Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Sapper Reginald Lindsay Chuck
2nd/5th Field Company 7 Division
Royal Australian Engineers A.I.F.
Service No: SX20117
Date of Birth: 25th December 1921
Place of Birth: Mount Gambier
Enlisted: 31st July 1942
Locality on Enlistment: Kalangadoo, SA
Date of Discharge: 29th March 1946
Additional Service Number: S5463

Born in Mount Gambier Reginald Chuck grew up in a small galvanised clad house on South West Terrace, Kalangadoo. He attended the Kalangadoo Primary School and one year at Penola High School. At the age of 13 years Reginald left school to start work; working for the Hemmings and Davies families, then as a farm hand at Krongart Station.
In July 1941 Reginald was called to serve in the Australian Military Forces (it was a call up for all single men who were 20 Years old). He served at Mt Gambier in the 3rd Light Horse Regiment.
When the army deemed horses were unnecessary the 3rd Light Horse was changed to the 9th Motor Regiment. On the 31st of July 1942 Reginald joined the A.I.F. in early 1943 he was moved to several different units and finally transferred into the 2nd/5th field company and continued preparations to go to war.
In August 1943 Sapper Reginald Chuck’s unit embarked for Pt Moresby. Camping at Pom Pom Valley for more training. Reg’s unit (part of the Royal Australian Engineers) was involved in the Battle of Lae, by ensuring roads were prepared for the Australian Troop advances into Lae.
In early 1944 6 platoon returned to Australia, marched in Adelaide, then after a short leave break continued training in order to go overseas again. Finally ending up in the Table Lands of Queensland where Sapper Reginald Chuck was issued with a 6x6 troop transporter. On the 2nd of June 1945 the unit boarded the ‘General Anderson’ a ‘yank’ troop ship. O the 7th July they landed at Maratai, Sapper Reginald Chuck with his 6x6 troop carrier.
Reg wrote in his notes on the war ‘we were kept very busy till the end of the war with a large variety of tasks including airfields and miles of roads’.
He left for Australia on the 5th of January 1946 via the Barrier Reef and onto Sydney and was given 40 days leave and there after discharged from the Army on the 29th of March 1946.
Sapper Reginald Chuck had completed 1007 days active service in Australia and 439 days active service overseas and was awarded the following medals.
1939 – 1945 Star
Pacific Star
War Medal 1939 – 1945
Australian Service Medal
Bar – South West Pacific
British War Medal 1939 – 1945

On returning to Kalangadoo Reg worked at Krongart Station for a short time then joined his brother Eric as a carpenter.
He married in 1947 to Jean Height after 6 years of courtship including the war years writing to jean at least 3 times a week.
Reg and Eric built their home on weekends on land previously owned by Reg’s Grandfather Jimmy Chuck.
At the age of 63 Reg retired from carpentry and took up his passion as a Historian completing 2 books ‘Tightening the Belt’ and ‘Big Trees in Water’.
Sapper Reginald Lindsay Chuck passed away on the 11th of September 2001 and lies at rest within the Kalangadoo Cemetery.
Reg was known as a unashamingly, humble, gentle man always eager to share his vast knowledge of Kalangadoo with anyone. An outstanding soldier and a true Australian.
Kalangadoo Remembers wishes to thank Mrs Jean Chuck for allowing us to read Reg’s own writings in order to gather the information used in today’s service in memory of Reginald Chuck.