On Remembrance Day on November 11, people in Carinity’s aged care communities, retirement villages and schools will pay their respects to defence personnel who have died in the line of duty.
Memorial events in Commonwealth member nations such as Australia, Great Britain, Canada and South Africa are observed on the anniversary of the end of First World War hostilities.
Remembrance Day is a special occasion for John Doak, a Carinity Home Care client from Bargara.
“I think Remembrance Day is one of the most important days of the year. We remember and pay honour to those killed and maimed in wars,” he said.
If John had his way, he would have served in the Australian Army in the Korean War in the 1950s.
“The only day I wagged school was when I was 15 ½. I took the day off to go over to the Army recruiting office to enlist to go to Korea,” John said.
“I filled out papers and said I was 18, only to be told I had to be 21. I asked my father, a hardened old detective in the CIB in Darlinghurst in Sydney during the razor gang era, to sign the papers.
“He declined but eventually signed papers for me to join the Reserves.”
John served in the 30th Infantry Battalion for seven years, then in the National Service for two years, driving army vehicles.
“Our Colonel volunteered for our battalion to be deployed overseas but the government said the Reserves services were trained to protect Australia on Australian soil,” John said.
As part of his New South Wales-Scottish Regiment, John learned to play the bagpipes – which he still enjoys as a hobby – and played at ANZAC Day events around Queensland.
