I have been asked many times about my experiences as a soldier during WWII so here is a short history.

I was always interested in soldiering as Harry and Herb, my two eldest brothers, were called up as cadets or part-time soldiers at the age of 20. Harry stayed in the Army, 52 Infantry Battalion and became a Lieutenant by the time I joined at about 17 years old. I was allotted to, I think, 13 Platoon commanded by Lt Bill Merritt, a very good friend of my family - a Vickers Machine Gun Platoon of HQ Company at Dandenong. Major Keith Mollard was Company Commander. Most of my workmates from Dandenong Bacon Factory - "Dandy" - also joined. Those to mind - Sandy Perkins, Alec Miller, Harry "Happy" Ralston, Dick Mace, Ken and Frank Elliott [of course when war declared nearly all of my age become involved, and those a little younger got called up in the National Service shortly afterwards.]

Harry and I discussed M.G. theory quite a lot at home so I was well ahead of most of my platoon in Fire Control etc and my drill was always ahead of most others - although before the war promotion was almost impossible to obtain, approximately one Sergeant, one Corporal, three Lance Corporals - unpaid - to each platoon was being charitable so I was a private soldier until war declared when promotions were brought up to establishment strengths. But more later of that.

We attended the annual camps and schools at Warragul and Seymour each year and then war was declared by which time I think I was a Lance Corporal, Johnny Miles was Pl. Sgt and Cam Cameron a Corporal I think - these were my particular army mates although I still went out with the others mentioned.
On 3 September 1939 the Battalion was called up to provide guards on vital establishments. We were allocated the short wave radio terminal at Lyndhurst and reported to the Drill Hall about 10 o'clock. "First in best dressed" and by the time I entered nearly all establishment positions had been filled - seemingly without much thought to knowledge so a lot of NCO's had little real experience how to go about things and consequently newly called up soldiers were not properly trained. This resulted in a "near miss shooting" of the Terminal Officer who heard the "Sentry" loading and unloading his rifle and went out to check on him - luckily he was a WW1 veteran and immediately realised the soldier thought he had a "cut out" on his rifle (this is to prevent a round being fed into the chamber) when, in fact, the new rifle issued did not have such a cut out - his rifle was always loaded and when he did actually fire the rifle the officer recognised the danger and pushed the rifle aside.

We spent nearly a month at Lyndhurst, then went to Seymour as a Battalion - by this time I was a Sergeant and was chosen to go to a MG School with the promise that should I qualify I would be considered for a commission - as would Toby Allen, a fellow Sergeant going with me.
Before going to Seymour we were training in the depot at Dandenong and after training Cam, Johnny and I went in Cam's MG to Beaconsfield Pub where the proprietors would throw the keys to the Pub out the window to us so that we could open the "Late night Bar" and have a few beers - for which we of course paid - every fourth drink on the publican - who was of course still in bed - I never saw him on at least 6 visits.

In October/November Cam and John joined the AIF and were allocated to the 2/1 Australian Machine Gun Battalion when it was formed from the MG Platoon of the first 12 Battalions in 6 Division. They originally went to 2/7 Infantry Battalion where Harry had been accepted as a Captain. I was then sent to the school which lasted 6 weeks ending February/March 1940 and at which I managed to come 2nd, Toby was 3rd or 4th - a mixed course, a Captain was 1st - but several Lieutenants, Captains and a Major were well down the list.

On return to the Battalion we were informed that all establishment positions had been filled as well as the supernumerary positions so we were not to be commissioned at that time. Camp was then finalised for a short while and we all returned home. On return to Dandenong I was approached on 24 April by the Area Officer, Captain Steve Clucas, an MC winner from WWI with whom I had worked at "Dandy" who said recruiting was frozen because there had been too many volunteering but, if I wished, he had a vacancy going in on 26 April - next day to Anzac Day so I had a special medical etc to do that day and early on the 26th. My medical proved no problem except for the "sample of urine" I had to forward - I whistled, ran the tap, walked up and down - seemingly for hours, but no sample - not one drop - I'd by this time drunk about a gallon of water amongst all the other activities when all of a sudden I had to go - the beaker in which they really only need about ½ inch was in a room at the Doctor's surgery - no toilet, no sink - nothing. I often wondered what the nurse thought of the three and a half beakers I left on the bench!!

I first went to Caulfield Race Course for enlistment. I spent about 2 weeks there - marching around Caulfield streets under the control of a Pioneer Sgt from the Light Horse. He lost half the troops at the first pub he passed - and the rest at the second!!

He really didn't know enough to march where there were no pubs or to lead from the rear. Vic Potter "Potts" from Dandenong was also there. He was to become my special cobber