Correspondence relating to William Dunstan, August - December 1945 - Part 12

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hard if I were you. It is not worth while

injuring your health just to help

somebody who wants to slack off a 

bit. I hope you manage to get a good

assistant who will take some of the work

off your hands. Surely there must be 

somebody in Melbourne who could do the

job - are all the men around the late 35

mark just finishing 5 or 6 years in the 

army?

I have been giving a lot of thought 

as to what I will do when I come home.

You say that you wonder whether the soldier

of 6 years service will be very keen on

entering "the area of high pressure

business executive". I, for one, am afraid

that my service has increased my love

of the outdoors life and it is going to 

be very very hard indeed to settle down 

to a "paper man" in an office. Also 

the life of an officer in the British Army 

produces rather a false standard of living

3

compared to what he will have to return

in civilian life - more so than in the

Australian army. In India my income 

as a captain is approximately £A800 a

year which is quite a lot of money for

doing practically nothing. Having left 

my civilian job at the age of 19 the 

most I can hope to get when I return to 

Australia is about £A250 a year 

and I wouldn't be worth even that for

a long time. 

Does George Caro really want me to 

work for him or is it just because he is 

a friend of yours? Maybe I am wrong,

but he has always struck me as being

just a little too smooth and suave.

Still, he is one of your directors and ^a good

friend of yours so I will take your

word for him. I noticed that Jim Edwards

didn't seem very pleased when I 

suggested that I might like to work

4

for Gollins. Apart from the fact that I 

am not very mechanically minded I 

would like to work for him but for the 

fact that it would mean at least two

more years away from home, as from the

date of my release. And after that it

might mean going anywhere.

If I did go to Gollins, just what would 

be the nature of the job and what

prospects are there? What should I try 

to study in my spare time? I could 

continue to study French and German 

if you think that would be of any use. 

You needn't worry about my getting married

for a while - I feel less like entering that

happy state every day. Perhaps it is because 

I have  seen too many go on the rocks 

while I have been ^in the army. I could 

tell you of more than half a dozen

heartbreaking cases in my former troop

which was less than 60 men. They need 

5

to come to me for advice but there wasn't

much I could do except try to get the 

men concerned compassionate leave. I don't 

blame the women for the things they did 

but I do blame ^them for being found out.

However, I suppose it is just another 

consequence of war. 

So George Kirk is fearfully English is

he? I hope you don't notice too much

of a change in me when you see me.

I hope Helen doesn't marry him - he is

rather a stuffed shirt. John Sproule is 

a good, steady type who might not

make too bad a brother-in-law but

somehow I don't quite see it happening. 

How do Pete's stakes stand? I like him

very much but I imagine that his ability 

of ?? earning a living when he leaves

the service is about as remote as mine.

I seldom hear from any of my female

friends which is a good thing - distance

doesn't make the heart grow fonder. 

6

Today I received a letter from Harry 

written a week after yours telling me

that Grandma was in hospital. I am

very sorry to hear it and it will cause 

Mum a lot of worry and extra work.

Your liquor stocks sound pretty good

to me and I will certainly help you lower

them on my arrival home. I am still

on the wagon but will step off it in time

to get into training. We have just been

told that owing to the dock strikes in

England it is highly unlikely that there

will be any imported liquor for Christmas &

and that extra food etc. will be on a 

reduced scale. 

No, I don't need any money so please 

don't send any. It is very good of you to 

offer it but I keep well within my income

and then have a fair bit left. Write 

another long letter soon. 

Lots of love 

Bill

______________________

Windsor 6000

Stc. Annes

20 Wallace Avenue

TOORAK, S.E.2

November 23, 1945. 

Lieutenant Colonel G.E.N. Everett, 

British Army Headquarters,

606 Toorak Road,

TOORAK. S.E.2.

Dear Sir,

RE309493, Captain W. Dunstan,

Officers' Wing

R.A. Base Depot,

Deolali. India.

This is an application for discharge of the

above named on the following grounds:-

1. To take civil employment. See letter from

Messers. Gollin & Co. Pty. Ltd. attached (in duplicate).

Captain Dunstan has served six years in the 

A.I.F. and B.E.F. combined; - having gone 

straight from School to the Army when he was 

just 19.  He was born in 1920 and is there-

fore 25 years of age.

If he misses this excellent opportunity (he is

to commence at £400 a year), the matter of his 

rehabilitation is likely to be prejudicially 

affected.

As a guide to Captain Dunstan's varied service

I am able to tell you he has earned six 

campaign ribbons. 

2. Compassionate. His mother is in poor health

and Doctor's certificate can be supplied if

required. 

/Our three 

Lieutenant Colonel G.E.N. Everett,     Page 2.

Our three children have served in the Forces 

during the war - 

Eldest - Captain W. Dunstan = 6 years.

Next - Daughter - W.R.A.N.S. = 31/2 years.

Youngest - F/O J.K. Dunstan

R.A.A.F. = 3 years,

and still serving.

All have been expensively educated at the

best schools, yet have had not business 

training because of war service.

I am a Returned Soldier of the 1914-18 war -

Lieutenant 7th Battalion/2nd Division, A.I.F.

- Twice mentioned in dispatches and awarded

V.C. August 9th, 1915.

