Although Upper Brookfield was a small community in the 1930s/40s, there were quite a few who answered the call to serve their country. An Honour Board was erected in the Upper Brookfield Hall to remember them. The following information has been provided about the men and women listed on this Honour Board:
John Henry BLAND
Jack Russell BREDDIN
Lionel & Jean BREDDIN (née Hayward )
Edward William BURGESS
Carl CAMPBELL
Robert James CARLOW
Frank Lewis CONGRAM
Edward Charles CONGRAM
Roy Samuel CONGRAM
Phil Mosman DOYLE
James Raymond Phillips FEARNLEY
Frank Douglas GILLIES
Phillip George GREGORY
Leslie HALLETT
Michael Frederick Carew JACKSON
Joseph Ignatius KREUTZER
Reg Vincent KUNDE
Ronald John KUNDE
Philip Ronald MUMFORD
Francis Kevin O'SULLIVAN
Michael Alex O'SULLIVAN
Albert Thomas VAISEY
Selwyn Francis Sinclair VAISEY
Frederick WEISS
Charlie Heinrich Bruno WRUCK
John Henry BLAND
Photo taken 12 November 1939 . Shoulder patch is of the 2/3 Field Ambulance.
John was cutting cypress on the western Darling Downs with one of his mates when they decided to go north to try their hand at cane cutting. However, war was declared and they decided that, as the government was calling for volunteers for the army, they would enlist. John enlisted in Brisbane on 2 October 1939 , then went to Redbank Plains for Recruit training. Ambulance bearer training was completed between 19 December 1939 and 5 May 1940 and he was drafted to 2/3 Field Ambulance in the 6th Division.
About 4 May 1940, he departed Sydney in convoy HMT x1 on the Queen Mary for England via Durban , South Africa , arriving in Garrock Scotland on 18 June 1940 . He was then sent to a place called Tidworth on the Salisbury Plains in Southern England . It was here that the 2/3 Field Ambulance was split and the 2/11 Field Ambulance was formed. This was his unit for the remainder of the war. Both units were transferred to the 9th Division AIF.
From there, the unit embarked for the western desert from Glasgow on 5 January 1941 on convoy HMT J33 and disembarked in Alexandria , Egypt on 8 March 1941 . He arrived in Tobruk on 27 March 1941 . He was there until 20 October 1941and thus became one of the "Rats of Tobruk".
When relieved from there, he arrived in El Mina in Syria on 24 October 1941 . He served at Tripoli in Palestine until he returned to the western desert in July 1942 for the battle of El Alamein under Montgomery . After the battle was won, he embarked for Australia on convoy L3 on 29 January 1943 with the 9th Division stopping off at Madras , India and disembarking in Sydney on 27 February 1943 .
Jungle training then had him on the Atherton Tablelands until he embarked for New Guinea on the US liberty ship William Ellery Channing on 31 July 1943 disembarking at Milne Bay on 4 August 1943 . He also was active at Lae, and Finschaven from 5 September 1943 until 23 January 1944 when he embarked on the Thomas Corvan for Townsville, disembarking on 31 January 1944 .
He then spent time again on the Atherton Tablelands for training before embarking on the MV Van Heutsz , at Cairns on 28 March 1945 for Morotai where he disembarked on 7 April 1945 . He remained there for only two weeks before embarking on 23 April 1945 on LST 933 for Tarakan and arriving about 1 May 1945. He commenced the journey home on the Longster on 12 August 1945 from Tarakan to Sydney via Morotai, arriving in Sydney on 2 September 1945 . He was discharged on 10 October 1945 in Brisbane .
Jack Russell BREDDIN
Jack was born in Taringa, Brisbane, on 13 February 1922 . He was called up for service on 11 September 1940 at the Brisbane Naval Depot and on 31 October 1940 went to Flinders Naval Depot Melbourne for training as a Wireless Operator.
On 1 October 1941 he was posted as a W/T 1 (wireless/telegrapher) to the Samuel Benbow, a requisitioned trawler operating as a mine sweeper out of Sydney along the coast and on 14 December 1941was transferred to HMAS Maitland at Newcastle signal station.
