SCHINDLER, Aubrey John
| Service Numbers: | Q22853, QX45299 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 2 July 1941 |
| Last Rank: | Captain |
| Last Unit: | 25 Infantry Battalion AMF |
| Born: | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 16 May 1915 |
| Home Town: | Brisbane, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Agriculural Scientist |
| Died: | Rosewood, Queensland, Australia, 12 October 1998, aged 83 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
| 2 Jul 1941: | Involvement Captain, Q22853, FTD 19/9/1941? - also QX45299 | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Jul 1941: | Enlisted | |
| 19 Sep 1941: | Enlisted QX45299 | |
| 12 Oct 1942: | Involvement Captain, QX45299, also Q22853 | |
| 27 Mar 1946: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Captain, QX45299, 25 Infantry Battalion AMF |
Aubrey John SCHINDLER
. Aubrey John (Aub)A SCHINDLER, son of Charles (Prof) SCHINDLER and Eunice Mary (Una) PAGE was born in Australia, Q, Brisbane 16/5/1915.
Aubrey served in the military in Australia, Q, Brisbane, 17/9/1941.
Service Record Citizen Military Forces 17 Sept 1941 - 11 Oct 1942
Australia Imperial Force 12 Oct 1942 - 27 March 1946
He was decorated while serving in the military in Papua New Guinea, Milne Bay, No 3 Air Strip, 31/8/1942. Q22853 LIEUT SCHINDLER, Aubrey John - 25 AUST INF. BN
APPROVED FOR IMMEDIATE AWARD OF MILITARY CROSS.
Date and Place: On 30/31 Aug. 42 at MILNE BAY on No. 3 Aerodrome runway, Lieut. Schindler, Mortar Officer, rendered distinguished service action in organising and personally conducting Mortar fire of two mortar detachments during the forming up of enemy positions preparatory to attack. Lieut. Schindler's action resulted in heavy casualties to the enemy, it being estimated that some 162 dead were found in the area where his mortar bombs were successfully placed.
The previous day Lieut. Schindler advanced some 3000 yards forward of our FDLs to put out of action two enemy tanks which had been abandoned by their crews. He was suffering with raw feet, the result of days of walking in the mud and water, his action in carrying on and effectively placing his mortar fire on to concentrated groups of enemy was an inspiration to all personnel holding the front line along the runway.
He organised a forward O.P. and had it manned by Lieut K A Acreman of 4 Bty A/Tk, whose excellent fire orders made complete co-operation and greatly assisted in the destruction of large numbers of enemy. Lieut. Schindler showed outstanding initiative in placing his mortars, protecting his mortar crews, co-ordinating both mortars and co-operating with an improvised FOO and the CO at Battle HQ. Concentrations of enemy were entirely dealt with by mortar fire with devastating effect, for a period of about three hours before dawn. The enemy was seen to line up on three occasions for attack, all of which were frustrated by effective mortar fire.
Aubrey's occupation: Agronomist in Charge in Papua New Guinea, EHD, DASF Aiyura Experiment Station, 1946-1962. Agricultural Scientist
Aubrey's occupation: Coffee Plantation Owner in Papua New Guinea, EHD, Karanka Plantation, 1962.
Primary education at Clayfield College.
Secondary education at Brisbane Boys College to grade 10 then completed grade 11 and 12 at State High. Parents lived at Stuckey Rd Clayfield.
Completed a Diploma in Agriculture at Gatton College. 1934
Completed a Degree in Agricultural Science at Queensland University. 1938
Served in the 25 th Battalion in Milne Bay in New Guinea in 1942. Was awarded the Military Cross.
Returned to the New Guinea Highlands during the war to produce and research quinine (smuggled out of the Philippines by Gen. McCarthur), for the Australian Army and then, after the war, cash crops for the Australian Government to help the development of PNG. Left the Agricultural service in 1962 to work his own coffee plantation. Retired from Papua New Guinea in 1980.
(Ivan Schindler - ivanapschindler@gmail.com)
Submitted 19 May 2022 by Ivan Schindler
Biography contributed by Ivan Schindler
Our father, Aubrey John Schindler (Aub) at that time (1960), was an Agricultural Scientist with the Australian Government – he was the Agronomist in Charge of a Department of Stock Agriculture and Fishers experiment station known as Aiyura in the Eastern Highlands District. He had been sent to this area with the Army during the war in 1943 to set up quinine production for the army (the cinchona was collected in the Philippines by an aid of General McCarther).
At Aiyura he was working on quinine, coffee, pyrethrum and tea and any other crops and cattle, that maybe useful to the people as a ‘cash crop’ for food crop or industry.
Dad was a very smart fit man of about 5 foot 10 inches and had a very good mind and intellect. He was a very honest person and would never say a bad word about anyone; he was in no way an extrovert, more introvert but he was able to give an opinion an anything if you asked him. He had a wonderful memory and could recite poems and sayings that he had heard years ago. He often played word games to amuse himself. Grandfather Schindler (Prof Charles) told me that when Dad (Aub) was a boy, of about eight or nine, he knew the train timetables for all the trains in Brisbane and could tell you where any train was at any one time.
He had been educated in Brisbane at Clayfield College for primary then to Brisbane Boys College Toowong to junior and State High School West End for senior.
His tertiary education was at the Queensland University (at the Gardens – where QUT is now) and Gatton College.
Blue eyes and very handsome with a very deep meaning humor, he was always good at anything he tried – played sport well and could do anything well. The only thing he never did was play a musical instrument and I remember him saying that he regretted that. He was left-handed when he played a sport but wrote right-handed.
He had been in the army during the war – the 25th Battalion and had been awarded a military cross for action in destroying two tanks and defending the airstrip at Milne Bay in August 1942. He suffered some mental trauma from the war, as he used to have terrible nightmares and even attack mum in his sleep, these went away as time went on.
He was a very good father especially in our younger years when we were home – and I am sure if he had not had to send us away to get an education, he would have been a great friend during our teens as he became when we were older. Later in life he mentioned that he regretted not being with us during our teen years.
Looking back I think my poor parents had suffered from an emotional and social depressed time in Australia history. A man couldn’t be seen crying or hugging his children. They were a generation that suffered two wars and a severe economic depression. - (Ivan Schindler).
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