Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Next of Kin listed as BEE, V. M.

My father Charlie first applied to join the RAAF 27 June 1940, but was rejected owing to the high number of applicants. Another application 27 August 1940 was also rejected. However, his next application dated 5 February 1941, at No. 4 Recruiting Centre, Pereth, was accepted as a Trainee Mechanic, Group V.

Charlie's training began at Pearce, then Perth Technical School. From there he was posted to Ascot Vale Victoria, to Mallala SA as a Leading Aircraftsman with a Fitters trade, Geraldton WA, back to Ascot Vale, then to Laverton Victoria. He applied for leave at each harvest time so he could help his brother Austin take the crop off, but sometimes harvest was over by the time he arrived home.

Apart from crossing the Nullarbor six times on troop trains, much of his service life was spent working on Rolls Royce Merlin engines (as fitted to Spitfires).

Charlie met my mother, Valerie May Walter, on a troop train in 1942, she being a Corporal in the WAAAF, and they were married in uniform in St Georges Cathedral Perth, 3 February 1944.

Charlie was discharged 6 February 1945, and it is interesting to note that over half of his service record of sixty pages deals with obtaining his discharge.

Contributed by Roger Bee (author of "Salmon Gums to Cereals- Lockwood, Babakin".)