World War II veteran mourned by family, friends Tributes for a ‘larrikin’

A TOWNSVILLE World War II veteran has been remembered as a “bit of a larrikin full of mischief”.

Donald Mcdonald died on September 16 aged 97.

He was a loving husband to Thelma, father to three, a grandfather to nine and a great grandfather to 18.

Donald’s daughter Sue Cryer said her father was left mentally scarred by the atrocities of war but was always happy and with a glint in his eye.

“He would laugh at anything,” Sue said.

“He always had a pocket full of precious things: bottle tops, pens, chocolate coins, which would melt, serviettes and toys. He loved lollies but didn’t mind to share.”

Sue said her father had a love of orchids, which he developed in his later years. He particularly loved a vibrant red variety he called the sixpence.

The sixpence orchid Donald kept in a pot flowered shortly after he died.

“I’ve been watching it come up over the past two weeks. It’s a sign, it’s his way of showing he loves us,” Sue said.

Donald was born in Hornsby, NSW, in 1923 but later moved to Petersham.

He was 19 when he enlisted in Bathurst on March 27, 1943 and was attached with an artillery unit in Sydney that shelled Japanese submarines targeting ships off the NSW coast.

Donald later joined an infantry unit and fought against Japanese forces on Indonesia’s Morotai Island towards the end of the war. Sue said Donald witnessed one of his mates get killed in front of him.

She said he was often too upset to march on Anzac Day but still commemorated it with close family.

Donald and his one greatgrandson, Dontay who lives in Cairns, were unable to commemorate Anzac Day this year due to COVID-19 restrictions.

In a speech at Donald’s funeral, Dontay thanked his great grandfather for his service.

“You are my hero,” he said. Donald was remembered by his family as a tough, talented man. “He was known to all the suppliers and work places around Townsville as ‘The Apprentice’, always interested,” Donald’s son-in-law Ken Cryer said.

“(Donald) was like a father to me. He taught me how to fish, hang wallpaper and tried to teach me how to paint. In fact it was common for him to be hanging on the end of a rope 30 feet up a tree and me with a rope tied to the tow bar of our car.

“And of course he taught me how to concrete.”

Donald’s funeral was held on September 21.

BEERS, bratwurst and bands will spill on to Flinders Street this Sunday for the annual Townsville Oktoberfest celebration.

The new owners at The Brewery may have only been in the pub for two weeks, but they’re keen to see the yearly celebrations go ahead.

The event has officially sold out online, with 1250 flocking to the CBD in their dirndls and lederhosen on Sunday.

The Brewery owner Kim Bredhauer said a limited number of tickets will be available on the door.

“We’ve kept some back so that people won’t be disappointed if they come late or haven’t had a chance to get online,” he said.

“Everything is by tokens so you have to buy tokens and use those to get beer, and we also have health restrictions on steins.

“We can’t refill them so what we’re doing is if you buy a stein token, your first stein you’ll get full then you have to buy plastic cups and you can refill your own stein.”

Melysa Mcgrath, Brad Oswin and Cher Ventura get set for Oktoberfest at The Brewery this weekend.

Picture: MATT TAYLOR