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Bill Dodd was born in 1912 at the corner of Military Rd and MacFarlane St, Glenelg, South Australia. He is the son of William Dodd and Olive Temple. [1]
He attended St Peter's kindergarten at Glenelg, then when the family moved to Prospect in 1919, he attended school at Tynte St, North Adelaide. The family attended St Cuthbert's Church of England on Prospect Rd and played tennis and football for St Cuthbert's and also for the North Adelaide Baptists. [1]
In 1924 he went to Pultney Grammar School, South Tce and was involved in many sporting and other activities.
In 1925 he flew with Jimmy Mollison to Cowell in a metal junker aircraft, also flying with Charles Kingsford-Smith and Albert Park. [1]
In 1926 he started an electrical fitter apprenticeship with Parsons and Robertson in Pultney St at 5/- per week, which he completed in 1931. The depression struck in 1928, but he was able to keep his apprenticeship. During this time he completed many night school courses and winning an Australian Exhibition Trophy for armature winding. He was employed in 1932 by Parsons and Robertson at 2 pounds 3 shillings per week. [1]
In 1930, he had a B.S.A. push bicycle stolen from the Keswick Barracks, South Australia valued at £4. [2]
It was in 1932 at the Gang Social Club that the Dodd and Reid families met and Bill asked Mr Alf Reid to introduce him to Alf's daughter. [1]
Recollection by Kath Harris: "Young Bill Dodd was really handsome as a young man, and all the girls were after him, but Dorrie won his heart - he was a wonderful man and I loved him as Don's brother. He was a member of the Gang Social Club" [3]
In 1935 he joined the Prospect Masonic Lodge no 60., with the ceremony chaired by his father William Dodd, later in New Guinea and Borneo he started a Lodge 'MING' No 60. (Masons in New Guinea). [1]
He applied to both the RAAF and Navy as a fitter and was offered positions in both forces. [1] He enlisted with the RAAF on 08 Apr 1935 being stationed at Laverton, Vic. [4] quickly gaining the rank of Leading Aircraftsman 1st Class in 1936. Through 1935-1937 he competed in Interservice sports events of Rifle Shooting, Wrestling and Football and was lucky enough to win the Welterweight Wrestling novice Championships in early 1936 at 11st 4lb. [1]
Bill married Doris Reid on 19 December 1936 at Rose Park Congregational Church in Adelaide. After a honeymoon on a river board at Murray Bridge they moved to Melbourne; renting a house at 2 Robbs Rd, West Footscray. It was there that their first son William Alfred Dodd was born in December 1937.
[1]
[5]
In 1938 he moved to Spotswood, Victoria and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. Then in 1939 transferred to Engineer's School at the Ascot Vale Show Grounds as an instructor in general aircraft including hydraulics, splicing, knots and lashings. [1]
His second son Brian William Dodd was born on 23rd of July in 1941 and later that year the family moved back to Adelaide, where Bill was posted to Parafield Airbase. They lived with Blanche Reid until they bought a house. [1]
In June 1942, [6] he received a promotion to Pilot Officer (Engineering Officer) and was posted to Port Pirie in charge of the aircraft repair section; then posted again to Port MacDonnell in charge of of life saving boat at and sighted many submarines in that time. [1]
In 1943, he was posted to 7th Aircraft Depot as Acting Technical Officer and Temporary Officer in Command of aircraft repair section. The he was given the job of organising and commanding a complete inspection unit, which became the 7th Aircraft Depot Inspector. [1]
Bill writes in his autobiography "It was almost impossible for any permanent member of the Air force to get an overseas posting but this was overcome after a night out in the Sergeant's Mess with a sergeant in postings at Victorian Barracks. As our commanding officer was on leave it was arranged by phone at 11pm at night and 10am the next morning, I was on my way with only one night at home." [1]
He served in World War II from March 1944 and achieved the rank of Flight Lieutenant in No 5 Squadron in the RAAF in and around the Atlantic Ocean. [7] Including Nadjab, Cape Gloucester and Aitape in New Guinea, Hollandea, Noemfoor and Morotai in Dutch New Guinea and Tarakan in Borneo. A total of 2 years in the islands; longer than any other serviceman in that Squadron. [1]
According to the RAAF, he was not taken as a prisoner of war and was discharged from the RAAF on 17 Apr 1946. [4]
