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Australia

Peter James Devine was born in Adelaide on 18 April 1937 to Leo and Violet.  His father worked as a fabricator at Richards Motor Body Manufacturers at Mile End, which later became Chrysler Australia at Tonsley Park. He retired as a supervisor.

Peter’s mother died when he was three years old and he was sent to live with his grandmothers in both Adelaide and Nairne, enduring what seems to have been a rather difficult childhood. Eventually, when Leo remarried, Peter returned to live with the new family at Glandore. Peter went to primary school locally, subsequently attending Sacred Heart College at Somerton Park as a day boy. The family later moved to St Marys.

School cadet

It was at Sacred Heart that Peter got a taste of things military when he joined the School Cadets.  It was an activity he really loved. He progressed well and achieved the rank of Cadet Staff Sergeant, gaining early experience in administration and stores management. This experience would stand him in good stead throughout his military career. He also found he had some skill in rifle shooting, at one stage winning a trophy which was presented to him by the then Governor, Sir Robert George.

Peter joined the Bank of Adelaide in 1955 as a clerk. He enjoyed promotions within its structure, working in positions at Head Office and Clovelly Park. He remained with the Bank until 1966 when he received his first overseas posting with the Citizen Military Forces (CMF). He arranged two years leave of absence with the Bank, undoubtedly planning to return.

Citizen Military Forces and overseas deployment

Peter was called up for National Service in 1956. The Commonwealth government had introduced compulsory military training for 18 year old men, in the context of various global and regional conflicts after WW2.  The scheme involved three months training at Woodside Army Camp and a further obligation of 2 years part time service.  He remained in the CMF serving with 4 Royal Australian Army Pay Corps Detachment, Keswick Barracks Adelaide until 1966. In that time he was promoted through the ranks from Private in 1956 to Captain in 1964.

It was a significant time in Australia’s military involvement in South East Asia. As part of the British Commonwealth Far East Strategic Reserve, Australian forces had been deployed in Singapore and Malaya during the Malayan Emergency (1950-1963) and the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation (1963-1966).

In 1966 Peter was offered a full time posting to 2IC Paymaster Field Cash Office in Singapore. He was the first CMF officer to be selected for an overseas post in a Cash Office. The following year he was posted to Terendak Garrison Malacca, Malaysia, as Paymaster. Terendak was a large base where Commonwealth forces camped and trained. These were accompanied postings, and his wife Helen and their baby daughter Anthea joined him in Malaysia until he was sent to South Vietnam.

In October 1968, Peter was posted to Vung Tau in South Vietnam as Paymaster Cash Office. Vung Tau was the location for 1 Australian Logistic Support Group (1 ALSG), the major logistic base for Australian forces fighting in South Vietnam. It was the key location for support for troops in the field, air transport including helicopters, medical support and services including payment of personnel.  

The Cash Office/Paymaster provided financial support to headquarters and all units. Troops and civilian staff were paid by Unit Pay Representatives. Cash was provided from the Cash Office, largely in MPC (Military Payment Currency). The Paymaster also regularly escorted large amounts of cash around the country. Members only drew down from their pay books as required. 1 ALSG personnel could attend the Pay Office to obtain US or Australian Dollars as appropriate, prior to going on R&R (Rest and Recreation) leave or when returning to Australia (RTA).

Return to Australia and the regular army

Peter returned to Australia in August 1968.  Now, totally enamoured with full time service, Peter decided to join the regular army. The Pay Corps was not part of the regular army structure at that point in history. So, no longer able to serve on with Pay Corps, he opted for a transfer to Royal Australian Army Medical Corps (RAAMC) (Administration & Technical stream).

Involving a move to Melbourne, his first posting was as Officer-in-Charge Medical Records Office in 1968. This organisation was responsible for the raising, custody, filing and maintenance of approximately 46,000 records.  In 1972 he took up a staff posting to the Medical Directorate in Melbourne and was involved in the review of medical units, new equipment, systems and procedures and the updating of medical contingency planning for overseas operations.

