Vale Gerald McPherson 1924-2021

 

Odd Bod, Gerald McPherson, passed away in the early hours of Tuesday 27^th July 2021.

Service details: G.M.   Gerald            McPHERSON            430468          AG  Ch.L.H.   186 Squadron.

            Gerald was 96 years of age and joined the Odd Bods in 1995, later serving as a Committee Member. Gerald and his wife Faye have contributed significantly to veteran activities over the years most recently through organising the EATS Luncheons. (Empire Air Training Scheme).

            Gerald was a Chevalier De La Legion D’Honneur awarded by the French Government in 2015 for his war service.

            Our thoughts and best wishes to Faye and family on the passing of an Odd Bods stalwart.

Comments Posted On Our Facebook Page:

Peter Smith

Rest In Peace Gerald , another brave Aussie Airman gone but not forgotten .🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺

 Rosemaree Matta

Rest in Peace Gerald. Condolences to his family and friends.

Carol McCabe

Rest in Peace Gerald.

Our Sponsored Children Battle Covid In India

The Raphael Family (Ryder Cheshire Foundation) have reported very difficult times in India as the country battles the Covid pandemic. Fortunately those at Raphael have been able to stay relatively safe.

Friends of the Odd Bods continue an Odd Bods tradition of supporting disadvantaged children at the Raphael facility in Dehradun near the Himalayan foothills, and recently we issued a donation to assist with cyclone recovery at the Ryder Chesire facility in Timor. 

We receive 6 monthly reports on our sponsored children at Dehradun, currently Sarthak, Abbas, and Asma (see below).

Covid has resulted in restricted schoolroom access for students, however we are pleased to hear that the connection with teachers continues. 

SARTHAK:

Sarthak lives with his parents and elder brother on the outskirts of Dehradun.

He is part of the residential service, but has not been able to return to school yet. He is partially dependant for his daily living skills. 

He has been attending regular online classes where the focus of his training is on daily living skills and household skills. According to his teachers, Sarthak has been doing well at home.

Under supervision, he helps his parents with the domestic and household chores. Sarthak misses his friends, and wants to come back to school as soon as possible.

Sarthak and his parents tested positive to Covid recently, but have recovered well.

ABBAS:

Abbas lives with his parents, three elder brothers, and a younger sisiter in Rajasthan. His Father owns a firecracker shop and his Mother is a housewife.

He is part of the residential service, but has not been able to return to school yet. He attends regular online classes where the focus of his training has been on his academic and domestic skills. In math, he is able to do double digit addition and can count up to 30. 

He helps his Mother with the domestic chores. Presently he is learning to work with his Father in the shop during the evenings. According to his Father, after he turns 18, Abbas will work in the shop and help his Father with the manufacturing aspect.

ASMA:

Asma is 12 years old now and has cerebral palsy. She lives in Dehradun with her family and they have remained safe and well during this time.

Her teacher has been in regular contact with her parents, and Asma attends online classes twice a week. Her training is currently focused on paper folding activities. She is also receiving physiotherapy sessions online. Her Physiotherapist suggested that she should indulge in bilateral activities *, which she is now implementing into her daily routine.

*Bilateral Activities can include things like squeezing a clothespin, playing with water squirt toys and pushing coins into the slot of a piggy bank.

Map showing location of Dehradun in Uttarakhand Province India.

Incoming Mail...Bruce Waxman Bio and 'G' for George Makes A Move

G for George Disassembled For Nearby Move

G for George, the iconic WW2 Lancaster housed at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, is to moved to a new area in the complex. The move requires substantial disassembly of this large aicraft and the full story can be found at this link - G for George Disassembly

A Story About Our President - 

Sqn Ldr Bruce P Waxman OAM RAAF ( Rtd) 

Bruce Waxman was the subject of a recent article in the Caulfield Grammarians Newsletter and it makes for interesting reading. The story covers Bruce's school years, further education, medical career (military and civilian), and his passion for rowing. Here is the link - Bruce Waxman 

Gathering Of Eagles - Battle Of Britain Commemoration, 10-12 September 2021

 

History Of RAF Airfields North Duffield

 

Halifax at Breighton Airfield

A Zoom presentation on the history of RAF airfields in the area of North Duffield will be held at 7:30 pm on 15th June London (10:30am AEST). 