In my capacity of General Manager, The Herald

& Weekly Times Ltd. - the largest Publishing

House in the Southern Hemisphere - and, as

well, acting as Joing Manager of the Government Newsprint Pool, - I have been under

severe stress during the war and would

appreciate the domestic relief which would 

come through Captain Dunstan's return.

For reference as to the accuracy of all 

particulars herein, I am permitted to quote - 

1. Lieutenant General J. Northcott, C.G.S., A.M.F
2. Major General C. Lloyd, A.G., A.M.F.

Anything you can do to accelerate Captain

Dunstan's discharge will be much appreciated.

Captain Dunstan is agreeable and will lodge application

with A.G., B.H.Q., India.

Yours faithfully, 

(W. Dunstan)

Lieutenant Colonel G.E.N. Everett, 

British Army Headquarters,

606 Toorak Road,

TOORAK. S.E.2.

==================

Dear Sir,

RE309493, Captain W. Dunstan,

late 363 Battery, 91 Royal Artillery,

21st Army Group - 

now posted R.A.J.N.G., India

Command, presumably en route to 

S.E.A.C.

===================================

This Officer is now twenty-five years of

age and has been six years in the Army, - counting combined

service in the Australian Army and the British Army.

He has served in North Africa, Syria, Lebanon

and so on, with the 2nd/4th Field Regiment, A.I.F. 

He was transferred to the British Army in

October 1943 and since then, in addition to seeing further

service in the Palestine area, was in the the Italian campaign,

including Anzio, until the Fifth Army was moved in to Belgium. 

He was then with the British Liberation Army for some time

and served as Forward Observation Officer for his Battery in 

the crossing of the Rhine and Elbe, later serving two to 

three months in the Army of Occupation.

I am listing his service in a short way so that

you will see that Captain Dunstan has had his fair share of

Active Service, although it may be that, being unmarried and

only twenty-five years of age, he has not yet built up

sufficient points for his discharge.

This is to inform you that this Company is 

developing a Graphic Arts section in which it is intended that

Captain Dunstan shall become one of the "key" men, and it is

most desirable that he should return to Australia at the

earliest possible moment to take up his position in this

rapidly developing department. 

I shall be glad if you could inform me at an 

early date how soon we can expect to secure Captain Dunstan's 

discharge and return to Australia.

Yours faithfully

(G.A. Caro)

Managing Director 

309493

Captain W. Dunstan,

Officer's Wing

R.A. Base Depot

DEOLALI. INDIA

===============

November 267, 1945.

My dear Dad, 

During the last few days I have received letters

from you and Mum and one from Group-Captain Wallace Crabbe,

the letter giving me addresses of some of his friends in

India.

Your cable also arrived a few nights ago - the one asking me to apply for my immediate discharge from the Army.

When I was in London, General Rowell told me that I couldn't

get out before my time and that I would "have to take the

rough with the smooth" and make the best of it. The 

Prime Minister and the Minister for the Army have made it

quite clear that no others except class "B" personnel will 

be released before their age and service group numbers are due. 

Under no possible stretch of the imagination can I 

come into Class "B" which comprises builders, carpenters, 

bricklayers, plumbers and other qualified types of tradesmen.

Every other occupation is grouped in Class "A", which is the

normal demob. scheme. No one in Class "A" can apply for 

discharge but must wait for his "A" and "S" Group to be

released. 

As I have told you before, overseas service does 

not count toward release so, even though my total overseas

service is probably more than most people, it does not help 

me get out of the Army any quicker. But it does give me 

an extra £30 when I am released, which is better than a kick

in the pants.

However, when I receive your letters I 

will compose a good hard luck story and bung it in to the 

War Office in the hope that it brings tears to the eyes of

some brass hat. That is about all I can do.

I wrote to Mum yesterday telling her that I would 

be posted soon - probably to a Field Regiment located 

somewhere in Java or Malaya -- I think the latter. If this

happened I would apply for one month's leave of absence

shortly before I was due to be released and hitch hike my

way home for a spot of leave. I would then go back to 

England for release and if possible do that trip to Canada

and U.S.A. 

/I have 

2.

I have been going into financial details rather

carefully and am sure I can manage it.

The fact that I am so far away from England WILL NOT 

DELAY my release as all troops are sent back to U.K. about 

two months before the release date.

While writing this letter I received one from Mum 

dated 16th November which is a considerable improvement.

She tells me that Helen starts with the Herald Women's Page

shortly. That should be very interesting for her and will

give her a pretty hectic time socially, I suppose.

It was very good of you to write to all your friends

in India, telling them of my arrival, but it is unlikely that

I will be able to visit any of them as the distances involved

are great and it is impossible to get more than three days' 

leave.

If I go to Bombay I will call on Major Coulton, whose

father I met in London. Both are connected with the 

"Times of India". I often used to have a drink with 

Coulton senior in the Press Club and he gave me a letter of

introduction to his son.

Doug Wilkie sends me the air edition of "The Times"

every day, which I appreciate very much. He says he may not

be able to continue the service as you may want it at the

"Herald". I told him that it was unlikely that any of you 

would read it anyway so I hope it keeps coming to me. It 

is beautifully printed on rice paper, but takes nearly a 

fortnight to get here. I think it is one of the few 

newspapers in England worth reading these days. 

I can't think of any further news. 

Lots of love - 

BILL.

=====

 

P.S. Do you ever see Peter Stephenson these days? I 

haven't heard from him for some time.