaberg Region by adding the badge of the military force in which they served to the street sign of streets named in their honour.
More information about Bundaberg Regional Council’s Streets of Remembrance program and how to nominate a street or service person is available here.
