Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Vincent Davis was born on December 12th, 1923, in Rockhampton, the third son of George and Eleanor Sarah Davis, of Mt. Larcom. With his two older brothers he grew up on their farm and attended the small one teacher school at East End, Mt. Larcom. Life on the farm meant hard work but it was a happy life and it was in these early years that Vince's love of music was formed. He learnt to play the piano, then was taught to play the cornet by the local police sargeant. At 18 he joined the army to fight in the Second World War. He was a member of the Fourth Australian Infantry Battalion. As well as his time in Australia, he spent 164 days overseas in New Guinea. During that time he grew quickly from a boy to a man with war leaving him with many memories - some good, some bad.

He was honourably discharged in late 1944. He returned to Mt. Larcom to help work the farm with his brother Dick, as his father was by then a very sick man. Vince's leisure time was spent practising and playing with a small band for the local dances. During this time he met Jean Charles (Jeanie as he always called her) the teacher at his old school. They married in November in 1946 and moved to Collinsville, where Vince had begun working in June that year. They set up home in a hut on Red Hill with Jean's mother who spent nearly 20 years with Vince, Jean and the boys. Vince cared for her as his mother for all that time and like all the family was saddened by her death.

As music was so important to him, he was happy to be able to join the Collinsville Brass Band. Vince and Jean became members of the Methodist Church (now the Uniting Church) where Vince served for many years as church organist and circuit steward. With the minister at the time the - Reverend Reg Skippen - he went out into the bush, cut down suitable timber and had it milled and helped build the first small church hall. Before leaving Mt. Larcom, Vince joined the Masonic Lodge. He could not have known just how important this was to become in his life. He served for many years as lodge secretary and organist of Devlin Lodge, later using his talents as organist at both Bowen and Kennedy Lodges of which he was a member. He made many friends there, friends that have stayed with him throughout his life. At the time of his death having obtained the 31st degree he was the highest ranking Mason in Bowen.

When Vince began work at Collinsville, he started as a horse driver then became a miner and later an underground deputy. He was a proud, conscientious deputy and worked to ensure at all times maximum safety for the men that worked with him. The presentation of his engraved "Deputy's Lamp" showed the esteem in which he was held by his workmates. He served for 38 years in the Collinsville mines before retiring. Vince and Jean became the proud and loving parents of two boys Stephen in 1953 and Paul in 1958. Throughout his life Vince did lots of volunteer work in Collinsville with the school committee, swimming club, crippled children and as a Legatee looking after the war widows. Leisure time was not forgotten.

In the early years, Christmas holidays were always spent at the farm at Mt. Larcom.There Vince spent his days repairing and fixing the farm tractors and equipment. The boys learnt what farm life was all about and happy times were spent with family and friends. Vince and Jean later purchased a house in Bowen and then a boat. This house, after many alterations, became their home after Vince retired in 1983. Then they became involved with the Wangaratta Bowls Club, sharing many years of play and pleasure. There with old and new friends once again Vince put in many hours of volunteer work at the club. The last two years of Vince's life were difficult he had to leave Jeanie and move to Maroona Gardens Nursing Home. It was a testing, painful time for them both. Vince Davis was an honest, kind and gentle man who loved his fellow man and was always ready to do someone a good turn or lend a helping hand. He had a wonderful sense of fun and would often come out with some witty remark with a twinkle in his eye and that wonderful smile.