Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

George decided to join Royal Australian Air Force on 23rd October 1939.

He married Nancy on 30th November 1940 at the California Hill Methodist Church. George wore his Airforce uniform and had a 2 day leave pass for their honeymoon. They stayed at ‘The Victoria Hotel’ and then at Gran Roberts’ friends flat in the backyard of 37 Haines Street, Glenferrie. George went back to work, catching the train to the William Angliss College in West Melbourne, where he was trained further as a cook.

They lived in Glenferrie for two weeks, and had to buy two knives, two forks, two spoons, two plates, and bowls.

Later they rented a room at Newport, and they purchased a bed at Malcolm Reid’s Furniture shop, which Nancy still had the receipt for when she passed away.

World war two years…
George was posted to Darwin on 1st March 1941 on Nancy’s birthday; he was assigned to the 12th Squadron.

Nancy was unable to work as she was now a married woman, and not until the war began were women permitted to ‘fill’ the jobs which were left by the men who joined the Defence Forces.

Aunty Laura (George’s sister) moved down to be with Nancy, who was able to find work in Flinders Lane, in a clothing factory. They kept warm with a small fire, and as wood was scarce, they travelled to Bendigo by train with two empty suitcases, and filled these with wood to take back.

George by then was then based at the RAAF aerodrome at Darwin. Nancy remembered these as very difficult times for her as well, being concerned for George’s safety, especially as not a great deal of information was given in the newspapers, nor in the letters from George, which were censored.

She was right to be too; it wasn’t until many years later in his 60’s that George revealed he’d been blown up during an Darwin air raid.

Raising a Family…
George returned home from Darwin, and was then stationed at the Bairnsdale Base with Nancy. They had no electricity, and used candles for light. George’s younger brother Frank came down to visit, he had to sit on the boxes as they had no chairs.

They then moved to Sale where Barbara was born. After 6 years in the air force George was discharged on 20th December 1945. They returned to Bendigo.