Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Biography by his daughter Dr. Verity May Bottroff (Ph.D.)

Stanley Lewis (christened Louis) Bottroff was born on the 25th of June 1913 in Mannum, South Australia, the second son of Louis and Loveday Bottroff (Francis) who had seven children; Basil, Stanley (Stan), Garth, Faith (Fay), Thelma and John. Stan attended Mannum primary school and later Pennington when the family moved to Cheltenham. The family also purchased farmlands in Meadows and the older boys cleared this land, selling the wood during the Depression years.

When World War 11 was declared Stan and his brother, Garth, both enlisted on October 1939, soon to be followed by their younger brothers. Both Stan and Garth served as army drivers in the 2nd A.I.F. in North Africa. Stan was recorded as serving in the Salvage Section. He was in the 2/33rd Infantry Battalion, one of three formed in the United Kingdom on the 27th of June, 1940. His photos show him in the snow which would have been his first experience in a cold climate. He was smiling despite preferring the Australian summers.

Records indicated that the 2/33rd left Britain in January 1941 and disembarked in Egypt and moved for training in Palestine. Stan's photos depict the bombing of Tobruck Harbour (German planes) and aspects of the Battle of El Alamein, including the aftermath. Photos and family information highlighted that Stan and Garth were in close contact during their time in the desert and looked out for one another. However, Garth eventually became an Italian prisoner of war but fortunately escaped to Switzerland in 1943.

Stan was discharged on the 24th of September, 1945 and his posting at discharge was the 72 Battalion. His discharge came just after the death of his much-loved father, Louis, on September 13th, 1945. It must have been difficult for my Grandmother to come to terms with losing her husband while miraculously her four sons returned from the war. However, there were noticeable adjustment issues for some of her sons.

Stan married Margaret Winsome Aldridge on the 6th of November, 1948. Their only child, Verity May Bottroff, was born on the 14th of February, 1951. The family initially lived with Stan's mother until being able to purchase a home in Croydon. Stan would bike to his work at Chrysler in Finsbury where he worked in the Aircraft Division. Biking certainly kept him fit but in hindsight, I wonder why he never applied for a driving license, given that he drove trucks during the war. I can only speculate on the horror of the duties associated with the Salvage Section.

Stan was a member of the West Croydon RSL Club where the family attended special functions and I remember vividly the delight on my father's face at one Christmas function when he won the giant Christmas stocking for his daughter. In later years Stan and Margaret liked to meet up with relatives on a Saturday night at the RSL where they enjoyed dancing.

Stan was fortunate in marrying a nursing sister who possessed the understanding and compassion associated with the experiences of war. Margaret supported both Stan and Garth when on several occasions each was in need of time out in the Repatriation General Hospital. My memories growing up are of a loving father as well as a caring and devoted husband. However, on the death of my father from cancer on January 12th of 1993, a letter arrived from a close cousin of my father, the contents of which provided insights into the changes that war service can have on serving personnel. She highlighted how Stan was always the lively one, full of pranks as well as a great tease and popular with the girls... "but the war upset him and it was hard to realise he was the same person, after he came home".

My mother retired from her nursing position to spend more time with my father after he was diagnosed with cancer. Thankfully, they were together for another ten years.