Stories

Eventually we were told to proceed to Sydney and then by train to Mt Druitt on the western line where we find a unit called No 11 Repair and Salvage Unit which was just beginning to form up.

Two of the chaps posted were mustered as Carpenter generals. As this was also my mustering we were allocated to the same section and tent space. Despite coming from widely different backgrounds we became firm mates which has continued to this day. We were of completely different personality and came from from widely different backgrounds and all about the same age. 

Ralph Lynch was from Glebe in Sydney – streetwise could drink like a fish.

John Wright, Scots College educated polished manners and from wealthy family.

Myself from the bush as it was then, first time in the big city and first time away from home. 

In no time we formed a fairly close partnership respecting each others strengths and weaknesses which endured not only after we went to New Guinea, where after a few months we were dispatched to seperate units, but also lasted till the present day.

Headquarters for the unit was a very old three storey home on the top hill in the middle of a 600 acre paddock. Working and storage areas were several hundred yards down the slope.

Our tent area and mess headquarters was 1 mile N.E. of headquarters amongst a patch of scrubby trees but up against a fence on the other side of which were housed 50 or more pigs, the smell was unbelievable when it rained and we received a bit of sun.

There was also a poultry farm on the other boundary and after a short time the owner was complaining that his egg production had dropped off quite a deal. I wonder why and where did the surplus eggs go?

We were housed six men per tent and soon constructed beds from old aircraft cases to keep us off the ground. When winter approached we placed several layers of paper on the boards wrapped ourselves in 3 blankets with overcoat on top and slept in our boiler suits. 

We constructed kitchen, a mess hall and latrine blocks on site. They consisted mainly of poles in ground with hessian stretched around . Kitchen and mess hall had a very crude roof covered with iron, very flimsy but never the less survived the six months we were to spend in this awful accommodation when we moved over the road to a new camp but only after quite a lot of drama. Thank goodness we had a very strong C.O. who stood up for his men.