Allan Truscott ³⁵²

  General Notes:

Name TRUSCOTT, ALLAN Service Royal Australian Air Force Service Number 23694 Date of Birth 18 Jun 1903 Place of Birth EMMAVILLE, NSW Date of Enlistment 17 Oct 1940 Locality on Enlistment ASHGROVE Place of Enlistment BRISBANE, Queensland Next of Kin TRUSCOTT, SIDNEY Date of Discharge 21 Oct 1944 Rank Flight Sergeant Posting at Discharge SCHOOL OF ADMINISTRATION WW2 Honours and Gallantry None

ALLAN TRUSCOTT '96 ELDEST SON OF SIDNEY TRUSCOTT

Information from Allan Truscott as told to his second son Jim Truscott in the late 1970s or in the early 1980s

On 6 July 1902, when Sidney Austin Truscott was 28 he married Julia Musgrave who was 22 years old at Julia's home in Emmaville. The officiating priest was Father Patrick Murphy. Their first child was born in a galvanized cottage 'Kiora' at Emmaville on 18 June 1903 and named Allan after the delivering doctor, Allan Muscio, who was assisted by an elderly woman call Granny Rutherwood. Allan was told that he was found by Granny in some big boulders in a creek behind Granny's hut where she resided on the road to Deepwater. Allan was a genetic casualty with a deformed upper lip which was a psychological handicap to his personality; and only understood by those so affected. He had vague memories of his childhood under five years.

He was freckled like a turkey egg and recalls with amusement now how his mother placed a lot of rusty nails in a dish of water to wash his face to try and eradicate them. He can remember applying an ointment call 'Kintho' double strength to assist with their removal. The mothers of those days used enemas as well as Epsom salts, sulphur and treacle, senna tea, castor oil, blue bottle etc to deal with children's constipation caused by incorrect diet. His mother relates that she found Allan giving his rocking horse an enema on one occasion. He can remember being kicked by a horse in the stable on the nose, mouth and chin and his mother carrying him over the paddocks to the doctor in a mass of blood. It added to his beauty.

His sister Mercie arrived when he was 5 years, 4 months old. In those days there was a sense of community. Birthdays were celebrated at home, mostly in day time and attended by considerable numbers of acquaintances, half the town. Transport was confined to horses, buggies and sulkies. People took pride in their vehicles, washing and polishing them and rubbing down the horses. The Royal Mail coach ran the 17 miles to the nearest railhead at Deepwater. The poohbahs were recognized and their status accepted; the quack (doctor), bank manager, post master, railway station master, mine managers, sheep station owners etc. His impressions remain that within their improved standard of living of modern times, there is far more snobbery now than then. Although he had good parents he was an unhappy child but of course there were highlights of pleasure, for instance washing for alluvial tin with his half cousin Percy Richardson, a few years older than him; hunting all day with his father and friends with kangaroo dogs (Greyhounds) for rabbits, wallabies and roos; helping his uncle Jim with the unpacking of cases in his shop or eating buns in the bakery with his cousin Bert Truscott, a month younger than he was. His first school days were with the Sisters of St Joseph. He attended the public school at Emmaville and also the public school at Tent Hill 3½ miles from the town. They are called State schools in Queensland. When he was about 11 years old, his father and Uncle Tom (Charles Thomas) took Bert and himself to board at De La Salle at Armidale in 1915. They were there two years. Bert had a much higher IQ and was one class ahead. With the 1914 war looming, Truscott Bros (Sidney, Tom and Jim) sold out their business, general store and bakery thinking at the time that it was a prudent move, to a firm called Gissing & Rutherford.

Tom and Jim went into a motor business while Sidney and two others (Fraser and Faulkner) ran the local picture show. Auntie Ada (Mary Walsh), May's oldest sister played the piano. His paternal grandfather John Charles died in his home 'Truro' in Moore Street Emmaville on 24 April 1911. He can remember Uncle Jim (John Henry) coming over from town in the small, hours to awake dad (Sidney) to tell him "Father has gone." He was in tears. They left 'Kiora' at Billygoat Flat about 1912 to live in a house at Moore Street. Jess was born on 10 October 1913. War broke out in 1914 while Bert and he were at the school in Tent Hill. John Charles (Allan's brother) was born on 11 March 1916. About the end of 1916 they shifted to Johnston Street, Annadale in Sydney where Sidney purchased a small mixed business with a residence upstairs. He and Bert were sent as borders to Newington College Stanmore in 1917 although Allan was three months late due to an operation on his unformed lip at St Vincent's Hospital in Darlinghurst. That lost time made subsequent lessons a drag. He scraped though the intermediate exam at the end of 1918.

