Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

My father Tasker left the Royal Hotel after almost two years' service on November 8th, 1939, and moved to Sydney to again work in the textile industry. This was mainly due to the fact that my mother Hazel had recently left Goulburn to work in the woollen mills at Alexandria, Sydney with her elder sister Mrs Emmie Taylor. World War Two had just erupted when dad married my mother at Stanmore on November 2nd, 1940. Not long after his marriage my father received his conscription call up.

The letter addressed to him said that to enable him to meet his comrades of the 2nd Division, Australian Army Service Corps, a dance was to be held on November 30th, 1940, at the Military Drill Hall, Addison Road, Marrickville at the cost of one shilling and sixpence per person.

At that time Major H A Nugent was in command of the Australian Army Service Corps, depot at Marrickville. Dad served as a truck driver with regimental number N5434 in “E” Section, 2nd Echelon Supply Column. Australian Army Service Corps (AASC), Wallgrove Military Camp NSW, 2nd Australian Division. He was in Wallgrove Military Camp of continuous training from December 8th, 1940, until March 7th, 1941. His time taken up driving trucks in and out of the camp for resupply purposes.

I wrote to Central Army Records Office in an attempt to find out more about my dad's military service, and on October 12th 1983 I received a letter to inform me that they regret to advise that personal records relating to Militia or Citizen Forces between the World Wars are limited and far from complete, however they were able to pass onto me the information according to Militia pay sheets held at their office. At that time they neglected to inform me if my father was entitled to any war medals.

Many years afterwards I wrote a letter to the Hon. David Simmons, Federal MP, Member for Calare to find out if my dad was eligible for the new Civilian Service Medal 1939-1945 approved on October 28th, 1994. I received his letter dated August 16th 1995 to inform me that dad was not eligible for the award, but Mr Simmons also wrote that he had sent a letter off to the Medal Section of the Soldier Career Employment Management Agency, Central Army Records Office in Victoria, concerning a possible medal award for my late father. To end the story I received two medals, being the War Medal 1939-1945 engraved with my dad's name and regimental number on October 31st, 1995, and this being followed by the Australia Service Medal 1939-1945 on March 19th, 1997.

It is now known that dad later became exempted from further military service due to his recent marriage and civilian employment as a textile employee. This came about under a protective industry scheme to prevent employees being called up into the military forces and thus draining civilian skills otherwise better spent in industry rather than channeled into the military system. Dads two brothers also served their country during World War Two, younger brother Clarrie served as Able Seaman/Radar Plotter 3rd Class on “HMAS Napier” and Phillip served as Private NX162406 in the 2/4th Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF on the Kokoda Track during the New Guinea campaign against the Japanese.

By 1942 Tasker and Hazel were again living in Goulburn at 104 Grafton Street, dad being employed at Amalgamated Textiles Ltd. Towards the end of World War Two, dad was again working as barman back at the Royal Hotel. By this time, he also acted as chauffeur for the licensee Mr Charlie Miley, and later under a succession of licensees he became head drink waiter of the Royal Hotel. From 1957-59 he became licensee of Tattersalls Hotel in Auburn Street, Goulburn.

Compiled by Tasker Chamberlain's son Denis John Chamberlain OAM. Information taken from publication "CHAMBERLAIN Richard & Edith" 2013, written by his son Denis John Chamberlain OAM, RSL Life Member & 2018 RSL ANZAC of the YEAR. recipient.