The presentation will include airfields likely to be familiar to some Odd Bods including Riccall, Breighton, and Elvington.

If you are interested in joining the meeting please contact the organiser Brian Elsey at nduffieldhistory@gmail.com so that numbers can be monitored.

Indigenous Odd Bods

Aircrew from 106 Squadron.

The Indigenous Round is being celebrated in many Australian sports this week including AFL, NRL and Netball. We thought this might be good time to recognise an indigenous Odd Bod.

The Australian War Memorial completed a talk entitled "First Nation Flyers" in 2019. It was conducted by AWM Curator, Garth O'Connell, who was also the presenter of a talk about Odd Bods in the same year. 

The "First Nation Flyers" talk covers a number of indigenous aviators including Lancaster Pilot Roy Hill. Roy was one of three brothers from the Wardandi nation in Western Australia. Roy Hill, who had enlisted in the RAAF, became a pilot and an officer in Bomber Command. Serving in Britain, he flew Lancaster bombers for No. 106 and No. 189 Squadrons of the Royal Air Force. 

Squadron 106 was particularly active towards the end of the war and participated in the famous attack against the V-2 rocket research facility at Peenemünde in 1945. No. 189 Squadron was among the 107 Lancasters and 12 Mosquitos of No 5 Group which attacked the oil refinery in Tonsberg in Southern Norway on 25 April 1945 in the last raid of the war flown by heavy bombers of RAF Bomber Command.

Roy Hill was not a member of the Odd Bods Association but as an Australian serving in RAF squadrons was certainly an Odd Bod.

The "First Nation Flyers" talk can be found here - AWM First Nation Flyers.

POSTSCRIPT:

We have amended the title of this article to read Indigenous Odd Bod(s) because Garth O'Connell from AWM has informed us of another Aboriginal Odd Bod  - 424587 Flying Officer Errol James “Blue” INGRAM, 622 Squadron RAF (1924-1990).

Ingram flew Lancasters towards the end of the war in day and night bombing missions, food drops, and repatriation of POW's.

Aircrew Kit In The Spotlight

One of our contacts sent us this wonderful photo of Sergeant Lincoln Orville Lynch DFM, a West Indian air gunner serving with RAF No 102 Squadron.

Sergeant Lynch's story is fascinating in its own right. He shot down a Junkers JU98 on his first mission and was awarded a DFM for his "high standard of determination and devotion to duty". You can read more in his Wikipedia entry.

But the photo caught our attention for other reasons as well. Most photographs from this era lack clarity but this one, with a bit of help from colourising, shows great detail in the aviator's kit, and that is before you get to those menacing Halifax rear guns.

We have assembled some more photos of the kit worn by bomber crews and with true impartiality included some aircraft other than the Halifax. We hope you enjoy them.

Odd Bod Bill Akers gets assistance with his gear.

Flying kit of RAAF Pilot Francis Robertson.

Lancaster Crew.

Stirling Crew.

Australian and NZ Aviators in front of Mitchell Bomber 180 Sqn.

Wireless Operator In Flying Kit.

Special Birthday Wishes

It has been a long Odd Bods tradition to send birthday cards to wives and widows of veterans. The practice continues today with two of our association corresponding with these very important members of the Odd Bods family.

Anne Jones and Willa Whitewolf write personal birthday cards to wives and widows each year on behalf of the association, and are regularly heartened by the replies they receive from recipients. 

At the AGM this month, the Friends Committee passed on thanks to Anne and Willa for their part in “Pressing on....remembering.”

