Thomas William Maxwell

Thomas William Maxwell

Tom Maxwell

• Father: Thomas William Maxwell b. 10 Oct 1873, d. 6 May 1953
• Mother: Bertha Ellem b. 17 Aug 1883, d. 6 May 1972

• Birth*: Thomas William Maxwell was born on 17 February 1911 at Uandi Homestead Kangaroo Creek, Grafton, NSW, Australia; Kangaroo Creek was in flood at this time, so Tom was born in the homestead.^1,2
• He was the son of Thomas William Maxwell and Bertha Ellem.
• Marriage*: Thomas William Maxwell married Joyce Lorraine Eddy, daughter of John Lovell Eddy and Ada Miles, on 23 October 1943 at Ballarat, VIC, Australia; Transcript of letter to Bertha Maxwell from Mauva Oliver
  
  Flat 6
  “Kenilworth”
  6 Queens Road
  Melbourne
  
  24.10.43
  
  My dear Mrs Maxwell,
  
  Little did I think as you and I chatted together in mother's home at 65 The Boulevard Dulwich Hill that circumstances later would lead me to Melbourne & give me the great joy of being at dear old Tom's wedding yesterday.
  
  You remember don't you, that in April of this year I gave up my nursing life leaving the Royal Hospital to marry & I might say here that I know I will never regret the step I have taken for I am very very happy.
  
  Now the main object of this letter to you is to give you my impression &as many details as I can of the wedding seeing that I & my husband were the sole representatives of Tom's family & friends. We were just thrilled to be able to go even though it meant we had to get up early to catch the Ballarat train from Melbourne which left at 8am & arrived there at 12 md & of course we had to come back to Melbourne at 6pm the same night. However it was well worth it.
  
  Ballarat is a beautiful city & the very old grey stone church of St. Peters looked a picture with the chancel decorated with massed bowls of mauve and white lilac purple irises & lovely soft pink gerberaras. The afternoon sunlight shone through the exquisite stained glass windows & shed a soft radiance over the whole of the chancel. The seats where the guests were to sit had a soft bow of white satin ribbon & a posy of a lovely white flowering plum attached to it. We arrived early enough the greet the old boy as he got out of the car with his groomsman.
  
  I gave him a kiss for you & your family & one for our family how much all the Deane family think of Tom.
  
  We took our place in the beautiful little church & sat in the space reserved for the bridegroom's relatives and friends. Besides my husband & I there were about 6 Air Force personnel amongst whom was Wing Commander Fairbairn & his wife & several Squadron leaders. All from Tom's Stations. Whilst we waited for the brides parents & friends to assemble - about 40 odd I think, the organist played very sweetly "Where 'ere you walk" & Tom & his groomsman took their place at the altar steps to await the arrival of his bride Joyce - whom I am sure you will all become very fond of for I think that she is a very bonny girl & seems to suit Tom in every way. The family and friends seemed such superior nice happy people & worthy of linking up with your family life.
  
  Well at last the bride came in on the arm of her father & she looked so sweet. As a matter of fact she reminded me a good deal like your Jess.
  
  To say the least of it she looked absolutely sweet. Dressed in a lovely white crepe romain type of frock - made almost like a jacket top with long skirt & beaded on the cuff of the 3/4 sleeve with cream satin beads & also the points of the Eton collar & her Grandmothers lovely net veil was held in place with a coronet of gardenias & she carried a spray of gardenias together with a white ivory prayer book. Tom looked very proud & happy as he stood with her during the service & he spoke out very clearly. They certainly made a very beautiful picture standing there whilst the service proceeded. Both of them young healthy and radiant with happiness.
  
  Of course you can imagine I was giving them all the moral support I could for your sake for it seemed such a pity that his people could not be represented.
  
  This is war in earnest isn't it.
  
  Well at last it was over & it was a lovely service - beautiful calm day - lovely church beautifully decorated & a happy couple What more could be wanted. Joyce's sister was matron of honour & looked very sweet also in her long powder blue and shell pink frock & her little Juliette cap looked so sweet on her black hair. Of course you will see all the photographs and will then know yourselves the details. We are adjoined then to wait for the bridal party whilst the photographs were being taken & I had time to see the relatives. Joyce's mother wore a costume almost a Scotch tweed & had two beautiful orchids pinned in teh lapel of her coat.
  
