Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of Emmanuel O'SULLIVAN, 48 Park Street, Marrickville, New South Wales.

Vince grew up in Tamworth and, at age 15, moved to Sydney to begin his working life as an office boy.

In September 1943, at just 18 years old, Vince joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). He underwent his initial training in Tocumwal before moving to technical training at No. 4 School of Technical Training in Adelaide. In early 1944, Vince completed training as an armourer. He then served as an armourer in the General Reconnaissance School at Bairnsdale, Victoria, and No. 1 Operational Training Unit in Sale, Victoria. In October 1944, Vince was posted to No. 12 Aircraft Repair Depot, which moved to Darwin in December.

At the end of April 1945, Vince was transferred to No. 13 Squadron. While based at Gove in the Northern Territory, the squadron performed maritime escort and anti-submarine patrols. In June, Vince was deployed overseas with the squadron, serving at Morotai until the war’s end. The squadron moved to Labuan on Borneo in August and remained there until the end of 1945.

On Vince’s voyage around the top of Borneo, he said the ship’s captain announced a warning – ‘we are going through mine-infested waters, be on the lookout for floating and submerged mines’. Vince says nobody slept a wink and everyone’s lips were moving as they were all praying.

Another frightening time was when they were in Morotai. The Japanese were very close and Vince was on night shift alone – ‘It was pitch dark, and I was guarding all the soldiers in the camps. And I was that scared, I didn't know where I was. Every sound I thought was the enemy going to cut my throat, and all I was armed with was my Tommy-gun, it was my service weapon. I was pointing it at every leaf rustle and twig snap through my whole shift’.

Vince says the best thing about his service was surviving! ‘I had seven brothers and we all went to war in different parts of the world and we all made it back home to Dad’.
Vince was discharged from the RAAF on 11 July 1946. After the war, Vince became a builder/bricklayer and ran his own business. In 1953, he married Jill, the love of his life, and they had 6 children. Sadly, Jill and one of their children have passed away.

When Vince was younger, he enjoyed fishing, golf and tennis. He was a champion swimmer and an excellent boxer. When Vince retired, he bought old watches and either mended them or made new ones. He then sent the working watches overseas to charities. Now Vince likes walking, listening to the music of his era and keeping up with current affairs.
Vince credits his long life to his big close-knit family, his trusty DVA Gold Card and staying active. He also says he became a new man after going on a fast for 15 days when he was 60 and getting rid of all the bad toxins.

According to his family, Vince is happy, friendly and genuinely interested in everyone he meets. He is ‘generous to a tee’ and has a heart of pure gold.