His overseas duty started on 5 November 1943 when he was sent to HMAS Ladava , Milne Bay, Papua, where he was on Shanghai-built HMAS Ping Wo operating as signal station in the bay. On 15 November 1943 he went to Madang Signal Station, New Guinea and on 17 November 1943 to Jacquinot Bay , New Britain as a W/T3. On 24 May 1945 he returned to HMAS Penguin in Sydney .
Jack, a W/T3 Leading Telegrapher, was discharged on 11 March 1946 . He had enlisted for duration of war plus six months. His posting at discharge was HMAS Kuttabul, the Naval Base on Garden Island in Sydney Harbour .
Lionel BREDDIN and Jean BREDDIN (nèe Hayward )
Lionel Arthur Breddin was born on 7 October 1920 , his parents having settled in Upper Brookfield in 1912. The home they built "Myola" still stands today. There were 12 children, 3 still living.
Lionel attended Upper Brookfield School until he was 14 years of age leaving to work for family and moving outside the district. On returning, he met up with his future wife at the local dance. Jean Mary Hayward lived in Haven Road (now Carbine Road ) and she also attended Upper Brookfield School . She was born on 7 April 1923 .
Lionel first applied to join the Navy, but due to poor eyesight was rejected. He then joined the Army in 1942. He became a cook. Jean joined the Army in 1943.
Lionel and Jean married on 6 November 1943 at the Anglican Church of the Good Shepherd at Brookfield .
After leaving the services, they purchased Roy Congram's property where they farmed for many years and raised two children.
Lionel was active in the community serving on many committees; the Local Fruit and Vegetable Association, Bush Fire Brigade, Upper Brookfield Hall Trust and State School , Brookfield Show Society and Banana Association of Queensland.
Due to ill health, they sold the farm, moving to Toowong where he sold real estate and Jean worked at Goode's Bakery. Both were keen lawn bowlers. On retirement, they moved to Caloundra. Lionel is a keen gardener and Jean enjoys Floral Art.
Edward William BURGESS
Edward was born on 28 May 1905 at Childers in Queensland . He enlisted with the Royal Australian Air Force on 30 January 1942 in Brisbane . He was discharged on 20 June 1946 having reached the rank of Sergeant. At the time of his discharge he was posted at Garbutt.
Carl CAMPBELL
Sapper Carl Campbell was based at Townsville when Japanese bombs fell there in July 1942. In his duties he was one of many who cleared land for airstrips and for camps to be built for the Armed Forces. He served from 29 December 1941 to 14 October 1946 .
Robert James CARLOW
Robert Carlow was born on 9 August 1917 at Bromley , England . He enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force on 17 November 1941 . At the time of his discharge on 3 January 1946 he was a Corporal with 29 Air Stores Park.
Frank Lewis CONGRAM
Frank Lewis Congram was born at Taringa, Brisbane on 3 May 1909 . He was the tenth child of William Treable and Annie Elizabeth Congram. In 1916 the family moved to Upper Brookfield to live on their farm and Frank attended the Upper Brookfield State School . He worked on the family farm and various other farms in the district until his enlistment into the Army. He served in the Middle East and also in Borneo , enlisting on 8 May 1941 and receiving his discharge from HQ 9 Australian Division on 4 February 1946 as a Lance Corporal. After his discharge he bought a home at Wavell Heights , Brisbane , where he and his sister Marjorie lived. Frank worked for the Brisbane City Council as a gardener. He never married and passed away on 25 April 1994 .
Edward Charles CONGRAM
Ed Congram was born in Taringa, Brisbane on 31 October 1905 and moved with his family to their farm in Upper Brookfield in 1916.
On 2 March 1942 , at the age of 36, Ed enlisted at the City Recruiting Depot, Exhibition Grounds, Brisbane. He was inducted for initial training to 7 Training Battalion at Redbank Plains, Ipswich and then posted to 4 Battery 101 Aust Tank Attack Regiment at Grovely barracks for intensive training prior to embarkation from Townsville in the ex Dutch East Indies, KPM line ship Bontekoe to Milne Bay, New Guinea, disembarking on 15 July 1942.
