E-mails from Mick Read

Subject:   Cemeteries
Date:           Thu, 18 May 2000 08:57:50 -0700
From:          "Mick Read" <mread@silk.net>

G'day Mate.....OK the fella you are looking for is on your " Visit E-mail (general)"

I was tracking cemeteries in Sydney and it appears they are going under the bulldozer, There goes our history. My wifes mother once told me ."If you don't have tradition ,you don't have a country". The older I get the more I believe it.

As for the RAAF there were 460-467 Sqdn in the UK Some had pom crew members. The there were Hurricane and Spit, fighter pilots as well. Some served in Africa. Frankly the Aussies did well.in all theaters.On European D-day General Horrocks made a statement to Monty, that if the Australian 6th.Div. was in the landing there would be no worries.(from Horrocks memoirs ).He was the old bugger I stopped for on the Autobahn. In civvies and had a friend introduced himself as Brian Horrocks. Good bloke.

Thats it another bloody volume. Have to stop this stuff before you tell me to pack it in.

Subject:    WWI Vets
Date:             Fri, 26 May 2000 09:48:43 -0700
From:           "Mick Read" <mread@silk.net>

Couple on a hike found two WWI fella's. Been there over 80yrs.Always thought the French were slow. Re-buried at Vimy Ridge Canadian cemetery. May 24.

Perhaps its me getting old and stupid I have worked in many countries over the years .Never forgot my roots. And proud of it...

Aussies are everywhere .Australia Day , over 3000 partied in Whisterler, North of Vancouver. My wife says, more Aussies have run through our house than sheep flocks.

Subject:    460 Sqdn.
Date:             Fri, 9 Jun 2000 11:41:17 -0700
From:           "Mick Read" <mread@silk.net>

31st. March. 1944.Plot.6. Row H. Grave 1.. (looks like a Pom.) Suspect others. Checking.

Subject:    RAAF
Date:             Mon, 12 Jun 2000 18:53:48 -0700
From:           "Mick Read" <mread@silk.net>

Me Again. These two Lancs. were on the NURENBURG run March 30/31. 1944. Some were buried in DURNBACH cemetery nr. Munich. Brits had to get permission from the Yanks for Durnbach which was in the American zone of Germany. Hence Hannover first. 1 RAAF lanc 460 Sqdn. plus RAF. 97 Sqdn. 1 RAAF crew

Why Nurenburg I dont know. I was there 1945 July. Did not see any damage. went to the trials and took a Czech officer to Prague.Had to clear out as the Russians were coming back. An RAF Sgt. met me in the street and told me to get out that night. Bugger the Czech he said. We fly tonight.

Subject:   G for George.
Date:       Tue, 19 Sep 2000 09:50:23 -0700
From:      "Mick Read" <mread@silk.net>

G'day Pete.......A contact in Melbourne, Keith Webb of Image Control recently visited the AWM as he was interested in making a Documentary. A couple of days ago he advised me that G for George was being re-furbished.

(I thought you would like to know). I forwarded your web-site and that of Gordon Stooke.I also mentioned your Father-in -law. Got reply that he was interested in the sights.

Keith like me is interested in WWII Canadian designed army Trucks or lorries.(CMP's) He has some beauts. His latest documentary is on Tom Kreuse on his last run to Birdville in his old Leyland Badger (now rebuilt) that was left in the bush after making an earlier film. Back and beyond. Anyway it will be on TV. Tom is 80.

I got interested in this as my brother and I sold an ex-army CMP to such a bloke in 1947 on our way back from Darwin, thats when we visited our cousins in Ipswich.

He agrees that if the oldtimers of WWII are not talked to now that much will be lost.

Subject:   RAAF
Date:           Sun, 1 Oct 2000 18:04:22 -0700
From:          "Mick Read" <mread@silk.net>

Subject:    RAAF
Date:             Mon, 2 Oct 2000 17:15:56 -0700
From:           "Mick Read" <mread@silk.net>

G'day Pete, I was not sure whether I had sent them before. I was having a tidy-up and found them.

I believe the Pom Doug Cuthbertson sent them as I was wondering if the civilian Military Government Officer, one that took over from the army, was moved from The Herranhausen (a botanical gardens bombed to hell) to the English Cemetery up the road. (heart attack) No one knows anyway. So he sent me I think, the RAAF chaps that are planted there. I was transferred in July 1946 to the RAASC as a reservist (a 5year stint).

