Two veterans from Maroubra are among six local service members recognised in Randwick’s 2025 ANZAC Day banner campaign, which also honours individuals from Malabar, Matraville and Little Bay.
Honouring Local Lives of Service and Sacrifice
The campaign, endorsed by Randwick’s ANZAC Trust, aims to connect residents with local stories of military service—highlighting individuals who lived, worked, and served within the community.
Bert Tuck: Maroubra Surf Lifesaver and Gallipoli Soldier
Sergeant Albert Victor “Bert” Tuck, born in 1881 and raised in Darlinghurst, was a founding member of the South Maroubra Surf Life Saving Club. A surf competitor and early coastal guard, he had served with the Sydney Scottish Rifles from 1899.
Mr Tuck enlisted in the AIF in August 1914, carrying over his rank of sergeant from the Sydney Scottish Rifles, where he had served since 1899. He trained at Randwick Camp and sailed on the Euripides with the 4th Infantry Battalion. During the ANZAC landings at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915, he led and instructed his men under fire and was mentioned in dispatches for gallantry. He was killed the following day in a bayonet charge and is buried at Shell Green Cemetery.
His legacy is remembered not only in military records but also by surf club members who continue to honour him as a community hero.
Danny Jeffery: Maroubra RAAF Veteran and Mental Health Advocate
Squadron Leader Danny Jeffery served 35 years in the Royal Australian Air Force, including deployments in Malaysia, East Timor, the Middle East and Afghanistan. In Afghanistan alone, he flew and coordinated 85 combat missions.
After being medically discharged in 2018 due to PTSD, Mr Jeffery became a leading figure in veterans’ mental health recovery. He competed in multiple Invictus Games and now mentors other veterans while remaining active with the Maroubra RSL Sub-Branch.
Mr Jeffery’s banner highlights both operational excellence and his continued contribution to veteran welfare in Maroubra.
Terry Farley: Malabar Army Officer and Fire Service Leader
Warrant Officer Class 2 Terry Farley has lived in Malabar since 1979. A career soldier, he served with Sydney-based Army units including Randwick Barracks and was deployed in Operation Resolute, Australia’s maritime border security mission.
In civilian life, Mr Farley became a senior officer in Fire and Rescue NSW, rising to Chief Superintendent. He also volunteers as a surf lifesaver and rugby league coach. His banner honours his parallel careers in military service, emergency response and community leadership.
Vic Simon: Matraville Vietnam Veteran and Indigenous Leader
Private Victor “Vic” Simon was a proud Worimi man. Mr Simon was one of only five Indigenous soldiers to fight at the Battle of Long Tan in 1966. Aged just 20, Mr Simon held off enemy forces during the four-hour battle, despite suffering blast injuries.
After returning home and settling in Matraville, Mr Simon worked for Sydney County Council and served on the board of the Matraville RSL. He was an active voice in Indigenous veteran history, placing a poppy each year for his mate Paul Large, who died at Long Tan.
Mr Simon passed away in 2020 after a battle with cancer. His story is now part of local history and national remembrance.
Edith Blake: Little Bay Nurse Lost at Sea
Sister Edith Blake trained at the Coast Hospital in Little Bay from 1908. In 1912, she registered with the Australasian Trained Nurses’ Association. Ms Blake’s application to join the AANS was rejected. She enlisted in 1915 with the British Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve.
Ms Blake served in Egypt and on hospital ships, and later cared for German POWs in England. In 1918, while serving aboard HMHS Glenart Castle, she was killed when the ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat in the Bristol Channel.
She is believed to be the only Australian nurse killed as a direct result of enemy action in World War I and is commemorated on the Hollybrook Memorial and Australian War Memorial’s Commemorative Roll.
Ted Sullivan: Randwick Anti-Aircraft Gunner of WWII
Craftsman Ted Sullivan served with anti-aircraft artillery units in the Pacific during World War II, helping defend Allied positions under frequent Japanese air attacks. He lived in Randwick after the war and was active in the Coogee Randwick Clovelly RSL Sub-Branch.
Mr Sullivan passed away in 2024. His banner honours steady wartime duty and his quiet role in preserving community memory across generations.
Looking Ahead to ANZAC Day
The “Honouring Service” campaign was developed in 2024 through community nominations and is partly funded by an ANZAC Community Grant. Each veteran or their surviving family members will receive a replica of their banner at the 2025 ANZAC Civic Reception.
As banners fly across suburbs including Maroubra, Malabar, Matraville and Little Bay, the campaign brings the stories of local veterans into the public eye. It is part of Randwick Council’s broader effort to ensure their legacies remain visible beyond 25 April — the date Australians stop to remember their sacrifices.
Published 14-Apr-2025