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1.3.4 Civilians in World War 2
About this section
VEA ?
This section covers the conditions under which civilians are recognised as having qualifying and operational service during World War 2 only. There is no eligibility for civilians in any conflict after WW2.
Note: All qualifying service claims for civilians during World War 2 should be referred to the Veterans' Compensation Policy Section, which has responsibility for qualifying service matters.
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Civilians on special missions
Certain civilians may be considered as rendering operational and qualifying service during World War 2 if:
- they were employed by the Commonwealth; and
- they were on a special mission outside Australia. More ?
Eligible civilians - residents of Papua and New Guinea
A person who was an eligible civilian shall be taken as having operational and qualifying service. This covers the non-indigenous residents of Papua and New Guinea such as planters, missionaries, patrol officers, traders and their families who were British subjects. This includes Australian citizens.
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A special mission is defined in subsection 5C(1) to mean:
- a mission that in the opinion of the Commission was of special assistance to the Commonwealth in the prosecution of a war to which the VEA applies.
Only the Repatriation Commission can make a decison on what constitutes a special mission. Refer to Departmental Instruction C47/2002 for further information on Special Missions.
An eligible civilian is a civilian who in World War 2 was:
- killed or detained by the enemy; and
- a British subject; and
- a resident, but not an indigenous inhabitant, of the then territories of Papua and New Guinea but was not, at that time
- rendering service as a member of the Defence Force; or
- employed by the Commonwealth on a special mission outside Australia.