Margaret Maurice's father, William Patrick Robinson, served in the A.I.F between 1942 and 1946. He operated in New Guinea, Tarakan and Morutai. Through the remainder of his life Pat would march with his unit every Anzac Day, reflecting how deeply the time in the Army had affected him.

1942

First Enlistment

William Patrick (Pat) Robinson (1921-2002) first attempted to join the Australian Army in 1940, when he was just 19. He later recounted that when he went home to tell his family of his enlistment his mother practically feinted and his father tore strips off him, both of them angry with what Pat had done. At the time Pat was working in the United Nail and Wire Netting Company, a “protected” industry, with 100% of its output going to the war effort. This meant that Pat needed the permission of his manager to enlist, which he refused to give. Taken together with his parents’ reaction Pat thought the better of his decision and did not proceed with his enlistment.

Air Raid Warden

Instead Pat became a volunteer Air Raid Warden in the suburb of Ultimo, where the family lived. After the bombing of Darwin in 1942 and the Japanese midget submarine raid into Sydney Harbour later that year, there was genuine concern that Sydney might also be attacked by Japanese aircraft. Air raid wardens were recruited to help organise the population in case of attack.

Second Enlistment

Two years later in July 1942, just a few months after he turned 21, Pat did finally enlist. He later explained that by then his parents had “got used” to the idea and he had secured the necessary permission to leave his job. On his enlistment papers (service number NX 97410) Pat’s birth year is given as 1920, not 1921. It’s unclear whether this is a simple mistake or Pat wanted to appear older than he was.

New Guinea

After infantry training in Dubbo Pat embarked for overseas service on 29 October 1942. He was sent to New Guinea as part of the 156th Light Anti-Aircraft Battalion, first serving at Paga Hill overlooking Port Moresby.

Later Pat's unit saw service in Wau and then Bulolo in the Central Highlands protecting airfields from Japanese air attack Pat’s unit distinguished itself at the “Battle of Wau” in late January 1943, when Japanese troops advanced overland to try to capture the town. The Japanese regarded it as a threat to their positions elsewhere in New Guinea. Australian gunners of the 156th were credited with shooting down several Japanese bombers and fighters during the battle, which ended in failure for the Japanese.

In May 1943, while in New Guinea, Pat ran afoul of military discipline. He was subject to a field court-martial on the charge of “conduct prejudicial of good order and military discipline” for hinting in a letter to his mother the location of his unit. Found guilty, his punishment was to forfeit pay for 90 days. This was subsequently reduced to 80 days, presumably in recognition of good behaviour.

Training in Queensland

In February 1944 Pat’s unit was shipped back to Australia. They arrived at Kalinga Staging Camp, Brisbane on 6 February, before undergoing further training in North Queensland.

Pat in Strathpine, Qld while undergoing training, 1944

Morutai and Tarakan

Pat was transferred to the 53rd Australian Composite Anti-Aircraft Regiment before being sent to Morutai, a small island in what was then the Netherlands East Indies, arriving there in early April 1945. From September the previous year Morutai had been the site of fierce fighting between United States and Australian forces and entrenched Japanese units for control of the island. The Allies needed the island as a base to support the liberation of the Philippines. Soon after his arrival in Morutai Pat was promoted to the rank of Lance Bombardier.

Discharge

The war in the Pacific ended with the Japanese surrender in August 1945. In December that year Pat was transferred from Morutai to Tarakan, a small island just off the coast of Borneo, which had also been the site of heavy fighting in the last stages of the war. The Allies aimed to secure and develop the island's airstrip so that it could be used to provide air cover for subsequent landings and to secure Tarakan's oilfields and bring them into operation.
Pat was on Tarakan for less than a month, before his unit returned to Morutai. He arrived back in Australia on 27 March 1946. Pat was discharged from the army in July 1946.

Pat returned to find his family had moved from their pre-war home in Ultimo to a new house in Rainbow St, Randwick. He remained here until his marriage to Patricia Bowen in 1952.

Lasting impact

Pat said later that he enjoyed his time in the army, especially the sense of camaraderie and mateship with his fellow soldiers. Right through the remainder of his life Pat would march with his unit every Anzac Day and over many years corresponded regularly with the Repatriation Department to ensure that he received every service medal he was entitled to. This seems to have been important to him, not so much for the sake of recognition, but rather reflecting how deeply the time in the Army had affected him.

Maurice-Robinson Family

Pat Robinson at War