Ok I'll mention that I was sent to Boarding School in pommy land. My grandmother died so I was sent to my dad who was working in the UK My dad returned to Cairnes in 1938. I was to follow August '39 but the boats were commandered. I stayed with my dads friends and later joined the army as they wanted motorcyclists.

When I see the Blokes (Brits) in Uden Cemetery. Sept 21-23rd was more than I realised.

The 25th was a bad night. Had to take petrol to some stranded tanks and Gerry nailed us. I located two other Aussies in Reichwald Forest Cemetery. They were in the Brit mob too.

Subject:   Christmas
Date:       Thu, 28 Dec 2000 14:09:30 -0800
From:       "Mick Read" <mread@silk.net>

I had a look at your page on the Spitfire crash, strange really. The pilot lived in a place called Chingford. In point of fact I lived around that area. My dad worked in England in the 1920's in a place called Ilford. Essex In 1927 he got Speedway going in High Beach. They built a cinder track behind a Pub and Aussies from afar came to belt around the track. I was sent over in 1930 as my grandmother died, falling from the site of the harbour bridge. I wound-up at a boarding school. Early '39 I was left to return later.

Much later as it happened. In 1940 a so salled landmine was dropped on Parachutes, two at a time, carried by Dorniers, one on each wing. one dropped in the forest and made a crater 3busses wide, ours dropped behind the school, so we rushed over to have alook. Soon the bomb blokes came and chased us off. what luck a RAN Lt.Commander arrived. Hearing the lingo I informed him I was a Sydney-sider. So he said 'you might as well bloody stay'. I got the Clock. 17jewelled movement. Of course I had to stay put so joined the army like other Aussies in the UK. No one else wanted us.Still it was not bad. I did alright. Thats how I got to the Normandy beaches and Uden. Still there are two Brit army Aussies in Reichwald Cemetery, I suppose they made the last battle before Germany collapsed. Poor blokes.

I was in a spot of bother and was sent back to Lille to train officers to ride motorbikes, then back to Arhnem and Amsterdam. That was it .I was sent to Hannover in Military Government untill July 1946 then released. We started Speedway there too. Now you know how I got to Uden. The thing I got out of my enquiries, thanks to you, was Learning that Three tank blokes we buried Sept 23rd 1944. were transferred to Uden. that kind of closed things. At present am waiting to hear from a Dutchman that has photos of us.

Well just to add .My wife came from Chingford and her twin brother-in-laws spent time in Sydney on The Belfast that was in for repair, it broke its back and is now on the Thames. They took me there when on a visit. Such alot about nothing. Oh yes the bomber flight path was over the area I lived. They would start a 5pm and continue for quite a while, and return about dawn, many in bad shape. but the poms were always around to witness their return. The crazy buggers were in the streets cheering on the 'dogfights 'between the fighter planes and cannon cases would fall around their ears. well enough, a different era.

Keep Smiling .............Mick Read ,............ the terror of Hyde Park (Sydney).

Subject:   Christmas
Date:           Fri, 29 Dec 2000 11:36:33 -0800
From:          "Mick Read" <mread@silk.net>

There is a chappie named Matt Smith. He has just returned to Australia from another place I knew . Forest Gate. England. He met a Canadian also in the UK. who was Organizing a 'Virtual Cemetery" by getting Brits to take photos of war graves of Canadians overseas. Matt Smith has teamed up and is doing the same thing. And by reports Brit are falling over themselves in taking up the cause. Kodak UK. has been putting the images on CD's for nothing. At the present the Canadian in the UK. is looking after the two projects and the fellow in Alberta Canada is my contact. Suppose to be locating the graves of two RAAF blokes that crashed while chasing cows on the prairies. Unfortunately things are not moving at the moment.

Smith has a hotmail address but I have not had a reply. Something like Legion here.

Subject:     War graves
Date:              Sat, 10 Mar 2001 09:17:00 -0800
From:            "Mick Read" <mread@silk.net>

Hello Pete. I am an old devil that dropped you a line before. I am not sure whether I mentioned Matt Smith and his quest in photographing War graves in all theatres that Aussies fought. It started with a Canadian chap he met in England who was going through European cemeteries.

Matt returned to Brisbane and has now got things going again and needs a bit of publicity to get things on the move. To this end I was wondering if you could squeeze him on your web-site as a link.

I need your help

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