Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Daughter of Theodore Alphonsus CROCKETT and Muriel Augusta CROCKETT, 72 Florence Avenue, Eatlakes, New South Wales.

She is a veteran of the Second World War.

Before her war service, Patricia worked as a junior typist with the Taxation Department. While at work, Patricia watched the marching parades from the window, and thought that the service life would be more exciting. Her mother said yes to her enlisting as she thought the war would be well over before Patricia turned 18.

Patricia enlisted in the Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force in January 1944. She chose the WAAAF because ‘the Air Force had the smartest uniform, in my opinion, and I chose to wear it for the foreseeable future – it’s a girl thing’. After her recruit training, Patricia completed cypher training at No. 1 Signals School at Point Cook, Victoria.

In June 1944, Patricia was posted to the Brisbane Wireless Transmitting Station as a cypher assistant. The transmitting station provided a critical communications link with bases further north, including Townsville in northern Queensland and Port Moresby in New Guinea. Patricia worked with cipher machines that were used to provide secure communications for the RAAF. In January 1945, the unit changed its name to the Brisbane Telecommunications Unit.

In April 1946, Patricia was discharged from the WAAAF having reached the rank of corporal. She said that the camaraderie was the most memorable thing about serving.

Late in the war, the Commonwealth Reconstruction Training Scheme (CRTS) was established to provide vocational training for ex-servicemen and ex-servicewomen. Patricia chose to study fine arts and signed up for a 5-year course. After 2 years, she met her future husband Thomas Cosgrove, who had been a sergeant in the Australian Army, and they married in 1949. Patricia left her course and took on short term jobs. She then became a typist at the Milk Board and also worked at the Kingsford Cinema in Sydney, at night. But Patricia’s biggest and most important job after the war was as a mother to their 5 children. Sadly, Thomas died in 2020.

In her spare time, Patricia was a volunteer at her local church. She taught scripture and assisted at the altar. She also enjoyed doing crafts, especially tapestries, drawing and ceramics. She taught herself how to make ceramic statuettes and she made costumes for Barbie dolls. These days, she leads a quieter life.

Patricia credits her long life to her children, staying active, doing everything manually and having fresh, home made food.