Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Harold (Jack) was born in Adelaide on the 9th June, 1915 His love of music underscored much of his time as he enjoyed dancing; winning a Monte Carlo one-step at Echunga in ’34 at a dance to raise funds for the Institute Hall. However his love was in playing, establishing his own Echunga based Orchestra and 'Moonlight Revellers' jazz band playing for many dances, including the Balhannah Cycling and Tennis Clubs, the Echunga Soldiers’ Memorial, Echunga’s Queen of Education, the Mothers’ Welfare Club and many events for the Echunga football Club. He also travelled and performed widely in the hills, including Longwood, Littlehampton, Macclesfield, Uraidla and Belvidere. Just prior to his enlistment, Jack and his orchestra played for a Ball held at the Macclesfield Institute to raise funds to replace the Sturt street bridge, which had been burned in the 1939 bush fires. Its loss had been a major inconvenience to locals and tradespeople. Local and State Governments were experiencing financial shortage so residents opened their own fund-raising for the construction to take place. He also played for the Echunga Annual Old Scholars Ball and for a final farewell to local, Private John Knight, SX2365 who was on pre-embarkation leave. as Private Whimpress, his last civilian performance.
It was therefore quite a loss to the locals when Jack chose to enlist just after his 25th Birthday in June 1940. The local Echunga Institute Hall was crowded in October for a farewell to Jack, (SX7222) Henry Lohmann, (SX7771) and Aleck Golding (SX7600) with all to serve in the 2/48th Battalion. The men received a presentation of a ‘soldier’s companion’ from their local community. The parishioners of the St Mary’s Church of England presented Jack with a prayer book in thanks for his years of being church warden. Similarly, the Jupiter Creek community also made a presentation to him. A series of speakers spoke highly of the men’s involvement in their local church, sport and civic affairs. Following the enlistees’ response, all joined in the patriotic singing of ‘For They are Jolly Good Fellows’ and the ‘Song of Australia’ before a country supper was enjoyed.
Their fate in Tobruk and beyond was yet to be written.
Jack trained at Woodside in the Adelaide Hills before the three friends embarked on the ‘Stratheden’ with other locals in their newly formed Battalion, heading for the Middle East. Unfortunately for Jack, he contracted mumps and was hospitalised. Once recovered he then undertook an anti-Malarial course, returning to the 2/48th and a promotion to Lieutenant Corporal before being evacuated to the 2/8th Field Ambulance.
News drifted through of the local ‘boys’ and was shared via the local newspapers. Tom Cosgrove, SX13162 from Macclesfield, wrote to the local ‘Courier’ in a letter published in October ’42:
“The Courier is a real friend ever here, and you couldn’t imagine how we read every line over and over again. Maccy items are extra welcome.' He also stated that the chaps were busy, between diving away to miss the attention of the planes making 'gadgets out; of pieces of wrecked Messerschmitt structure The dust was terrible, and the drift so bad that 'the telephone posts , were the only, 'things that stood above' it, also a- bomb-torn shed or two that used to be the railway station. No trees or birds an occasional jackal (always helped on its way-by a few bullets) thousands of sand-colour lizards and flies to the extent that could not be imagined in Australia. The weather had not been too bad quite warm in the day. but cool at night! Jack Whimpress, of Euchunga, is with them and he says: 'Jack is a hero if ever there was one. He is a stretcher bearer and when we got into a pretty hot spot on the first day, he was running around attending to the wounded chaps when we were hardly game to show our heads' It was marvellous to see what he went through.” Tom Cosgrove died of his wounds, aged 24 the following month on the 6th November, 1942.
Unfortunately, he then contracted tonsilitis, which was very unpleasant, especially for a musician of his calibre. Following his return from the Middle East he then embarked for training in Queensland and thence to Milne Bay in New Guinea where he quite rapidly rose to the rank of Corporal in January of 1943.
By 1944 and bearing the rank of Corporal, Jack was briefly home on leave from New Guinea. Conflict in the Tropics also brought with it typical diseases including extremely high temperatures but where the origin was unknown, the condition was recorded as Pyrexia of Unknown Origin (PUO). For Jack in February ‘42, this was followed by bouts of Malaria, both of the malignant and benign types; He was fortunate to survive, finally returning to Townsville in March ’44 before being officially discharged in November 1944. With Middle East and New Guinea service behind him, Jack chose to take up farming.
By February of 1945, he announced his engagement to Margaret Warmington from Kadina. She had been a Guide Captain in her home town, then from 1939, Margaret had been undertaking nursing training, specialising in midwifery at the Adelaide Hospital and Queen’s Home. She was then appointed to the Memorial Hospital in North Adelaide. Jack also quickly returning to his pre-war involvement with his Orchestra, playing at the Vigneron’s Ball in the local Red Cross Queen competition just days before his wedding. He and Margaret were married at St. Paul's Church, Pulteney Street, Adelaide. Jack chose Mr B. Shepperd as his best man. The young couple then returned to live at Echunga, an historic township that fascinated and nurtured him to the point that he researched and published a detailed book, ‘Echunga 1839 – 1939 A History of the township and its Pioneers’.
Jack continued to support the local Volunteer Defence Corps, which was honoured to have him as a Tobruk Rat, a title he wore with pride. He also supported the newly formed RSL sub branch opened at Kanmantoo in June ’51. However, he continued to receive chiacking for his navigational skills to that town. At his sub-branch meeting in ’52, where he held the role of minute secretary, it was noted that Jack was ‘seen, driving a new Prefect so now members hope he will soon get a road map— one which will show him how to get to Harrogate and Kanmantoo—Jack Teakle would be a willing passenger for him too.’ His navigation skills perhaps did not equal his musical talents! Perhaps because of the fine service rendered by Jack, his Harrogate Kanmantoo R.S.L. sub-branch bought its own Christmas present in ‘53 a piano, -which the members made available for the use of the general public. The instrument received a good trial at that meeting with accomplished pianist, Jack in charge. In ensuing years, Jack gave good use to the piano with his many entertaining evenings, at times with an accompaniment of a paino-accordian player as well as acting in a more formal capacity as Toastmaster, dispensing his duties in a most capable manner.
Jack’s involvement continued locally and at Langhorne Creek. He was soon delighted at the birth of his first daughter in the Mount Barker Hospital in January 27th 1948 and a second on October 3rd 1950 Their son was born on March 16th 1953.
Jack lived a full and rewarding life with his remaining years spent in the Hahndorf Nursing Home. He died just after celebrating his 96th birthday on the 15th June 2011.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.