  She & her husband seem a very fine type & altogether they seemed very happy amongst their friends. Well the bridal couple & party returned & for a short while waited whilst about sixty telegrams were read. It was lovely to see old Tom's face when those from his family were read out.
  
  I wish you could have seen the banquet room. It was absolutely exquisite.
  
  Each table was decorated with massed bowls of glorious mauve lilac & daffodils mixed & lace tablecloths covered the tables.
  
  The bridal table was glorious really with the same flowers & there were about a dozen bowls of beautiful lily of the valley arranged in the front of this table. They were from the garden of Wing Commander Fairbairn. The centre decoration of the table of course was the cake - a lovely white one & on top of the cake was a vase of the same lily of the valley.
  
  Lovely cold meats oysters - salads trifle fruit salad & ice cream & savories were the order of the menu. It was lovely really & such a happy crowd altogether. Tom offered his apologies for you not being there. Everyone seemed so sorry that you were not. The speeches were bright & happy & all held Tom in such regard from the Wing Commander down.
  
  Well all the toasts were over & then I had an inspiration so I got up quite impromptu & said a few words myself about Tom & about you all. I felt I had to bring you all personally into it & believe me it was a pleasure to do it & I felt very honored (sic) to be able to speak so highly of you all & of how much we as a family thought of Tom. Tom's speech was very good too.
  
  Well the function ended & Joyce dressed & her going away or travelling suit was very sweet. Black & white check woollen material white blouse & hat & black accessories & I can tell you they looked a very fine pair as they stepped into the car & the last I saw of them was watching their plane out of sight as it took them to Melbourne.
  
  Wee now dear Mrs maxwell I hope that I have in some way let you feel some of the atmosphere present in that wedding & I feel sure that you would appreciate a little first hand about it. I felt very proud to be able to represent Toms friends at that wedding breakfast & I didn't hesitate to tell them of the good home folk that had sent him into the world to take his place as a good citizen - Tom has done well & I am sure that you will all come to love Joyce too.
  
  If she and Tom are as happy as I am with my good husband well then there will be no worries.
  
  I am gradually forgetting all the cares & worries I had whilst at the Royal & Joyce being a nurse also will be glad to settle down I'm sure.
  
  Will you show this to Jess too Mrs Maxwell & ask her to write to me a let me know how David is & Allan also.
  
  My love to you now dear Mrs Maxwell & have no worries.
  
  Tom has made a wise & good choice.
  
  Affectionately yours
  
  Mauva Oliver
  (Mauva Deane that was).³
• Death*: Thomas William Maxwell died on 12 February 1988 at Cowra, NSW, Australia, at age 76. The cause of death was Hypostatic pneumonia, Cerebral thromosis (2 weeks), Hypertensive cardiovascular disease.^4,5
• Burial*: He was buried on 16 February 1988 at Cowra Lawn Cemetery, Cowra, NSW, Australia.⁴
• Image: Document*: He was New Tag.
• (Witness) Residence: Errol Ransford Maxwell, John Norman Maxwell, Jessie Marie Maxwell and Claris Marelle Maxwell lived in the household of Thomas and Bertha Uandi Homestead Kangaroo Creek, Grafton, NSW, Australia between 1910 and 1926.
• Education: Thomas William Maxwell was educated before December 1922 at Towallum School Kangaroo Creek, Grafton, NSW, Australia.
• Education*: He was educated between 1923 and 1928 at Grafton High Scool, Grafton, NSW, Australia; Tom was school captain in 1928.⁶
• Education: He was educated between 1929 and 1932 at Science Faculty University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Tom was a boarder with an old Scottish couple called Gilmore, right opposite tha main university gates.²
• Residence: Thomas and an unknown person lived Commercial Hotel, Queanbeyan, ACT, Australia 1936.⁷
• Occupation: He was School Teacher between 1936 and 1937 at Queanbeyan High School, Queanbeyan, ACT, Australia.⁷
• Military Service*: Thomas served in the military from on 25 March 1941 to on 25 March 1941; RAAF (Citizen).⁸
• Military Service: Thomas served in the military from from 25 March 1941 to 4 January 1946 to from 25 March 1941 to 4 January 1946; RAAF Service Number 262352
  
  Appointed at rank of Pilot Officer
  
  Held rank of Flying Officer at discharge
  
  Held temporary rank of Squadron Leader
  
  Eligible for Returned from Active Service badge
  
  Was in Administrative and Special Duites branch 25 March 1941 to 25 February 1943.
  
