Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

265446 Flight Lieutenant Silas Owen Edwards

4 May 42 Enlisted- Pilot Officer
26 Feb 46 Demobilisation

6 Dec 42 Promotion to Flying Officer
1 Jul 44 Promotion to Flight Lieutenant (Temporary)
6 Jun 42 School of Administration Melbourne
8 Jun 42 4 WMU Ascotvale
11 Aug 42 4 WMU Townsville
5 Jul 42 – 28 Feb 43 Detached Temporary Duty Horne Island
14 Feb 43 4 WMU Port Moresby
25 Jun 43 HQ 2 TG Wagga
22 Jul 43 WTU Pine Creek NT
14 Aug 43 APHQ Melbourne
22 May 44 1 RPP Townsville
25 May 44 62 Works Wing Nadzab
12 Jun 44 4 WMU Goodenough
15 Jul 44 4 WMU Goodenough
18 May 45 4 ACS Morotai
22 Jun 45 4 ACS Labaun
18 Nov 45 RPP Morotai
18 Nov 45 2 PD Morotai
19 Nov 45 2 PD Sydney

ACS Army Cooperation Squadron -RAAF
APHQ Advanced Personnel Headquarters
PD Personnel Depot
RPP Reserve Personnel Pool
WMU Works Maintenance Unit
WTU Works Training Unit

Silas Owen Edwards, my maternal grandfather, kept a meticulous record of his WW2 Service in the RAAF in the South West Pacific as a Works Engineer Officer. This record was mostly in the form of family correspondence and pictures that he took.

On the insistence of his wife, he recorded his War Diary and had it published. This effort concluded on 11 March 1981 and he died on 9 April 1981. His family and indeed, our nation, are blessed to have been left with his first hand record of this point in history. This diary is held by the AWM and subject to the application process to access such data.

In an age where most people made their own entertainment, Silas was the composer of 'bush doggerel'. He found his voice in these most extraordinary circumstances. One such poem was a motto painted for erection in the Ante-Room of RAAF Officers' Mess in Labuan. It is on a sheet of solid core timber about five feet by three and has a picture of a bulldozer with its blade raised, and across the blade will be written:

Let this always be the motto
of the Gravel Grubbers' Grotto
Abandon rank all ye who enter here.
From the PO to the Grouper
Or the mighty Super Duper
Your welcome Sir is equally sincere.
Whether shiny-bum or shirker, or malingerer or worker,
Whether Wing, TAAF, RAAF or Air Board you may be
Whether sober Sir, or blotto
In the Gravel Grubbers' Grotto
You'll find nothing else but hospitality.

SOE
July 1945

For many years, this motto could be seen in the AWM, displayed beneath the wing of the bomber 'G for George'. This was apt because the aircraft cannot function without those artisans who make airfields and infrastructure.