Ww2 occupation money

[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

[Mike Cecil]

Tony,

All excellent stuff! Well done.

Mike C

[Little Jo]

Originally Posted by Mike Cecil

Tony,

All excellent stuff! Well done.

Mike C

Hi Mike

Yes mate I have thoroughly enjoyed the project. I was thinking of returning the original 10 Yen note to Noel Whiting, I know I have already sent him a photograph of the note, but I thought Noel or his family might like it. Any thoughts.?

Cheers

Tony

[Mike Cecil]

Well, for long-term preservation, I'd advocate donating to the AWM, along with the research notes/story you have. The BCOF collection is not all that large, and this would, I should think, be a well-regarded addition. However, that decision is for the current staff to make, not me.

Giving it to NW is laudable, but it is unlikely to be preserved in the long term for all Australians to access/see (if accepted by AWM, it would probably be included in the web presentation of the collection, and be available for display as appropriate).

PM me if you want contact details for the correct person & section within AWM.

Mike C

[Little Jo]

Originally Posted by Mike Cecil

Well, for long-term preservation, I'd advocate donating to the AWM, along with the research notes/story you have. The BCOF collection is not all that large, and this would, I should think, be a well-regarded addition. However, that decision is for the current staff to make, not me.

Giving it to NW is laudable, but it is unlikely to be preserved in the long term for all Australians to access/see (if accepted by AWM, it would probably be included in the web presentation of the collection, and be available for display as appropriate).

PM me if you want contact details for the correct person & section within AWM.

Mike C

Hi Mike

PM sent.

Cheers

Tony

[Mike Cecil]

Nothing heard, over....

Mike C

[Little Jo]

Originally Posted by Mike Cecil

Nothing heard, over....

Mike C

Hi Mike

I sent two PM yesterday, so I have resent via email.

Cheers

Tony

[Little Jo]

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

[Mrs Vampire]

That is fabulous...

[Little Jo]

Originally Posted by Gina Vampire

That is fabulous...

Hi Gina

I hope my expectations are not too high but I am looking forward to continuing the story.

Cheers

Tony

[lynx42]

That is an excellent story, Tony. Well done with the research.
I would like to find out which of the 170 Australian delivered Ford Lynx Canadian Scout Cars went to Japan. I haven't been able to differentiate between those which stayed in OZ and those which went to Japan. Mike C. tells me that all were returned to OZ but that doesn't say which ones went. I have the AWM126 pages but no Japan links there.

Anyway well done. Looking forward to more.

Regards Rick.

[Little Jo]

Originally Posted by lynx42

That is an excellent story, Tony. Well done with the research.
I would like to find out which of the 170 Australian delivered Ford Lynx Canadian Scout Cars went to Japan. I haven't been able to differentiate between those which stayed in OZ and those which went to Japan. Mike C. tells me that all were returned to OZ but that doesn't say which ones went. I have the AWM126 pages but no Japan links there.

Anyway well done. Looking forward to more.

Regards Rick.

Hi Rick

I see you are setting me a challenge. I will try and get they grey cells motivated.

Cheers

Tony

[Little Jo]

Hi all

To those of you who have been following the story of the Boozers Club by members of the BCOF Japan. I wish to advise that I have made contact with the son of Cpl Ron Holden who was a room mate of Cpl Noel Whiting the only surviving member of the group I interviewed in 2013. Ron would now be 89 years old and hopefully still with us.

Cpl Ron Holden's son has supplied me with a lot of his dad's story and a number of black and white photographs taken by his father of his time in Japan. There is also a good photo of the Boozers Committee all lined up at the bar. I will now go ahead and update my original story in the Nasho News Magazine and include some photographs.

Mike Cecil, How do I contact you as I wish to discuss some matter of the story with you.

Cheers

Tony

[Mike Cecil]

Tried to PM you but it was rejected.

my email is mike (at) krystiimelaine.com

Mike

[Little Jo]

Originally Posted by Mike Cecil

Tried to PM you but it was rejected.

my email is mike (at) krystiimelaine.com

Mike

Hi Mike

Thank you. I will send email.

Cheers

Tony