The following is a memory of his school days at the Waterford State School in the 1940s by Ken Bizzell
The first indications that the war was coming closer to us at the Waterford State School was when we had to carry out “Air Raid Drills”. The tolling of the Lutheran church bell at Bethania meant that air raid precautions had to be taken. All the children some with pegs in their mouth and other with rubber plugs in their ears would run to the air raid trenches, dug in a zig-zag fashion along the back fence of the school teacher’s house. After the “All clear” it was back to classes—we thought, what fun this is! Thankfully no air raids ever took place.
During modelling class where plastine was used most of the boys would make aeroplanes such as Wirraways, Liberators, Flying Fortresses and Lockheed Lightnings—these were American fighter planes with a twin fuselage.
On the wall next to the blackboard were coloured drawings of many different bombs, mines and hand grenades with an inscription which read “If any of these dangerous weapons are found do not touch”, at this time we were well versed in safety by our wonderful teacher, Mr Tom Richmond.
The children would eagerly line up along the school fence, in Nerang Street watch the long convoys of American vehicles, troop carriers. Jeeps by the score and Yankee 10 wheeler trucks towing artillery guns and war equipment with camouflage nets draped over them as they passed. We all knew, the Yanks were going to war to help to protect Australia. We learnt all these troops and equipment were based at Camp Cable near Logan Village. The US 32nd Infantry Division “the Red Arrows” were stationed there with the 503 Paratroopers Infantry. The total US contingent totalled some 30,000 men.
As time went on, we took notice that US Military Police wore MP Arm Bands just below the shoulder, when they were trying to round up servicemen who had gone A.W..O.L. that was ‘absent without leave’ from their camp for a day or two. The senior boys at school would wear M.P. arm bands to show their authority to the rest of the school. ‘Yankee caps’ were the flavour of the day most boys wore them to school for years.
When in class, sometimes the roar of low flying aeroplanes were deafening also the practice dog-fights by the fighter planes were fantastic for the children to see. A sight to behold was when the paratroopers jumped out of Douglas D.C.3’s near Logan Village and we could see them from Waterford 7 miles (approx. 12 ½ kms) away. A mock ‘air raid’ by 4 dive bombers on our local high-sided, cement bridge over the Logan River one event I will never forget.
A thrill for the all the children was to see a ‘Ack Ack Gun’ under the Bunya pines across the road from the school. There were three other guns across the river at Tygum this made up the defense of this vital bridge which was only one car wide. I also remember that the Australian Bren Gun Carriers (which looked similar to a very light tank without out a turret). May I mention it was believed, that a small army camp of Australian soldiers, were stationed some where on Bark Hill. If you are not aware of the situation of Bark Hill, it is the high area when travelling from Waterford to Beenleigh, this road was so corrugated that it was a “night-mare” to all to travel on.
When word spread around Camp Cable—there were two hotels at Waterford, an influx of US personnel came to our township. My parents Viv and Mavis Bizzell owned the only shop in Waterford which was situated on Albert Street, where the BP service station stands today. It was a mixed grocery business. However, Dad stocked everything needed for a country town. The Post Office was operated within the shop.
Many a US soldier arrived at Waterford in the back of Mr Larry Storey’s chev ute. Later in life Larry became our Shire representative and a man who man who gave much of his life to helping the community in the Logan area and for these efforts he was credited with several awards.
When the US servicemen arrived at Waterford they wanted something to eat so my mother decided to serve steak and egg or chicken meals with dessert for 2/6 (25 cents). I remember this story that Mum told for years, about a very young US soldier who beckoned her over as he ate his meal to tell her that there were “flies in his dessert”. Mum explained that the black things in his fruit salad were passionfruit seeds, he was not convinced at all and never ordered dessert again. My parents told me that, all of the US servicemen they had known were of the highest discipline, well mannered and polite.
Of the many regular US soldiers that called in for a meal—I can still recall some of their names—Hank, Cauley, Evertt, Little Joe, Howard, Lip, Jim and Floyd. Something that I treasure very dearly is a letter written by Everett Alexander in New Guinea dated the 20th June 1944 for seventh birthday a copy of which is on display. Mum told me later by the time we received this letter, Evett had been killed in action. I always believed he was there defending, my brother, Grahan and myself now that I am the age of 76, I still feel the same way “bless his soul”.
My mother would write to service-men and their parents to give them support. Here is parts of a letter Mum received from a US service man (Dec 20th 1945). The last letter I wrote to you, I was at Oro Bay New Guinea having been injured I am now back in the USA still remember Waterford, hope to go to Australia again sometime. Your hospitality to us was great. Enclosed Christmas card will be late , by the spirit is with you any way. Say hello to Larry Street (Larry Storey) and the tall girl May Sailer) who knew Floyd. Our outfit the 503 Paratroop infantry jumped on Corregidor Island February 16th 1945. I broke my shoulder and severely injured my back, hospitalized for two months. You may know this but Floyd was killed on Corregidor Island and your friend Anthony was still on Negros Island in the Philippines when I last saw him he was badly knocked about. I hope to hear from you soon, your friend, Jim Berzhinski, 6242 Regular Street, Detroit, Michigan USA.
