Maxwell Gordon Parkin

Maxwell Gordon Parkin

Personal Information
Date of Birth	15 Nov 1911
Place of Birth	Fremantle, Western Australia
Death	10 Jan 1970, aged 58
Place of Death	Albany, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	28 years, 4 months
Description	5'9" (1.75m) tall ; 147lbs 66.678 kg ; medium complexion ; blue eyes ; fair hair
Occupation	Orchardist
Religion	Church of England
Address	Holden road, Roleystone, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife , Mrs Mary Parkin
Military Information
Reg Number	16166
Date of Enlistment	15 Apr 1940
Rank	Corporal
Military Movement
1st Departure from Australia
Journey Dates	18 Sep 1941 ‒ 4 Nov 1941
Return to Australia
Journey Dates	17 Jul 1942 ‒ 29 Sep 1942
Journey Dates	‒ 7 Aug 1945
Post War Details
Medals	1939-45 Star Pacific Star War Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1939-45

Pre War

Had completed year 8 studies. Electoral Roll entries: 1936 - 1943 at Roleystone, orchard hand

War Service

Immediately after the war commenced, Max offered his services to the RAAF. Enlistment day was 15 Apr 1940 and his initial mustering was as a Service Policeman. Following basic drill training in May 1940 at No. 4 Recruit Depot RAAF at Pearce, he participated in the Service Police Course No. 20 run by No. 1 Recruit Depot RAAF at Laverton in Victoria between 19 August and 29 September 1940, receiving an average of 75% across the subjects. On completing the course he was made an Acting Corporal having been appointed as a Leading Aircraftman on 1 July. Soon after on 5 Oct 1940 he was posted to the Laverton Station Headquarters.

On 12 Apr 1941 Max remustered as a Driver Motor transport and reverted to Aircraftman. On 2 Sep 1941 while employed as a driver, in particular for the Commanding Officer of No. 1 Recruit Depot RAAF at Laverton and he was again made a Leading Aircraftman, before being sent to the No. 1 Embarkation Depot RAAF at Ascot Vale on 15 Sep 1941. Three days later he embarked for the UK, disembarking there on 4 Nov 1941. During 1941 Max had married Mary Passmore in Perth.

In February 1942 Max formed the view that his talents were being wasted as a Driver Motor Transport at RAAF HQs Australian Liaison Office in London. He also lodged a formal complaint about the breakfast arrangements in the hotel he was billeted at. Promoted to Temporary Corporal on 1 Jun 1942, he was sent back to Australia having enjoyed 4 days pre-embarkation leave in England from 10 - 13 Jul 1942 before embarking approximately 17 Jul 1942. He disembarked in Brisbane on 29 Sep 1942 and he was sent to the No. 3 Embarkation Depot RAAF. On 23 Oct 1942 Max was back in Western Australia at the No. 5 Embarkation Depot RAAF before being posted on 1 Nov 1942 to the Pearce Station HQ. Here on 19 Jan 1943 he was given a Severe Reprimand for a series of minor indiscretions in late 1942.

Sent to No. 3 School of Technical Training RAAF at Ultimo in Sydney on 14 Mar 1943, Max undertook the 12 week long, No. 55 Fitter D.M.T. Course, from 7 June to 27 August 1943. He completed the course gaining a 70% result, and as a result the next day he was remustered as a Fitter DMT (Driver Motor Transport) and reverted again to Aircraftman. His next posting was to the No. 5 School of Technical Training RAAF from 20 Sep 1943. Here he was promoted yet again to Leading Aircraftman on 28 Nov 1943, and then Acting Corporal on 1 Jan 1944, before reverting back to Leading Aircraftman on 12 Feb 1944.

On 12 Feb 1944 Max was posted to the No. 1 Engineering School RAAF in Melbourne where from 14 Feb 1944 until 22 Apr 1944 he undertook the Fitter Works Course, passing with an average grade of 69.4%. On 24 Apr 1944 Max was posted to the Works Training Unit at Lara, where on 24 May 2944 he re-mustered as a Fitter Works after undertaking further training from 25 Apr until 23 May 1944, this time scoring a mark of 75%. Soon after on 3 Jun 1944 he was posted to the No. 4 Personnel Depot RAAF in Adelaide where from 5 - 15 Jun 1944 he was given pre-embarkation leave before being sent to the No. 2 Reserve Personnel Pool RAAF in Darwin on 19 Jul 1944. Three days later he was posted to the No. 1 Airfield Construction Squadron RAAF in Darwin. The unit moved to Sydney on 11 Sep 1944, and Max was released soon after to return to Perth being posted to the No. 5 Personnel Depot RAAF on 9 Oct 1944. His next posting was to the No. 9 Airfield Construction Squadron RAAF on 11 Nov 1944, then in Sydney before it moved to Mt Martha on 5 Dec 1944 for combat training before he was granted pre-embarkation leave again from 15 - 24 Jan 1945. The unit returned to Sydney on 15 Mar 1945, and for the next six months, the Squadron was used in small detachments throughout Victoria and New South Wales, at Point Cook, Laverton, East Sale, Canberra, Mascot, Lithgow and Camden. before departing for Balikpapan on 7 Aug 1945. Arriving there on 31 August 1945, they maintained sections of the Vasey Highway and undertook bridging tasks. With the cessation of hostilities, the unit remained on Borneo, and with members of the other Airfield Construction Squadrons departing for Australia, the 9th Airfield Construction Squadron accepted responsibility for all works.

At the conclusion of the war Max volunteered to serve in the "Interim Force" for a further two years from 24 Jan 1946, and so on 17 Nov 1945 he was posted to the No. 5 Airfield Construction Squadron RAAF then on Labuan. The Squadron was to form part of the British Commonwealth Occupying Force on Japan, and they arrived at Iwakuni to the east of Hiroshima on 22 February 1946. On 1 May 1946 Max was promoted Acting Corporal, and then on 3 Jan 1947 to Temporary Corporal before returning to Pearce for discharge. Discharged at his own request on 2 Sep 1947 with 30 days pay in lieu of Re-establishment Leave to work as a driver/mechanic with Hunts Canning Company in Albany..

Post War

Mary died on 24 Jun 2000 in Albany. They had one child.

Electoral Roll entries: 1949 at Emu Point, transport driver; 1954 - 1968 at 431 Albany highway, Albany, manager, and no occupation from 1963;

External Links

CategoryReturned to Australia ww2