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McHale family history – miscellaneous

Addresses

Information about 93 Tucker Road from http://services.land.vic.gov.au/maps/interactive.jsp:

LGA
GLEN EIRA
Locality
BENTLEIGH
Lower House
BENTLEIGH
Lot/Plan
Lot 11
Plan
LP20545
SPI
11\LP20545
LGA
GLEN EIRA
PropNum
51540
Address
93 TUCKER ROAD BENTLEIGH 3204
Coordinates
LL94
37°55'34.59"S, 145°02'57.96"E
37.926276S, 145.049432E
MGA
328566, 5800571 (55)
Vicgrid
2504347, 2397207
Melways
77 G3 (ed. 43)

Aunty Hilda’s memories

From some emails my aunt (Dad’s sister) sent me after he passed away on 4/10/2025.

Sent 9/10/2025: The first memory is when we lived in Bolton in Lancashire. Ron was 9 I was 3 we were going home from school. We heard the Air raid Siren and the Barage balloons were up so he put me on his back and ran home. When we moved to Binbrook in Lincolnshire the whole.Village was almost blown to pieces when a bomber nearly crashed on us. I slept though it but Ron and Dad were watching the fireworks.

Ron finished school at 14, he had a job in the local garage and as soon as he turned 15 joined the RA F as boy entrant. Our Dad died, and Ron seemed to be made Man of the house. When he was on leave there always seemed to be things he needed sort out. He had to grow up quickly at home and at work! When he finished his training he got to travel, which he didn't mind. By this time Grandad had died and Ron was the only man, His sister was not always polite to him but we had some fun. We lived in a little cottage still in Binbrook, there was electricity only downstairs, so Ron got the owner to pay for the wire etc. and he wired it all up and we had light upstairs and no more candles. I had left home by this time. But he told me he’d applied to go to Christmas Island in the Pacific where they were testing the Atomic bombs! They were told to go to the far side of the island, have their backs to the blast, and dark glasses! When he came home he used the money he’d saved to purchase his discharge. There was method in his madness. He worked at a place repairing farm equipment for a while then went to OZ. The rest you know?

It doesn’t sound to be much fun but it was just after a war, not much in shops, very few toys or things I remember Ron could put two spoons between his fingers and play a tune. We made a kazoo with comb and paper He had a violin but Granny said it made her head ache. Sometimes he’d get a pigs bladder from the Butcher and use it as a football. There was a radio and a wind up gramophone, and he got into photography.

Sent 10/4/2025: Just wanted to say we were not paupers. Just the same as most folk. We had entertainment. Board games, and jig saws, and hobbies, to keep us busy. Till TV corrupted us! I was trying to show that Ron has worked his way up in the world through his own endeavours. I’ve always been so proud of him. What he has he earned.

Birthplaces

My family’s origins lie in England, Scotland and Ireland; we are thus all Celtic Anglo-Saxons by heritage.

John McHale was born in Ireland. The surname “McHale” originates in the north part of County Mayo (located on the west coast of Ireland, in the province of Connacht). Margaret Egan had a sister in Shrewsbury. Thomas McHale was born in Manchester, later moving to Binbrook after marrying Gladys Enderby – she was born in Grimsby, Lincolnshire.

Dad was born in Salford, Lancashire; he grew up in Binbrook, Lincolnshire. He later emigrated to Australia on 15/11/1964, where he married Mum and raised Michele and I. We lived at 93 Tucker Road, Bentleigh, Victoria.

Dad’s sister, Hilda McHale (who married John Reilly) moved with her family to Australia on 23/4/1981, initially living in Springvale, Victoria (her two eldest children from her first marriage, Tim and Mandy, remained behind in England). My Aunt and Uncle moved up to Townsville, Queensland in 1993.

John Sayce was born in Collingwood, Victoria; his grandparents emmigrated from England. Margaret Cormack was born in Glasgow, Scotland; later emmigrating to Australia. Their children were born in Richmond, Melbourne.