Honours included Mention in Dispatches. The text of which follows: 'Flight Lieutenant William Temple Dodd (1022). Citation. Flight Lieutenant Dodd has been engineering Oficer of No 75 Squadron for seventeen months, during which time the Squadron has had nine major moves. Working under the worst possible considtions occasioned by these moves, he has maintained an average aircraft serviceability of 90 per cent over seventeen months. This high serviceability has been the greatest contributing factor in the Squadron's ability to maintain the high standard of operations from Nadzab to Tarakan. Flight Lieutenant DODD's resourcefulness in overcoming difficulties and devotion to duty have been outstanding.' [8]
He also received the 1939-1945 Star [9] [10] and the Pacific Star [9] [11] for outstanding services during the war years in the islands. [1]
After discharge in 1946, he had a number of jobs including electrical fitter at Holdens, electrical fitter at the PMG, Electrical sales rep at Harris Scarfes. His final two jobs were with the Weapons Research, Parafield, SA (now D.S.T.G) as an aircraft inspector on pilotless aircraft, which was held for 10 years. [1] He sometimes flew in the jets when they carried out their test flights over northern part of South Australia. He said to his son Bill, not to tell his mother as she would have been horrified. [12]
His last job was as a health inspector with the Prospect Council; retiring in 1973. Through the 1950s and 60s, he also embarked upon a number of enterprises, including home delivery of drinks, newspaper round and almond orchard. [1]
He and his wife, Doris, owned a number of houses; moving a number of times within Adelaide, starting at Prospect, then Klemzig, then back to Prospect before moving to a retirement apartment in Walkerville in 1982. [1]
They took up lawn bowls in 1960 and played for over 25 years at the Walkerville Bowling Club and played frequently at bowls clubs on the Sunshine and Gold Coasts in Queensland during the winter. [1]
Following retirement in 1970, they spent 3 months of the winter each year visiting with their son, Bill and his wife Helen and their children Mark and Kathryn on their farm. [1]
Bill and Doris were keen card players and passed on this love of playing cards to their sons and grandchildren. Particular favourite games were Canasta and Coon-Can. [13]
Bill also knew a number of sleight-of-hand and card tricks with which he delighted Mark and Kathryn as they were growing up. He also passed on his passion for stamp collecting to his sons and grandsons. [13]
He died in 1986 at the Mary Potter Hospice, North Adelaide. His memorial is at the Enfield Rose Garden, Adelaide. The plaque can be found here next to his wife Doris May (Reid) Dodd (1911-2023). [14] [1]
W.T. Dodd's autobiography talks about being in the 75th Squadron and is very detailed about the postings within New Guinea and Dutch New Holland (Papua), [1] whereas the AWM website says that he was posted to 5th Squadron based in Bougainville, which is not mentioned. [7] Additionally, there is a picture taken in New Guinea with the Banner of the 75th Squadron.
No.5 Squadron, RAAF, was an army cooperation squadron that served on Bougainville, New Britain and New Guinea from late in 1944 until the end of the Second World War. [15] "Formed in Queensland in March 1942, No 75 Squadron was to become one of the RAAF's most famous Units. Equipped with American-built Kittyhawk fighters and with only one week's training, the Squadron flew to New Guinea." This reference has 75 Sq with Kitty Hawks stationed in New Guinea, which tallies better with W.T. Dodd's autobiography. [16]
So it seems likely that the records from the war office are not quite correct, as Bill Dodd's autobiography and photograph is consistent with the type of planes and locations of the 75th.
Additionally, the National Archives have released individuals war records. here is W.T. Dodd's; to be incorporated in. [6]
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DODD, William Temple - 1930 - Australia, Police Gazettes, 1862-1947 |
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William Temple Dodd Electoral Roll 1937, Footscray, Melbourne |
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Categories: Pulteney Grammar School, Adelaide, South Australia | The Gang Social Club, Adelaide, South Australia | Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) | Prospect Lodge No. 60 | Aircraft Mechanics | Anzacs, World War II | Wrestling | Lawn Bowls | Philatelists | Enfield Memorial Park, Clearview, South Australia | Royal Australian Air Force, World War II