After months of fierce battle against Japanese forces, he succumbed as many troops did, not to Japanese bullets and bombs, but to mother nature with a severe dose of malaria and was transferred by 11 Aust Field Ambulance to 2/1 Casualty Clearing Station. Returning to active duty in early November 1942, he was stricken with another bout of malaria, this time more serious. He was evacuated from Milne Bay on the Hospital Ship Duntroon on 2 January 1943 disembarking in Gladstone for transfer to 2/11 AGH in Warwick Queensland for recuperation.
He returned to duty with the 1 Aust Artillery Training Regiment in early February 1943, but was once again admitted to Camp Hospital , Tenterfield NSW for a short period before returning to the regiment. After several months of training duty in NSW, he again succumbed to malaria, being admitted to 2/4 AGH at Redbank in July 1943 for recuperation and convalescence.
After a thorough assessment of his medical condition and combined with his, it was deemed he was not suitable for further active duty and thus Private Congram was discharged on 12 November 1943 .
Roy Samuel CONGRAM
7th Division AIF
Roy Congram was born on 16 October 1902 and died on 5 July 1989 . He enlisted on 14 June 1940 , joining 2/2 Headquarters Guard Battalion in the Australian Army's 7 th Division. In 1941 he embarked with on the luxury liner-turned troopship Queen Mary for the Middle East, where he served in Syria , Lebanon and Palestine ( Israel ).
It was the duty of his battalion to guard the Divisional HQ, commanded at that time by General Sir John Lavarack, who later became Governor of Queensland. Roy liked to tell the story about a winter night in the snow-covered desert when he was on duty as guard commander. In the small hours he was checking on the sentries posted, including one supposed to be patrolling outside the quarters of General Lavarack. That sentry was missing and the guard commander, concerned for the safety of the General, entered the quarters. He found the sentry inside, warming himself before the fire, in the presence of the General himself. Naturally, the guard commander began to tear a strip off the sentry for leaving his post; only to be told quietly by General Lavarack, "It's all right Staff, he can guard me just as well in here as out there in the cold."
When the Japanese invasion of Australia was imminent, the 7th Division and others returned to defend the homeland. Staff Sgt Roy Congram was posted to North Queensland, but not to New Guinea or the South Pacific theatre: possibly because of his age and the effects of shrapnel wounds received in the Middle East . He was discharged on 1 November 1945 .
After the war, Roy Congram worked for the Commonwealth Repatriation Department in Brisbane until 1967, when he retired for health reasons. He died three months short of his 87th birthday and is survived by a son, twin daughters, 8 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren.
Philip Mosman DOYLE
Phil Doyle was born on 28 March 1911 . He was in the Citizen Military Forces from 18 December 1941 to 8 June 1943 and the Australian Imperial Forces from 9 June 1943 to 23 January 1946 . He served as a private in the 157 Australian General Transport Company in Australia , Borneo , (Sandaranpan?) and in Dutch New Guinea and was discharged on 23 January 1946 .
Phil played cricket before and after the war. In a final premiership game against Annerley, he batted first. He was 94 cleaned bowled with a full toss. He was in the team which won the Premiership in 1931.
James Raymond Phillips FEARNLEY
Jim was only five years old when he arrived with his parents and two sisters Billie and Josephine in Upper Brookfield from Kent , England in 1921. Though his father was an Industrial Chemist, he decided to try Poultry Farming in this new farm they called " Happy Valley ". He became involved with local matters, joined the Brookfield Show Society and was elected to the Moggill Shire Council.
The arrival of the three Fearnley children meant that the Upper Brookfield State School could be re-opened and their Primary School days were spent there. Jim continued on to Church of England Grammar School as a boarder, later joined the Citizens Military Force and gained his Commission in the Artillery.
Joining the AIF in November 1939, he travelled on the Queen Mary with his 2/1st Tank-Attack Unit to Britain , ready to resist German invasion. Next stop the Middle East before his unit was sent to aid Greece in 1941. During the action, he was wounded, captured and thus spent four years as a POW. As Lieutenant Fearnley was a persistent tunneller, he spent time behind wire in eight different Oflags, including six months in handcuffs. Release came in 1945, but he returned home in a Hospital Ship.
