The following information and chronological table are a summary of the entries from the World War Two Service Record of Marie Lynch.
Marie Lynch was initially allocated to serve with the Artillery, in Search Light (SL) Batteries in Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia. These were in support of fixed large artillery guns.
Towards the end of the war Marie went into a clerical position in Victoria with the 3rd Australian Base Ordnance Depot. That depot still exists at Broadmeadows.
Marie enlisted on 10 May 1943 but her full time service was deemed to have commenced on 29 May 1943 after a short period of leave without pay. She served for 1054 days and was discharged on 3 Apr 1946.
View Marie Lynch's Service record.
Marie Margaret Read (née Lynch) passed away on 07 Feb 2015 aged 91 at Kingsville, Vic and is buried with husband Geoff at Williamstown Cemetery.
This biography was prepared for Bradley Read, son of Marie Margaret Read and Geoffrey Gordon Read by Clive Mitchell-Taylor, 19 Jun 2019.
For further information about identity numbers for Service personnel, see Regimental and Service Numbers
|
Army Number |
VF 510218 |
|
What is your name? |
Marie Margaret Lynch |
|
Unit |
AWAS |
|
Enlisted for War Service at |
Melbourne, Victoria |
|
Date of Enlistment |
10 May 1943 |
|
Where were you born? |
Clifton Hill, Victoria |
|
Are you a British Subject? |
Yes |
|
What is your age and date of birth? |
Age 20 Yrs Date of Birth 2 Apr 1923 |
|
What is your normal trade or occupation? Grade if any? |
Machinist |
|
Present Occupation |
Unemployed |
|
Are you married, single or widower? |
Single |
|
If married, state date of marriage? |
- |
|
Have you had previous military or Air Force service either in peace or war? If so where and in what area? What was the reason for your discharge? |
No |
|
Who is your actual next of kin? ( Order of relationship - wife, eldest son, eldest daughter, father, mother, eldest brother, eldest sister, eldest half-brother, eldest half-sister) |
Mother |
|
What is your permanent address? |
84 Grey Street |
|
What is your religious denomination? |
RC |
|
Which if any of the following Educational Qualifications do you possess? |
1. Certificate for entry to Secondary School [Response - Convent] |
|
Have you ever been convicted by a Civil Court? If so, at what Court and for what offence? |
No |
|
Medical Classification |
A1 |
|
Rank |
Description |
Date |
Remarks |
|
Private |
Enlisted |
10 May 1943 |
|
|
Private |
TOS Full Time Duty [illegible], AWRD. |
22 May 1943 |
Melbourne |
|
Private |
Granted Leave Without Pay from 1700 hrs 22 May 1943 to 0900 hrs 14 Jun 1943 |
22 May 1943 |
Possibly as a result of a family illness or similar event |
|
Private |
Rejoined Unit after LWOP. |
14 Jun 1943 |
|
|
Private |
Transferred to 4th Australian Training Battalion, Darley [Bacchus Marsh] and Taken on Strength from AWRD. |
15 Jun 1943 |
Note that 4 Aust Trg Bn is later referred to as 4 AWAS Trg Bn |
|
Private |
Transfered to 5th Anti-Aircraft Searchlight Battery |
12 Jul 1943 |
Braybrook Heavy Anti-Aircraft Gun Station located at Sunshine |
|
Private |
Transferred to 68th Anti-Aircraft Searchlight Battery, Queensland |
19 Nov 1943 |
|
|
Private |
TOS by 68th Anti-Aircraft Searchlight Battery from 5th Anti-Aircraft Searchlight Battery There were 6 Heavy AA batteries armed with the Australian-manufactured 3.7 inch gun. Three batteries were located in Brisbane’s north and three in the south. They were put into fixed emplacements at Bannister Park at Windsor Park, Windsor; east of Eagle Farm airfield at Pinkenba; in Victoria Park at Spring Hill; on the hill above the Balmoral Cemetery off Wynnum Road, Morningside; on a farm at 214 Fleming Road, Hemmant and close to Fort Lytton in South Street, Lytton. On 29 August 1942, the Army HQ at Victoria Barracks, Petrie Terrace ordered the cessation of work at Windsor and the guns relocated to a site off Gerler Road, Hendra. The Hendra, Pinkenba and Lytton batteries had hexagonal cinder block gun emplacements. The Eagle Farm, Balmoral and Spring Hill emplacements were constructed with reinforced concrete. A Heavy AA battery of four guns was positioned at Archerfield aerodrome. All emplacements were built under the direction of the Allied Works Council (AWC). The AWC also requested that an emplacement be built atop Mt Gravatt. |
21 Nov 1943 |
|
|
Private |
Adult rate of pay |
2 Apr 1944 |
On reaching the age of 21 |
|
Private |
MO to GDD Victoria |
3 May 1944 |
General Duties Details were a catch-all that provided work parties as necessary, but also served as a holding unit for those in transit or undergoing short-term training. |
|
Private |
Marched in light duties [to GDD] |
For reallocation |
Possibly due to injury? |
|
Private |
MO to LTD WA |
3 Jun 1944 |
This is noted as a US base at Wembley, WA, but is more likely to have been employed in static defences at this location. |
|
Private |
Transferred in to 86 Anti-Aircraft Searchlight Battery from L of C |
7 Jun 1944 |
|
|
Private |
Transferred to 66th Searchlight Battery from 86th SL Battery |
22 Aug 1944 |
|
|
Private |
Detached to 8 AARC |
5 Oct 1944 |
Most likely for training |
|
Private |
Transferred to 55 Anti-Aircraft Searchlight Battery |
24 Nov 1944 |
|
|
Private |
Transferred to Victorian GDD for reallocation and leave |
19 May 1945 |
31 AWAS Barracks |
|
Private |
Leave and Training |
23 May 1945- |
|
|
Private |
Marched out to 3rd Aust BOD |
28 Jun 1945 |
|
|
Private |
Transferred in [to 3 Aust BOD] in from GDD Vic L of C |
28 Jun 1945 |
|
|
Private |
Graded Group 3 Clerk |
11 Oct 1945 |
|
|
Private |
Regraded Group 2 Clerk |
12 Nov 1945 |
|
|
Private |
March out to |
2 Apr 1946 |
|
|
Private |
Determination of Demobilization Priority entered |
4 Apr 1946 |
Virtually no entries apart from name and number. Date 25/3/1946 endorsed but printed text is illegible |
|
Private |
Proceedings for Discharge |
3 Apr 1946 |
|
MILITARY CAMPS AND LOCATIONS DURING WW2 are from https://www.ozatwar.com/ozatwar/militarycamps.htm on 19 Jun 2019.
ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY DEFENCES IN AUSTRALIA DURING WW2, Including Searchlight Batteries are from https://www.ozatwar.com/locations/ackack.htm on 19 Jun 2019
War Medal 1939-1945 and Australia Service Medal 1939-1945.
Use the hyperlinks or scroll down to see further information.
The War Medal 1939-45 was awarded for 28 days full-time service in the Armed Forces between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. Operational and non-operational service may be counted, providing that it was of 28 days or more duration.
In the Merchant Navy there is a requirement that the 28 days should have been served at sea.
A member qualifies for the award where service was brought to an end by death, wounds or other disabilities due to service or by cessation of hostilities on 2 September 1945.
The War Medal 1939-45 is awarded to Australian Civilian Personnel who served afloat with the United States Army Small Ships Section between 8 December 1941 and 2 September 1945. Eligibility is the same as that for Merchant Navy personnel. See required evidence to support a claim.
Design
The medal is cupro-nickel with the crowned effigy of King George VI on the obverse.
The reverse has a lion standing on a double-headed dragon. The top of the reverse shows the dates 1939 and 1945.
Ribbon
The ribbon colours of red, white and blue represent the colours of the Union Flag.
The Australia Service Medal 1939-1945 was instituted in 1949 to recognise the service of members of the Australian Armed Forces and the Australian Mercantile Marine during World War II.
The medal was originally awarded to those who served at home or overseas for at least 18 months full-time service, or three years part-time service, between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. Members of the Australian Mercantile Marine must have served the qualifying time at sea.
In 1996 the qualifying time was reduced to 30 days full-time or 90 days part-time service. To be eligible for the medal a serviceman or woman must have been honourably discharged from the Australian Armed Forces.
Design
The medal is nickel silver with the crowned effigy of King George VI on the obverse. The reverse has the Australian coat of arms, placed centrally, surrounded by the words ‘THE AUSTRALIA SERVICE MEDAL 1939-1945’.
Ribbon
The ribbon has a wide khaki central stripe, flanked by two narrow red stripes, which are in turn flanked by two outer stripes, one of dark blue and the other of light blue. The khaki represents the Australian Army, and the red, dark blue and light blue represent the Merchant Navy, Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force respectively.
Attribution
The above information is from the Defence Honours site at http://www.defence.gov.au/Medals/Imperial/WWII/Australia-Service-Medal-1939-1945.asp, taken on 19 Jun 2019.
This version of the Rising Sun Badge was worn by soldiers of the 1st and 2nd Australian Imperial Forces, and the badge has become an integral part of the Digger tradition.
Worn on the the upturned brim of the slouch hat, it is readily identified with the spirit of ANZAC.
There are a number of versions of the genesis of the badge, the most widely accepted being that it derived from a Trophy of Arms - various swords and bayonets mounted on a semi-circular display in Victoria Barracks, Melbourne.
The original version worn in South Africa was modified in 1904 and worn by Australian soldiers through two World Wars.
Later changes were made to the style of the crown and the wording on the scroll. The "King's Crown" is the one shown to the left, while arches of the "Queen's Crown" rise at the same angle as the base of the crown, curve at their highest point to a level mid-way on the orb below the cross and then down to below the orb.
In 1949 the scroll was changed to read "Australian Military Forces".
In 1969 the badge was modified to incorporate the 7-pointed Federation Star with a central Queen's crown over the Torse Wreath (a twisted roll of fabric) from the original 1902 version, and the scroll wording changed to "Australia".
In the 75th anniversary year of the the ANZAC landings at Gallipoli, there was a drive to return to traditional accoutrements worn by Australian soldiers during the World Wars, which clearly identify the Australian Army. The Queen's crown returned to its central position and the scroll now reads "The Australian Army'.