8 Stanton Road,
MOSMAN
New South Wales
1st September, 1963
Dear Tunneller,
Another year gone past and I am sorry to say I have not had much correspondence with those of our old team still on deck, but I can tell you about some of them.
Let’s get the bad news over first.
Percy Piper died some time last year in Hobart after a long illness. I had a letter from his widow some time afterwards but she did not say when it happened.
On May 30 this year, the following appeared in the obituary notices in the “Sydney Morning Herald” –
“Anderson, Colonel Ernest Sleeman, M.C. M.I.D. May 27th, 1963 (1st Tunnelling Co) A.E., A.I.F.
Chief Engineer Eastern Command, 1939-45 etc.”
I was staff captain, Water Supply at Barracks 1931-1934 and as far as I knew Col. Bachtold and Col. Garnsey were the Chief Engineers at that time.
Now to run through the list.
W.T. ANDERSON is still in the telephone book but I have telephoned once or twice and have not had an answer.
J.E. ARMSTRONG (the Regimental Pullthrough) is a bit down in the mouth. He has cataract of each eye, but is well looked after by his sister.
K.B. LEWIS I marched with in Melbourne on Anzac Day. We did not do the full round but dropped out after crossing the River and went to one of the rowing sheds where a nice biscuits and cheese and sandwich luncheon with plenty of beer was provided. Afterwards we had lunch together. Keith is just the same and always glad to see old tunnellers.
H.D. HILL I don’t seem to have heard from for a long time.
KARLBYRON MOORE I have seen two or three times on quick trips through Melbourne to Adelaide. He is as bright as a button and it does one good to see him.
The old PLUM I did not have time to see on either of my trips.
L.G. WILKINS (the Bull Ant) and his wife have given away Lismore and are now living in a lovely home unit at 72 Murdoch St. Neutral Bay. I have called on them once in a hurry but owing to a bit of illness of my wife we have not been able to see much of them yet.
TAYLOUR, GEORGE HINDMARSH and LOFTUS HILLS I have not heard from lately.
DOUG BRIGSTOCKE writes that he is fairly fit but his wife broke her ankle (16.12.62) Let’s hope she is better now, Doug. It’s good to hear from you.
PONTE SEALE is still going strong and has lunch at the Imperial Service Club frequently and dinner there on Friday evenings.
BILLY McBRIDE is still going strong but I am afraid I have neglected writing him lately.
KARL MAYOH I have not seen as I was not on the Anzac Day march which he usually attends.
O.H. WOODWARD has now totally retired. I had a telephone call from him some months ago when he was in Sydney but I was unable to arrange to meet him.
COL MORRIS, when last heard of, was at his new address.
PHIL CARO I have spoken to once on the telephone and I believe he is still going strong.
ARCHIE THOMSON, like his father-in-law, dear old Bill Manton has had a bad time in and out of hospital. I regret I have not seen either of them since Anzac Day last year.
BILL DAVID has been retired from Repat. for a couple of years and has had a couple of trips overseas as a ships doctor.
BUNNY SAWYER and DAVE ROBERTSON are two more I have not heard from.
WALLACE WARBURTON still keeps in touch from California.
ROY NILSSON, every time I hear from him, is having another overseas trip.
KELLIE McCALLUM has changed his address but that is all I have heard of him.
I will now tell you something about my trip to Perth at the time of the Commonwealth Games! Did I have a good time!
JOE ALLEN, CAMPBELL SHAW, BERT CARROLL, ALEC KENNEDY and BILL LOGIE together with JACK FOXALL, who joined the No. 1 Company after I left and one of my oldest friends who I had not seem for over 30 years, gave me a magnificent lunch at the Esplanade Hotel in Perth. Campbell Shaw and Logie had travelled hundreds of miles to meet me and they did the thing properly.
After that Logie and his son kidnapped me and took me for a 4 days tour of the South West through Bunbury and Albany and the big timber where we drove right through one of the largest trees. Bill is, or was then, in his ninetieth year but it was nothing to him to carry his heavy port up 2 flights of stairs at the pub we stayed at in Albany, only to find he had forgotten his keys. No trouble to Bill – he ran down the stairs and arrived back on top before I had recovered my wind from the first trip. He gave me a marvellous time and it was the highlight of the trip.
The Games – yes, they were on at the time, but after 1 hour on the opening day, temperature 103 – sun on back of my neck, stripes on my posterior from sitting on lathes, I left.
The next day I went to see the rowing – temperature 104, same stripes on bot. sun in eyes, I left.