  Transferred to General Dutioes branch 26 Feb 1943.
  
  Postings:
  RAAF Recruiting Centre Melbourne 25/3/41
  General Reconnaissance School Laverton 25/3/41
  4 Service Flying Training School Geraldton 12/5/41
  3 Service Flying Training School Amberley 17/3/42
  1 Service Flying Training School Point Cook 6/4/42
  2 Bomb and Gunnery School Port Pirie 11/1/43
  1 Wireless and Gunnery School Ballarat 6/3/43
  2 Air Observer School Mount Gambier 16.12/43
  General Reconnaissance School Bairnsdale 15/1/44
  3 Operational Training Unit Rathmines 9/4/44
  1 Reserve Personnel Pool Townsville 20/8/44
  20 Squadron Cairns 23/8/44
  Moved Darwin 13/9-44
  1 Personnel Depot Ransford 15/9/45
  
  
  Attachments:
  
  1 Recruit Centre Melbourne (1 Day) 17/5/43
  2 Initial Training School Somers 28/3/44-3/5/44
  2 Personnel Depot Bradfield Park 29/7/44-15/8/44
  RAAF Headquarters Melbourne (1 Day) 27/9/45
  
  Movements:
  
  Proceeded on duty outside the mainland of Australia:
  
  7/11/44 to 14/11/44
  
  26/11/44 to 2/12/44
  
  2/12/44 to 19/12/44
  
  21/3/45 to 4/4/45
  26/4/45 to 7/5/45.^9,10
• Occupation: He was Navigation Instructor, RAAF in 1943.
• Military Service: Thomas served in the military from on 24 March 1943 to on 24 March 1943; RAAF (Permanent).⁸
• Note: He and Joyce Lorraine Maxwell (an unknown value) on 26 October 1943 at Hotel Pacific, Lorne, VIC, Australia.¹¹
• Occupation*: Thomas William Maxwell was Royal Australian Airforce on 12 January 1945.¹²
• Occupation: He was School Teacher between 1946 and 1965 at Cowra, NSW, Australia.
• Note*: He Thomas William and Bertha Maxwell
  
