AVEO's Domain Country Club residents share World War II stories

The residents of Aveo's Gold Coast retirement living community, The Domain Country Club, at Ashmore, Queensland, will share their war-time memories and stories during the site's Anzac Day Service.

On September 2, 1945, Russ was in a prime position to witness the signing of the Japanese surrender to America's General Douglas MacArthur in Tokyo Bay.

The former navy communications operator was aboard Australia's heavy cruiser HMAS Shropshire, anchored close to the USS Missouri, for the historical event ending the Pacific war.

"I had a good viewing spot to witness what was going on. The Allies had their ships in the bay and the sky was covered in aircraft, the Americans put every craft they had in the sky that day,'' he said.

Russ, who will celebrate his 98^th birthday on April 27, was a carefree 17-year-old lifesaver on Main Beach when he enlisted in 1942.

"A lot of the other lifesavers were signing up and when Darwin was bombed, I felt I had to do something,'' he says.

"My dad had to give consent because I was under 21. It was very hard for him to sign the paperwork and I remember he cried.''

Russ spent nine months training in communications before he was posted to HMAS Australia and active service in the Pacific, where his role was relaying vital messages. In October 1944, the ship was part of a major effort by the Allies to recapture the Philippines during the Battle of Leyte Gulf when a kamikaze pilot struck HMAS Australia with devastating results.

"I was off duty below when the plane hit the ship's bridge and when I got to the main wireless room, I was told the aerials were down and I needed to go up on the main deck to get them back up,'' he said.

"I was putting up the aerials with wounded men around me being attended by medical orderlies. They had been most exposed operating anti-aircraft guns on the upper deck when the aircraft came in spraying its bullets from the machineguns.''

The ship's captain, who Russ knew well, and 29 officers and men were killed and 64 wounded. After four more aircraft crashed into HMAS Australia it was put out of action.

Russ was transferred to HMAS Shropshire to continue duties, including the liberation of the Philippines. He is most proud of the distinguished service medal he later received from the Philippines.

Russ was in the wireless room when he heard the Japanese Emperor's broadcast announcing an end to hostilities. Two weeks later, he was in Tokyo Bay for the signing of the surrender and in May 1946 he was excited to be invited as part of the British Empire victory contingent in London.

On his return to the Gold Coast, Russ was back enjoying the beach when he met Margaret, who became his wife and mother of their two daughters.

He studied architecture at the University of Queensland leading to successful practices in Mackay and the Gold Coast.

After 66 years of marriage and not long after they moved into The Domain Country Club, he lost his beloved Margaret. He is now thriving and living independently with some support services in the community

Another resident Joan Woodland is turning 100 later this year and is still as sharp as a tack, recalling her military service number without hesitation.

As Anzac Day looms, Joan fondly recalls the memories of her service and the lifelong friendships she formed with the other women in her unit.

"But I think I might be the only remaining one of the whole unit,'' she said.

"As soon as I turned 19, I enlisted and received my call up in January 1943 as a Private in an administrative role in the Australian Army Medical Women's Service. I was of the opinion that if you could join up, you joined up.

"I was posted to the 2/2^nd Australian General Hospital where my sister was stationed. It was a hospital under canvas set up at Rocky Creek on the Atherton Tablelands and I typed up medical records in the hospital's Admission and Discharges section.

"It was a busy military hospital with troops from several divisions.

"In August 1945, the hospital was moving to New Guinea and the advance party had already boarded the ship when Hiroshima and Nagasaki were bombed. From that moment everything was cancelled: it was the end of the war.''

Patients were transferred south on an ambulance train and the 2/2^nd Australian General Hospital moved to Darby, Victoria, to take the overflow of patients from Melbourne's Heidelberg Military Hospital.

Joan married a serviceman in 1948 and had a busy life raising two children and periods of living overseas.

After her husband's death, she moved into The Domain Country Club in 2000 where she continues to enjoy the social contact with other residents.

"I was there for about 19 years before transferring to Elston Lodge where I've lived for the past four years,'' Joan said.

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