Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

All of Francis James Weeks 4 Sons enlisted WW2 : Stan, James ( Jim ), Max & Charlie
( as did the Francis James 4 Brothers in WW1 : Francis James [ Jim ], Leslie Horace, Stanley William & Roy Eric ) ;
listed in order of seniority : from Noarlunga, SA Colonial Pioneer Farming Family, Francis Allen Prideaux Weeks & Elizabeth nee Northey

Interesting Note : Traditionally, the Eldest ( &or 2nd Eldest ) Children left School earlier than usual to hold Adult jobs, to assist the Parent/s in supporting the youngest children, particularly where the Family size was above average ;
Being of working Class backgrounds, this was the case for 2 successive Generations of the Weeks Families ; in both :-

* WW1 Francis James ( & Leslie Horace, 2nd eldest ) Weeks
1903 Francis James Weeks started work as a 14 year old boy, at the Glenthorne Farm Estate approximately with 1903 Apr18 Plough age, under George Brookman
Francis James ( Jim ) Weeks & his 4 pre WW2 Sons ( Stan, James, Max & Charlie ) worked tirelessly on " Uncle " Jocks ( Harris ) Family Farm during the Great Depression ( compulsory acquired by the Commonwealth Government, for the Adelaide Airport in 1946, as with many other Dairies / Farms, of the Era
&
* WW2 Stan Leslie ( & Lorna Nellie, eldest ) Weeks
1934 Nov 06 Stan L C Weeks ( eldest of 4 WW2 Weeks Brothers ), enlisted as " Permanent Forces " Ordinary Seaman 20507 Melbourne, Victoria


Max, Charlie ( & Jim ) Common postings &or Dates as per Max’s ( Wellington ) Flying Log Book, Service Record, Charlie’s Airman Service Record & Max’s Airgraphs 1943 Nov 16 – 1944 Feb 16 :-

1934 Nov 06 Stan L C Weeks ( eldest of 4 WW2 Weeks Brothers ), enlisted as " Permanent Forces " Ordinary Seaman 20507 Melbourne, Victoria
1942 Feb 11 Max & Charles Harold Weeks enlist in RAAF Reserve Class E5 ( Air Crew V ), at Adelaide No 5 Recruiting Station
1942 Feb 12 James 22, on the R.A.A.F. reserve " as per Trove NLA Article " 3 Brothers In Air Force, One in Navy "
1942 Oct 10 Max & Charlie No 4 ITS Victor Harbour, South Australia
1943 Jan 07 Max & Charlie No 11 EFTS Benalla, Victoria
1943 Apr 10 Max & Charlie No 7 SFTS Deniliquin, New South Wales
1943 Apr - Nov James met Clark Gable, who suffered FROST BITE on 1 occasion with only leather gloves, filming segments of the propaganda Film " Combat America " to assist in declining Air Gunnery Recruitment due to horrendously high casualty rates ( 50+ % ) akin to WW1 ;
1943 May According to Max’s airgraph ( 1944 Jan 9 ) to his Mother ( “ Da “ ), James had already been in USA NY ? from 1943 May onwards ( 4 Months earlier ? )
1943 Oct 09 Charlie arrives in UK from USA
1943 Sep 26 – Oct 12 Max in USA & NY
1943 Nov 16 Max’s Airgraph “ Jimmy Charlie & myself have been united again “
1943 Nov 18 Max’s Airgraph “ Jimmy is down here with us now “
1943 Dec 08 Max’s Airgraph “ Jimmy left the other day “
1944 Jan & prior " SA Airmen entertained in New York " Article Trove NLA
1944 Feb 16 Max’s Airgraph “ Charlie & myself are again stationed together “
1944 Mch 21 posted SAME time ; Max & Charlie posted to No 6 ( P ) AFU Little Rissington ;
1944 Apr 06 Max's Airgraph : Max & Charlie visit to Tommy Crook & Family ( nee Harris ), Horsepath
( Horspath – old Roman &or Norman Route ), Oxford ( Oxfordshire ), England ;
1943 Nov - Dec ? previously " Jimmy visited " Tommy Crook & Family ( nee Harris )
( birth place of Maternal Grandfather, Charles " Chas " Harris, Coach builder, Waymouth St, Johns St & then Wright St, City, Adelaide, South Australia
1944 Apr 25 posted SAME time ; Max : No 15416 Bat Flight Pershore ; Charlie : 1516 Bat : Flight ?
1944 May 02 posted SAME time ; Max : Windrush ; Charlie : ceased to be attached
1944 Jun 10 Max's Airgraph : Max & Charlie visit to Tommy Crook & Family ( nee Harris ), Horsepath ( Horspath ), Oxford ( Oxfordshire ), England ;
1944 Aug 12 Max killed Moreton in Marsh
1944 Sep 16 James RAAF ( " ret " ? ) returned ; Discharged 1 October 1945 !