  Bertha and Thomas William's (iii) first child Beryl died of pneumonia when she was about one year old. Their first son, Errol, born in 1909, loved the farm and often drove a team of twelve bullocks working the property, just as his great grandfather had done. He had trained himself. He was an excellent horseman but this day he was rounding up horses. They had strayed into the lane and were going past the gate when he turned sharply to head them off. His horse fell and rolled on him, killing him instantly. He was nineteen.
  On February 17th 1911, Thomas William (iii) was born in the homestead of Uandi. He was the third child of Thomas William (ii) and Bertha whose property was the Maxwell estate established by my grand father Thomas William Maxwell (i). The property was situated 27 miles west of Grafton on Kangaroo Creek. It was a Maxwell family community. Grandfather had died in 1907 after an exceptional life of enterprise and hard work. Grandmother lived at Maxwellton and took part in the management of the estate. She had a large family and Thomas William (ii) was the XXXX child of XXXX. The property was in a beautiful valley watered by Kangaroo and Back Creeks. The settlement was called Towallum but it was popularly known as Kangaroo Creek. The small one teacher school and the hall were adjacent to one another, and were the centre of community life. One day after a storm Dad had to swim his horse across the flood with Errol behind him and me on the saddle in front, to get us home from school. The horse's name was Con, a baldy and bay gelding. Once on his back, you need not be afraid of anything.
  The homestead, Uandi, was made completely of silky oak. It had shady, comfortable verandahs on all sides. A walkway, which was refreshingly cool in hot weather, separated the bedrooms from the kitchen area. There was an open fireplace in the dining room where the family used to play cards and enjoy music. Marelle and Jack played the piano and everyone sang very well. The violin was played by most of the family. Dad played the concertina and I played the drums. The whole family performed as an orchestra for dances in the hall.
  My mother raised money for the Red Cross in the 'Queen of the Day' during the 1914-18 war. It was a queen contest between several young ladies from South Grafton and surrounding district. The lady who raised the most money was Miss Alda Our, daughter of the Mayor of South Grafton. She was crowned 'Queen of the Day' at a special ceremony. Mum ran third. The whole family used go to the Presbyterian Church for worship. The clergyman used to travel out from South Grafton every Sunday. The family were very active members of the congregation. Only a few years before my mother died, we visited Kangaroo Creek with her. It was her last visit, an she was very happy to see that the carpet down the aisle was the same one she had helped to provide for the church. It is still standing, unlike the Towallum school and the hall. The site where they originally stood is now a very pleasant picnic ground from which a wonderful view of Maxwellton and Uandi and other Maxwell holdings could be seen. We visited there recently with our son, Tom (iv), and his wife Susan and daughters Anna and Emily.
  Sport was always a great attraction and was very much a family affair. A cricket pitch and ground was prepared on the family property, just west of the family homestead. Matches were played regularly between teams from Nymboida, Coutts Crossing, Glenreagh, and the home team, Towallum. The local team for each match provided a picnic for the visiting families. There were often rides on horseback over the mountain tracks to Nymboida. Families would travel by sulky if the tracks would permit. The family had a tennis court near to the house but there were no organised tennis matches.
  There was a family routine every Saturday morning. All the children were lined up for a dose of senna tea under the watchful eye of Mother. Later, unfortunately, she switched to castor oil. The boys rode horses constantly and this was a great love, especially at weekends. Horses were the main means of transport and amusement. My horse, Little May, a fourteen hand bay mare, was a beautiful horse to ride. Taffy was the one usually ridden by Jack. He was the youngest boy and so had last choice. The girls, Jessie and Marelle could ride but chose not to very often. We boys would ride with friends, Clarrie and Bill Pitkin, as well as Keith Maxwell and other members of the Maxwell family to the top paddocks.. When we cornered a half grown heifer, Clarrie claimed that he could ride it. He stayed on its back about ten seconds before landing on the ground on his 'tarara'. It was obvious that he was hurt. Visions of a broken limb turned out to be only a badly bent round tobacco tin in Clarrie's hip pocket. We boys were in our early teens. Clarrie had a circular bruise on his backside for about a week. Shortly after this heifer had a calf and we brought her in to milk her. She was promptly named Maintop by us boys. Dad wondered why but we weren't game to tell him.
  One day we were chasing kangaroos on foot with Zoe, the kangaroo dog. One old man kangaroo took flight into the flooded creek followed by Zoe. The kangaroo with his back to a tree, only his head and shoulders above the water, grabbed Zoe and dumped her under the water. She came up yelping with a deep stomach wound. We took her home to mother who pushed the intestine back and stitched up the wound with an ordinary needle and thread after a cleaning up with iodine. Zoe soon recovered to join the chase another day.
