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My Dad's Military History
NAME: Brian Hodgkiss
Longfield 
RANK: Lieutenant
DOB: 13/10/1917
ARMY NO. VX 18189
UNIT: 1 Australian Signal Training
Battalion
DATE ENLISTED: 28/5/1940
DATE TRANSFERRED TO RESERVE LIST: 19/11/1947
Dad joined the
Australian Army on 28th May 1940, at the Recruiting Centre in Caulfield, Melbourne, Australia. He was 22 years old at the time, and single,
after having completed his apprenticeship as a linotype operator (like his
father before him). He answered "no" to all the medical questions
and was classified "Class I". Three days later he was posted to the
1st Corps Training at 1 Signals Regiment, in Seymour Victoria.
Dad must have
completed his training in Signals satisfactorily, because he became a Graded
Operator Trades Group II, on 11th November 1940.
On 8th
February 1941, Dad took
sick with a Perital Haemorrhage.
(Bleeding gums after having had a tooth removed the previous day.) He was
evacuated to the Casualty Clearing Station (hospital) at Balcombe (which is
near Frankston in Victoria). It can't have been too serious at the time, as
he was only there for two days. (When I get hold of his Med Docs, I'll be
able to update this info.) He returned to his unit on 10th
February 1941, just in
time to march out to the Eastern Command on 27th February.
Officially he was posted to 3rd Coy Signals, 1st
Australian Corps Signals, Holdsworthy, New
South Wales.
On 9th
April, 1941, Dad went to
sea…. and yes he was going to World War II. He embarked on Her
Majesty's Transport "P.P."; at least that is what his Service
Record stated. However, (his Sergeant at the time, said the name of the ship
was really the Queen Elizabeth and the ship sailed in a large USA convoy - US10A). He arrived in the Middle East on 3rd May 1941.
On 28th
August, 1941, Dad was
regraded to a Grade I Signals Operator (Radio Operator Trade Group). From the
4th to 24th October, 1941 he obtained a Distinction in the No.
10 Wireless and Line Telegraphy Operators Projection Course Australian
Imperial Forces (Middle East) School of Signals. And on 6th November, 1941, he was regraded to Group II operator at the Dimra School of Signals. Dimra
is a village in Southern
Palestine. (I have been told that this taught him how to use a
film projector.)
On 22nd
December, 1941, just
before Christmas, Dad was detached for duty to 2/9th Battalion Australian 2nd Australian Field Regiment Artillery,
in Syria. Six days later the Battalion moved to Gaza. On 13th January, 1942, they were relieved by 2/13th, and moved onto Egypt. On 2nd February, 1942, they left for Sumatra.
On 11th February 1942 he was made Acting Corporal.
On 11th March 1942, Dad boarded the American Steam Ship, "USS
West Point" at Tewfik at the south entrance to
the Suez Canal, and sailed home to Australia, berthing briefly in Fremantle
on 25th March 1942, before landing in Port Adelaide on 31st March 1942. This was part of "Operation Stepsister"
for RTA of the AIF.
The "USS
West Point", first put into service in July 1940, it had its own
distillation system to make sea water drinkable, never went in convoy, and
carried as many as 8500 troops at a time. When Dad made this voyage, there
were only about 5,300 troops on board, so they would have had some breathing
space. That was an 8196-mile voyage in just 17 days. The "USS West
Point" was a converted luxury liner (SS AMERICA), and had made only one
voyage prior to being taken over by the US Navy and made into a troop ship.
The name was changed, because if she was ever sunk, it would not look good if
that name went down.
On 6th July, 1942, Dad's promotion to Corporal was confirmed.
On 28th
August 1942, Dad was
relinquished from Group II operation. On 16th December 1942, he ceased to be attached to 2/9th Australian TRG
Regular Signals and was loan posted to 2/9th Australian Training Signals
Squadron. Technically, he was posted out, but he remained there.
On 22nd
October 1942, he was
promoted to the rank of Sergeant.
On 16th
November, 1942, he ceased
to be attached to 1st Signals Australian Corps and was posted to the 2/9th
Australian Field Regiment, Signals Section.
From 24th
January to 29th June, 1943, Dad was posted to Land Head Quarters, School of Military Intelligence, before rejoining his Regiment.
On the 8th
April 1943, Dad attended
the Land Head Quarters, School of Signals Course No. 57, and was transferred
to the X list, pending his replacement.
Dad was
promoted to Acting Lieutenant on 26th July, 1943 and was allotted General Reinforcement Signals and
proceeded on 28 days leave. He was officially an Officer with the Officer
Cadet Training Unit, Land Head Quarters School of Signals, attached to 1st
Signals Training Battalion.