2 of 4. RAAF Flt Sgt Tail Gunner 429840 Weeks, James ( Jim ) John

Occupation : Truck Driver Apprentice Carpenter ? for Merv C Wood, Maddern Avenue, Glandore, SA ;
Residence: Francis James Weeks & Mother : Ellen Theresa ( " Da " or Nellie ) nee Harris, 37 Milner St, Hilton, South Australia
Born: 6 December 1919, Adelaide South Australia
Religion : Church of England
School/s : 1925 - 1933 ? Adelaide High, Cowandilla, Gilles St Practising, Black Forest, Schools, all South Australia
Son of Francis James Weeks & Ellen Theresa ( " Da " or Nellie ) nee Harris
Marital Status : Married ( 21 February 1942 )
Next of kin: Spouse : Shirley Muriel nee Ritchie, formerly Broken Hill ; Francis James Weeks & Mother : Ellen Theresa ( " Da " or Nellie ) nee Harris, 37 Milner St, Hilton, SA
Enlisted : 12 September 1942, No 5 Recruiting Station, Adelaide ( Attested almost a Month BEFORE 2nd & youngest Brothers Maxwell Allen & Charlie Harold )
Embarked: 30 August 1943 Melbourne, Victoria ?
Age at embarkation : 24 ?
Returned: ?
Demobilisation / Discharge : 1 October 1945
Posting at Discharge : 9 Stores Depot Northern Territory, as repatriation having contracted pneumonia due to high altitude flying in Scotland / England 1943 / 1944 ; 1943 Apr - Nov even Clark Gable, whom he met, suffered FROST BITE on 1 occasion with only leather gloves, filming segments of the propaganda Film " Combat America " to assist in declining Air Gunnery Recruitment due to horrendously high casualty rates ( 50+ % ) akin to WW1 ;
Served : UK & Europe
Medals : 1939-45 Star, France & Germany Star, Defence Medal ?
Death: 24 September 1985, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, South Australia
Buried : Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia

Occupation / Working Life :-
1929 - 1933 Francis James ( Jim ) Weeks & his 4 pre WW2 Sons ( Stan, James, Max & Charlie ) worked tirelessly on " Uncle " Jocks ( Harris ) Family Farm during the Great Depression ( compulsory acquired by the Commonwealth Government, for the Adelaide Airport in 1946, as with many other Dairies / Farms, of the Era

1942 Sep 12 pre WW2 Truck Driver Apprentice Carpenter ? for Merv C Wood, Maddern Avenue, Glandore, SA ;

1945 - 1954 ? post WW2 became ( Apprentice ? ) Carpenter for Merv C Wood, Maddern Avenue, Glandore, SA ;

1954 Dec 5 " Cottage " Builder thanks to kind assistance from his Carpentry Team : Johnny Cox & Ron O'Neill ; & member of " MBA " ( Master Builders Association )

? Master Builder

1960 joined the " MBA " Council

1965 Vice President " MBA "

1969 - 1971 President of the " MBA "

1980 merged MC Wood Pty Ltd Operations with his own JJ Weeks Pty Ltd when the Principals moved to Queensland
1980 at the time his 3 Sons :
1980 Graham was Management Consultant at PPM ( Peat Marwick Mitchell ) Adelaide City
1980 John was Construction Lecturer at Marleston TAFE
1981 - 1984 Jeff was triple roled : Chief Accountant, Financial Accountant & Minesite Accountant, at Plenty River Mining NL, Northern Territory Remote Minesite 1/2 way between Alice Springs & Mt Isa, whilst renovating 41 Arthur St, Unley, thanks to Shirley ( & John ) kind assistance ;


* Military :
1943 Apr - Nov James ( Jim ) John Weeks, RAAF 429840 Flight Sgt Tail Gunner Lancasters, met Clark Gable, possibly at