  Another day, at the woodheap Jack and I found an old doll so we decided to behead it with the axe. Jack held it but my aim wasn't so good and I hit Jack's finger instead. The tip of the finger was still attached and Mother's needle and thread were brought into action again. The finger healed with no ill effects at all.
  Dad was an expert with a stock whip. As a youngster I learned just how good he was. For some forgotten reason, I lit a fire in the paddock. When Dad discovered this he pretended to hit me with the whip, making it crack just before it reached me. That was enough and a good lesson.
  We had a fowl house with about thirty chooks not far from the house. One day we noticed a big goanna about five feet long waddling across the tennis court and the chase was on. He just beat us to a silky oak tree. Errol caught him by the tail and swung him in a circle several times till the goanna started to regurgitate whole eggs one at a time till he had got rid of about six. He was able to make off safely up the tree at a much faster pace, where he was left in peace.
  One day a tiger cat raided the fowl house because the door had been left open. Dad heard the commotion and went down with the gun and dispatched him. Foxes and dingoes were in the area, we could hear their calls at night but they were not a nuisance as the dogs were on guard at night.
  There were very few rabbits on the property but plenty of hares. The hares scrape a small 'sit' in the earth. We would creep up from behind and catch them. We had made a netting pen about twenty feet by twenty feet and eventually we had about twelve hares. We used to feed them on grass and vegetable refuse. Dad wasn't too keen on the hares being penned and one night a hole mysteriously appeared in a corner of the pen and the hares disappeared. We strongly suspected Dad but were never game to accuse him. I
  Uncle George Maxwell had a large area of scrub well away from the population on his nearly property where we used to go shooting. Brush turkeys were rather hard to find but were good eating though the flavour was rather ' gamey'. One day we shot six turkeys out of one tree which was a very rare event. The whole community had brush turkey for dinner. Pigeon pie was a great favourite with the family but hare was never eaten.
  One of the great pleasures of life on the Creek was the fishing. Mum's father, Grandfather Ellem, used to ride about eight miles from Middle Creek where he had a property and would often go fishing with us. We would all ride on horseback to the Nymboida River about seven miles away. We would seldom catch a fish less than three pounds. One day Dad caught a Murray Cod weighing thirty-eight pounds. We strung it on a sapling pole through his gills and mouth and slung it between two horses to bring it home in triumph, Dad on one horse and Errol and I taking turns on the other end. Even though the fish was a big one it was very good eating. Nowadays the streams are devoid of fish because unscrupulous people use gelignite in the river. The fish would be stunned by the explosion and would come to the surface and were easily picked up by the 'fisherman'. Eels were very plentiful in the old days, but were a menace to the fishermen and were sometimes used as bait. The turtles were also a nuisance as they constantly took our bait. One day I caught one by the leg, his shell was about eight inches across. We just turned him on his back, so he couldn't move, till we were ready to go home. Then we put him back in the water. The platypus was a very shy creature. He would only appear, then disappear in his burrow in the banks of the stream.
  The bird life was extremely varied. Blue and green kingfishers would build on the banks of the creeks. The usual kookaburras, magpies, peewits, wrens, finches and multitudes of swallows were there. Wood duck was the most prevalent of all the ducks on the creeks and waterholes. It was also the most popular on the dinner table. Cockatoos in large flocks - sulphur-crested and black - would descend on the ripening corn. Crows did not do much damage. Dad grew about twenty-five acres of corn every year, fairly close to the house. We had a horse handy and when we heard the screeching of the cockatoos and galahs someone would ride with the gun at the ready. One shot was enough to frighten them away, but usually they would be back in half an hour. All the family would hand pick the corn cobs which would then be carried by horse drawn cart to the shed where it would be hand husked. The good grade corn would be thrown into containers either side of the shed while the poor grade was put aside to feed the pigs. The good quality corn was then threshed. The cobs had to be hand fed into the threshing machine and the handle turned by hand. The corn was then sold in Grafton and was a very profitable crop.
  This beautiful fertile valley had its depressions, floods and droughts as well as its good seasons. Mum used to make a mattress for the verandah bed with the material covers filled with corn husks, and during one very bad drought she had a favourite jersey heifer and the feed was very scarce. She suddenly remembered the corn husks in the mattress. They were excellent feed for the hungry cow.