I have in my possession a Japanese Government ½ shilling note and one shilling note (printed in the English language). These notes were taken from a Jap by US soldier and given to Dad. Some believe these notes were to be the currency in Australia, if the Japanese were successful in their invasion.
A few other items come to mind to do with the way of life in our area during the dark days of World War Two. Petrol, clothing and some food items such as tea, butter and meat were rationed and they could only purchased by producing ration ticket which were issued to the public. Petrol was rationed from 1st October 1940 to 8th February 1950. At one stage during this period the public was asked not to travel further 15 miles (22 kms) from your home so as to conserve petrol. Commercial travellers would fit gas producers, run on charcoal to the rear bumper of their cars. They would travel a certain distance then they would have to stoke the gas producer with more charcoal then continue on their way.
All grocery stores were gazette to set aside some food items for emergency times. As my father owned the grocery store, we had a spare room stacked with 50 lb bags of flour, 70 lb bags of sugar, boxes of 5 lb tins of jam, candles, matches tinned meat such as camp pie, 4 gallon tins of honey etc. These food stocks were kept in case Brisbane was bombed and we were cut off food suppliers. This food could be distributed to the local people tyres for cars were nearly impossible to procure, 2 ounces of tobacco per week was allotted and would be given to loyal customers. Biscuits were a luxury with Arnott’s Arrowmilk and Sao’s generally the only ones available.
The collection point for any scrap aluminum, pots and pans was the Shire Hall at Waterford. This scrap was recycled to make aeroplanes. Sack bags, sugar bags and the empty 4 gallon kerosene tins became the most serviceable articles for every day living some residents travelled by horse and buggy. The old German wagons carried most farm produce around the districts.
There were several emergency landing air-strips in the Logan area. One at Woodridge and at Loganlea at Armstrong’s property now known as “Meadowbrook”. I vividly remember the igloo hanger on this landing strip. The hanger was 600 metres on the Slacks Creek Road from Loganlea Station on the Meadowbrook side of the road. I confirmed this igloo hanger site with my school teacher Mr Tom Richmond forty years ago. The other well-known air-strip was behind the Club Hotel at Waterford. This Waterford air-strip commenced at Loganlea Road running parallel to Beutel Road cutting across Kingston Road as we know it today. A Douglas DC3 landed on one occasion when apparently it ran short of fuel on its flight from overseas to Brisbane.
Many years after the war our local saw miller Mr Alf Oppermann of Bethania expressed he was not happy to cut up logs brought in from area around Logan Village as many had bullets embedded in them and these bullets took the edge off the circular saw very quickly. This probably also happened at the Bobermein Saw mill Stockleigh.
The Junior Red Cross in Beenleigh was led by Mrs JG Stolz. It was a wonderful society for young girls to become interested in craft work to help the war efforts. My wife Daphne (Perandis) Bizzell as a young girl remembers having a uniform of a red cape and white veil with a red cross on top of it. The Red Cross Meeting were held at the old Lutheran Church on City Road, Beenleigh. Mr Keith Radke informs me that lots of “goodies” biscuits and chocolates collected at the Junior Red Cross were taken up to the Army hospital that was situated near Tamborine Village. These presents were distributed amongst the hospital patients. We presume many of these patients were there because of the accidents that occurred when the paratroopers jumped for practice in the areas around Camp Cable.
Many locals who were farmers or worked on the main roads and in industries, important to the war efforts were not called up to join the Armed forces, so these people, women included, volunteered for other vital jobs to be done, like being an air raid warren. ARP wardens were issued with a white tin helmet and my Dad being one of these ARP wardens always had a galvanized bucket with a stirrup pump handy, this was their equipment to supposedly put out fires. Another job for wardens was to ensure that all homes had black-out curtains across their windows, as not to show any lights at night. All glass doors and windows were taped like lattice with white sticky tape as to minimize, the shattered glass if a bomb fell nearby. Headlights on cars were covered with metal coverings with small splits in them so the headlights shone on the road and not upwards as could be seen by aeroplanes. Crews manning search lights lit up the skies in great displays at night. Good fortune prevailed as no enemy aircraft were sighted over our districts. Most mail coming from overseas was “censored” by Government officials on many occasions you only received half a letter which any thing of importance being cut out.
Many Australians at the time did not realize how close we were to being invaded for we now know in this period from January to early May 1943 eleven ships had been sunk by Japanese submarines including the Centaur off the east coast of Australia.
We must never forget the United States of America for their contributions in aid and man power during WWII. Combined with the fighting ability of our Australian Armed forces we are a free nation today.
REMEMBER THE SACRIFICES BY MANY.
Logan City Historical Museum 