Category: Fred’s Story
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Chapter 20 – Obituary
Introduction On the 11th of May 2001 Fred passed away in Bowral Hospital. He lived to see his grand children and ensure that his children were safe and secure. In the end however, Prostate Cancer and its complications took his life. Following is the Obituary written for him. Obituary Frederick Stacy Anthon (known as Fred)
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Chapter 19 – Returning to Moss Vale
After being discharged from the Airforce Fred returned to Moss Vale, where he completed his apprenticeship (with a different builder) and lived a happy life with has wife, Mary, and three kids. When asked if he wanted to write more about this time he didn’t say “Its not my story alone to tell” but it
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Chapter 18 – Some things should be forgotten
Introduction Fred’s stories have highlighted what could be described as the ‘good bits’. Indeed the only story he would tell us growing up was about setting off the air-raid siren when movies were being shown so that the Americans would head for shelter and the Aussies would take the front row. But there is a
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Chapter 17 – Finschhafen and home
After 5 months at Nadzab several of us were suddenly posted to other units. I was posted to 4 works unit at Goodenough Island. I flew in a DC3 to Milne Bay transferred to another DC3 which had two engines as cargo. Took off and I was joined by a L A C King just
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Chapter 16 – Nadzab, New Guinea
Only on arrival at our campsite we discovered that the advance party sent to construct our camp had been moved to build accomodation for 2 flying Squadrons so both campsite and work area a few miles down the road were bare patches in the Kunai Grass. Our first night in New Guinea was open sleeping
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Chapter 15 – Convoy to New Guinea
We were sleeping in the cargo holds on top of our equipment and those in our hold were sleeping on cases of live ammunition. There was only a bare 6’ to the steel deck above and were packed in each sleeping touching the next person. No bed or palliase just a tarp over the false
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Chapter 14 – Queensland waiting to be deployed
As the depot was equipped to only handle air crew going overseas a unit our size stretched the goodwill of place so after a fortnight we had to collect all our gear from the wharves as no ship was available and went by train and truck to Coominya outside Ipswich in Queensland. I went on
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Chapter 13 – Mt Druitt life
Our life at Mt Druitt developed into a regular pattern of making crates and boxes and packing all the new stores as they arrived ready to dispatch overseas, making dog kennels to house the dogs which were arriving at the new dog unit, trips to Richmond and Bankstown, sitting on the back of open semitrailer
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Chapter 12 – New Camp and making of a team
A new camp had been constructed in the bush much closer to our working areas. Consisting of huts canteen kitchens all with concrete floors and formed paths around the area. Just as we were about to move in a new unit No 14 RSU started to form and they were allocated the new camp as
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Chapter 11 – Mt Druitt – Old Camp
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