  After attending the one teacher school at Towallum, I obtained a Qualifying Certificate in 1922. Mr Stenhouse coached me for the scholarship to go to Grafton High School. As Grafton was twenty-seven miles away, I went to live with grandfather and grandmother Ellem in Mary Street where they had lived since leaving Middle Creek. Aunt Clarice lived with them and used to lend me her bike till Dad bought one for me and then we would sometimes ride the bikes together. We would all go to church on Sundays.
  In January 1923 I started my secondary education at Grafton High School. I only had two blocks to walk to school but before long Dad had bought me the bike. Some weekends I would ride the twenty-seven miles to Kangaroo Creek. Kendall Perrett, a cousin who lived in South Grafton, would sometimes come with me. His father was a primary headmaster and his mother was Jessie Maxwell. Keith, son of George Maxwell, was a year younger and we would ride home together occasionally.
  In first year I was third in the class. It was different life but I like it very much. The classes were very large, sixty-one at one stage in second year. George Thomson was my maths teacher all through high school and was my favourite. I was first in the class of fifty-one students at the end of second year and held that position all the way through. My Intermediate Certificate pass in 1925 was English A, Maths I B, Maths II A, Latin A, French, A, Physics, A, Chemistry B and History B.
  Once again cricket was my favourite sport. I was too small to play much football. when I was sixteen I suddenly shot up but cricket and tennis were the games I enjoyed most. Swimming was a school activity and I passed the Elementary Life Saving Certificate in 1928.
  In 1928 the family came to live in Grafton so the younger children could go to high school. Dad employed a manager on the farm. Errol stayed at Kangaroo Creek and helped him. After Errol's accident in 1928, Mum and Dad returned to live and work on the farm.
  The headmaster, Mr Cusbert, advised Dad that I repeat fifth year because I was too young to go to university at sixteen. I spent several weeks at Uncle Vic and Aunt Ivy White's farm at Walcha stead of doing the exam. We did fly fishing along the beautiful mountain streams. Uncle Vic was an expert fly fisherman. So was Aunt Ivy. The trout would break the surface of the water and I would back him to hit that break from any reasonable distance with the fly. In 1928 I was captain and dux of the school. My Leaving Certificate pass was Maths I and II Honours, English A, Physics A, Latin B, Chemistry B and French B. I was awarded a Teachers' College scholarship which committed me to teach. This was what I wanted to do.
  In 1929 I started at The University of Sydney in the Faculty of Science. I had excellent board with an elderly Scottish couple with the name of Gilmore. They lived directly opposite the main gates of the university, and life there was like home away from home.
  I enjoyed lectures very much. With first year maths, physics, chemistry and geology there were no failures at all. There was not much time for sport or social activity early in my university career. Second year I took geology, chemistry and maths followed by chemistry and maths in third year. In fourth year it was Sydney Teachers' College. I did play interfaculty cricket and football and would have an occasional beer with the boys.
  While in first year I was chosen to play in a representative match. I travelled all night, sitting up in the train, and had to start the match at 11.00am. Grandfather Ellem and a friend came to see me play. I was fielding on the boundary right in front of the grandstand when the opposition hit a ball about five thousand feet in the air. I merely had to wait and accept it. These are no the easiest of catches to take. It went straight through my hands and hit me painfully on the chest, and finished up on the ground. I heard a shout from the grandstand 'get a bag'. No need for me to enquire who it was, I knew the voice - it was grandfather's. However, I atoned for this error when we batted by making forty. My favourite shots were the cut through slips, on and off drives and hook to leg (better than Viv Richards!).
  During my university years Don Bradman was in his prime and every time he batted at the Sydney Cricket Ground I was there to watch him. However, the best innings that I ever saw was Stan McCabe's 187 not out against Harold Larwood, the English bodyline bowler. During the 'bodyline' series the feeling between the teams was hostile. This following incident illustrates this. During the match Jack Fingleton made fifty. I don't think that there was a spot above his belt which Larwood didn't hit. During the lunch break, Fingleton passed Larwood in the corridor and said to him 'Larwood you might be the fastest bowler in the world but to me you are just a -- basket'. Larwood reported this to Jardine. In no time at all Jardine was at the Australian dressing room door. Vic Richardson, the vice captain, opened the door and said 'what can we do for you?' Jardine said 'I want to see your captain' who was Bill Woodfull. 'You can't' said Richardson, 'he's under the shower'. 'Then perhaps you can do something' said Jardine. 'One of your men called one of my men a 'basket'. 'We don't like that language' Richardson replied as he surveyed the rest of the Australian team who had heard the conversation. 'Now you fellows, which one of you mistook Larwood for Jardine?' Jardine turned on his heel and returned to his own dressing room. I had this verified years later when I met Vic Richardson at Uranquinty RAAF teaming station during the war.
