THE KIAMA community has farewelled a “man of humility and great achievement” this week.
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Chaplain General Kenneth (Ken) Herbert Short OA died this month.
Mr Short was 87 years old and a retired Major General (Bishop General) who served as part of the occupational forces in Japan.
His funeral was a full military funeral held at St Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney on Monday.
Kiama-Jamberoo RSL Sub-Branch secretary and Kiama Councillor Dennis Seage paid tribute to Mr Short.
“Major General Kenneth Herbert Short will be sadly and sorely missed by all his comrades attached to the Kiama–Jamberoo RSL sub-branch and indeed the whole community of this municipality,” he said.
“We, the members of the RSL wish Ken’s wife Gloria and his surviving family all the best wishes in their time of grief.”
Below is a eulogy written by Kiama-Jamberoo RSL Sub-Branch president Ian Pullar.
Born in Kenya in 1927 to Australian Missionary parents, Ken Short came to Australia as a child.
He joined the Army in 1945 at the age of 18 and was commissioned in 1946.
He was posted to Japan as an Infantry Platoon Commander in 56 Battalion as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force.
Ken remained there for two years in Southern Honshu, Shikoku and the Hiroshima Prefecture.
On his return to Australia he left the service and studied for the Anglican Priesthood.
He was ordained in 1952.
In 1955, he left for Tanganyika and worked as a missionary until 1964.
He returned to church duties in Australia and in 1975 was appointed the Bishop of Wollongong until 1979, when he became the Chaplain General to the Defence Forces, where he served until his retirement in 1989.
He was then appointed the Bishop of Parramatta, until transferred to Sydney as the Dean of St. Andrew’s Cathedral until his second retirement in 1992.
He became a resident of Kiama and the Chaplain of the Kiama/Jamberoo Sub-Branch of the RSL.
He prepared and conducted all the Remembrance and ANZAC Day Services up to and including April 25 this year, during which he formally took the salute from the marching veterans. He died unexpectedly in hospital on October 20 after a brief illness.
He leaves a wife Gloria, two daughters, Catherine and Marion, and a son David, as well as eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
He was a tireless and dedicated worker in all that he did.
An Officer of the Order of Australia, a life member of the RSL, he was a man of exceptional presence who influenced and guided all those with whom he came in contact.
His passing was met with great sadness.
A man of humility and great achievement and a true servant of his church and country.