Taking over the farm, he grew pawpaws, became President of the Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association, was Chairman of "Other Fruits" and later the "Banana Growers" Sections of the COD. Later he was Chairman of the Australian Banana Growers Federation. He became a JP and Secretary of the Kenmore Branch of the Liberal Party. His interest in conservation was strong, becoming an honorary Park Ranger and Protector of Wildlife. Always a keen bird observer, he was a foundation member of the Brisbane Bushwalkers.
He met Cecily Sandercock, Museum Artist and Naturalist, through bushwalking and they married in 1953. Their four children, Celia, Jonathan, Roger and Anna all attended Upper Brookfield State School where Jim was President of the P & C.
After his calling for assistance from the Army to help the district fight the big bush fire of 1968, the Rural Fire Brigade was formed with Jim as Chief Officer.
His war experiences caught up with him in 1972 and he decided to sell the farm and retire to their cottage at Noosa Heads. Recovered, he saw the pressures of development looming there and was elected to Noosa Shire Council on a conservation platform. It was the turning point for the Shire.
He and Cecily enjoyed a trip around Australia in 1977, then overseas, but war strains affected his health again. He passed away on his 81st birthday in 1998.
What has happened to the Fearnley children? Celia became a Primary School Teacher and is now Practice Manager for her doctor husband at Kallangur. They have a son and two daughters. Jonathan is a Veterinary Surgeon at Nanango with his High School Teacher wife and four children. Roger was an Apiarist, is an Information Technology graduate and now a Travel Agent. He and his High School teacher wife have a young daughter. Anna, also a Veterinary Surgeon, has returned to live in the district and has two daughters. Cecily now lives in Tewantin, but her heart (plus many memories and friends) is still in Upper Brookfield .
Frank Douglas GILLIES
Frank Gillies enlisted in the Australian Forces in May 1940 from his parents’ home in Upper Brookfield. The community gave him a sent him off with a function in the newly built Upper Brookfield Hall and donation. He enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force , then moved to the Militia and subsequently to the Second AIF in the Australian Armored Division. He spent time in the Australian Armored Division on the " Brisbane Line" but most of the war was spent in Western Australia with the Division. He was discharged at the end of the war in 1945.
Frank Gillies was born Frank Douglas Templer in 1915 in Brisbane to mother Elsie Meta Ann Hartmann and father Francis Davall Templer. Francis Templer was at that point on his way to Egypt as a member of the First AIF. As a member of the Second Light Horse Regiment Francis landed at Gallipoli in early May 1915. He died of wounds during the Gallipoli campaign in October 1915. Frank went by surname Hartmann when young and then Gillies following marriage of Elsie to Argyle Dougald Gillies in 1921 in Brisbane. Argyle Gillies had also been a member of the First AIF and served in France. He returned to Australia in 1919 and purchased a block of land at auction at the end of what was to become Gillies Road in 1921. Argyle's brother William Neil Gillies purchased an adjacent block which was subsequently purchased by Argyle on William's death in 1927. William Gillies was a member of the Queensland Parliament and Premier for eight months in 1925. Argyle worked both blocks until sale in 1949. He died in 1951 in Brisbane having been predeceased by Elsie in 1947.
Frank grew up in Upper Brookfield and attended the Upper Brookfield State School. Following this he spent two years as a border at the Church of England Grammar School in East Brisbane. He then worked with his cousin Guy Gillies growing bananas during the Depression until low prices caused them to walk off the block. Guy Gillies subsequently married an Upper Brookfield girl, Joyce Bredan. Later on Joyce and Guy ran the Upper Brookfield shop.
In the late 1930s Frank stood for the Australian Labor Party unsuccessfully as candidate for the seat of Stanley in the 1937 State Election. He also matriculated and trained as a school teacher before volunteering for the Australian Military Forces in the Second World War.
On leaving the army Frank joined Union College and completed a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Queensland in 1948. He was the first person from Upper Brookfield to complete a university degree.
