Time flies for daredevil
Earlville resident Muriel Quinn (above) will celebrate her 100th birthday today at a lunch with friends.
WHEN World War II broke out in 1939, Muriel Quinn was living in Tully and hardly knew the world was at war.
“I worked at a drapery store and my father was the sergeant of police there. We weren’t worried about the war then. It was only after the Japs bombed Darwin and Townsville.
“I joined then because they were asking for recruits,” says Muriel, who turns 100 today.
“I decided I wanted to be in the air force. At the beginning, they only took women as nurses. I didn’t want to be a nurse, I couldn’t stand the sight of blood. I didn’t know what I wanted to do because I didn’t have a great deal of education.”
Born on May 19, 1918, she spent her childhood moving between small Queensland outposts, where her father was the local policeman.
It was in Capella that she got her first taste of aviation.
“When I was 12 or 13, a pilot came out to Capella to give joy flights. I saved up enough money. I got into trouble because I didn’t tell my father.
“I was a bit of a daredevil.”
Later in Tully, Muriel took driving lessons.
“I learnt to drive so I could be a transport driver and drive ambulances and trucks.”
Her first post was RAAF Base Richmond, near Sydney.
“I enjoyed Richmond, but when you had to take officers to Sydney, I was scared stiff because I’d never been into a city before. I was only a bushie and was always getting lost.”
Aircraftwoman Quinn’s military career ended prematurely when she was posted to RAAF Base Amberley.
“We were on a troop train and it was pulling into a station. We were standing in an open doorway, waiting to hop out for refreshments, when the train jerked and threw three of us onto the platform.
“Two of the girls jumped clear, but I broke a bone in my ankle. I finished up in Amberley Military Hospital for five weeks. They asked if I wanted to do something else because I couldn’t drive then. The war was nearly over, so I said I’d rather have a discharge and came home.”
Back in Cairns, Muriel took over the lease of Cairns City Council’s new kiosk at Anzac Park, where the casino now stands. “I used to rent it for 10 shillings ($1) a week. It was the busiest end of town. I stayed there until I retired.”
Muriel will celebrate today with friends at Cairns RSL.