Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Mark Q Thompson (my father) worked in an essential service, but enlisted in any case at age 32. He was an excellent rifle shot, particularly at rabbits and foxes on the run and he applied this skill when transferred to artillery. He was loaned to the Merchant Navy because of a shortage of Navy personnel, but did not see action on ships when the Navy fulfilled that shortage. Prior to embarkation to New Guinea he was camped in Townsville, where he and his mates found that the locals gave priority treatment to the Americans, who had money, rather than the poorly paid Aussies. He was eventually sent to Milne Bay, New Guinea. He was assigned to a Bofors Gun crew and saw action on a daily basis with Japanese planes bombing the Milne Bay airstrip. He was not overly impressed with the bravery of the AIF who had returned from the Middle East (according to him they were first to the slit trenches). After an attack he and his mates would use the lids from 44 gallon drums and squat beneath them to protect them from their own flack as it fell to earth. Being killed by your own flak would be just too ironic.

Due to poor diet (lack of leafy greens and vitamins) and tropical weather, he developed a skin disease that saw him sent home for treatment. He spent some time being immersed in brine baths for his condition that remained with for the rest of his life. He was discharged because of this condition.

When he originally enlisted he was assigned to Armored Corp as a driver, but being a poor driver he was transferred to Artillery. Being a bad driver was a stroke of good luck as it turned out because all of his former comrades were sent to Singapore and were made POWs; many to die on the Burma Railway.