WOOLFORD, Donald Brian
| Service Number: | 48590 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 26 May 1942 |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
| Born: | Orroroo, South Australia, 11 May 1922 |
| Home Town: | Willowie, Mount Remarkable, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Willowie Primary School, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Farm hand |
| Died: | Natural Causes, Booleroo Centre Hospital, South Australia, 14 September 2009, aged 87 years |
| Cemetery: |
Wilmington Cemetery, S.A. |
| Memorials: | Willowie WW2 Roll of Honour |
World War 2 Service
| 26 May 1942: | Involvement Corporal, 48590 | |
|---|---|---|
| 26 May 1942: | Enlisted Adelaide | |
| 26 May 1942: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Corporal, 48590 | |
| 26 Mar 1946: | Discharged |
Help us honour Donald Brian Woolford's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Di Barrie
Donald Brian Woolford was born at Orroroo 11 May 1922, eldest son of Fred and Ruby Rebecca (nee Humphries) Woolford. Fred and Ruby farmed ‘Fordvale’ - Sections 128 and 129, Hundred of Willowie.
Don was working on the family farm when he enlisted with the RAAF on 26 May 1942, reporting to Number 5 Recruitment Centre, aged 20 years. On 26 June he was posted to 4 School of Technical Training at Adelaide before transferring to 3 School of Technical Training at Sydney University, Ultimo, New South Wales, on 14 September. Here he joined Course No. 19 for Fitter-Driver Motor Transport (F DMT) and passed the course eight weeks later.
Don moved again on 16 November, to 1 Aircraft Depot at Laverton Victoria. 5 January 1943 he was transferred once more to the newly created No. 62 Works Wing HQ at Royal Park. This was an RAAF airfield construction wing which would play a significant role in supporting RAAF and USAF operations in the South West Pacific.
Don embarked for New Guinea on the March 1 1943, arriving there 14 days later. The unit went to Goodenough Island where two airstrips were constructed at Vivigani, one to handle fighter planes, and a second longer strip to handle bombers. Don may also have spent time at Nadzab, as sections of No. 62 Works Wing were deployed there to construct two airstrips and construct a road connecting Lae with Nadzab.
The unit then moved to Noemfoor Island in Dutch New Guinea, as part of Cyclone Task Force, an 8000 strong invasion force of American and Australian troops which fought some 2000 Japanese troops for possession of the island and its three airstrips, between 2 July and 31 August 1944. Don was then posted to 7 Airfield Construction Squadron on 1 August 1944, at which time he was promoted to Corporal but his stay there was short.
He left New Guinea 12th September and posted to 3 Transport and Movements office, in Adelaide, 15 November1944. 2 July 1945 the Adelaide Advertiser newspaper announced Don’s engagement to Lois Claire, youngest daughter of Mr and Mrs Albert Bull of Peterhead, Adelaide.
6 July Don was once again transferred, this time to 10 RAAF Postal Unit. He was based there until January 1946 when he was transferred to 3 Transport and Movements office at Adelaide. In early March his final posting was to 4 Personnel Depot, before being discharged from the service on 26 March 1946.
Don returned to Willowie, farming land in the Hundred of Willowie and Pinda. He and Lois married on the 22 June 1946 at North Adelaide. They had two sons. He was heavily involved in the local community, being secretary of the Willowie School and represented Pinda Ward in the Wilmington Council. He was also a member of the Wilmington Returned Services League and was President of that branch from 1974-2007.
Excerpt taken from "Diggers From the Dust" (2018) Di Barrie & Andrew Barrie
Donald passed away at Booleroo Centre Hospital on the 14 September 2009, aged 87 years of age, and is buried at Wilmington Cemetery, South Australia.
Click images to start slideshow.