In 1973 he was promoted to Major and posted as Administration Officer at 2 Military Hospital, Ingleburn in NSW. Although a very different task, he settled in well and enjoyed the new challenges. He, Helen and Anthea lived in the nearby married quarters. Helen however, always struggled to adjust to the full time Army wife’s life she now found herself living, and eventually left Peter, and she and Anthea moved back to Adelaide in 1974.

Peter’s next posting in June 1975 was to Administer Command of 11 Field Ambulance, Enoggera, Queensland, which he very much enjoyed. In September 1976 he attended a Senior Officers Course at Healesville. During his time at 11 Field Ambulance, the Unit acquired their mascot, a donkey which they named ‘Simpson,’ in honour of ANZAC legend, John Simpson Kirkpatrick and his donkey, and their extraordinary feats of moving casualties. ‘Simpson’ eventually became the RAAMC’s mascot.

In February 1978 Peter took up a posting to School of Army Health, Healesville, as Senior Training Officer, another quite different role. He was responsible for the supervision of training, training development and assessment of instructors.   He was appointed President of the Officers’ Mess for 2 years. At this time he was now accompanied by his partner, and later wife, Ruth Page, who had also served in South Vietnam in 1969/70, at 1 Australian Field Hospital.

Remaining in Southern Command (Victoria), he then took up a posting in March 1981 as SO2 (Staff Officer Grade 2), Personnel & Training Group at Central Army Records Office, St Kilda Road, Melbourne. The position was Peter’s first outside the Medical Corps structure. With a staff of 37, he was responsible for the personnel management aspects relating to re-engagement, promotion, posting, trade pay, re-allocation, and discharge of 23,500 regular army members.

For his next posting, in 1983 he returned to Enoggera as SO2, 1 Division Medical Services. His duties included personnel administration, training and operational aspects relating to medical units within the Division.

In 1984 Peter was posted to SO2 Personnel in the Directorate of Medical Services, Canberra. This job involved the career planning of some 900 Other Rank members of the RAAMC, (i.e. personnel below officer rank).

Peter’s next posting was a three year attachment (October 1984 to December 1987) to the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) as SO2 (Personnel) at Murray Barracks in Port Moresby. This was a ‘loan’ posting whereby Peter, along with other Australian officers, filled Headquarter positions alongside a PNGDF counterpart. Loan personnel wore the PNGDF uniform, and were absorbed into the command structures of the Force. Peter was responsible for the management of the officer cohort. He was very well accepted by his colleagues and made many friends amongst the nationals and the Australian expatriate community. A great lover of golf, he became Secretary of the Port Moresby Golf Club.  

With a final posting in the Australian Regular Army looming prior to retirement, and his daughter about to be married, Peter requested a ‘home posting’ and he and Ruth moved to Adelaide, living in Blackwood.  As SO2 (Medical Administration) for 4 Military District (4MD) covering South Australia, he saw out his time until he resigned from the regular army in August 1990.

Retirement

Peter transferred to the Active Army Reserve and found a niche as SO2 with Civil Employment Service Reserve Forces, 4MD. This service provided assistance to members of the Australian Reserve and their civilian employers in the form of advice and financial support. The role involved many visits to rural and regional centres around South Australia. This was yet one more job he loved, and provided a gentle easing into full retirement in December 1992.

Peter enjoyed several years of retirement with golf, camping trips and happy times with Ruth, family and his many friends. The arrival of two grandsons brought much joy at this time.

A cancer diagnosis in 1993 led to his eventual death in January 1996.

Submitted by Ruth Devine with grateful acknowledgement to Janet Scarfe for her generous assistance and advice.     

Much information obtained from Peter's personal and military records...

and from:

" PAY CORRECT SIR! The History of THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN ARMY PAY CORP