He left college at the end of 1919. Sidney had sold out in Sydney in 1917 and he went with the family to Singleton to Parson Bros store (unsure whether to help or to buy which he didn't do for about six weeks) then back to Emmaville for about 12 months; then to Texas in late 1917 where he bought a general store. Sidney left Texas in 1924. Allan worked at home in Texas for a while delivering goods with horse 'Old Bony' and sulky. Allan left home in Texas for Sydney about 1921 to study wireless. He worked as a clerk during the day and went to wireless school at night. His first job as clerk was for one pound a week. He had a three course breakfast at a cafe for one shilling and sandwiches at lunch for sixpence. The job was for Biddell Bros confectionist and he got the job as he had a reference from Newington College and the employer thought he was a Methodist.

He shared digs in Cathedral Street Woolloomooloo with his uncle Bill Musgrave who was a porter in the Queens Club at the corner of Macquarie and Kings Street; a posh woman's club. He often brought home casserole for him at night. He left that job and worked for a wholesale meat company and finished up as a clerk for the NSW Mont de Piete in Castlereagh Street. He received his first class ticket as a wireless operator and went on his first ship 'Boorara' in January 1924. It was an ex German cargo boat, steam and coal burner. He served in 14 cargo and passenger ships, saw two thirds of the world but he never went to any port in America. Some of the ships were the Arafura, St Albans (ENA line), Tarcoola, Dilkera, Booral, Carina, Moreton Bay and Kanowna (last ship). He left the sea in 1929 to commence a finance business in Sydney (also debt collecting) with Vincent Ambrose Flanagan, a former workmate at NSW Mont de Piete. The business failed due to Flanagan's dishonesty. He was arrested but foolishly in hindsight Allan withdrew the charge for a small sum of money paid by his family with the agreement to pay the rest but he didn't keep with the payments. Allan carried on for some time at Young Street in Sydney next door to the Hotel Metropole but Jack Lang's Labour Party threats of reducing all interest rates to 5% made him get out. The Bank of NSW (government then) closed its doors and people panicked and withdrew their savings. However the Commonwealth Savings bank took over the Bank of NSW and no money was lost.

Sidney Truscott left Texas in 1924 and went back to Emmaville for 12 months and then to Jandowae about the end of 1925 or the beginning of 1926, buying a general business from a man called Abrams. Sidney sold out in Jandowae in 1931 and purchased a 640 acre dairy farm at Jinghi Gully about 12 miles out with John working the farm called Allandale. Mercie left Glen Innes convent at the end of 1923. She had commenced in 1921. When on the farm, a firm from Brisbane rang Wardie to see if he would buy a business belonging to Joe Lyons which had floundered, a former opposition shop. Wardie made an offer for half the value of the stock instead of saying no. They rang up the next day and accepted his offer. Allan was an unwritten partner with Sidney in the shop. Somewhere in the period after returning from the sea, Allan had another operation on his mouth. Note that he also had an operation in Dublin when at sea.

When war was declared in 1939 Allan enlisted in the AIF in 1940 and he went into the 2nd/25th Battalion at Enoggera (Grovely). See page 338 of Men of Courage, What we have we hold, A history of the 2/25 Australian Infantry Battalion, 1940-1945 by Allan W Draydon. He was in Signals in Headquarters Company. The 25th Battalion originated in Toowoomba; a militia unit. A Sergeant and two Corporals were appointed but excluded Allan. Allan was used to train soldiers but he was overridden for promotion. Allan had originally tried to join the Air Force but was barred because he was colour blind. Artie Faddyn became involved because of Bill O'Hare (Derm's brother) who was a mate. Allan was asked to join the RAAF after spending less than four months in the 2nd/25th Battalion. He spent the entire time in training. In 1940 Wardie took sick and Allan got leave from the RAAF to settle up the business. Sidney left the shop in 1941. John married Clare McNamara in November 1941, Sidney and May went to Sydney in 1942 and stayed with his brother Tom. Jess was at Mater Hospital in Brisbane from 1932 to 1936. Jess went to Emmaville in 1943. Sidney and May were at Emmaville in a hotel. Jess also returned to Brisbane in 1943 and Sidney and May lived with Jess. In the RAAF, Allan served initially at Sydney then he was posted to the Initial Training School (ITS) at Sandgate, then No 3 Wireless/Air Gunner School at Maryborough. See his service record from National Archives. He was promoted to Sergeant and subsequently to Flight Sergeant. He spent a couple of years there and he went to Melbourne to do an officers course at Melbourne University. He became ill and was discharged from Sandgate. He finished the course but would have to do it again. Upon discharge he got a job with Alan and Starkes in Brisbane, now Myers. He married in 1947 to the then Meta Hurley of Ashgrove, left Alan and Starkes and worked as a process worker for 'Hopes' refrigerator manufacturers in Fortitude Valley. He then worked in the Ashgrove quarry as a labourer for two to three years. He then took a job in Queensland Railways as a bridge painter for two years. He then worked in the Housing Commission for nine years and retired on 18 September 1969. After retiring he worked as house painter until about 1977 (the year that Maria left school) plus odd jobs for various neighbours.
Meta Truscott (wife of Allan Truscott) continues

