Hi All
For those of you that have followed this thread, you will recall early in 2013 I commenced an investigation into a found Japanese 10 Yen banknote that had been used to list the names of a number of servicemen under the heading of "BOOZERS COMMITTEE". You will recall my enquiries lead to identifying the story behind the banknote and later I was fortunate to locate and interview one of a surviving Australian soldier, 88 year old, Noel WHITING who served as part of the BCOF (British Commonwealth Occupation Forces) in Japan. I ended up writing a story about this group in an Australian Army magazine, Nasho News. I donated the original banknote with the story to the Australian War Museum in Canberra.
But the story does not end there. A couple of days ago I received an email from a chap who advised he recently found my thread on MLU. He was excited to see that the second name written on the banknote, Cpl Robert HOLDEN was in fact his late father who had served in the occupation forces in Japan. He told me that his dad had told him lots of stories about the "Boozers Committee" and his time in Japan. He also indicated he had lot's of photographs of the group while in Japan and of the fire that destroyed their barracks which claimed the life of one of the group.
I asked if he was prepared to be interviewed by me and give me permission to use any documentation and photographs so that I could possibly do a follow up story about the members of the "Boozers Committee", which he has agreed to. Once I start putting everything together, I will prepare a draft for a follow up story for the magazine I will also put it on MLU for you guys to read. From what I have gleamed so far I smell another very interesting story in the air.
WATCH THIS SPACE FOR FURTHER UPDATES.
Cheers
Tony
