Richard John “Rich” Joyes CV

b. Launceston, Tasmania.

DATE OF CV ACTION: 12/10/2002 Bali.

 Richard John Joyes was born in Tasmania and was educated at Launceston Church Grammar School before graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Geology from the University of Tasmania in 2000. After graduation he moved to Western Australia to work as a geologist at the Bronzewing Gold Mine around 600km north-east of Perth.

Richard J Joyes CV

After helping Constable Timothy Britten at the Sari Club, Joyes returned to his hotel to check whether his friends had turned up, to no avail. Early the following morning, he received word that one of the friends had been located at the Sanglah Hospital in Denpasar. He rushed to the hospital where he found Davis being treated for burns, shrapnel wounds and perforated eardrums. Later that morning, he left Davis to look for the other two friends. After several hours, he found Anstee at the local military hospital, having suffered severe burns, shrapnel wounds and eye injuries.

Joyes then spent the next couple of days combing the hospitals for Hawkins, but never found him. Sadly, Hawkins had died in the blast. Joyes returned to Western Australia, but struggled to move on with so many demands for his story. At a memorial service held at King’s Park, Perth, on the first anniversary of the event, journalists were asked to stay away from survivors and rescuers.

In 2004, he embarked on an around the world trip that was to mark a new beginning. He got as far as Canada before meeting his future wife, Heike Tiemann. He settled in Vancouver and became a senior exploration geologist with the Copper Mountain Mining Corporation. He and Britten remain close friends.

 

CV CITATION:

Richard Joyes was awarded the Cross of Valour for his efforts to rescue those in the Sari Club on 12 October 2002 during the Bali bombing. He, along with others, ran towards the bombsite and fought his way through intense flames to help rescue the wounded and carry them to safety.

 

LOCATION OF MEDAL – HELD BY RECIPIENT.