My father was a soldier in the 9th Division of the AIF and served in North Africa and New Guinea as a gunner on an Ack Ack gun.
He came back from the war and married my mother who bore 6 children of whom I was the eldest. My mother often said that my father did not come back from the war the person she knew when she first met him.
He was angry and bitter that the AIF was sent home from the Middle East and served in another theatre of war. He and his army mates had contempt for the chocos who served in New Guinea and those who did not leave Australian shores. There was a fierce defence of Darwin.
My father died of hypertension at the age of 52. I called many of his army mates uncle and was not to understand that many died in their 40s. The war took its toll.
Dave Miller was a milkman delivering milk to houses in Toowong. He was a prisoner in Changi war prison. He died when I was about 10 years old. Starvation and disease in Changi did not help his long term health.
Howard Marks was a pilot who owned OK Rubber in Fortitude Valley. He married my mother's girl friend and died when I was about 9 years old.
Having lived in Papua New Guinea and served as a team leader on the Kokoda Track, I have nothing but admiration and compassion for the militia who fought the Japanese. They were sent up the track to help Americans build an airstrip but met the Japanese on the way.
I have always felt guilty about a conversation with the father of a school friend Bob Neary. We talked about the war in New Guinea. Then I mentioned the words "bloody chocos" with all the knowledge of my father's son.
The father shouted at me that he was a member of the militia on Kokoda. He was a bloody choco. Now I know the suffering of Australian soldiers in New Guinea.
I wish I could have apologised but he died about a year later. The militia was badly treated on Kokoda. Some faced the Japanese without having fired a rifle. They were given on the job training.
My father served in the 9th Division in Finschhafen and the Markham Valley. The AIF were probably never told of the sacrifice of the militia.
His young brother Harry served on the same gun. He died in his 40s. He and my father suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder when they came home from the war, so I was told.
My father's lingering advice to a young son was always to defend people who are unable to defend themselves. I have done that as founder of AIDS Holistics.
I have always felt guilty about a conversation with the father of a school friend Bob Neary. We talked about the war in New Guinea. Then I mentioned the words "bloody chocos" with all the knowledge of my father's son.
The father shouted at me that he was a member of the militia on Kokoda. He was a bloody choco. Now I know the suffering of Australian soldiers in New Guinea.
I wish I could have apologised but he died about a year later. The militia was badly treated on Kokoda. Some faced the Japanese without having fired a rifle. They were given on the job training.
My father served in the 9th Division in Finschhafen and the Markham Valley. The AIF were probably never told of the sacrifice of the militia.
His young brother Harry served on the same gun. He died in his 40s. He and my father suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder when they came home from the war, so I was told.
My father's lingering advice to a young son was always to defend people who are unable to defend themselves. I have done that as founder of AIDS Holistics.
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