ANZAC DAY NEWSLETTER APRIL 2010

FEATURES:
MY STORY
(As narrated to Alan Curry, by Bill Jones)
I was born Wilfred Albert Jones (Bill)
on the 10/6/1921 at 43 Eveleigh Street,
Murray Bridge, South Australia.
My dad, Cyril John Noble-Jones,
married my mum, Sophie Leith Freak,
and they produced three children –
myself, and my two sisters, Nell and
Meryl. When dad married he dropped
the hyphenated Noble-Jones and just
kept Jones.
Dad was a fireman on Pacific and
Mountain type locomotives with the
South Australian Railways. We all
moved to Mount Gambier when he
gained his train driver’s ticket in 1927.
I only attended primary school in
Mount Gambier and did not go on to
high school because I was not as
academic as my two sisters—I could
not concentrate on my studies. Mum
and dad realized it was pointless for me
to continue with school so I was
allowed to leave when I was 14.
I secured a job (at 14) with the
Mount Gambier Gas Company and also
attended Tech courses, two evenings a
week, learning woodwork and
business correspondence. I attended
Tech for two years.
Whilst at the Gas Company (I was
now 16) I was placed with an
experienced gas fitter who taught me
gas fitting and gas plumbing.
When I was 17, the company had
confidence in my ability to accompany
the branch manager (who was a gas
engineer) to “re-build” the Bairnsdale
Gas Works in Victoria.
I, along with others, moved the gas
works from a flood prone site to higher
ground—it was 12 months work and a
very big project. To my knowledge it is
still there!
After this the company placed me
at the Horsham Gas Works, for about 6
months, to install some plant. I then
returned back to base at Mount
Gambier. After 4 years I gained my gas
fitting and gas plumbing ticket.
In June 1941, I tried to enlist in the
navy.
(The reason I chose the navy was
because of my grandfather. I never knew
him but my dad had told me he was lost
at sea in the late 1800’s. He was a tug
master, and on this fateful night he and
his crew went to retrieve a merchant
sailing ship battling heavy seas off the
coast of Port Adelaide. That was the last
that was seen of either ship, or crews,
again—they all completely disappeared.
This left my dad to care for his mother
and his younger sister, Meryl. His mum
died in 1907 and then he also went to sea
before joining the SA Railways and then
meeting his future wife, Sophie.
His sister, my aunty Meryl, lived a
happy life and died in her late 70’s a few
years back.)
The navy rejected me because I was
in a “protected industry”! I tried again
in late 1941—same result.
It was at this point I told my
manager that if he did not release me I
would resign from the company. He
relented and subsequently released
me.
I tried to enlist as an ERA (Engine
room artificer), because of my
qualifications, but was told there was a
12-month “wait list”. The only available
placing was as a stoker. I took it!
I was accepted in March 1942 and I,
along with about 50 fellow recruits,
alighted at the train depot near the
Flinders Naval Base.
It was pouring rain and all we were
allowed to bring with us was an empty
suitcase.
An officer, and other ranking sailors,
had us line up on the platform. The
order was given “Raincoats OFF”! This
caused quite a few of us some
misgivings but the officer was serious.
We were then marched, in the
pouring rain, about 3 or 4 klms to the
Naval Base and arrived looking like
drowned rats carrying our empty
suitcases and raincoats!
We were then issued with all our
navy gear and told to put our wet
clothes in our suitcases!
It was then “full on” basic training
for 6 weeks. I just seem to remember
carrying my rifle up and down the
parade ground monotonously. It
seemed to me that I got inoculations
every second day! It was a cold and
miserable initiation into the services.
After Basic Training was completed,
our postings were put on a Notice
Board. My posting was to Townsville
Base Staff – I was bitterly disappointed.
The troop train I was on was packed
with Army, Navy and Air Force
personnel. It was a terribly cramped
and unpleasant journey.
I remember stopping at Mildura
and being able to buy a pie. Everyone
was hungry.
Another stop I recall was at
Proserpine. I found a Barber’s Shop
(with the old striped Barber’s Pole out
the front) and asked the girl for a well
needed hair-cut—what a glorious
feeling!
We could not wash or shower and
at best could only splash your face with
water if you were lucky enough to find
some.
It was about 6 days of very cramped
train travel before reaching Townsville.
I was with about another 20 or 30 navy
men to arrive at HMAS Townsville.
We no sooner arrived at the base
when about 10 of us (me included)
were sent immediately to join HMAS
Swan, which was tied up at a berth in
Townsville harbour. (She was having a
boiler serviced and word had come
through that a Jap submarine was in the
harbour!.)
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