Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Geoff was born 16 April 1923 at Wallaroo Mines. His parents were Henry (1897-1960) and Hilda (1896-1988) Gray.

Nina and Geoff were engaged before he enlisted in 1942 to serve in World War 2.

The Japanese air raids on Darwin on 19 February and subsequent raids in April, June, July and November 1942 prompted Geoff to enlist in the Army 2nd AIF on 25th February  1943. He was 19 years of age. Geoff and the other soldiers were rushed to Darwin via road convoy. Nina remembers that they had to stand all the way in the back of a trolley  with nowhere to sit down. He went on to serve in New Guinea. Geoff had a camera and sent photos home to Nina.

I didn't see him for two and a half years; He didn't come back to Australia. They went up around the islands and everywhere after the Japanese.
Geoff was discharged on 28 February 1946.

When peace was declared, and Geoff returned home he sent a telegram to Nina to make arrangements to get married. Nina had not seen him for two and a half years.

With such short notice, Nina was lucky to obtain a beautiful wedding dress. I had an aunt that just been married, and she had this beautiful dress and she sent it to me to get  married in, it was lovely. I still have it in the drawer in the bedroom. On 13 October 1945 they were married at the Richmond Baptist Church and formal photos were taken in a  studio after the wedding. Nina says that the Geoff in the wedding photos was nothing like him, his hair had been cut short for the army and he had lost a lot of weight.

The after-wedding reception was held at my Uncle Doug’s billiard room, a huge room in the bottom of this house he had built near the Richmond Road shops on Grove Avenue. Geoff's groomsmen were his army mates, Bob Rice from Goodwood and Bob Burford. Nina's bridesmaids were her sister Brenda (Elliott) and sister-in-law Ruth (Watkins, later  Squire). The couple honeymooned in Broken Hill and they initially lived at the Baldock home with Ma (Mary) in Grove Avenue.

Geoff worked at SABCO (SA Brush Co.) as a brush maker, prior to the war. The company re-employed him after and held a formal welcome home event.

Established in South Australia in 1892 as the South Australian Brush Company by W. E. Hay, SABCO specialised in cleaning and garden products. It was a household name for  brooms and brushes in South Australia for over a century. Initially, the South Australian Brush Company was quite small and its products were hand crafted. Over time the  company grew and adopted more automated production processes. In 1930 the factory was in Flinders Street, Adelaide. It established a new factory after World War 2 in what had  been a munitions factory at Hendon.

After the war there was a general shortage of building materials, and it took about three years for their war service home to be built on Sutton Terrace.

After SABCO, Geoff went on to work as a baker at the local Menz Biscuit factory. In 1942 W. Menz and Company bought ten acres of what had been the Richmond Park horse stud.  The land was between Galway Avenue and Lucknow Street and the company received permission to close off the section of Aldridge Terrace, running from Lucknow Street  to Galway Avenue, which passed through the property. Menz began baking operations in a Nissen building (imported from England) in December 1953. In the 1960s Menz merged with other Australian biscuit companies to form the Australian Biscuit Company Ltd.

Geoff’s experience at SABCO led the owner of the Lincoln Brush Company to approach him around 1960 to help them start their new business based at 22 Streeters Road, North  Plympton. This business manufactured paint brushes in South Australia for over thirty years until 1981 when acquired by SABCO. The Lincoln Brush Company subsidiary continued profitably and SABCO had more than half of the Australian market for brushes and brooms. In 1993 the Lincoln Brush Company was sold back to its previous owner.

Nina remembers that Geoff was paid for the quantity of items produced and so that he wasn’t distracted by other staff he would go in to work as early as 4am. One morning the  police took him in to the station for questioning as they didn’t believe he was an employee on the premises at that time of day.

Nina and Geoff had four children.
24 March 1948 - Stephen Geoffrey, born at Chatham Hospital, Keswick. 22 November 1951 - Janet Elizabeth, born at the Lurline Street Hospital, Mile End (later Threadgold). 9  August 1954 - Richard Henry born at St Ives Hospital, Torrensville. 26 May 1962 – Trina Beverley, was born at Ashford Hospital. (later Simon).

Nina recalls that it was around 1953 that they moved into their home in Sutton Terrace, Marleston. In her garden Nina grew her own spinach and had fruit trees. At one time I  had a beautiful apple tree and a nectarine tree. The only fruit tree I have left is the apricot tree. I had bananas up in the back, beautiful bananas and the boys next door used to come down and pinch my bananas. Nina says she always had lawn for the children to run around, but never had chickens as she was frightened of them. Nina recalls fruit and  vegetables being delivered by horse and cart and the postman came on a pushbike once a day. There was no gas connection to the home, only electricity. I did have ice delivered.  He used to bring it in the kitchen to where we had an icebox. It was put in the top of the icebox, and we put everything underneath to keep cool to eat. The man up the street, Mr. Shearer used to deliver the milk and ice and my son, Stephen would work for him before he went to school. He would knock on the door, and he'd be out of bed to  help him. I'd leave out a can, and he put two pints in or whatever, I’d leave the money under the can.

Courtesy of West Torrens Historical Society (drive.google.com)