War vet notches up 101 years

THE achievements just keep coming for Ballarat Second World War veteran Bob Greaves, who earlier this month celebrated his 101st birthday.

Family and friends gathered at the Kelaston Aged Care Facility in Wendouree on Saturday 5 October to help Mr Greaves mark the occasion.

His daughter, Trina Jones, said visitors travelled from as far as Albury-Wodonga (a nephew) to be present, with others coming from Melbourne and Bendigo.

Partygoers included Mr Greaves’s two children – Mrs Jones and her brother Barry – grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

“He had a nice day; he enjoyed himself,” Mrs Jones said. “He did enjoy the day, for sure.”

Mr Greaves served as a driver for the 121st Australian General Transport Company during the Second World War and returned to western Victoria after the conflict, working as a grocer, milk bar operator and commercial traveller.

He spent 18 months in the early 1950s running what is now the Black Hill Post Office.

During his time in the transport company, he worked at a prisoner of war camp in Murchison where his final role was driving the colonel who ran it.

A knee injury suffered during youthful sporting pursuits put paid to any frontline war duty.

Mr Greaves’s earlier work with the 121st involved driving on dirt roads to Central Australia from his Adelaide base.

Mrs Jones said her father’s hearing is not what it once was and he recently suffered a fall, but he is still cognitively fine.

“The body’s given out but his mind is still good,” she said.

“He’s working on 102, so you’d better keep that date free.”