John Matthew Forrest

On 10 May 1943, the 2/12 AFA embarked on the CENTAUR from Sydney, heading for Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. As well as the 200 members of 2/12 AFA, the ship's complement included 12 nursing sisters, the ship's hospital staff, and a crew of merchant seamen.

CENTAUR travelled as a non-combatant vessel, fully lit, and displaying the markings of the Red Cross. It was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine just after 4 am on 14 May 1943 and sank within three minutes. Of the total complement of 332, 268 perished. Sister Eleanor Savage was the sole survivor of the Australian nurses. Only 14 members of the 2/12 AFA survived the disaster.

During World War Two, more than one in three of all members of the 2/12 Australian Field Ambulance lost their lives on active service, the highest ratio of any Australian military medical unit. Its record of service, sacrifice and courage comprised one of the finest examples of resilience and duty in the annals of Australian military medical history. John Matthew Forrest died at sea when the hospital ship CENTAUR was torpedoed by the Japanese
On 10 May 1943, the 2/12 AFA embarked on the CENTAUR from Sydney, heading for Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. As well as the 200 members of 2/12 AFA, the ship's complement included 12 nursing sisters, the ship's hospital staff, and a crew of merchant seamen. CENTAUR travelled as a non-combatant vessel, fully lit, and displaying the markings of the Red Cross. It was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine just after 4 am on 14 May 1943 and sank within three minutes. Of the total complement of 332, 268 perished. Sister Eleanor Savage was the sole survivor of the Australian nurses. Only 14 members of the 2/12 AFA survived the disaster.
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