Tribute from Steve Hardisty
Allan Dennison
Born in Brisbane, Allan was a child of the Great Depression. In 1938 his father died and Allan, aged 14, was obliged to look for work. He joined the City Mutual Life Assurance Society as a Junior Clerk.
In May 1942, aged 18, he joined the RAAF as a trainee radar mechanic.
After successfully completing a wireless course which included the study of electricity, magnetism, radio waves, etc (in peace-time a 3-year course) he took the two months ground radar mechanic’s course at Richmond, NSW. Posted to 131RS, his training was on the English COL MK V GCI gear which was larger than the Australian LW/AW and LW/GCI units and less suitable for mobile warfare. In fact, only one of this type of radar was used outside Australia, at Milne Bay. Allan’s service was all in Australia at COL radar stations 131,154, 150 and 59.
It was his service with 154RS, Truscott, in 1944/45 of which Allan was most proud. Formed at Richmond in December 1943, the vehicles and equipment were shipped to Darwin in April 1944 while the personnel travelled by train to Darwin, thence on the Liberty ship SS John Owen to West Bay on the Anjo Peninsula in far north-west WA. Allan was delighted when 154RS was instrumental in a Dinah aircraft being shot down by Spitfires over Truscott in July 1944, the last Japanese aircraft to be shot down over Australia.
After the war, he returned to City Mutual, qualifying in accountancy in 1947 and completing the Insurance Institute Examinations in 1951. His obvious ability resulted in many promotions and senior appointments in Brisbane, Adelaide, Hobart, Perth and Sydney. He retired in August 1986 after 47 years service.
In 1988 Allan joined the NSW RAAF radar veteran’s association and attended radar reunions at Bendigo, Nelson Bay, Wagga, Maroochydore and Perth. He was a keen photographer and acted as the official photographer at many of these functions. As he expressed it “I take pleasure in capturing such events for fellow members which they’ll find will become more precious to them and their families as time goes by.”
In his later years Allan applied for a Gold Card and felt unjustly treated when it was refused. He argued that leaving Darwin on a ship loaded with bombs and ammunition was just as dangerous as trips by ship to Rottnest Island or Tasmania which had qualified some servicemen qualifying for a Gold Card. Other arguments were that the Japanese were very interested in the RAAF at Truscott, resulting in the loss of the Dinah mentioned above. Also his knowledge of the heavy British equipment led to him not being posted overseas and this did not help his cause. He was ably supported by the NSW Radar Branch in his submission but he never did receive a Gold Card.
Allan’s private life was very happy. He married Marion, the love of his life, in 1949 and they shared 59 years of mutual devotion. At his funeral his children all spoke in glowing terms of their father, their happy family life and the fact that he was held in high esteem by everyone with whom he was associated
Born in Brisbane, Allan was a child of the Great Depression. In 1938 his father died and Allan, aged 14, was obliged to look for work. He joined the City Mutual Life Assurance Society as a Junior Clerk.
In May 1942, aged 18, he joined the RAAF as a trainee radar mechanic.
After successfully completing a wireless course which included the study of electricity, magnetism, radio waves, etc (in peace-time a 3-year course) he took the two months ground radar mechanic’s course at Richmond, NSW. Posted to 131RS, his training was on the English COL MK V GCI gear which was larger than the Australian LW/AW and LW/GCI units and less suitable for mobile warfare. In fact, only one of this type of radar was used outside Australia, at Milne Bay. Allan’s service was all in Australia at COL radar stations 131,154, 150 and 59.
It was his service with 154RS, Truscott, in 1944/45 of which Allan was most proud. Formed at Richmond in December 1943, the vehicles and equipment were shipped to Darwin in April 1944 while the personnel travelled by train to Darwin, thence on the Liberty ship SS John Owen to West Bay on the Anjo Peninsula in far north-west WA. Allan was delighted when 154RS was instrumental in a Dinah aircraft being shot down by Spitfires over Truscott in July 1944, the last Japanese aircraft to be shot down over Australia.
After the war, he returned to City Mutual, qualifying in accountancy in 1947 and completing the Insurance Institute Examinations in 1951. His obvious ability resulted in many promotions and senior appointments in Brisbane, Adelaide, Hobart, Perth and Sydney. He retired in August 1986 after 47 years service.
In 1988 Allan joined the NSW RAAF radar veteran’s association and attended radar reunions at Bendigo, Nelson Bay, Wagga, Maroochydore and Perth. He was a keen photographer and acted as the official photographer at many of these functions. As he expressed it “I take pleasure in capturing such events for fellow members which they’ll find will become more precious to them and their families as time goes by.”
In his later years Allan applied for a Gold Card and felt unjustly treated when it was refused. He argued that leaving Darwin on a ship loaded with bombs and ammunition was just as dangerous as trips by ship to Rottnest Island or Tasmania which had qualified some servicemen qualifying for a Gold Card. Other arguments were that the Japanese were very interested in the RAAF at Truscott, resulting in the loss of the Dinah mentioned above. Also his knowledge of the heavy British equipment led to him not being posted overseas and this did not help his cause. He was ably supported by the NSW Radar Branch in his submission but he never did receive a Gold Card.
Allan’s private life was very happy. He married Marion, the love of his life, in 1949 and they shared 59 years of mutual devotion. At his funeral his children all spoke in glowing terms of their father, their happy family life and the fact that he was held in high esteem by everyone with whom he was associated