Ww2 occupation money

[Mike Cecil]

Good job, Tony.

Mike C

[Little Jo]

Originally Posted by Mike Cecil

Good job, Tony.

Mike C

Mike I enjoyed doing the research and story. Thank you for your help to get me started, much appreciated. It will go into print in the magazines, April and May 2013.

Cheers

Tony

[hrpearce]

Seems to be topical at the moment. The headline on page 8 of yesterdays local paper,
Numbers dwindling, BCOF return.
Veterans who served in the BCOF will hold their reunion in Tumut Starting tomorrow. About 80 veterans and partners will be in Tumut with a number visiting for a week. More than 35,000 Australian men and women including 20 from Tumut served between 1946 and 1952.
The whole artical was about one third of a page in the Tumut and Adelong Times.

[cliff]

My Late Father, Harry Hutchings, was with New Zealands 'J' Force and they too had to fight for the right to be recognised. A few things he said was in 1946 it was a combat zone still as at night you and your mate walked back to back while patrolling or even the small kids would stab you in the back if they got a chance.

He was sent home with tropical Ulcers hanging from his ears and nose and once recovered returned to civilian life. The New Zealand Government finally in about 1996 had a medal made for 'J' Force vetrans but Dad would not let me claim his until after he died he felt so let down by the system.

Funny thing though when I cleaned out his drawers of clothing I found his Old Paybook and a small box of Box Brownie photos he had taken while he was in Japan. I made an album of the photos which now resides with my younger brother in New Zealand along with a framed medal, photo of Dad in army uniform, photo of the gates of the NZ HQ in Japan and a New Zealand beret badge which I proudly had framed. I never really knew just how much the short stay with the army meant to him as he had a reserved occupation during WW2 and was angry they would not let him go.

To all those 'Occupation of Japan' soldiers who are no longer with us I salute you

[Little Jo]

Originally Posted by hrpearce

Seems to be topical at the moment. The headline on page 8 of yesterdays local paper,
Numbers dwindling, BCOF return.
Veterans who served in the BCOF will hold their reunion in Tumut Starting tomorrow. About 80 veterans and partners will be in Tumut with a number visiting for a week. More than 35,000 Australian men and women including 20 from Tumut served between 1946 and 1952.
The whole artical was about one third of a page in the Tumut and Adelong Times.

Hi Robert

That is very interesting and appropriate that this is all being told now. I would love to see a copy of the newspaper clipping. While doing the research I learned so much about these guys and to think there are so few left to carry on with the fight for benefits. I am happy that I could do my little bit

Cheers

Tony

[hrpearce]

Tony send your address to me, hrpearce123 @ bigpond.com ( remove the spaces ) and I will send you a photocopy.

[Little Jo]

Originally Posted by hrpearce

Tony send your address to me, hrpearce123 @ bigpond.com ( remove the spaces ) and I will send you a photocopy.

Hi Robert

Email sent. Thanks mate.

Cheers

Tony

[Little Jo]

Originally Posted by Little Jo

Hi Robert

Email sent. Thanks mate.

Cheers

Tony

Hi Guys

I have had another lovely chat with Noel Whiting regarding the "Boozers Committee" and have updated my report. I also found out Noel's wife Dorothy is now in a nursing home. I hope you enjoy the revised section on Noel Whiting. See below.

1st Photo Noel in Japan
2nd Photo Noel in 2013
3rd Photo 123 Transport Platoon at the Grave of Pvte Ronal Cyril Downey.

I received a phone call from Noel’s daughter regarding my letter and she put Noel on the phone. He said he received a bit of a shock when he saw the photograph and recognised his handwriting on the note.

We got into an informal conversation about his Army service, his time in Japan and the loss of so many mates who had succumbed to cancer. Noel confirmed the names on the note were genuine. I asked about the “Boozers Committee” and what he could remember. He laughed and said he couldn’t remember much as he was now 88 years old and his memory was not as good as it used to be. I asked if the committee was something formal. Noel said, from what he could remember a group of mates always drank at the same bar and from what he could remember after more than a few drinks, someone suggested they form a committee, someone suggested The “Boozers Committee” and all the names were placed on a 10 Yen note. He said from what he could remember the committee were just a bunch of mates who always drank together. I told him that was such a typical Australian serviceman thing to do.

I asked about some of the other names on the note that were still visible, Noel said, Ron Holden (deceased) was his Roommate. He lost contact with Clarke and Corfield (Deceased) some time ago. I asked Noel about his military service. He said that after he joined up he was posted to Bathurst NSW Army Barracks. 123 Transport Platoon was formed there as part of BCOF and from there they were deployed to Japan. They sailed on the HMAS Duntroon, the voyage took 29 days to sail to Japan and on the way the ship stopped to shelter at various islands due to a Tsunami warning and a very sick soldier.

Noel served in Japan from March 1946 to October 1947. They were stationed at a Field Transport Company in Kaitaichi Barracks 6 miles from Hiroshima. On the 14th March 1947 the barrack burned down. Driver. NX207052 Private; Ronald Cyril Downey died in the fire and 123 Transport Platoon were moved to a town called Hiro. Noel recalls they had a Sergeant. Col Lander who was a former Desert Rat of Tobruk, their O.C. was Captain. Doug Parbery, (deceased). Noel suggested the other names on the note were:- A. Avnel and B. Lobb. Private Ronald Downey was buried at the Yokohama War Cemetery.

Noel recalls that on one occasion, he and a couple of his mates. Pete Barlogue and Noel Watten decided to have their photos taken. They went into a gift shop, that had a photographic studio. Opposite the main gate of the Kaitaichi Barracks. As they waited to have their photographs taken, 4 young Japanese men came in and spoke to the people in the shop. (In Japanese). After the 4 men had left Noel asked the people in the shop if they had been threatened. They told the Aussies that if they served the Australian soldiers their shop would be burned down. Times were hard for the Japanese and he said that when he arrived in Japan, the people were starving and no way of making a living.

Cheers

Tony