Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Don was born on 5 Aug 1913 at Pinery (near Balaklava, SA) to William Alfred Thomas Bird and Susan Maria Bird (nee Duck). He was the second youngest of 15 children in the family. His father was a farmer near Balaklava.    

He went to school at Balaklava, leaving at Grade 7. At the age of 14 years he commenced work on the family farm.

Don married Mavis Gladys Curnow at the Methodist Church in Owen on 21 Aug 1937 and moved to Urania (Yorke Peninsula SA) and began share farming. They had a family of five, but only two survived, a boy and a girl.

On 29 Feb 1942 Don enlisted in the Citizens Military Forces (CMF), was given the Service number S55910, and was posted to 6th Army Troops RAE at Warradale. Two weeks later he was detached to the Prisoner of War camp at Sandy Creek (SA), where he remained for 2 months before being granted Leave With Out Pay (LWOP) on 28 May 1942 until 1 Jul 1942. This was called “Seasonal LWOP” and was provided to allow for seeding and/or harvesting.

He returned to his unit at Warradale before entraining at Adelaide on 12 Sep 1942 for Alice Springs and marched into NT Lines of Communication Unit (L of C) a week later. On 1 Jan 1943 he was re-graded as Group 2 Electrician.   

On 18 Feb 1943 he enlisted in the 2nd AIF and his Service number changed to SX29099, but he remained with NT L of C unit. On 8 Jun 1943 he was detached to 23rd Australian Field Company, RAE, where he remained for 4 months before again being detached, this time to 25th Australian Employment Company on 17 Oct 1943; he remained with this Company until 14 Dec 1943 before re-joining his original unit.

However, it was only a short stay, as a week later he marched out of NT L of C to NSW L of C. On 15 Feb 1944 he was again granted “seasonal” LWOP. On return from leave he was transferred to HQ RAE Training Centre in Qld, where he remained until 24 Sep 1944 before marching out to School of Military Engineering, Mechanical Equipment Wing: a month later he qualified as an Operator, Mechanical Equipment and Road. He was marched out to 60th Australian Corps Field Park Squadron RAE on 7 Nov 1944 before being transferred to 2nd Australian Port Construction Company, Royal Australian Engineers (RAE), in Brisbane on 15 Nov 1944.

As the name implies, the Port Construction Companies repaired and developed ports and hardstands for the loading and unloading of watercraft in support of allied troops. It was a demanding and often thankless task, regularly targeted by the enemy.

On 11 Apr 1945 he embarked at Brisbane, with his unit, aboard SS “Sea Ray” for Moratai, arriving on 23 Apr 1945. He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 1 May 1945. After completing the task at Moratai, the unit embarked aboard “LST 638” for British North Borneo arriving a few days later.

On 19 Sep 1945, Don was admitted to 2/6th AGH in Borneo with suspected Malaria. A month later he was released from hospital and returned to Australia. He returned to Adelaide and was discharged on 7 Jan 1946.

After discharge he returned to Yorke Peninsula and applied for a “Soldier Settlers” block. In 1951 he was allocated 2000 acres (800 Ha), Sections 423,424 and 425, Hd of Yaranyacka. The family moved onto the block in 1952. Like many of the “settlers”, Don was a hardworking man, working up to 12 hours a day, seven days a week, but enjoyed being his own boss; he was able to make the farm a profitable business, despite his recurring bouts of Malaria. He was severely burned on the leg in an accident on the farm whilst burning off; this resulted in Don and Mavis leaving the farm and retiring into Tumby Bay.

In a tradition that is still continued by many today, he and Mavis, after retirement, would travel around Australia in their caravan in the bowling “off season” for a few months, always ensuring that they were back in Tumby for the opening of the bowls season. He was a very keen bowler!

Don died on 2 Aug 1984 and is buried in the Tumby Bay Cemetery. Mavis died on 15 Mar 2000 and is buried beside her husband.