“In the Army I made many friends, and the real meaning of mateship was established for me.”
– Bob Waterer
Bob Waterer
GuriNgai Man
Gunner
2/4th Field Regiment
Royal Australian Artillery
Australian Army
Medals
1939-1945 Star
Pacific Star
War Medal 1939-1945
Australia Service Medal 1939-1945
Australian Service Medal 1945-75 with clasp SW Pacific
Dutch War Commemorative Cross with clasp Oost-Azië-Zuid-Pacific 1942-1945
“I voluntarily enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in 1943 when I was 18 years and 10 months old when I finished my apprenticeship as a Baker. I had put my age up to 16 when I was 14 to be able to get an apprenticeship and could not enlist in the Army till my apprenticeship of four years had finished. My father was an Army man who served in the Boer War of 1899-1901 in South Africa and also served for three years in the First World War in France, where he was gassed. My older brother was in the Army fighting the Japanese in New Guinea when I enlisted, and as my father and brother were both in the Artillery, it was through their influence that I also served in the Artillery.
I was sent to Greta Camp in NSW for my basic training, followed by three months Signals training and then back to Greta for another three months. We were then sent to Canungra Jungle Warfare Centre for six weeks of jungle training in readiness for overseas deployment to the Pacific. Following Canungra, I was posted to my Artillery unit, 2/4th Field Regiment for more intensive training.
On Sunday, 1 July 1945, the 7th Division took part in Operation Oboe Two, at Balikpapan on the east coast of Borneo, where the second largest oil refinery supplying fuel to the Japanese forces was located. I served in 2/10th Infantry Battalion on Operation Oboe Two, we were in the first wave of landing barges onto the beach. After almost 12 days of fighting, Balikpapan was in Australian hands – it was the most extensive amphibious landing undertaken by the Australian Army in World War II. A month later, World War II ended on 14 August 1945 with the unconditional surrender of Japan to the Allied Forces. I was evacuated to Australia in November 1945 and was discharged from the AIF on 27 September 1946.
I was 81 years old when I discovered documents in my late sister’s house that confirmed my Aboriginal heritage. We traced our heritage back to Sarah (Biddy) Wallace – a member of the Broken Bay clan led by Bungaree. My great-grandmother Catherine Bens (1838-1920) was known to many locals as The Queen of Scotland Island.
Also, I played in the first-ever third grade team for Manly in 1947!”
– Bob Waterer