Bertram Malcolm MacDonald

  General Notes:

[Pearson.GED]

Bert joined the army from 1939 to 1946 and served in Darwin first and then was sent to New Guinea where he was a forward scout for his platoon. While in Darwin the Japs bombed the place and he and the other soldiers had the job of picking up the bodies of all the dead sailors off the shoreline, from the ships that had been sunk in the harbour, he said it took them weeks to get rid of the odour of the bodies off their hands and clothes.
At one time he was given a leave pass for the usual period but by mistake it was made out for a year so he took advantage of it and went home to the family who at that time were living at Cedar Pocket near Gympie. After the usual time expired the army came looking for him but couldnt find him for a while, eventually they caught him and took him back but no charges were laid against him as it was their own fault.
After the war Bert did a radio course and joined the PMG as a trainee Linesman. He went on to become a lines foreman at Bundaberg, them Cooroy and then back to Bundaberg from where he retired.

Bertram married Sybil Dorothy Stubbs, daughter of William Alfred Stubbs and Ethel Smith, on 17 Jul 1948 in Gympie, Queensland Australia. (Sybil Dorothy Stubbs was born on 5 Sep 1923 in Tweed Heads, NSW Australia.)

Bertram next married Eileen Vera Booth in 1945. (Eileen Vera Booth was born circa 1925.)