Henry Tiley was born in Coleraine, England (in the southwest region – Devon/Cornwall) and emmigrated to Australia. He was dark-haired. Mary McLean was born in Clarendon (as were all her children, including Annie Tiley), and was of Scottish ancestry. Annie Tiley later moved to Melbourne, where she met and married William Sayce (who was born in Richmond). They eventually settled in 14 Bridge Street, Elsternwick, where Mum and Uncle Brian grew up. Gran had to move from 14 Bridge Street in 1997, ending up in Siesta Nursing Home in Moorabbin (where she died). The old Edwardian house was sold to a developer who, sadly, demolished it to make way for ugly townhouses.

Most of my near relatives live in Victoria (Colin Sayce and family live in Perth, Western Australia).

Burials

Maternal grandparents:

McLean family gravestones at Clarendon cemetery. Inscriptions: “In Loving Memory of our parents George McLean, Born 1809-Died 1884. Euphemia McLean, born 1830-Died 1904. Also of our brothers George McLean, Born 1855-Died 1893. Hector McLean, Born 1882-Died 1893.”

Paternal grandparents:

Causes of death

Eye & hair colors

Cemetery: SPRINGVALE BOTANICAL CEMETERY
Given Names: WILLIAM LUTY
Surname: SAYCE
Religion: PRESBYTERIAN
Date of Service: 24/02/1982
Date of Death: 20/02/1982
Age: 85
Burial Type: CREMATED
Location Details: BRIND, WALL NICHE SINGLE, WALL T NICHE 449
Public Grave Y/N: N
Tenure Date: IN PERPETUITY – FOR ALL TIME
Relative Eye color Hair color
Suzanne (me) Hazel-green Brown
Michele Blue Light brown/dark blond
Mum Hazel-green Brown
Dad Blue Brown
Uncle Brian Blue Sandy-blond
Aunty Hilda Brown Dark brown
Granny Kirk Blue ?
Grandpa Brown Dark brown/black
Gran Blue Honey-blond

Grandparents’ siblings

Here I have briefly noted my grandparents’ brothers and sisters, and their birth and death years (where known). My grandparents themselves are in bold text.

Deaths in infancy, childhood and young adulthood occurred frequently in my grandparents’ time – all 4 families were affected.

Paternal

John Francis McHale (died 1907) and Margaret Egan:

After John McHale’s accidental death (an ornamental plasterer by trade, he fell from a high ceiling and was killed), Margaret Egan married Frederick Cole, and they had 3 children: Frederick, George and Nellie. Fred Cole had a daughter, Doreen (she, in turn, had no children); George Cole had a daughter, Patricia, and a son, Anthony.

George Enderby (20/2/1875-1955) and Emma Elizabeth (1870-1965):

  1. Florence (born 1897). She was engaged during World War II, but her fiance was killed. She married later in life to the Binbrook village blacksmith, Fred Fell. She and her husband had no children.
  2. Lionel (died in infancy).
  3. Reginald (died in infancy)
  4. Gladys Winifred (4/2/1906-17/11/1995). After Thomas McHale’s death, she married Jack Kirk on 12/3/1966; they had no children. He died on 6/7/1983.
  5. Frederick. He died at 19 years old in Shanghai, China, of typhoid and was buried there (exact graveyard unknown). He was working on a passenger ship as a violinist in the onboard band.

Maternal

John Sayce (20/10/1856-1924) and Margaret Jane Cormack (22/3/1863-8/2/1916):

  1. Herbert Cormack (born 2/7/1898).
  2. James George (31/3/1892-1930).
  3. Leslie Gordon Luty (6/3/1895-2/11/1896).
  4. William Luty (17/11/1896-20/2/1982). He married Annie Tiley on 31/1/1926.

Margaret Cormack was John Sayce’s second wife. His first marriage produced a son, Alfred John (born 29/6/1878), who married and had 2 daughters (Elvie and Vera); and a daughter, Rose Elizabeth (born 8/5/18).