* RAF Polebrook Base, where he flew 5 combat missions between April - November 1943, whilst filming the propaganda Film " Combat America " to assist in declining Air Gunnery Recruitment due to horrendously high casualty rates ( 50+ % ) akin to WW1 ;
&or
* nearby Township of Oundle on R&R

1942Sep12 - Oct10 I remember Dad ( Jim ) saying that he was in the same INTAKE as Max & Charlie as he also wanted to be a " Fighter Pilot " too [ ie 3 Brothers RAAF enlistment at the SAME time - which would also make Air Force History of the time ? ]
All 3 RAAF Airmen, Jim, Max & Charlie were living on the SAME RAF UK Base as per 3 of Max 24 Airgraphs 1943Nov16, 18 & Dec8 ;
However the RAAF ( &or RAF ? ) had reached the Quotas at the time for Pilots, so he enlisted as an Air ( Tail ) Gunner
To do this, Dad ( Jim ) must have RE ENLISTED ?? less than 1 Month later (1942Oct10 ?? He also said that his initial Enlistment 1942Sep12 ? was rejected because he was " flat footed " ?
This is my 2nd enduring Family War mystery

The 1st being that of his WW1 Father ASC Sgt & 512 Dvr Francis James Weeks, stated in 1964, a year before he passed on in 1965 ; that he " went to Gallipoli 2-3 times with transhipments " of Light Horse ? [ possibly Mules also Re 2nd Offensive Suvla 1915Aug ]


* Civilian :
? 1st job at a ( Fowler's ? ) Flour Mill, possibly Hoyleton &or Richards & Co Ballarat ? carrying sacks of flour over his shoulders

1941 Feb 18 Engaged to Shirley Muriel nee Ritchie, formerly Broken Hill

1942 Feb 21 Married Shirley Muriel nee Ritchie

1943 - 1944 Hoyleton as per " SA Airmen entertained in NY " Article Trove NLA 1944 Jan ;

1946 98 South Road, Hilton ( when Twins Jeff & John were born, in October )

1950s Shaw Avenue, Richmond ; ex Tail Gunner " rabbit shoot " with a service rifle 303 & then 22 ( rabbits considered a delicacy at the time ! ) Sunday afternoons at Adelaide Hills & environs in a Terraplane Chevrolet ? : such were Premier Playford maintaining Wartime Price controls for Industry & austerity measures resulting in restrictions on Foodstuffs & Building Materials, for an extra 3 years after the Eastern States ;
1950s Shaw Avenue, Richmond ; keen fisherman, Easters &or Xmases Caravanning to Pt Hughes
1950s Shaw Avenue, Richmond ; built Caravan complete with 5 Berths, Kitchen Cupboards, gas Stove & Sink etc at his Shaw Avenue, Richmond Workshop
1950s Shaw Avenue, Richmond ; keen fisherman, Saturdays at Outer Harbour
1950s Shaw Avenue, Richmond ; built klinker Boat complete with Cabin & inboard motor, at his Shaw Avenue, Richmond Workshop

1960s 135 Esplanade, West Beach ; keen golfer with formation of Flagstaff Hill Golf & Country Club ;
1960s 44 Ridgway Drive, Flagstaff Hill ; Designed Clubhouse & Golf course including fairways, traps & bunkers ;

1970s ? 9 Malcolm Street, Millswood ; was offered Commissioner of Builders Tribunal

1982 Mt Barker : "went Farming" (" Tree Change ") with his horse lover 2nd wife Cherry Farmeloe ; secondary consideration to Subdivide at a later Stage ?


Bring alive past spirituality through History Research & relive past Lives

Many thanks & sincere regards
Jeff M. Weeks
Unit 3, 371 Morphett Road, Oaklands Park, SA 5046, South Australia
PREFERRED Contact : SMS txt 7 days 04 2888 2844 as I am 75-80% deaf
Home Messages 101 : 08 8298 3787
contacts@travellersoz.com.au ( I get 300 + / Day but only check several times / Mth, by speed reading SUBJECT Headings only 1st,
because of my numerous [ other ] " Projects " AWM Units Narrations incl [ Family Histories incl ANZAC Tradition WW1 & WW2 & Domesday Book ] Macro/Micro Economics, World Financial Markets, Currencies &or Precious Metals, Research & Analyses