Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Eldest of four brothers who served in WWII (John, Basil, George and Lovell), Sergeant John Frederick Charles Oakes (Service No:57986) enlisted in the RAAF at No 1 Recruiting Centre Melbourne on 22 June 1942 as an Aircraftman I - mustered as Drill Instructor. Promoted to Sergeant in 1943, he was attached to Central Recovery Depot at Discharge on 13 November 1945.

Jack was born in Queenstown, Tasmania in 1902, eldest of seventeen children of Courtney (Court) George Oakes (b1885 in Hobart, Tasmania) and Helena Mary Elizabeth Davis (b1884 in Hobart, Tasmania). Court worked as a Carter, Miner, Hotel Cook's Assistant and Labourer before he and Helena married in 1903 in Queenstow. Court was heavyweight boxing champion of Tasmania for thirteen years, and a champion foot runner and walker, wieghtlifter and tug-of-war competitior. Court and Helena lived in Queenstown and Hobart, where they raised their family and Court was a Hotel Licensee/Manager (including the Belfast Public House, Railway Pier Hotel, Howard's Hotel, Brighton Pier Hotel and the Wheatsheaf Hotel on Norfolk Island), and worked for Cascades Brewery. 

Jack moved to Melbourne, where he was a Cleaner in 1919 when he married his first wife Ivy May Jessie Bladen (b1902 in Melbourne, Victoria). Jack and Ivy settled in Melbourne, where they raised their family and Jack worked as a Cleaner, and was Proprietor of Star and Atlas Cleaning Coy in 1942 when he enlisted in the RAAF. In 1945 Jack applied for Discharge to work as a Farm Hand (machinery maintenence and agricultural work) for Mr Stronach in Warracknabeal, and in 1948 in Hobart he married Dardanella (Dardy) Edith McRae (b1916 in Warracknabeal, Victoria) - Dardy, a Textile Worker/Weaver, served in the WAAF (Corporal; Service No:91360). Jack and Dardy lived in Hobart and then Franklin, where they raised their family and Jack worked as a Labourer and Cellarman until his death in 1963. Dardy died in 1988.