Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of Gordon H DOUGLAS, Spreyton Road, Devonport, Tasmania.

He was born in Latrobe in Tasmania in 1925.

Gordon is a veteran of the Second World War and was working as a shop assistant before he enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in January 1944. After recruit training, Gordon was an aircraft hand at No. 1 Aircraft Depot at Laverton, outside Melbourne, before becoming a clerk in July 1944. In November, he was posted to No. 22 Air Stores Park (ASP) at Sattler in the Northern Territory. In February 1945, Gordon boarded the American Liberty Ship the Nicholas J Sinnott and sailed from Darwin to Morotai in the Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia).

No. 22 ASP was located only 1.5 kilometres from the defensive perimeter on Morotai Island. Japanese troops sometimes infiltrated the area at night to raid food stores. The unit handled supplies and equipment for the RAAF’s No. 10 Operational Group, including for the invasion of Borneo. Gordon continued to serve on Morotai after the war ended in August 1945. During this time, No. 22 ASP supplied uniforms and other kit to RAAF ex-POWs.

Gordon returned to Australia in February 1946 and was discharged from the RAAF in June. He says the best thing about his service was being with mates. Gordon had long term friendships with Jack Gunn and Flying Officer Cliff Barnes, who managed the unit’s pharmaceuticals and became a doctor after the war.

Before and after the war, Gordon was involved in family business, including managing a service station and working on cattle and vegetable farms. He was married to Margaret and has 3 children, 4 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. Sadly, Margaret died in 2017.

When Gordon was younger, he played football with the Devonport Football Club. He now supports the Hawthorn Football Club and enjoys playing cribbage every Monday.