AGM And Your Committee of Management

 

Your Committee for 2021/22
L to R Back - Greg Smith, Steve Trask, Sue Bennett, Gary Elliott, Peter Randell, Bruce Waxman.
L to R Front - Robyn Bell, Jan Dimmick, Jenny Hibbens. Apology - Michael Rossiter.

The seventh Annual General Meeting of Friends of the Odd Bods Association Inc. was held on Sunday 23rd May at the Oakleigh Carnegie RSL Club, Drummond Rd. Oakleigh.

An election of officials was held with the return of President Bruce Waxman, Peter Randell was appointed Vice President/Secretary, and Gary Elliott as Treasurer. Terry Maher stepped down as Vice President and the committee would like to thank Terry for his contribution to the Odd Bods over a number of years. Terry continues as a member. We were pleased to welcome Sue Bennett on to the Committee. Sue is the daughter of past Odd Bod, Jack Ruby, 409598, W/O Nav.B, 44 Sqdn.

The committee was grateful that, despite the challenges of a Covid year, our list of activities showed we were able to maintain the intent of our Purpose Statement – “To keep alive the memory of the Odd Bods, the service they gave to King and Country and to keep the Nation mindful of its debt to those who made the Supreme Sacrifice.”

Here is the list of activities for 2020:

The Friends Of The Odd Bods Association Inc

Statement of Activities 2020

For the period January 1 2020 – December 31 2020 the Friends Of The Odd Bods Association Inc has undertaken the following – 

1. Conducted an Annual General Meeting

2. Conducted 4 Committee meetings

3. Planned for attendance at the Melbourne Anzac Day March and the Annual Association Reunion in 2021

4. Maintained contact with Wesley College regarding arrangements for the  Anzac Day Service 2021

5. Provided a wreath for the VE Day memorial service at The Shrine of Remembrance

6. Attended and contributed to The Kindred Organisations And Unit Associations meetings

7. Maintained an independent blog and website and provided regular updates to members via email

8. Maintained charitable donations to the Ryder-Cheshire Foundation

9. Maintained sponsorship of 3 children in India through Ryder-Cheshire

10. Provided practical help and support and contact to veteran members

11. Maintained communication with veteran’s widows through sending birthday cards 

12. Adhered to the Association’s Purpose Statement whilst adhering to Covid 19 Restrictions

13. Continued a formal relationship with The Point Cook Airforce Museum to house and display relevant material and memorabilia from the Association and its members.

14. Attended the commemoration service and overseen placement of the memorial plaque for the Odd Bods Association in the grounds of the Australian War Memorial.

 Peter Randell – Secretary – Friends Of The Odd Bods Association Inc.

Vale Ralph White

 Longtime member of the Odd Bods, Ralph White, passed away on 3rd May 2021 at the age of 98 years.

WHITE, Ralph Robert, 427630,  Pilot, 192 Sqn.

In recent years Ralph attended the Wesley College, Glen Waverley Campus, ANZAC Day commemoration services and is seen on the right in this photo taken in 2017.

Our condolences to Marie and the White family.

VE Day - Then and Now

Victory In Europe Day is a significant day on the Friends of Odd Bods calendar and the history of our involvement goes way back.

On 8th May 1945 Winston Churchill announced the end of the war in Europe and the hopes and dreams of all allied service personnel were answered with the end of hostilities. Odd Bods made their way home to Australia and a new world order.

We have recounted on these pages many times how Odd Bods arrived without a squadron banner (because they had served on overseas squadrons) and how they formed their own association, created a banner, and set about "Pressing on ... remembering". 

One of their early goals was to recognise 8th May as a very significant date and the inaugural VE Day Pilgrimage in 1956 at Melbourne's Shrine of Remembrance was organised by a committee including a representative of the Odd Bods.  Hugh Niven (seen in the photo above) was our representative in 1956 and the association paid a £2 yearly subscription.

