Like most cadets, I imagine,
I had always wanted to join the Police Force. I tried to get into the Cadets at 15 but it was only when I was in 3rdyear at high school (year 9) did I pass all the tests, however I was refused entry
because I had to achieve my School Certificate first. I completed that Certificate in October 1969
and one week later got a phone call asking if I still wanted to join the Cadets. I agreed and I was told I had to start on the
24 November. The rest is history. I was sworn in on my 19th birthday,
and did stints in both the city and country areas. I worked in uniform and plain clothes and was
medically discharged on the 4 October, 2002 just short of 33 years service.
I have no regrets and like
many, consider my cadet years as the best part of my career. I’m glad I did my time at Redfern and not
Goulburn however, and I know my cadet training stayed with me during my entire
career and helped me through exams, trials and the job in general. What we learnt as cadets, you cannot teach
anyone in 6 weeks or even 6 months.
My personal life has had its
ups and downs. I met my wife when I was
in the cadets and we were married for 27 years. We had four children. who have all grown up, and are all doing well; one now
a registered nurse, two chefs and the other a company manager.
My daughter is expecting her first child in October 2008 which will be my first grandchild. My marriage, however, did not last and I was
divorced in 2000. This was a stressful
time for me but in 2005 I met my current partner and now have never been
happier. We live in Stockton North,
which is the garden suburb of Newcastle. We have the
beach on one side and the river the other. We can walk to 3 pubs, 2 clubs, the shops, and take a quick ferry ride across the river to Newcastle. As well, buses to Nelson Bay, Raymond Terrace or Newcastle. Stockton is only a
little over a comfortable 2 hour drive to Sydney with expressway most of the way or it
is a 2 and a half hour train trip.
Since meeting my partner, I
have been overseas 6 times: Bali, Thailandtwice, New Zealand 3 times with a stop over in Malaysia. We are
planning a trip to Paris and Rome in July 2009. We have also had 3 trips to Tasmania, 2 to Melbourne and a drive around Victoria, 3 trips to Brisbane and 2 to the
Gold Coast, one to Adelaide, Perth and Cairns. We prefer to
fly to our destination, hire a car and travel rather than driving to the
destination. With the cheap flights available from time to time, why do anything else?
My life is not all travel, as
I play lawn bowls 3–5 days a week including Pennants, February to July. I really love it and it really relaxes
me. The friendships I have with the bowlers
all around Australia is very comparable to the friendships I had in the
Police.
Unfortunately my body is starting to show
signs of age with sore knees, back, and I am overweight but thankfully my mind
is OK and I can think back to the cadet times with joy.
I send to all fellow ex cadets best wishes
and I hope to catch up from time to time through the newly formed association. |
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