A Different Kind of Padre
The Revd Chris Thomason, Chaplain
Each year on 25 April, Australia pauses to remember those who served in the Australian Defence Force; those who never returned, and those who did, forever changed by what they endured.
Anzac Day invites us not only to remember events, but to reflect on the people shaped by war. This year, as I reflected on the meaning of the day, I was reminded of a story that deserves to be told. It is the story of an army chaplain.
Known in the military as “Padre”, he was an Anglican priest who volunteered to serve with the 57/60th Infantry Battalion in the Citizens Military Force - what we now call the Army Reserves. Like the soldiers he joined, he was not compelled to serve. He chose to stand alongside a group of Australians who willingly stood to defend our country during the Second World War.
This Padre was different. Although a commissioned officer, he never quite fitted into the culture of the officers’ mess. Instead, he spent his time with the troops. He trained with them, ran beside them, encouraged them, and shared in the routines that prepared them for war. His ministry was not confined to formal services or official duties; it was lived out in presence.
Nor was his care limited to denominational boundaries. He was not there only for Anglicans, or even only for Christians. Those who served alongside him later described his approach as genuinely ecumenical. He was all about the people.
When the battalion was deployed to New Guinea, that same pattern continued. He was fiercely inclusive making a point to include the local New Guineans who were assisting Australian forces, treating all with dignity and respect. And despite orders from the commanding officer to stay back, the Padre was frequently seen near the front lines, demonstrating that he was gutsy and courageous, sharing the risks faced by the troops.
Stories circulated of him challenging authority when it mattered. On more than one occasion, he stood up to the Commanding Officer on behalf of the soldiers. In one memorable incident, he even interrupted the CO during a parade to offer an alternative perspective. What could have undermined his position instead cemented his credibility. He proved to be a trusted partner of those he ministered to.
In an effort to lift morale the Padre was tasked with producing a newspaper for the battalion, and the role revealed another side of him: demonstrating a curious and creative side. The very first edition, had an article inviting readers to imagine the world after the war - one where war itself was outlawed, poverty eradicated, education accessible to all, and leadership defined by service rather than privilege. It was a remarkable vision, forged in hope amid hardship.
In 1946, the Padre returned to civilian life. But the war did not release its grip on him easily. The jungle, the stench of death, the ravages of malaria, the loss of young lives, left a mark. Out of those experiences grew a firm conviction: that the Church must be committed to welfare, justice, and the practical care of people pushed to the margins.
The Padre who imagined a better world, and carried the scars of war into peaceful service, focused on his strengths and would later become known to Western Australians as Archbishop Geoffrey Sambell.
Anglicare WA now names six core values, all of which are clearly visible in this brief glimpse of the wartime ministry of the chaplain, Archbishop Sambell.
Sources:
Biography of Geoffrey Tremayne Sambell 1914-1980 by Anne Porter
Sambell: A Man of the Word by Michael B Challen