Henry John Tiley (19/10/1843-20/8/1927) and Mary Isobel McLean (1865-26/3/1941):

  1. Harriet Jane (“Tosh”). Died at 3 years old.
  2. Euphemia Catherine (“Sis”). Died of meningitis at 19 years old. She was engaged to be married. Buried in Clarendon cemetery.
  3. Jessie Charlotte (“Aunty Jess”). Married Jim Monssen.
  4. George. Died at birth.
  5. John Henry (“Jack”). Married Jean Brennan.
  6. Kathleen Genevieve (“Kitty,” “Kate”). Married George Atkins.
  7. Phyllis Ina (“Phyll”). Married Ted Monssen.
  8. George. Died at birth.
  9. Alan Henry (“Al”). Married Muriel MacLaren.
  10. Clarise Mary (“Aunty Day”). Married Alfred Parker; mother of Dawn Harbour.
  11. Annie Hectorina (“Nancy”). Born 19/4/1898; died 6/10/2000.
  12. Clyde Gladstone (“Bill,” “Uncle Mick”). Married Maureen Emery.
  13. Eleanor Francis Caroline (“Nell”). Married Bob Watson.

My maternal grandmother’s mother’s (Mary Isobel McLean) brothers and sisters – Gran’s maternal aunts and uncles. Mary McLean had seven siblings. The list of them below is from some notes Mum wrote (1, 2 – Gran’s list is on the second page also).

  1. George McLean (oldest brother) – married Charlotte; 2 children:
    1. Phoebe
    2. Katie (?)
  2. Mary Isobel – Gran’s mother
  3. Duncan McLean
    • 1st marriage to Rosie Herbert, 2 children:
      1. Rupert Neil
      2. Douglas
    • 2nd wife: Henrietta Fanchon-Gwyat, 1 daughter:
      1. Franchon Mary
  4. James McLean – married Martha (from Cornwall); 1 daughter:
    1. Joyce
  5. Hector McLean – died in 1898, the year of Gran’s birth; no children
  6. Catherine Allen; 5 children:
    1. Clarice Cathleen (Clare)
    2. Evelyn Janet (married Harry Burke/Bach?)
    3. George McLean
    4. James Colquhoun
  7. Sara McLean (O’Neal), 5 children:
    1. Geraldine
    2. Fredericka Mary
    3. Eileen
    4. Gwen
    5. Owen (only son)
  8. Patrick John McLean – married Julie Brennan (Aunty Jean’s sister)

Family pets

  1. Tikky the Siamese cat, 1969-1985. Given to Mum by Aunty Bae, who bred them from her ill-tempered queen. Euthanized after developing kidney disease.
  2. Tammy the golden labrador. Mum had him for a few years but he went to stay permanently at Gran and Grandpa’s home after she had me. He died in the late 1980s (1982?); I can’t remember him very well. His registration number was 893 for the-then City of Brighton.
  3. Pippin the West Highland White Terrier (or a mix), 1983-1995. Dad bought him from a backyard breeder; not one of his better decisions! Pippin also had an uncertain temperament and I was not fond of him. Euthanized due to old age ailments around Easter (April 14-17) 1995. Buried in the backyard.
  4. Sasha the Bichon Friese, 1995-2012. Born 2/9/1995, somewhat impulsively bought from a pet shop in Southland Westfield Shopping Centre on 11/11/1995 for $360 by Dad – Mum saw him in the window and felt sorry for him as he had been there for some weeks. His breeding and parents are unknown. He was better-tempered than Pippin, but still neurotic with bad separation anxiety. Like Pippin, he was not obedience-trained. He lived until 17, but his last couple of years saw him develop dementia and his decline was protracted, stressful and miserable for everyone. Euthanized on 3 December 2012 at John the Vet as he was becoming very ill. The vet disposed of his body – according to him when asked on Facebook: “There is a private company that collects bodies (mostly cats and dogs) from vet clinics across the entire greater Melbourne area, for burial on what used to be private farm land in Anakie, not far from Geelong.” Looking at Google Maps, the town is a long distance away (in a straight line across the bay), nearly 70 km! A lot further than I though he would be. His council registration number was 16527, City of Glen Eira.