  On graduating in 1932 followed by a year at Teachers' College it was the height of the Depression, there were no teaching appointments made so I went back to the farm and helped with the chores. I remember my brother jack and I put up a half mile fence with a crowbar, spade and shovel. My hands of course were soft and soon became badly blistered. But pride would not allow me to stop the job. A neighbour, Bill McLennan, and I did some rabbiting. The idea was to scratch a small furrow and place along it some cut up scotch thistle roots which had been laced with strychnine. This was most effective as the rabbits could only move a few yards away from the bait. The results were better than the price. I think that we only got about sixpence a skin. I also took a job as census collector in our area and Glenreagh. I received about twelve pounds for the two weeks work and had to provide my own transport, a horse.
  Eventually I was appointed by the Department about July 1934 to Manly Intermediate High School. Next, Newtown Demonstration High School was very demanding as each lesson was taught ion front of a group of Teachers' College graduates and a lecturer. Then followed Queanbeyan High School in 1937 and Coffs Harbour High. From there I enlisted in the RAAF as aircrew.
  Because of my science teaching background I was talked into doing a short course on navigation so that I could lecture aircrew trainees. This I began at Laverton General Reconnaissance School No. 2 Special Navigation Course on April 4, 1941 and completed on April 28 1941. I was posted to No 4 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) in May 1942(?) in Geraldton WA as Pilot Officer. The course consisted of lectures in navigation, practical tests in the aircraft on navigation with approximately two hours daytime and ten hours night flying. Many hours in the air and on the ground were spent lecturing in navigation. During my time at No 4 SFTS the cruiser HMAS Sydney was lost off the coast. On November 26,27,28 and 29 we were on sea patrol searching for her. We were given a square area to search, and we would start at the perimeter of the square and then a smaller square and eventually reach the centre. Our search was unsuccessful but survivors of the 'Kormant', the German raider who is assumed to have sunk the cruiser were picked up at sea and brought back to Geraldton for interrogation. Continuing as a navigation instructor, I was posted to 105 SFTS Uranquinty NSW in January 1942, then No 3 SFTS Amberley (Kingaroy) Q in March 1942 then 101 SFTS Point Cook, Vic. in June 1942 until January 1943 when I was posted to No. 2 BIGS for a bombing and air gunnery course then to No 1 VJAGS, a wireless and air gunner school in Ballarat (1 Navigation and Wireless Wing) in March 1943.
  One of the first people that I met there was the RAAF Nursing Sister who directed me to the Officers' Mess when I enquired where it was. The CO. was Wing Commander CO. Fairbairn who had a beautiful property not far from Ballarat. He had a private aeroplane and landing ground. His garden was something that had to be seen to be believed. He employed three gardeners. His wife would sometimes help as a volunteer in the S.S.Q. I was elected Secretary of the Mess and we were having a Mess party one night, so I asked the CO. if we could have some flowers from his garden. He said: 'of course you can. Take an Anson down to my property and pick as many daffodils as you want. Ask the gardener, as my hobby is breeding new strains of daffodils, he will tell you where they are'. We did just that. We picked about a thousand and had a great show in the Mess for our Yankee guests.
  My friendship with the nursing sister developed and I found myself visiting the Eddy family at Mount Helen. Before long I asked her father if he would give his consent for us to marry. He was chopping wood at the time. He raised the axe above his shoulder and I thought that he was going to chop me instead of the wood! However, he said 'yes' and we became engaged. However, Joyce was not able to wear the ring I bought her as engaged couples were not permitted to stay on the same unit. She was to be posted to New Guinea, but after telling the Matron-in-chief of the coming marriage, she was immediately posted to Heidelberg Military Hospital (RAAF Wing) in Melbourne. We were married on 23rd October, 1943. The C.O.'s wife sent a huge of Lily of the Valley to decorate the tables for the wedding reception. The Wing Commander responded to the toast, as my parents were unable to travel from Grafton. About XXXX telegrams were read at the reception, many of them from trainees I had instructed as well as family and friends. A special flying exercise was arranged and we were passengers to Essendon. After a couple of days in Melbourne we spent the remainder of our honeymoon at Lome, a delightful coastal holiday resort. We also spent a few weeks at Mount Gambier where we shared a house with Lou and Alex Emslie. We then went to Bairnsdale for me to join No. 8 GRN Course (General Rec. and Navigation) for two months. This was followed by a course at 3 OTU Rathmines (Operation Training Unit) where Alex Emslie and I teamed up in the same crew. The crew of the Catalina were:
  S/L Alex Emslie Captain
  F/L S/L Tom Maxwell Navigator
  F/L McGrath 2nd pilot
  F/L Rosenheim 1st WAG
  W/O Gosstray 2nd WAG
  F/L F/O Walsh 1st Engineer
  F/S Eccles 2nd Engineer
  Sgt Scott Armourer Sgt Parker Fitter.
• Residence*: Thomas and an unknown person lived Cowra, NSW, Australia 1988; 3 Ina Drive.⁴