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BECKER – Walter Richard – his story!

Ric Becker’s story was first printed in the 2017 June, July and August issues of the Midlands Uniting Church Congregation Newsletters, after sharing his memories with the newsletter Editor, Kay Lambert.

On 16th March 1923 Walter Richard Becker (Ric) was born in one of two nursing homes in Saddleworth, Mrs Wright’s in Crawford Avenue – the other being Mrs Mibus’s.  He was baptised in the Saddleworth Methodist Church, was on the Cradle Roll and attended Sunday School.

His education started at the Saddleworth Primary school, on the hill, from 1929 until starting at the Riverton District High School in 1936.  For his first year at high school he went by train, leaving Saddleworth at 20 to 8 in the morning, returning on the “cabbage train” at 3.30 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays; the other nights by way of the Broken Hill Express, leaving Riverton at 8.30pm, having done his homework with other “train” students at the high school.  The second year of attending high school he rode his bike.  He sometimes went to Sunday School when of high school years and went to Christian Endeavour at the Saddleworth Baptist Church – was good too. There were Sunday School picnics in those days, travelling on a truck fenced in like cattle.  There weren’t many trucks about.  The picnics were a real good day, races and a lot of food on a tarp on the ground. Grown-ups attended too.

Philip Schneitman contracted polio when it was Ric’s Intermediate year and the school was closed until April owing to the epidemic.  Until April Ric had correspondence lessons, after which his father obtained employment for him at Saddleworth’s Eudunda Farmers for seven shillings and six pence per week.  His first job had been seasonal work for one month, weighing wheat at Brennan’s Siding for one pound per week.  There were 13 employees at Eudunda Farmers but over a week end in 1939 it dropped back to nine staff as some had joined the army.  Award wages came into being so wage was then fifteen shillings and progressed to two pounds, four shillings and two pence.  Ric was then transferred to Eudunda Farmers at Gladstone in 1941.

In February 1942 Australia’s situation became very grave, the Japanese rapidly advancing towards our country and invasion feared.  All males between 18 and 40 were directed to report to the nearest Post Office in a few days.  Ric reported to the Gladstone Post Office.  About a week following this Ric received advice to travel by train to the Adelaide station and report to the “Man in Blue” who led about 30 young men from the northern areas to march to Victoria Park Race Course.  ‘Only’ sons on farms were exempt and not allowed to go, they had to produce food.  Essential services personnel were also exempt.  At 18 and lightly built, Ric joined the militia, which was nicknamed “Chocos”.  Training started at the race course and then to Peterhead Corporation Yards, which was battalion headquarters.  His battalion here was called the 18th Garrison Battalion. He was in stretcher bearer section as the off sider to Dr. Finney, who had been his childhood doctor.  Ric was transferred to Sydney about a week after the Japanese sub was in the harbour. (He had a souvenir piece of the sub which had been sold for funds for the Fighting Forces Comforts Fund; has had it since being in Auburn but currently can’t locate it!)

Battalion Head Quarters was at Strathfield, 4 or 5 miles out of Sydney.  There were 22 platforms at the station where a train left every 2 minutes – you had to make sure you were on the right train as they had different destinations.  Then he was moved to Tom Ugley’s point for location reasons. Following this he was sent to Dubbo for infantry training for three months, then to Toowoomba in Queensland (pineapples 5 for one pound) then to Selheim, (grapes seven shillings and sixpence a pound), a reinforcement depot 20 miles out of Charters Towers.

He was transferred to the 31st/51st Australian Infantry battalion “B” Company 10th platoon training at Edmonton 12 miles out from Cairns.  He was then sent to Merauke, the nearest place to Darwin in New Guinea. They had to patrol out around the area to make sure they were not being infiltrated by the Japanese.  This site was about one foot above sea level and very bad for malaria.  Ric was one of the few in the battalion who didn’t get Malaria.  They had a 100foot high lookout for the surveillance of shipping. The lookout was a huge Morton Bay fig tree with a wrapping of mesh which made climbing to the top of the lookout reasonably easy.  They successfully destroyed one Japanese boat and crew with the loss of one Australian gunner.  Ric was there for 13 months.  They had a Methodist chaplain with them all the time, also a Catholic priest.  Ric then received 6 weeks leave travelling home on the “Taroona”.  He visited Saddleworth and Wallaroo, being called back a few days early to travel to Brisbane for a few weeks of concentrated live ammunition training before going to Bougainville, landing 6th December 1944.  Their job was to clean the Japanese out of the island, replacing the Americans who had cleared 35 square miles with heavy losses and were moving onto other Japanese occupied islands.  The enemy had been there a long time and had outstanding camouflage ability.  Ric was there for two months when he became wounded.  The Catholic priest, Father Ormond, and a quartermaster (both considered non-combatants) carried Ric from the ridge to the beach where the Doctor was working.  He was taken by launch back to Torakina “106 Casualty Clearing Station”. The hospital wards and operating theatre were tents.  8 were killed that day and 17 wounded.  Ric said he wasn’t meant to die that day!  He flew to Lae in New Guinea, then in the hospital ship “Wanganella” to Sevenhills in Sydney area and onto the big hospital in Melbourne. He travelled by train to Dawes Road hospital, arriving in Adelaide at 8.00am.  He was in hospital for 17 months.

