Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Joined the Australian Regular Army in 1955 at the age of 15 as an Army Apprentice and graduated as a motor mechanic tradesman. This three year training course was at The Army Apprentices School Balcombe Victoria where he attained the highest rank possible, warrant officer class two and was CSM B Company in his final year.

Selected for officer training at the Officer Cadet School Portsea Victoria in 1959. After various regimental postings in RAEME units at Broadmeadows, Puckapunyal and Bandiana he was appointed to his first command as the Officer Commanding (OC) 3 Signal Regiment LAD RAEME Watsonia Victoria then another command as OC Royal Military College Duntroon Workshop RAEME Canberra ACT.

He saw active service in Vietnam as he was posted in January 1968 as OC 5 Company RAASC Workshop RAEME (detachment 1 Division Supplies and Transport Workshop RAEME was its former title and that was the unit he was actually originally posted to.)

He attended university at RMIT with Army support and funding in Mechanical Engineering and later, in 1971 he was sent to undertake further engineering studies at The Royal Military College of Science University in Shrivenham UK.
Subsequently. he had postings in Australia at the Army Design Establishment Maribyrnong Victoria and later at Army Headquarters Materiel Branch Canberra ACT.

In 1975 after 20 years service at the age of 35 he elected to be discharged and commenced work as an engineer with Mercedes Benz Australia.

After his Regular Army service he enlisted in the Army Reserve and continued until reaching the retirement age for his rank of major. This occurred on 1 February 1988. His total military service was 27 years and 6 months.