Today, The Shrine records the VE Day Service as follows - 

ANNIVERSARY OF VICTORY IN EUROPE (VE DAY) INCORPORATING THE FRIENDS OF THE ODD BODS ASSOCIATION

In his address at today's service in the Shrine Sanctuary, the Shrine Governor recalled his attendance at Odd Bods functions in the past and expressed his delight at seeing so many Odd Bod representatives continuing the tradition on VE Day.

Friends of the Odd Bods President, Sqn Ldr. Bruce Waxman OAM RAAF (Rtd) presented the address, while Odd Bod Doug Parry read the Ode. here is a link to the video of the livestream - https://youtu.be/16kFAgwVvPM?t=157

And here are our photos of the day - 

L to R - Cathy Randell, Peter Randell, Gary Elliott, Doug Parry, Greg Parry, Greg Smith, Bruce Waxman, Sue Smith & Robyn Bell.

Second from the right in this photo
is Edward Bartosh from the American
Ex-Servicemen's Association.

Wishes From Overseas

 Thank you to Bryan Wilcockson for sending us this wonderful image.

Bryan is our intrepid correspondent from the UK and often jokes that the Odd Bods bus could make a slight detour to Selby (UK) to pick him up for ANZAC Day.

It might be appropriate to remember that our ability to celebrate occasions like ANZAC Day here in Australia with comparitively minor restrictions on group gatherings is not yet echoed overseas in Covid affected areas.

Our thoughts go out to all those affected communities.

Odd Bods Donate To Ryder-Cheshire Timor Cyclone Relief

The Odd Bods have had a long association with charity, Ryder-Cheshire, whose activities include looking after the health and welfare of disadvantaged people in India and Timor and we are making a special donation this year. 

Friends of the Odd Bods donate $750 each year to help support three students in India, currently Abbas, Asma, and Sarthak. However a recent cyclone in Timor has created an urgent need for further assistance. 

This report from the Sydney Morning Herald on 9th April – “A state of calamity has been declared by East Timor, whose foreign minister has been asked to seek international assistance from Australia and others as it bids to recover from catastrophic floods and landslides and confronts an alarming new COVID-19 outbreak. …(following Tropical Cyclone Seroja).”

This is how Ryder-Cheshire describe the need - 

KLIBUR DOMIN CYCLONE RELIEF

“The cyclone that hit Timor-Leste and parts of Indonesia, has caused tremendous damage and loss of life. Of particular concern to us is the damage to the Ryder-Cheshire Home, Klibur Domin, at Tibar just west of Dili. Whilst damage to our infrastructure is not severe, many homes of the Klibur Domin employees have been devastated. Please consider donating to our appeal.”

Friends of the Odd Bods have just contributed $500 to the Ryder-Cheshire Cyclone Relief Appeal on behalf of members as we continue to support the work of this organization.

• Geoffrey Leonard Cheshire, Baron Cheshire, VC, OM, DSO & Two Bars, DFC (7 September 1917 – 31 July 1992) was a highly decorated Royal Air Force (RAF) pilot and group captain during the Second World War, and a philanthropist.

 

Odd Bods AFL and Calgary Wireless School

ANZAC Day brings us many connections, and one important link is AFL football. AFL matches played around 25th April include an ANZAC reference as part of the ceremony and many regard the match between Collingwood and Essendon at the MCG on ANZAC Day a very special occasion (some of our veterans have been known to leave the reunion early to reach the first bounce).

Our picture has an Aussie Rules connection. It was taken in Canada in 1943 at the No.2 Calgary Wireless School, 66 course. There are probably a number of Odd Bods in this photo and we can identify three. In the back row, 5th from the left is Odd Bod Keam Irving, and 7th in line is Odd Bod Maurie Smith. In the front row, on the far right is George Smith.

We understand this team played against an EFTS team, the only other Australian Rules team in their area. Maurie Smith tells us that he also played in a Rugby team as fullback in Canada because Aussie Rules players knew how to mark and kick. 

