Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Dad didn’t talk about the war (WW2) much. His best friends, however, were other men whom he’d shared that experience with. Dad was a regular in the marches on Anzac day in Adelaide and the reunions afterwards. I think these men lost day to day contact gradually, over time, as families took different paths and directions post WW2, but nevertheless, many turned up, to my surprise, to dad’s funeral in 1979.

Dad was from a, poor, Methodist following family from rural Laura, in South Australia. His father, Jack, did play football, however, with the poet CJ Dennis in Laura, S.A.

Dad trained as a baker initially, and pursued these talents within the army.

One thing I do remember him telling us was that he got sick in the Middle East with “boils” and was shipped, across the Red Sea, on a painful journey to New Guinea, to continue service. Evidently, after he left the Middle East, many of his contingent were killed in a battle and dad felt very guilty for having escaped this battle.

Dad was also an excellent sportsman and assisted, as a coach, within the physical education programs the army offered. He excelled at football and boxing. - Anmarie Chandler (daughter)