He was wounded on February 6th 1945 and discharged from the army on 1st July 1946.

Upon discharge from hospital the Red Cross took Ric to the Eudunda Farmers headquarters at North Terrace to see about re-employing him in his old job. He was welcomed back with open arms and sent back to Saddleworth where he needed to build back some strength following his long rehabilitation from War injuries.

Ric met Rose Williams in 1940 at a Fighting Forces Comfort Fund fundraising Gymkhana at “St Andrews” Auburn.  Activities went on into the night.  He wrote to Rose at Presbyterian Girls College and was friends with Rose on and off for many years.  Rose trained and worked as a nurse, travelling overseas.

Ric looked after the Hardware Department at Eudunda Farmers and was then in charge of the Grocery Department with three staff under him.  His friend Allen Vater suggested that he have a business of his own.  He was encouraged to eventually do this in Auburn as Rose lived here and he didn’t think he would be able to get her to live elsewhere.

Ric used to travel to Auburn to see Rose.  One day when talking to Skally Stephens in his vegetable garden, Skally said how he was building some shops and Ric asked him if he could have one.

In 1955, as a single man, he came to Auburn, firstly commuting daily, before living here.  There was a “shop” of Madderns (now Terrior and Meller’s) and another “shop” in the large building south side of Uniting Church (since demolished) of Chris Stephens, who offered Ric a job.  Ric established his own business.  He visited every house in Auburn to introduce himself and offer his services. (Afterwards he found out he missed one from where he received a large order!)  He was well received.  He boarded at first and after a year married Rose in the Auburn Methodist Church in 1956.  They lived in No. 7 Henry Street, owned by Overton Bros., for £2 a week, until their War Service home was built at No. 20 Henry Street.  They had a family of four children and five grandchildren. Rose was a very supportive help, especially when for business reasons Ric couldn’t be in the shop.  The business was developed further by son Richard who now conducts the Auburn IGA.  After a long illness Rose passed away in 2008.

Ric was a keen sportsman.  Before the war he played football for Saddleworth but after the war, owing to war injuries, was just a goal umpire for football until he concentrated on his golf, which he played until about 2002.  He played lawn tennis a couple of years and tried cricket.  He has played bowls since the war, mainly Night Owls until he came to Auburn, then played day and night games.  He played bowls until he was 90.

Starting as a “home” project when at school, Ric became a passionate poultry enthusiast. Some breeds included Light Sussex, Australorp, White Leghorn and Wyndotte (white ones).  For more than 20 years he travelled to shows with his poultry – Saddleworth and Clare, Balaklava for about 10 years and a few times to Kapunda.  Washing white chooks was part of the preparation.  He entered in the “All Fanciers Club” at the Wayville Showground, winning a dinner set as the prize for the championship from 80 entries. On this occasion there was cold weather beforehand and Rose’s mother said they will die from the cold when he washed them so she took them inside and dried them with a hairdryer!

Ric was a great community man in Auburn.  He was a church steward for a number of his senior years - counting, banking and recording the money.  He was on many committees – secretary Institute Committee, Secretary R.S.L., Treasurer School committee about 14 years, secretary Cricket Club, last surviving Trustee of the Auburn Showground committee, Treasurer Auburn Football Club, was secretary for the new oval development (established 1960) and was requested to audit the books of some organisations.

These days he enjoys taped church services courtesy of Chris Kirk, reading, is an avid Crows football follower watching the TV in the company of a faithful cat, cares for productive laying hens and playing cards at the Auburn Senior Citizens’ Club.