Commando Edition 17 2023

Ed’s granddaughter Imogen Edwards holding the floral tribute
at the commencement of the casket leaving the funeral
commemoration.
Source: Author
ACA VIC and RAAMC personnel form an honour guard
for the departure of Ed’s casket.
Source: Author
VALE
5/7012 Major Jack Harold Skipper MC
1RAR, 43/48 Battalion, 3RAR, 1 Cdo Coy
23 April 1930 – 24 August 2023
Born 23 April 1930 in Perth
his early schooling was at
North Perth Public School,
and he finished his schooling in
Perth.
He was accepted to the Royal
Military College, Duntroon Can -
berra in 1948, and graduated in
1951. He was posted to Korea with
the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian
Regiment (1 RAR) in 1952 taking re -
inforcement draft by sea to Kure
Japan near Hiroshima. He under -
took additional training at battle
school Hara Mura Japan, then to
Korea by mid-1952 to join 1RAR B
Coy 6 Platoon as Platoon Com -
mander. He served 12 months in
Korea with a second posting to
Brigade HQ after being wounded. The Korean War
mainly against Chinese forces was fought by a United
Nations force including Australia.
1 RAR took over positions held by other UN troops
in October 1952 on Hill 355, but those positions were
not fully maintained, with Chinese trenches close to the
wire and poorly maintained mine-fences. The Aust -
ralian positions were very much like WW1 trenches, but
more elaborate. They also included forward listening
posts, which were some 100 yards to 200 yards from
the line. These positions were to
alert troops to enemy attacks and
patrols, which came largely at
night. The Australians also had
roving ambush fighting patrols
almost nightly.
On the night of 27 August 1952,
Lieutenant Skipper commanded a
fighting patrol of around thirteen
men who were to operate in the
area of ‘The Boot'. As they ap -
proached the creek crossing in that
area, an enemy patrol was heard
moving forward. Lieutenant Skipper
withdrew his scouts and took up an
ambush on the crossing. As the
enemy attempted to cross, they
were engaged and at least five
were killed.
The patrol was then subjected to enemy fire.
Lieutenant Skipper quickly reorganised his patrol and
withdrew it from the scene of the action without
casualties.
On the night of 15/16 November 1952, Lieutenant
Skipper commanded a patrol sent out to collect a dead
enemy soldier located in the middle of a minefield at
‘Calgary’. Knowing the great importance attached to
the recovery of this body, he probed the minefield for
two hours until he had cleared a path through which he
52 COMMANDO ~ The Magazine of the Australian Commando Association ~ Edition 17 I 2023