After the war George Smith played for the Blackburn Football Club as full forward, while Maurie Smith played for Old Scotch Collegians in the A Grade Amateurs. 

It should be noted here that our ANZAC Luncheon Guest Speaker this year, Wing Commander Mike Oram RAAF, delivered the ball to the centre of the MCG in a special service at the ANZAC Eve match between AFL teams Melbourne & Richmond.

 

Spirit Of ANZAC Essay Wins George V. Smith Award in 2021

 

Joseph Chen receives the George V. Smith Award
from Wesley's Head of Campus Sheriden Vella

If you thought Australia’s involvement in WW1 was all about Gallipoli then reading the winning essay in this year’s George V.Smith Award at Wesley College might be a very worthwhile activity. 

The George V. Smith Award is an award made in the name of Odd Bod co-founder and long time official, George Smith, who championed a relationship with Wesley College, Glen Waverley Campus from 2008. The award is made for the best student essay about the ANZAC Spirit and is a key part of the strong and productive connection between Wesley and Friends of the Odd Bods Association. 

This year’s essay by Year 9 student, Joseph Chen, focuses on a WW1 battle to capture Mont St Quentin and P’eronne on the Western Front near the River Somme. 

Australian War Memorial located in
Mont Saint-Quentin region 

Joseph writes that the Australian forces, commanded by General Sir John Monash, displayed the ANZAC spirit in a number of ways – “While these ANZAC qualities are certainly not the only reason for the success of the battles, they definitely contributed significantly. Through the initiative, flexibility, adaptability, courage, bravery, mateship, brotherhood and humour demonstrated, these Australians were able to raise their morale and support their fellow comrades.”

Joseph’s essay is a testament to quality research and a detailed examination of the history surrounding what has been described as one of Australia’s greatest military achievements in WW1. You can read the full essay by clicking on this link - 

           Spirit Of ANZAC Essay 2021

We thoroughly recommend this piece of writing to you, congratulate Joseph on his endeavours, and thank Wesley for supporting the George V. Smith Award.

“Pressing On Remembering”

• The George V. Smith Award includes a certificate of achievement and a $250 book voucher to assist the education of the winning student. The cost of the voucher is shared by Friends President, Bruce Waxman, and the family of George Smith.

Spine Tingling Flyovers From ANZAC March 2021

 

A couple of videos from todays Shrine service thanks to Gary Elliott. We suggest you turn up the volume.

Friends of the Odd Bods ANZAC Day Luncheon 2021

Following a tradition dating back to the 1950's the ANZAC Day luncheon was held in stylish new surroundings at Amora in Richmond. Of course Odd Bods luncheons are not about style, but sharing mateship, and good conversations with veterans, family, friends and colleagues. This years luncheon was abundant in those ingredients and clearly a success for all attendees.

President of Friends of the Odd Bods Association, Bruce Waxman, was MC for the event which included traditional presentation of the Ode, Last Post, and Reveille. Guest Speaker, Wing Commander Michael Oram RAAF gave a most engaging presentation including some very personal links with the Odd Bods from childhood.

Jenny Hibbens gave us a report on her trip to Canberra for the RAAF Centenary Celebrations (see report in seperate article).

Veterans Frank Sims and Maurie Smith contributed that all important veterans aspect to proceedings and regailed us with stories, while a newly compiled scrap book from old Odd Bods records attracted plenty of attention. Geoff Clark brought along an old newspaper from 1940 with some great aircraft photos and new members Sue and Ian Bennett were introduced to the group.

Doug Parry - Doug was an absentee but we wanted to make special mention of him because he was so keen to attend before a last minute Covid shutdown at his residences put a spanner in the works.

Geoff and Marion Conacher were also looking forward to attending before a rushed hospitalisation for Geoff earlier in the week. Geoff is recuperating well at home and we send our regards.

Finally, President, Bruce Waxman, passed on his thanks to the committee of the Friends of the Odd Bods for their contribution thoughout the year. We hope you enjoy the following photos of today's event.