He married Beatrice Mary Belle Copeman on 1 March 1949 with children Elsie Mary Elizabeth Gillies dob 28/02/50, Argyle Douglas Stewart Gillies dob 08/03/52 and Malcolm George William Gillies dob 23/12/54. Frank had joined the agricultural economics group within the Queensland Public Service. He transferred from the Queensland to Commonwealth Public Service in Canberra in 1956. He served in agricultural economics in Canberra and then later in external territories during the preparation of Nauru and Papua New Guinea for national independence.
He retired from the Commonwealth Public Service in 1974 and died in Canberra in 1988.
The careers of his children have led to Elizabeth currently being in the position of Dean of Information Technology at the Canberra Institute of Technology, Stewart being a Director of Gillies Wu Mining Technology in Brisbane and Malcolm being Vice Chancellor of The City University in London, England
Phillip George GREGORY No photo available.
Phillip was born on 18 February 1917 and enlisted in the Australian Army while living at Upper Brookfield on 24 March 1941 . He served in the 61 Infantry Battalion, served in New Guinea and was discharged on 13 June 1946 .
Leslie HALLETT
Leslie was born on 4 May 1913 . He enlisted in the RAAF in March 1942 and served with 23 Squadron/75 Squadron, attaining the rank of Corporal. His postings took him to Maryborough, Lowood , New Guinea , Noemfoor Island off the west coast of Dutch New Guinea and Morotai Island . He was discharged on 4 May 1945 .
Michael Frederick Carew JACKSON
Michael was born on 22 December 1915 . He enlisted on 3 February 1941 in the RAAF and was discharged on 18 February 1946 having attained the rank of Flight Lieutenant. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star and Defence Medal. He was also eligible for Returned from Active Service Badge.
Joseph Ignatius KREUTZER
Joseph Kreutzer was born in Brisbane on 31 July 1898 . He was living in Brookfield when, at the age of 44, he enlisted on 2 January 1942 . He was discharged on 19 February 1944 , his posting at that time being with 1 Garrison Battalion.
Reginald Vincent KUNDE
Reg Kunde was born on 28 May 1919 . He was called up for war service in 1943, having worked on defence airfields and defence roads for two years, choosing the RAAF as his service career. After training, he set sail for New Guinea . He served in many areas on the east coast of New Guinea . The war over saw him at Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea. Returning home in October 1945, Reg bought the family property at Upper Brookfield and grew pawpaws for 26 years. Reg and his wife Alice moved to RSL Retirement Village at Pinjarra Hills and he passed away in 2005?
Ronald John KUNDE
Photo will be available soon.
Ron was born on 18 April 1918 at Bundaberg and passed away on 21 October 1992 . He married Edna May Summerville in Charleville on 21 March 1942 .
He served in the Citizen Military Forces from 27 August 1940 to 23 June 1944 , working on roads from Charleville to Northern Territory . He came to Brookfield and joined the Army on 24 June 1944 , serving in New Guinea until 2 April 1946 .
Philip Ronald MUMFORD
Philip was born on 24 October 1921 in Brisbane . He enlisted on 8 July 1941 with the Australian Army in Brisbane . He was discharged on 25 March 1946 . At the time of his discharge Trooper Mumford was with the 2/3 Australian Commando Squadron.
Francis Kevin O'SULLIVAN No photo available.
Kevin was born in Kingaroy on 14 December 1922 . The family moved to Upper Brookfield and he and his brother Michael both served in the Army. Kevin enlisted on 12 December 1941 , served as a Trooper in 1 Ind. Light Horse and was discharged on 13 January 1944 .
Michael Alex O'SULLIVAN
Michael was born on 28 November 1921 in Kingaroy , Queensland . He enlisted on 13 November 1941 with the Australian Army. Private O'Sullivan was discharged on 20 June 1946
Albert Thomas VAISEY
Albert Vaisey was born on 22 February 1882 in Raymond Terrace in New South Wales , the third of six children. His Grandfather had emigrated to Australia as a free settler in 1839 and the family settled in the Hunter Valley , NSW. Albert left home at the age of 12 and found work as a labourer. He found his way to South Africa on a ship and enlisted for the Boer War at the age of 16/17. He served with the British Army in Johannesburg , South Africa for 26 months. He received an African Star Medal, among others.
