I've noticed on the Internet that 26th January is Australia Day. So, best wishes today to readers in Australia.
This is an extract from my dad's diary that describes some of his experiences in Australia in 1945 while en-route to join his unit involved in the war in the Pacific.
On the morning of the 9th April 1945
we arrived at Sydney, largest city in Australia and second largest in the British Empire. Before entering the great harbour the sea was very choppy but once inside became calm and we moved alongside without incident. The main impression I now recall is the first view of the magnificent bridge across the harbour.About the middle of the afternoon we disembarked and travelled to a Naval Air Station a few miles outside the city which was to be our home for the next few weeks. We settled down and that same night caught the electric train back into the city. Our first call was an eating house (American style with little alcoves for couples) where we made up for the bad food on the ship with steak, eggs and chips. Sydney seems to be full of these houses and also milk bars. Its trams, trains, etc are very antiquated. It seems to be a city of ancient and modern all mixed up.
After the big eats we walked around for a while and finding that all the pubs close at 6p.m. had to go to the Fleet canteen for a drink. This place proved to be full of drunken matelots so we did not waste any time there but went instead to a film. The prices were quite reasonable and the building was very modern having comfortable seats and concealed lighting, but the film itself was very old. We were to find that all the shows out here were very much behind England – some of them I had seen at Royston before leaving home.
Afterwards we ate again and made our way to Central Station which is about the size of Leeds City [Station]. Here we caught a train, but, unfortunately, it proved to be the wrong one and after going to its terminus had to come all the way back and catch the right one. We got back to camp about 4a.m. and it was bitterly cold, found that we had no beds and shivered until 6.30.
The days passed quickly. We went to shows, saw the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, met Mrs Mellors niece, Shirley, ate many, many steaks, eggs, ice-creams, milk shakes, apples, grapes, etc and went for a day to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. Just before leaving Sydney spent five days up there.
On Tuesday 8th May
the newspapers were head-lined "It’s all over in Europe" and gave histories of the last five years. Flags were flying in Sydney but no crowds surged through the streets. We made sure our rooms were booked at the British Centre and went for a drink to celebrate Victory. A couple of drunken sailors were the only signs of the momentous day it was. At seven o’clock we were steaming out of Central Station just as the city began to warm up and celebrate.If you'd like to read more of I Think I Prefer the Tinned Variety, there's a free sample at:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009QXEUG2http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009QXEUG2
and for readers in Australia:
http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B009QXEUG2