When Allan retired in 1969 we still had three children attending Catholic schools in the Ashgrove area. In 1970 Stephen completed Grade 12 at Marist College and in 1971 he went to the Marist Fathers Novitiate at Armidale in NSW to begin his studies for the Marist priesthood. Stephen was 17 years and three months old. Steve was ordained by Bishop John Gerry on 25 May 1978 in the church of St Finbarr at Ashgrove. This was a very proud moment for his parents, family and friends. Jim left Marist College Ashgrove in 1973 and in 1974 (the year of the flood) studied civil engineering at Queensland University for one year. In 1975, aged 18½ years, Jim left for the Royal Military College at Duntroon in Canberra. He received his commission at an officer with the rank of Lieutenant in 1977. In 1978 he received his degree in Civil Engineering with honours. His parents, brother and sister and various relatives attended the passing out parade at the Royal Military College. These were proud moments for them. Maria completed Grade 12 at Mt St Michaels College Ashgrove in 1979 and the following year, 1980, she was employed by Australia Post where she worked in various country post offices for ten years. In 1991 she began a three year course at James Cook University Townsville, Bachelor of Community Welfare, hopefully to be complete in 1993. Meanwhile on 28 April 1990 Maria married Michael Timothy McLellan (American) at Glenlyon Chapel, her elder brother Father Stephen Truscott tying the knot, assisted by the parish priest, Father Greg Ferguson. Meta Truscott remained on at 'Wirra' at 30 Yoku Road, Ashgrove, and the family home since 1 December 1947. Home sweet home. Ill health overtook Allan about 5 to 6 months prior to his death in Mt Olivet Hospital on 22 April 1989, aged nigh on 86 years. He was born in Emmaville NSW on 18 June 1903 and he had been in retirement from the Queensland Housing Commission (1969) practically 20 years to 1989. Allan was buried at Pinaroo Lawn Cemetery on 26 April 1989. His son Father Steven Truscott was the officiating clergyman. A sad day for us all.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Education: De La Salle Armidale, Newington.

• connection. ³⁷¹ Jim Truscott's connections to me are as follows:
Jim Truscott (C1940)
His father was Allan Truscott (1903)
His father was Sidney Truscott (1875)
His father was John Truscott (1842) who married Elizabeth Coad (1848)
Her father was John Coad (1824) who married Jane Rogers (1824)
Her father was John Rogers (1796) who married Ann Reed (1795)
Her father was Nicholas Reed (1768)
His father was William Reed (1743)
His father was John Reed (1704)
His father was William Reed (1666)
His father was John Reed the Younger (1632) & he also had Nicholas Reed (1679)
He had William Reed (1729)
He had Nicholas Reed (1755)
He had Nicholas Reed (1788)
He had Nicholas Reed (1818)
He had James Reed (1850) who married Elizabeth Boskano (1852)
Her father was Thomas Boskano who married Susannah Polkinghorne (1817)
Her father was William Polkinghorne (1785)
His father was William Polkinghorne (1759)
His father was Stephen Polkinghorne (1723)
His father was Stephen Polkinghorne (1689)
His father was Alexander Polkinghorne (1664) & he also had William Polkinghorne (1687)
He had Jane Polkinghorne (1716) who married William Jory (1710)
They had William Jory (1734)
He had Edward Jory (1763) who married Jane Landeryou (1763)
Her father was Peter Landeryou (1738)
His father was John Landeryou (1706) & he also had Blanch Landeryou (1741)
She had Robert Landeryou (1768)
He had John Landeryou (1803)
He had Sarah Landeryou (1826) who married Thomas Bray (1821)
They had Arthur Augustus Bray (1869)
He had Albert Alan Bray (1896)
He had Robert Alfred Bray (1920)
He had Robert Arthur (1947) who married me - Robyn Bray (nee Davies) 1950)

Allan married Meta Frances Hurley on 15 Nov 1947.³⁷¹ (Meta Frances Hurley was born on 3 Jun 1917 in Toowoomba, Queensland Australia and died on 27 Nov 2014 in Brisbane, Queensland Australia ³⁷¹.)