Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Neil was born on the 27th August, 1918 at Balaklava, a country town on the banks of the Wakefield River in the mid-north of South Australia. His parents were Florence Ada and John Drennan Carson Gilchrist who owned a tailor shop in Balaklava. Neil had four siblings, Doreen, Keith, Winston, and Brian.
The children all attended the local Balaklava School where the students were members of Stuarts or Flinders House for competitions covering a range of sports. Being a competent athlete, Neil as a ten-year-old was successful in the 220-yard race and relay, gaining places in each.
Neil and his family were regular attendees at the Methodist Church where his father was the conductor of the choir where, for special events, including the Sunday School Anniversary, the children presented special singing with Neil and his brother, Brian also playing a violin duet and other children adding recitations or individual songs. Neil’s singing was frequently a highlight alongside Jack Gilding, Charles Manuel and Colin Hore. Charles was later to enlist at a similar time to Neil and become Private SX8017, in the 2/48th while Colin became a Trooper.
Neil was also awarded three books for having done the best work in the Rainbow system of Sunday School work. He and Charlie Manuel were also amongst a group involved in Junior Christian Endeavour and had graduated from that group as twelve-year-olds. Neil was obviously a good role model for other students, gaining an award in ’31 for being ‘the best behaved of all the performers during rehearsals’ for the end of year school concert. He was part of the entertainment in the production of the children’s operetta, "The Magic Wood"
Patriotism was strongly encouraged in the community and school. In ’31 a delegation of Business Men visited Neil’s Primary School with a strong message to the children to ‘always ask for South Australian goods when sent on shopping expeditions by their mothers, and mentioned that soon they would be looking for jobs, and the only way to make sure that there would be room for them was to always buy South Australian, Australian, British, or Empire goods only.’ At the conclusion of the speeches, Neil was one of three students to propose a vote of thanks – a skill he continued to use for the rest of his life and on this occasion the Delegation commented on the quality of the youngsters’ remarks.
As a fifteen-year-old, Neil’s family was involved in a car accident which was fully reported in the Wooroora Producer of October ’33. ‘Within the space of this last week, two cars have been badly damaged by collision with stationary objects. The first accident occurred late on Sunday night, the unlucky motorist being Mr John Gilchrist, proprietor of Balaklava's only tailoring establishment and conductor of the choir of the Balaklava Methodist church. Mr Gilchrist's second son, Winston, is studying at the Roseworthy Agricultural College, and he was being taken back by his father on the Sunday. Leaving Roseworthy, Mr Gilchrist made for Clare, where he was to leave his niece, Miss Symons, who had been spending a holiday at Balaklava. After leaving Clare, Mr Gilchrist, who was accompanied by his wife and two sons, Neil and Brian, headed for Balaklava, and when nearly home the lights of the car fused. Progress then was difficult, as the night was dark in the extreme. However, they pushed on, and were able to use the lights of another car, which was also being driven to Balaklava. There is a sharp corner about a quarter of a mile from the Brightwood school, and when the leading car turned, Mr Gilchrist was temporarily blinded by the sudden disappearance of the light, with the result that in turning the corner, he swung out rather wide, and crashed into a reinforced concrete electric light pole, the offside front wheel taking most of the force ot the impact. The occupants of the car were not seriously hurt. Mr Gilchrist was thrown heavily against the steering wheel, and Neil had to have several stitches inserted in a cut in his cheek. The chassis, front axle, and front mud guard of the car were badly twisted. The vehicle was insured and is being repaired.’ Quite an unexpected but painful ‘adventure’.
Besides academic talent, Neil was also an accomplished sportsman, especially playing tennis both for his school House (Flinders) but also in local competitions in boys’ and mixed doubles as well as singles. He and Keith paired up for an Easter tournament at Blyth in ’37, finishing runners up in the gents' handicap singles, with Neil also reaching the finals in singles. His mother, Joan was also runner-up in the croquet tournament. In winter, Neil played in the Wakefield Football Association as a reliable backman with the local paper commenting that ‘Neil Gilchrist proved a stumbling block with several fine saving efforts in the goalmouth’ in a match against Owen, with older brother Brian also featuring with his fine marking. In 1940, Neil was named captain of the Balaklava team with his brother Brian being part of the selection committee. However, once Neil enlisted and was in camp, a replacement vice-captain was appointed.
