Category: Stories
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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
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Chapter 10 – Tocumwal
Life in the R.A.A.F Brief record of Air Force Service 2 Recruitment Depot, Tocumwal 02-03-43 11 Repair and Servicing unit, Mt Druitt and Nadzab 03-04-43 4 Airfield Construction Squadron, Goodenough Island 25-06-44 Headquarters Northern Command, Finschhafen 31-08-44 2 Personnel Depot Bradfield Park 17-07-45 87 Mosquito Survey Squadron Parks 09-01-46 2 Personnel Depot Bradfield Park 23-04-46
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Chapter 09- Memories of Moss Vale
Friday night was always a big night in Moss Vale. It was late shopping night before the war and whole families would go for a stroll and chat along the street. The farming community would come to town. It was a wonderful atmosphere shops closed at 9pm but people would be around until 10pm. Unfortunately
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Chapter 08 – Impact of war at home
With the outbreak of war things changed dramatically at home. In October 1939 Dad was on the reserve of officers and was called up and took command of the 13th Garrison Battalion at Port Kembla and in later years to take charge of Detention Barracks at Holsworthy New South Wales. Mum became involved with an
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Chapter 07 – Apprenticeship with Alf Stephens
1939 to 1943 Dad was determined I should go into the bank or something with book-work. I was against this move even though he had already lined up a job with the New South Wales Bank (now Westpac) if my exam results were OK. After several arguments when I made it plain I wanted to
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Chapter 06 – First Jobs and School Dux
During my last year at school and for some time after I started work each weekend and or holiday. I worked with the local milkman delivering milk to households. We covered the whole town by means of horse and milk cart. Milk was obtained from Harry Wilson at the end of Lovelle Street. The rival
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Chapter 05 – High School
1935’s big adventure began when I commenced high school at Bowral. To get to and from school we would catch the Southern Highlands Express from Moss Vale in the morning and travel to Bowral and then walk approximately 1 1/2 miles to high school. We walked to the station in Moss Vale was approximately 3/4