Albert Cleary

{{short description|Australian Army soldier}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}

{{Use Australian English|date=March 2012}}

{{Infobox military person

|name = Albert Neil Cleary

|image = Gunner Albert Neil Cleary, paybook photograph.jpeg

|caption = Cleary upon enlistment

|birth_date = {{Birth date|1919|06|16|df=y}}

|death_date = {{Death date and age|1945|03|20|1919|06|16|df=y}}

|birth_place = Geelong, Victoria

|death_place = Sandakan, Borneo

|placeofburial = Labuan War Cemetery

|placeofburial_label =

|placeofburial_coordinates =

|nickname =

|birth_name =

|allegiance = {{flag|Australia|23px}}

|branch = Second Australian Imperial Force

|serviceyears = 1941–1945

|rank = Gunner

|servicenumber = VX52128

|unit = 2/15th Field Regiment

|commands =

|battles =

{{tree list}}

• World War II
• South West Pacific theatre
• Battle of Singapore{{POW}}

{{tree list/end}}

|battles_label =

|awards = Commendation for Gallantry

|relations =

|laterwork =

|signature =

}}

Albert Neil Cleary (16 June 1919 – 20 March 1945){{cite web|url=http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx?serviceId=A&veteranId=460386|title=Cleary, Albert Neil|accessdate=23 July 2009|work=World War II Nominal Roll|publisher=Commonwealth of Australia|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304054800/http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx?serviceId=A&veteranId=460386|url-status=dead}} was an Australian soldier during World War II. Part of the 2/15th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, he became a prisoner of war to the Japanese following the Battle of Singapore. He died following an escape attempt in 1945. In 2001, the Australian Labor Party introduced a bill to have Cleary and two others awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia, however this was defeated by the Federal Liberal Government.{{cite web|url=https://docs.google.com/gview?a=v&q=cache:5s5MKiFhsxgJ:parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/genpdf/chamber/hansardr/2001-06-04/0028/hansard_frag.pdf%3BfileType%3Dapplication%252Fpdf+Albert+Cleary+victoria+cross&hl=en&gl=uk|title=First Reading Speech of the Defence Act Amendment|last=Sidebottom|first=Sid, MP|date=4 June 2001|work=Victoria Cross Bill 2001|publisher=House of Representatives – Commonwealth of Australia|pages=1–3|accessdate=22 July 2009}}{{Dead link|date=September 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} In 2011, Cleary was awarded a posthumous Commendation for Gallantry.[http://www.ag.gov.au/portal/govgazonline.nsf/FCFC7E563ACA3C79CA257919000C192A/$file/S%20143.pdf Commendation for Gallantry] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111222011121/http://www.ag.gov.au/portal/govgazonline.nsf/FCFC7E563ACA3C79CA257919000C192A/$file/S%20143.pdf |date=22 December 2011 }}, Commonwealth of Australia Gazette S143, 28 September 2011. Cleary's death was revealed by historian Lynette Silver to have been caused by dysentery, calling into doubt his elevation as a war hero.{{cite news| url=http://www.smh.com.au/national/vc-award-would-be-based-on-lies-military-historian-warns-20120312-1uwh4.html | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=13 March 2012 | title=VC award would be based on lies, military historian warns}}