Local soldiers help defend Australia

DESPITE the gathering clouds of war in Europe, the McIvor Times was largely preoccupied with local issues until mid 1939.

But amid stories of council wranglings and show society proceedings, a small item on 7 June drew the attention of many locals.

“Advice has been received from the Defence Department that a militia unit is to be formed in Heathcote,” the paper reported.

A week later, another brief paragraph gave further details.

“In connection with the formation of the Heathcote Unit of the 38th Battalion all intended applicants are required to attend the Shire Hall 7.45pm on Thursday, 22nd June, for medical examination,” it reported.

Several young men from Heathcote and Gunbower signed up that night, committing themselves to at least three years of part-time service.

They initially undertook several stints of basic training at the Balcombe Army Camp at Mount Martha.

After war was declared on 3 September most would eventually become full-time soldiers, although some would return to reserved occupations such as farming.

The 38th Battalion performed garrison duties as far afield as Darwin, but the unit was disbanded in August 1944 with all remaining personnel transferring to other units.

However some of its former members served elsewhere much earlier than this.

Heathcote-born Arthur Tranter left the 38th in mid-1940 and eventually landed in Singapore in October 1941 with an infantry battalion.

By the following April he was listed as missing, and then identified as a prisoner of war in January 1943.

He was compelled to work on the Pakenbaroe Moera railway in northern Sumatra.

Conditions were horrific and it is estimated that more than 80,000 people died during its construction, many of them Asian forced labourers known as Romushas.

In September 1945 the McIvor Times editor described the nervous wait experienced by prisoners’ families.

“The lists of survivors have been anxiously scanned daily for news of Lieut Arthur E Tranter, who has been a prisoner since the fall of Malaya and there was joy in the hearts of his relatives when it was learned that his name was listed,” he wrote.

Tranter, along with some of his fellow soldiers, received a hero’s welcome at Heathcote Station when he returned after the war.

But once the celebrations were over, the challenges of reconnecting began.

Many families were left to deal with the loss of loved family members and friends, or were faced with helping to integrate returned, and often traumatised, servicemen back into the community.

The war had also permanently displaced many established farming families.

A military camp was gazetted at Puckapunyal in late 1939 and the Defence Department compulsorily acquired 15,000 acres of land to train more than 6000 men for Victoria’s quota of the second AIF.

On 18 October, the McIvor Times commented on the speed of this development.

“Creation of the camp at Puckapunyal , which was surveyed for the first time only three weeks ago, is the result of an emergency Cabinet decision and is said to be one of the most impressive war jobs so far attempted in Australia,” it reported.

“In less than a month, drill and training grounds, 300 comfortable timber and metal huts, each capable of housing 20 men, and administration blocks and roads will be ready for the force.

“After the war the camp will be maintained on a permanent basis.”