Neil also added acting as part of his talents, being involved in a range of different roles from a minstrel to interlocutor to a child of an un-principled yet likeable rogue in "The Way Out," and the Prince in the operetta ‘Cinderella’ performed by Balaklava Methodist Girls' Comradeship and Order of Knights. Coincidentally, Joan Turner, who was later to become Neil’s wife, played the part of Cinderella – a fitting role both in fantasy and later real life. Neil was also most active in the community. He was a regularly named attendee at local social gatherings from ‘coming of age’ parties to a wide range of social gatherings at many venues including dances. He was also frequently chosen to be best man for friends from church, including Leslie Cullen in ‘39 and usher for Temby Moody when he married Maureen Hams in ’48.
He and brother Keith also enjoyed ‘getting away’ camping with their father at Balgowan near Maitland on the Yorke Peninsula during the holidays. There, besides enjoying fishing, at one stage catching a seven-foot sting ray, he learnt a range of skills that would stand him in good stead when serving during the war.
With the outbreak of WWII, a very strong recruiting campaign was conducted for the A.I.F. in a huge drive aimed at fit young country men. As an incentive for country young men to enlist, intending recruits were encouraged to contact the Balaklava Recruiting Committee for their initial examination. The added inducement was that they would then receive a free rail pass to Adelaide for their second examination, as well as being met on arrival and conveyed to Keswick. Consequently, just prior to his 22nd birthday, Charles, officially enlisting on the 29th June, 1940 at Wayville, and was allocated to the newly formed 2/48th Battalion with the number SX7266. Initial days were spent in the cold of the Pavilions, now part of the Royal Adelaide Showgrounds before he and other new enlistees headed to Woodside for their preliminary training and his first promotion to A/Corporal.
The names of enlistees were regularly listed in the local ‘Producer’ which announced in October ’40 that there would be a farewell at the Balaklava Institute for the young men who had pre-embarkation leave as members of the 2nd A.I.F. home for a few days. These included L/Cpl. Neil Gilchrist, 2/48th SX7266, W. Hansen SX6666, Charles Manuel SX8017 2/48th, Reg Marriott 2/43rd SX 6608, Ken Lindner SX5376, Keith Reid SX2144 and Brian Sutton 2/43rd SX6605.
The local ‘Producer’ also listed Pte David Williams and Pte Roy Hage and reported that there was singing of patriotic war songs, musical items and even tap-dancing items. With formalities over, supper and dancing followed.
Just days later, another farewell occurred. The ‘Producer’ reported that ‘Pte. C. G. Manuel and Lance-Corporal N. B. Gilchrist, who has also held various offices in connection with Balaklava Druids Lodge, were farewelled by members at Thursday night's meeting.’ Additional speeches were given by the Methodist Club Tennis President and Balaklava Football Club President both of whom spoke of the service Neil had given to the respective sports and reflecting that ‘He was sure they would do the same as Australians did in 1914-18, assuring them that there will still be a place for them in the Club when they return.’ Their R.S.L. community presented the young soldiers with a wristlet watch and the Red Cross with woollen, hand knitted garments. The inevitable singing of "For they are jolly good fellows," preceded the soldiers’ responses before the playing of the National Anthem and Song of Australia, community singing and individual solo performances. A country supper and dancing concluded the evening. The two young men were again farewelled at the tennis courts where fellow players again thanked both young men for their service and made a further presentation.
Returning to the 2/48th the Battalion contingent then embarked on the Stratheden for the Middle East, on the 7th November 1940, arriving on the 19th December 1940 where his Battalion completed a few months training in Cyrenaica. From there, Neil was soon on his way to serve in Tobruk, Syria and Egypt. By the start of April 1941, the 2/48th were in Tobruk where the dust, flies, heat, minimal water supplies and constant bombardment were quite a challenge to new enlistees. They were to become the famed Rats of Tobruk.
Conditions were constantly challenging and dangerous, with the list of injuries, deaths and captures being reported back home. In November ’42 The Advertiser carried the news that ‘Mr. and Mrs. J. D. C. Gilchrist, of Balaklava, have been notified that their third son, Sgt. Neil Gilchrist, 24, has been wounded in action in the Middle East. Sgt. Gilchrist enlisted in June, 1940, and left for overseas in November of that year. He was one of the "Rats of Tobruk," and has since been sergeant-instructor at a training school in Palestine.’