On his return from South Africa , he went to New Zealand where he met and married Margaret Grace Sinclair in 1905. Her parents were Scottish emigrants. Margaret was born in Bourke, NSW. She was visiting her sister who married a New Zealander when she met Albert Vaisey. Their elder son Albert Raymond was born on 25 October 1907 in Wellington , New Zealand .
From there, they moved to a dairy farm in Ipswich where their second son, Selwyn Francis Sinclair was born on 26 October 1911 . Then they moved near to the Capricorn Caves in Rockhampton to another dairy farm.
On 5 November 1915 , Albert Thomas enlisted for World War I. He was sent from Melbourne on the ship Orontes to Egypt in the Remount Unit. He was in Ghezireh and Maadi and Abbassia, Helouan and Suez . He was there for some months when he contracted measles and broncho-pneumonia and later pulmonary tuberculosis. He was discharged to Australia on 11 April 1916 . He was awarded the 1914/15 Star Medal, The British War Medal and the Victory Medal for this time in Egypt and surrounding areas.
Their third son, Harvey Colin was born on 5 May 1917 in Rockhampton. He died at the age of 16.
In 1923/24, they moved to Gillies Road , Upper Brookfield where they built a home. They grew bananas, paw paws and small crops. Later they bought the property of 64 acres that is situated from 871 to 967 Upper Brookfield Road and built another home that is still standing almost opposite 914 Upper Brookfield Road . They also farmed this property with bananas, paw paws pineapples and small crops.
On 20 October 1939 , Albert Thomas enlisted for World War II with the Australian Army at the age of 57. He served with the 1st Garrison Battalion in Townsville, but did not leave Australia , this time due to his age. He was promoted to Corporal on 30 June 1940 . He was discharged on 12 January 1944 , as he was 62 years old. He was posted with 1 Labour Company when he was discharged.
He continued helping his sons farming and timber cutting. For the rest of his life, he kept good health and was still active until his death from pneumonia on 19 May 1963 , aged 81.
Margaret Grace Vaisey suffered a fatal stroke on 20 June 1952 aged 68 years, after years of bad health.
Selwyn Francis Sinclair VAISEY
Selwyn Vaisey was born at Ipswich on 26 October 1911 , the second son of Albert Thomas and Margaret Grace Vaisey. Selwyn did most of his schooling in Rockhampton while helping on the dairy farm after school. His Mother used to cart the milk into Rockhampton in a sulky.
He was 12/13 years old when they moved to Upper Brookfield and he attended Upper Brookfield State School for a short time. He also went to New Farm Secondary School for a short time and used to board with a family friend who owned a boarding house. From there, he attended the Brisbane Polytechnic College and did his training as a cabinet maker and French polisher. He worked for Hancock & Gore for a while and then went teaching at the Polytechnic College . His favourite pastime was sailing on the river. Life was good and then the Depression hit in the 1930s. As Selwyn was one of the last teachers employed, he was one of the first of many to be put out of work.
He and a friend decided to head north looking for work wherever they could find it. They worked for a while in the meatworks in Rockhampton and then headed for Mackay. In Mackay he had a few jobs; one was in the Pleystowe Sugar Mill where he worked at different jobs, painting and plastering and also on the boilers. He also cut cane. This was where he met his future wife, Ann Allan, who cleaned the Mill Manager's home. Ann was one of ten children (two sets of twins) to Scottish parents. Ann's twin sister introduced her to Selwyn.
They were married in 1937 in Walkerston and the eldest child, Ellen Margaret, was born on 6 May 1938 . When she was seven months old, they came back to Brisbane . They stayed with the Vaiseys until they moved into the block that is now 871 Upper Brookfield Road . They built two homes on this property, one is still there. Their second daughter, Shirley Ann, was born on 8 May 1939 and son John Nathan was born on 15 July 1942 . Their third daughter, Heather Grace, was born on 23 May 1954 . Both Ann and Selwyn worked hard on the farm growing bananas, paw paws and pineapples and small crops. The children attended Upper Brookfield State School and also helped on the farm.
