Open Ended Questions

What was your early life like? 

Well, when I was 12 I attended Sydney Grammar School, College Street. I repeated the first year there on account of me being young. The classes weren't awfully strict and I was a top student. I probably shouldn’t say that, but anyway. I was in A Class, so I had a lovely classroom. If you were in D Class your classroom wasn't so nice; we used to call them the dungeons. 

 

What was your fondest memory of Sydney Grammar, College Street? 

I enjoyed the friendships I made. I played quite a bit of sport: soccer, cricket and tennis. I loved tennis, it was my favourite sport.  I didn't get into too much trouble back in the day and I suppose I liked not being in detention! 

 

When did you join the war effort? 

It was mid-1942 and I was living in Australia. The Government had drawn up a conscription for all men aged 18-45. We had to choose a service like the Navy, Airforce or Army. I was terrified of going into the Army. I had heard of all the horrible things that could happen to one during the Sydney Grammar ANZAC Day Service. I was determined not to go into the Army, so I decided I wanted to fly. 

 

If there was any lesson that you would like people to take away from your experience in the war, what would it be? 

It is very important young Australians need to know about the sacrifice many made throughout World War Two made. It was a terrifying waste of young life. 10, 000 Australians flew in Bomber Command, and only 4, 000 came home. 60% of those who flew died. 

 

I believe you lived through the Great Depression. What was life like during that period? 

You used to get people knocking on the door trying to sell you things. Shoelaces, things like that. But we weren’t affected too badly by the Great Depression. I used to play a lot of tennis, it was my occupation as I was only five years old. 

 

What inspired you to fly? 

I had grown up hearing the incredible stories of Charles Kingsford Smith and other people like him. I decided it would be a fascinating experience to fly in an aeroplane. I knew I couldn't be a pilot; I couldn't even drive a motor car! I was fairly good at maths, so I told them I wanted to be a navigator. Somehow they heard I had learnt Morse Code in the Army, so they put me down as a Wireless Operator. 

 

Would you describe yourself as a thrill seeker? 

No, you were never looking for a thrill Bomber Command. For every 100 men who signed up with Bomber Command 45 were killed, six were significantly wounded and eight became Prisoners Of War (POWs). A very frighting statistic. Had I known this before I signed up, I probably still would have joined thinking it wouldn’t happen to me! 

 

What did you do after the war? 

I became a Qualified Accountant and then married a girl from Mossman called June in 1949. We had two children. I retired from my post as the Company Secretary of Bramble in 1984. Bramble was a company that used to sort and store imports. 

 

Who did you stay in touch with anyone after the war? 

I became part of the Bomber Command Association. The Association keeps the memory of the sacrifices made by the men and women of World War Two alive. I also stayed relatively well connected with Sydney Grammar, and I believe I am in their school records hall. 

 

What are you doing at the moment? 

I have been interviewed for a Documentary called Lancaster. It’s about the vital role the Avro Lancaster played in World War Two. The director of Lancaster has also made another documentary called Spitfire, which can be found on some streaming services. Unfortunately, Lancaster has been delayed by Covid-19, so hopefully it will come out soon.