The following year Neil returned home and while on leave in October, then a Lieutenant, he married Joan Mary Turner of St Peters at Spicer Memorial Church. Joan had ben active as Officer in Charge of the V.S.D. in Balaklava and was also a useful Basketball (netball) player.
Neil was home on leave in June ’45 before finally being discharged on the 13th October. While this should have been a time of joy for the family, his 63-year-old father, John died unexpectantly just six months later in April ’46. He and Florence had retired to Port Vincent but he continued to be remembered and held in high regard back in Balaklava. At their June meeting of the Balaklava Institute and Institute Cinema, John was paid a wonderful tribute: ‘It is with sincere regret that I have to report the loss of yet another of our long standing and enthusiastic members, I refer to the late John Gilchrist. His passing has left a gap not too easy to replace. His knowledge and wide consideration and thought on all the varied matters which came before the committee in the discharge of its duties, was at all times welcomed, and to a large extent acted upon. A record has been placed on our books of his long and faithful service to the Institute, and its many supporters.’ Similarly, his local Bowls Club: ‘Perhaps one of the most outstanding but nevertheless most modest personalities who contributed his share toward our success and who always sought to engender a true sporting attitude toward the game and the cultivation of a club-mindedness and fellowship among us as bowlers was the late John Gilchrist, a past president; possessing the hallmark of sincerity and integrity, easy of approach and lovable and sound in his judgment. He was an enthusiastic and good player. He naturally, was pleased to win, but in defeat he was most unselfish and generous in his congratulations to his victorious opponent. One of our oldest members, he was not only a committeeman, but also one of the club's guarantors with the bank. We miss him and mourn for him. I can only say that to emulate his sterling qualities will be our best contribution in perpetuating his memory.’ Neil obviously followed in his father’s footsteps.
Joan and Neil welcomed their first daughter, Judith Ann ‘among the latest to receive a visit from that exceptionally busy bird, the stork’ in October ’46. Margaret Mary followed in February 1950 and two other children, David and Jennifer, completed the family.
Post war, Neil took over the tailoring business his father had initially owned. Frustratingly, over the Christmas holidays at the end of ’47 his shop was burgled, with the thieves taking ‘three watches, valued at £12 each, a fountain pen at £2 and a propelling pencil, value £1/10/-, are known to have been stolen in addition to a sports coat, a number of shirts, and a suitcase in which it is thought the goods were removed. A box containing £1/16/- in pennies was also taken although several War Savings Certificates were not touched.’
Neil continued to serve his community, particularly the R.S.L. where he initially undertook the role of junior vice-president and acted as toast master at meetings. By ’47 Neil was appointed as R.S.L. State Councillor for Wakefield and in ’48 was the President of the Balaklava sub-branch. He performed less successfully at the first Diggers’ Bridge Competition held by the Balaklava R.S.L. instead being awarded the booby prize for his efforts.
By 1948 moves were underway for a permanent granite or marble Honor Roll, recording the names of WWI and WWII veterans at the Balaklava Institute. In vigorous debate opinions were offered as to whether those who chose not to volunteer for overseas service should be included, but inevitably the final decision was left to a select committee with the District Council paying the associated costs. Later that year, Neil unveiled the Hoyleton War Memorial naming 23 district servicemen on a plaque affixed to the Memorial gates in a similar position to that for World War I. In doing so, Neil reflected that: ’It is not only the nations dead or the men who served so well that we are asked to remember, but the dependants who are left behind for it is to them that we can give some tangible assistance and some compensation for the great losses they have sustained. The memorial is something which should continually remind us of that which we owe to those who gave their time, their health and in many cases their lives so that peace and security could be assured for their country. This is a record of those from the Hoyleton district who made such sacrifices that war might be ended forever and we trust and pray that their efforts have not been in vain.’ An added honour for Neil was his induction as a member of SA Legacy in ’49.
In a more light-hearted vein, President Neil conducted a ‘Sympathy Party’ for Keith Saint (SX23354) and in his absence, Hugh Stewart, for their forthcoming marriages. Diggers Balls also proved to be hugely popular as fundraisers. Joan was also very active in a women’s group called as 'Torchbearers for Legacy' with popular bridge and euchre fundraising evenings. Together Joan and Neil embodied the best in community leadership.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.