With World War II looking bad, Selwyn volunteered for service and joined up in Kelvin Grove Brisbane on 27 May 1942 . He was sent to Glen Innes and then to Canungra and Warwick for jungle training. In August 1943 he arrived in Moresby , New Guinea . He was made a Corporal in March 1944 and Acting Sergeant in the same month and promoted to Sergeant in May 1944. He spent time in Lae , New Guinea , then three years in different places in New Guinea . He was in the engineers and being a carpenter was in the frontline building bridges etc with some time in hospital in Townsville and Toowoomba. Then he was reposted to New Guinea . He was discharged on 18 January 1946 . His health had deteriorated on his return from service.
He returned home to the farm. He worked hard and helped build a few homes in the district. He made the plaque for the Roll of Honour in the Upper Brookfield Hall. Selwyn loved playing the violin and the mouth organ. He also loved fishing and he enjoyed building boats.
As his health deteriorated and he was finding the farm work too difficult, he and Ann decided to move to Toorbul, then a fishing village near Caboolture.
He had seven or eight years there, but never managed to do much fishing, as his health was very poor. He died on 11 April 1975 aged 63 years. Ann will be 88 in July 2005 and keeps good health. She now resides in the hostel section of the War Veterans Home in Caboolture.
Fred WEISS
Fred enlisted in Brisbane at HMAS Moreton on 25 November 1942 , aged 17 yrs and 4 months, when the photo was taken. He began training at Flinders Naval Depot, Victoria (HMAS Cerberus ) 22 April 1943 and was drafted to Port Moresby (HMAS Basilisk ) on 10 September 1943 .
Fred was back in Australia at the Balmoral Naval Depot, Sydney (HMAS Penguin ) on 15 May 1945 and was on the troop transport HMAS Kanimbla from 4 August 1945 until 1 June 1946 . He returned to HMAS Moreton on 2 June 1946 and was demobilised on 28 June 1946 .
Fred was inducted into the engineering division as a stoker and served on coal-fired, oil-fired and diesel motor-driven vessels. Stokers serving at Port Moresby were given a job change every three months. Some of the jobs Fred can recall are listed below:
NAVVY - pick, shovel and wheelbarrow work on a project to reclaim more level land around the naval workshops and small ships slipway.
MOBILE CRANE DRIVER - on the wharves and around the workshops and slipway.
STOREMAN - signing out tools to tradesmen from the engineers' workshop.
CHIEF STOKER'S WRITER - typist and secretary to chief stoker.
MOTOR BOAT DRIVER, BOOM DEFENCE - driving the motorboat for the crew who repaired and maintained the antisubmarine net stretched across the harbour entrance.
SHOVELLING COAL - on board HMAS Waree , an ocean-going tug based in Moresby.
RELIEF FIREMAN - aboard cargo vessel Wang Po moored in the harbour while the Chinese firemen were being held in the natives' gaol after striking over what they felt was an unfair tobacco ration. Fred thinks they held out for three or four weeks before accepting defeat and returning aboard.
STOKERS' MESS DECKSWEEPER - housekeeper.
Fred got two weeks leave during this period and flew to Cairns in The Sunderland flying boat from Cairns to Brisbane - not real comfortable but miles ahead of ships and troop trains.
Fred joined the Kanimbla at Ambon on the island of Morotai between New Guinea and The Philippines a few days after Japan surrendered. The ship, being a troop transport capable of carrying 3,000 men, was then engaged in ferrying occupation troops from Sydney to Rabaul and other Pacific Islands .
Then the job began of bringing home the troops who had fought throughout New Guinea , Borneo, Celebes, Bougainville and a few other places.
Fred was demobilised one month before his 21st birthday.
Charlie Heinrich Bruno WRUCK
Charlie was born at Mundubbera in Queensland on 14 June 1914 . He enlisted in the Australian Army on 11 March 1941 . Private Wruck was discharged on 1 August 1946 , his last posting being with 17 Works Company.