After that I thoroughly enjoyed the Games. I went to Foxall’s flat where I laid on a lounge chair with my feet on a stool, with an occasional table on my right and an occasional drink on the table, in front of a good T.V. set.
I also spent a day with Alex Kennedy on a trip to Rottnest Island – also a high light. All the boys wished to be remembered to any of their friends on the mailing list.
From this list I have deleted those who are no longer with us and changed the addresses of those who have notified me.
My own health has improved marvellously and I feel, and am, better than I have been for over 4 years and still am able to keep a couple down – but I am not supposed to drink beer, which is my only regret.
Most of you have had ill health at some time or another and must realise that good health is everything, which, if you have it “you have nothing to worry about”. I am accoedingly quoting you a few words on the subject.
“Why worry – You’ve nothing to worry about”
“In these days of haste and heavy pressure, we find that a lot of people are developing ulcers and are prone to heart attacks and coronary occulusions or some other disease and it seems the main thing is to keep your health.”
So, if you are healthy – you have nothing to worry about.
If you are off colour you can go to your chemist for a tonic or pills,
And if these cure you – you have nothing to worry about.
If you are no better you can go to your doctor. If he diagnoses you
Correctly he can probably give you the right treatment and cure you so –
You have nothing to worry about.
If he can’t cure you, he will probably send you to a specialist. If the
Specialist locates the trouble, your doctor can probably cure you. If so –
You have nothing to worry about.
If he can’t cure you he will no doubt send you to hospital for an
Operation. If this is successful – you will have nothing to worry about.
If unsuccessful you will probably die. If you die and go to Heaven –
You will have nothing to worry about.
If, however, you go to the other place you will be so happy and thrilled
To meet and shake hands with so many old friends that – well, of course,
Now you still have nothing to worry about.”
Kitty still have a few quid intact so no subscription or donation is needed.
I had my 76th last week and am still going strong. Eadith won’t let me retire as she says she must eat!
All the best to all of you. Let us hear from you!
Yours sincerely,
J. MACD. ROYLE
Names and addresses of his attachment is included below
NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF TUNNELLERS AS AT 2ND SEPTEMBER, 1963
W.T. AndersonH.V. SealeDr W.E. David
48 Nelson Road36 Hastings Road,3 Moorefield Avenue,
Lindfield, N.S.W.Turramurra, N.S.W.Hunters Hill, N.S.W.
J.E. Armstrong,W. McBride,David Robertson,
70 Wolseley Road,Flat 2, 12 Hurst Road,24 Couraltie Avenue,
Mosman, N.S.W.EastbournePymble, N.S.W.
East Sussex, England
Wallace Warburton
K.B. LewisH.H. Carroll23690 Topar Avenue
High Street,16 Evandale Street,Los Altos,
Hastings, VicFloreat Park, W.ACalifornia
H.D. HillK. MayohJ. MacD Royle
8 Curry Street,134 Sherbrook Road,8 Stanton Road,
Merewether, N.S.W.Asquith, N.S.W.Mosman, N.S.W.
K. Byron MooreO.H. WoodwardC.R. Nilsson
11 Mona Place,6 Senator Street,403 Sussex Street,
South Yarra, VicNew Town, TasmaniaSydney, N.S.W
L.G. WilkinsA.L. KennedyW.L. Logie
72 Murdoch Street,49 Heytesbury Road,Williams, W.A
Neutral Bay, N.S.W.Subiaco, W.A
P.C. Plummer
W.W. MantonA.C. Morris5 Gladstone Road
6 Blair StreetCollinson StreetElsternwick, Vic
Bondi, N.S.W.Tenambit,
East Maitland, N.S.WN.S. Kellie McCallum
H. Taylour,12 Addison Avenue,
16 Allambie Road,P. Caro,Roseville, N.S.W
North Manly, N.S.W.22 Kyogle Street,
Wahroonga, N.S.W.J.W. Allen
G. M. Hindmarsh2 Mary Street,
4 Main RoadClaremont, W.A
Fennells BayA.S. Thomson
Toronto, N.S.W.6 Blair StreetC. Campbell Shaw
Bondi, N.S.W.15 Tingle Street,
D. BrigstockeBunbury, W.A
4 Bessell Avenue,S.J. Sawyer
Wollongong, N.S.W.10 Ambrose Street,
Toronto, N.S.W.John S. Foxall,
C. Loftus Hills74 Mounts Bay Road
17 Leopold Street,Perth, W.A
South Yarra, S.E.1, Vic