Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Euology written by S. Fenech, one of Hazel Corbys grandchildren. 

Hazel was described by her family and friends as someone who was nice, funny, kind-hearted, thoughtful, spritited, beautifully stubborn, and a "nice old lady" according to her great-grandchildren. 

Early Life:

"Grandma was born Hazel Elizabeth Reynolds in the central Queensland mining town of Mt Morgan, a half-hour drive from Rockhampton. Her father, William, was a powder monkey, an old term for an explosives expert, at the Mt Morgan mine, where they primarily dug for gold and copper. Her mother, Elizabeth, was a housekeeper raised in a cattle farming immigrant family that settled at Mt Hedlow. Hazel was the second-born out of five, the other four all being boys."

"Hazel’s early school years coincided with the Great Depression. At the time, sulfur was burning in the mines, and many had to leave Mt Morgan to find work. Upon finishing Year 7, at the age of 13 in 1936, Hazel applied for an apprenticeship offered by a local Mt Morgan tailor. This was successful, and she spent five years learning the trade. A combination of events at the time, including boredom with work and seeking more from life, led Hazel, in 1942 at the age of 19, to make the then-controversial decision to move to Brisbane and join the Navy. While waiting to be 'called up,' Hazel worked for a tailor on Queen St."

Life in the Navy:

"The first women were accepted for naval service on the 28th of April, 1941. The Women's Royal Australian Naval Service began on the 24th of July, 1942, and Hazel began service on the 17th of May, 1943. Her service card shows a hastily hand-edited title, 'Women's Royal Australian Naval Service.' Hazel initially joined the Navy as a transport driver at the HMAS Moreton depot. During her service there, she had an accidental run-in with one of the most renowned Prime Ministers of Australia, John Curtin. The Prime Minister accidentally walked up the wrong set of stairs, where Hazel happened to be standing at the top. Eventually, Hazel was drafted to Cairns at HMAS Kuranda, where she became a driver for the NOIC and also drove the British Admiral and his flag officer when the British sent two ships over to train our men in the practice of dawn landings. After the Japanese had been defeated, Hazel was sent to HMAS Magnetic in Townsville, where bombs that had been placed in the harbor in case of attack were being detonated. She was then offered a draft to either Hobart or Perth. Hobart was chosen, but everyone else also wanted to go to Hobart, so it was off to HMAS Leeuwin in Fremantle. Hazel took the long trip across the Nullarbor in a troop train."

"After demobilization, Hazel worked for a shoe and jewelry store in Brisbane. She joined WRANS Queensland at their third meeting in the inaugural year of 1964. Hazel was modest about being a trailblazer—perhaps an 'accidental trailblazer' for women participating in the armed services."

Late life:

Hazel was born into a time when the only aspirations afforded to a young woman were receiving a subpar education, becoming a housewife, and having children. Despite achieving these things, Hazel sought more from life, which led her to pursue opportunities that were traditionally not available to women. She taught her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren that being angry at the world and those in it will achieve nothing, and the best thing to do is approach things in a kind, elegant, yet humorous manner.