Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Jock came out to Australia as a teenager thorough a "farm boys" scheme and was allocated to the family farm of Robert and Bertha Seeley, of Upper Yarraman, Qld. In the Depression, Jock worked in the Mareeba tobacco barns, but returned to the Seeleys, becoming one of the family. Jock was good with machinery and horses. When Bob Seeley went in for dairying, Jock invented and installed useful drainage systems for the bails, including one for draining skim milk directly from the separator down to the pigs' troughs. Jock also began studying by correspondence to become a metal worker. In February 1939, Jock signed up with a voluntary militia cavalry company,accompanied by his fine horse, Laddie. Jock relished all the camping, training and competition activities and the comradeship of being in this unit. On 27 May 1940, Jock enlisted with the 7th. Div. Cavalry Regiment, but sold Laddie to Bob Seeley, to ensure the horse's well being. Laddie lived happily to the age of 33. Jock served overseas in Palestine,Egypt and Syria and then PNG. With his Division, he took part in the jungle campaign to stem the Japanese advance and obstruct their closely defended Japanese supply route inland along the Sanananda Road. This was a difficult and dangerous campaign during which many of Jock's companions died, including his best friend Jack Lafferty. (See Frank Hartley, "Sanananda Interlude", Melb.: Book Depot, 1949.) After the war, Jock became a skilled metal worker, showed collie dogs, was long involved in soccer, and was a good and helpful friend to his very many associates.