WW2 MEMORIAL PINOAKS
In 1948 a line of Pinoaks was planted along the line of the creek at Skipton in memory of the men of the district who gave their lives in the Second World War. These are the men.
Pte George Ernest MILLIST, VX26510 was the eldest son of George Ernest Millist and Emily (nee WISE). He was one of four children, all of whom attended Skipton State School. George’s father, Ernest, is remembered as Skipton’s lamplighter. George was killed in action on Ambon Island on February 2nd, 1942. He was 21 years old.
Pte Thomas (Tom) McINTYRE VX66329 was born November 8th 1924, the third of five sons born to Andrew McIntyre and his wife Ethel Winifred (nee KEYS). The family were soldier settlers on the WW1 Mt Bute estate. Mrs McIntyre was an English war bride and spent her first year in Australia living in a tent on their block, with two very young children. Mr McIntyre died in a farm accident in 1936. Tom enlisted in the AIF two weeks after his 17th birthday, putting up his age. Three months later he died at the hands of the Japanese, Prisoner of War on Ambon.
Pte Alexander Calder COBDEN VX28761, born March 1910 was the son of William Richard Cobden and his wife May (nee DUNN), one of a family of nine children, attending Carranballac School. Alex enlisted in June 1940, two years later he was taken Prisoner of War, and his death is recorded “at sea, South West Pacific Area”, 1st July 1942.
Corporal Mark KILBURN VX15262 was born 1909 in Derbyshire, England. He was killed in action 29th August 1942, in Papua New Guinea. He left a wife and two children. He is also commemorated on the war memorial at Mornington, where his wife and children were living at the time of his death.
Pte Reginald Robert CAIRNS, VX4889, known as Ted, was the son of Robert Cairns and Alice Mary (nee STONE). Ted grew up at Mingay, near Lismore, one of a family of six, all of whom attended Mingay School. Ted enlisted 27th October 1939, aged 30, and on March 2nd 1940, while travelling home on his embarkation leave, died when his motor bike skidded on the road near Scarsdale. He is buried in Skipton Cemetery. On the headstone are inscribed the words “Some time we’ll understand”.
Pte Maxwell SLATER VX43772 was the son of Adam Robert SLATER and his wife Lilian (nee AUTRIDGE). Born August 1918 Max was the fourth child in a family of five, attending Carranballac School. He died as a Prisoner of War while working on the infamous Siam-Burma Railway. He is commemorated at the Kanchanaburi War cemetery in Thailand. The total number of burials in this cemetery is nearly 7,000.
Pte Eric Leslie WALKER VX131805 was born 1917 in Mt Gambier, the son of Hugh Roy WALKER and his wife Irene May (LAUBE). The Walkers were one of a group of families from the Mt Gambier district which made their way across to the Vite Vite area and settled there under the Closer Settlement Scheme. Eric enlisted in January 1943 leaving a wife, Mary Ann, and a brother Clem who served in the RAAF. Eric died of illness while serving in New Guinea in late 1943.
Flying Officer Charles Ridley FAIRBAIRN DFC, 419988 was born 1924, the son of Major C. O. Fairbairn of Banongill, Skipton, and his wife Irene (nee RIDLEY). According to Claud Notman DFC, author of “Of Sheep and Men”, who also served in the RAAF, and the AWM website, Charles’ Lancaster Bomber came down in a flying battle over Germany 1st February 1945 on what was Charles’ 29th operation of a tour of 30. Some of the crew survived and the Fairbairns later made contact with one survivor. The altar lamp in Skipton's Christ Church was placed there as a memorial. His DFC was presented to his father 13.11.1946 at Government House.
Pte Thomas Edward WALKER V85214 was born in England in 1896 and served in WW1 on Gallipoli and in France. He is commemorated on our War Memorial. In the second world war he served in the Garrison and was sent to the Ordnance dept at Broadmeadows. In September 1941 he was found stabbed to death in the Treasury gardens, Melbourne. He lies in a soldier’s grave in Skipton Cemetery.
Pte Lachlan MacKINNON VX40440 was born 1902 at Elgol on the Isle of Skye, and before the outbreak of war was employed on Mooramong by the MacKinnon family. He served in the Middle East and was returned to Australia in early 1943, presumably with the intention of sending him to the South West Pacific area. His health deteriorated steadily and he died in Cairns Hospital later in that year. He is buried in a Commonwealth War Grave in the cemetery at Cairns. I feel there must be a connection of some sort between the two families, and if anyone can throw some light on this, I would be most grateful.
Tpr Mervyn Lloyd HOWELL VX56031 was born May 1918, the son of Percy HOWELL and Florence May (nee GRILLS), one of three boys, all of whom served. Mervyn was killed in action in Brunei Bay, Borneo in June 1945 – so close to the end of the war. Ron and Ray returned to their family. Ray’s fine collection of memorabilia is now stored in our “Soldiers’ Corner” at the Historical Society HQ in Skipton.
Pte Stanley James SMITH VX53447 was born 1920 at Skipton, the son of Wallace SMITH and his wife Susan Evelyn (nee MAY). He was brother to Wallace, Albert and Ruby, all of whom served. The Smith family paid a very high price for our freedom – both Wallace and Albert were taken Prisoners of War of the Japanese. The single Pin Oak at the eastern end of the bridge at Skipton is dedicated to Stan, who was killed in action in New Guinea on 27th June 1945. Stan’s mates contacted the Skipton RSL, wanting to plant a memorial tree for their mate, and out of this grew the plantation along the creek bank. Several of the commemorative plates have been lost, and some trees died, but these have been replaced, and a plaque has been placed on a rock near the creek bank in memory of these lives cut so tragically short.
Janet Walsh, Skipton and District Historical Society Inc. Any comments would be welcomed.