After having a
bit of a holiday, sounds like it was a well-earned one at that, Dad attended
a special wireless course in NSW on the 4th September,
1943. (I think Dad just
had a thirst for knowledge.)
On 23rd
November 1943, Dad went to
Randwick in Sydney. Here he went on...yes...another course. This time
it was Course No. 66, at the Australian Trade Training Depot.
On 29th January
1944, Dad was transferred
to 13 Aust Tasegr W Sigs
ex 1 ASTE, in Victoria, as a Technical Maintenance Officer (AMF20).
On 31st
January, 1944, Dad marched
out from AV 3 Australian Corps Western Australian Lines of Communication.
On 5th February
1944, Dad took the train
to Western
Australia to
the Line of Communications (Base) Area.
On 21st April
1944, he was transferred
from Sigs Rfon (ALE) with
posting as a Technical Maintenance Officer (Aust Military Regs 20).
On the train
again, 29th April 1944, and off to New South Wales Line of Communications
Area, arriving on 3rd May. Six days on the train would have been quite a trip
in those days.
Two days later
(5th May 1944), he
joined the Australian Corps of Signals Army and Corps from Australian Signals
LHQ.
On 17th May 1944 Dad was transferred to "B" Australian
Corps of Signals (Lanfford Signal MS 33104).
On 19th June, 1944, Dad was on the move again. This time he left from
Townsville in Queensland, aboard "TSS Taroona". "TSS
Taroona" has a small history of it's own...
This time, he
was off to Lae, in Papua New Guinea. On 23rd June, 1944, he disembarked in Lae
(Routine Order 1/2/44).
. Dad did not
keep very good health initially. After six weeks in PNG, he went down with a
PUD (fever of unknown origin), and was evacuated to the 2/7 Australian Hospital and transferred to the X list (sick). They tested for Malaria, but
could not find any parasites. The final diagnosis was Myohaematoma
(intercostal).
On 8th August 1944, he was x-rayed because he'd fallen a few days
previously and twisted himself. But the x-rays showed no rib fracture and
were signed off by Major Edward Borth, Medical
Officer. They strapped his chest and he was discharged from hospital 6 days
later and returned to New Guinea Details Depot.
On 7th November,
1944, Dad was off on
another voyage. A short one this time, it took only two days to sail to from Lae to Bougainville on the "John Sykes". The "John
Sykes" was a Liberty ship.
I have no
record of what he did in Bougainville or New Guinea for the next seven months. If anyone knows, please
email me at sharon@cairns.net.au .
On 9th June, 1945, Dad went on leave for two months, although he
didn't actually get to go until 12th June 1945, when his plane arrived in Townsville. He was then
posted to the Central Signal Training Depot.
On 17th July,
1945, Dad was seconded as
an instructor for the 1st Australian Signal Training Battalion, which was at
Bonegilla, near Albury.
On 5th February,
1946, Dad was transferred
to Australian Signals, Line of Communication, and allotted for duty (AS LT 26/7/43).
Off to Sydney
and Dad departed for Japan with the British Commonwealth Occupational Force
on the "Pachaug Victory". Here is a photo
of him onboard, the day they sailed from Pyrmont Wharf, Sydney, on 26th March 1946. Dad is 2nd from the right.
If anyone knows
the names or whereabouts of the soldiers with him, please email me at sharon@cairns.net.au
The "Pachaug Victory" was a United States registered
Victory ship. They were bigger than the more prolific Liberty ships. The "Pachaug
Victory" was a cargo carrier with maybe a handful of passengers, fondly
known as the Pacho by its crew.
He arrived in Kure (near Hiroshima), Japan, as part of the British Commonwealth Occupational
Force, on 13th April, 1946 and joined 67th (?) Battalion. He was posted from
Military Intelligence for the 2nd Australian Technical Maintenance Section.
The Commander In Chief of the Australian forces at the time was Lt Gen John Northcott.
The next day, he
was detached to 21st Advanced Ordinance Depot from 5th May, 1946 to 12th September, 1947.
Sometime during
Dad's deployment to Japan, he went to Mia Jima Island. Here is a photo of him with six of his mates. In
his own words, "this is a beautiful island".
Dad is the
first on the left, back row. If anyone knows the names or current location of
any of the other blokes, please email me at sharon@cairns.net.au
On 12/9/47 he was put on the Reserve Officer's List.
On 15th October
1947, Dad went to #MD and
General Duties Depot for Repatriation home. The next day he sailed for home.
He was aboard the "Merthun" and
disembarked in Singapore on 9th November 1947.
His Service
Record states that the following day, he was in Melbourne on General Duties.
Dad retired
from the Regular Army on 17th November 1947.
He died in Melbourne, in May 1994 at the age of 76.
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