Margaret Frances Saw

Margaret Frances Saw

Personal Information
Date of Birth	12 Jun 1923
Place of Birth	Armadale, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	19 years old
Description	5'6" (1.68m) tall ; ; fair complexion ; green eyes ; light brown hair
Occupation	Dressmaker
Religion	Congregational
Address	Rowley road, Armadale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr. Hector Lionel Saw
Military Information
Reg Number	W45689
Date of Enlistment	25 Jun 1942
Rank	Signaller
Unit/Formation	37th Australian Switch Board Operating Section
Military Movement
1st Departure from Australia
Journey Dates	2 May 1945 ‒ 7 May 1945
Transport Details	HMT Duntroon Brisbane to Lae, New Guinea
Return to Australia
Journey Dates	15 Jan 1946 ‒ 17 Jan 1946
Transport Details	plane Lae, New Guinea to Perth
Post War Details
Fate	Returned to Australia
Medals	1939-45 Star Pacific Star War Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1945-75

Pre War

During 1929 she was a pupil of the Rockingham Beach Primary School.

War Service

Margaret enlisted in the Australian Women's Army Service at Claremont on 24 Jun 1942, and on the 30th she entrained for the 2nd Signals Training Battalion (AWAS) at Ivanhoe in Victoria. By 16 Sep 1942 her training was complete and she was transferred to the Area Signals, NSW Lines of Communication. Margaret's records lack detail at this point, but on 8 Feb 1943 she was transferred from 7th AWAS Barrack in Enoggera, Queensland to Area Signals WA Lines of Communication in Leederville. On 1 Mar 1943 she was detached to the HQ Melville Camp for a fortnight, returning to her unit for a day before being detached again on 15 Mar 1943 to HQ Northam Camp.

By 30 Jun 1943 Margaret received a pay increase to celebrate the completion of 12 months service and on 2 Jul 1943 she was classified as a Trade Group II Switchboard Operator. She returned to her parent unit, now known as 15th Lines of Communication Signals on 23 Nov 1943. Two days later she was allocated to the 80th Australian Switchboard Operating Section and immediately detached to WA Echelon & Records until 18 Sep 1944 when she transferred detachments to the HQ Melville Camp. Margaret returned to her parent unit on 3 Jan 1945.

On 27 Mar 1945 Margaret was transferred to the 1st Australian Army, in Victoria living in 68th AWAS Barrack but destined for New Guinea. On 2 May 1945 she was transferred to 71st AWAS Barrack in Lae, posted to the 1st AWAS Composite Unit. To get there she embarked in Brisbane later the same day on HMT Duntroon for Lae, New Guinea where she disembarked on 7 May 1945. On 12 May 1945 she was posted to the 37th Australian Switchboard Operating Section remaining with them until 17 Dec 1945 when she was transferred to the 30th Australian Switchboard Operating Section. On 27 Dec 1945 Margaret was admitted to the 102nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station at Madang in New Guinea.

On 15 Jan 1946 Margaret emplaned in Lae, New Guinea for Perth, deplaning in Perth on 17 Jan 1946. She was admitted to the 110th Australian Base Hospital the same day for treatment of Dermatitis Otitis Externa (dermatitis to the ear canal). It appears that she remained in hospital until 25 May 1946, having been medically reclassified as Class 'D' on 23 May 1946. Margaret joined the 31st AWAS Barrack on 28 May 1946 to facilitate her discharge which happened on 6 Jun 1946.

Post War

Margaret's discharge address was 8 Louisa street, South Fremantle During 1947 Margaret married a Dane, Neils Christian Morup in Fremantle. They had three children. Neils died on 25 May 2012, aged 91 in Rockingham.

Electoral Roll entries: 1949 at 18 Brassey street, Claremont; 1954 - 1980 at 21 Cross street, Swanbourne, (Neils a mechanic);