Other pets: two budgerigars, and various goldfish that lived in an outdoor pond. Of the goldfish, originally two were bought and lived for many years until the early 1990s. They eventually died and Dad bought some more to replace them (can’t recall exact dates). A Grey Heron landed near the pond one year – I saw it standing there from the backyard door – and ate all the fish. However they had laid eggs and some months later new ones appeared. These kept reproducing so the small group is self-replacing.

Stories

Maternal family side

My maternal Grandpa’s mother’s brother went missing (late 1800s/early 1900s) and no-one knew what happened to him. He used to go to get opals from Lightning Ridge and cut and polish them; he would sometimes visit Grandpa’s mother in Melbourne. It is possible he was murdered as he would carry valuable opals. This was a long time ago when there were no Missing Persons records, so his disappearance is likely to remain a mystery. (His name is unknown; Grandpa’s mother was Margaret Jane Cormack – 22/2/1863-8/2/1916.)

Paternal family side

Dad said his mother told him that when she was a child, one year the winter was so cold that her father brought her outside to see that the birds had frozen to the tree branches where they perched. (Granny Kirk was born in 1906, so latter half of 1900s.)

From an email Aunty Hilda sent me on 17/12/2024:

Have been thinking about bossiness. I suppose that Ron was forced into being “the man of the house”. Our Dad died when Ron was 17 and already in the RAF, and whenever he came home on leave was treated as the one in charged, much to my disgust, frequently shouting “You’re not My Dad” Then Grandad died and even more he was The Man. He took his duties very seriously. So it’s ingrained in his personality. But I know just how you feel!

Have to admit I was a spoiled brat till Dad died. He had a leaking heart valve, and would have heart attacks or strokes. He was always in and out of hospital. He lost the use of his right arm and leg and I was his prop. I adored him. When the family played cards on Saturday nights, I had to stand beside him and hold his cards, he’d point out which card to play, which is why I’m ambidextrous. I had just turned 11 when he died. I wouldn’t believe that he wasn’t coming home. Couldn’t or wouldn’t believe he’d gone. My whole world had changed. Apologies for the indulgence, just a bit of family history.

Trivia

A posthumous letter to Gran

Dear Gran,

I miss you.

You died in 2000 but I still think of you every day. I miss seeing you and the happy look you had when we came over to your home. I miss going to your old house at 14 Bridge Street Elsternwick every week and your wonderful cooking: the roast lamb and potatoes, the jam tart or apple pie you made. I miss the family gatherings of you, my parents and sister (and Grandpa when he was alive, though I was a bit shy of him). Also the Saturday afternoons spent in the dining room around the open fire, eating toast and listening to the footy on the radio. Sometimes Heather was there too and we talked about a lot of things. I miss going on long drives to the country around Ballarat and having lunch with your sisters.

I was difficult and grumpy at times when younger and I really regret that now; I did not appreciate you enough when you were alive as I was rather self-absorbed with my own problems. I wish I had made more of an effort to see you frequently in your final years. I am sad you died by yourself at night in a strange nursing home rather than be surrounded by family. You were the last of your siblings, which must have been a lonely place to be. You grew up in a vastly different era to mine, one now passed from living memory.

I did not know you when you were younger. You were old – in your 70s – when I was born. I wish I had asked you a lot more about your earlier life.

You were my maternal grandmother, my favorite and closest grandparent, and I miss you more as the years go by. I daydream of somehow meeting you again in the next world, if there is some sort of afterlife; of again walking up the garden path to your front door.

~ Suzanne McHale, 5 April 2016

Eulogy for Gran

A eulogy my sister Michele wrote and read at Gran’s funeral on 9 October 2000.

EULOGY FOR GRAN:- ANNIE HECTORINA

INTRODUCTION

I am Gran’s youngest grandchild, Michele.

While my Gran’s death has saddened me deeply I am glad to be able to share with you a few details about her life and more importantly what she meant to me. I know that I can’t mention everything because she meant so much to us all. So I hope that what I say will trigger your own fond memories of Gran so that we can share together both in grieving her loss and celebrating her life. There are three areas of her life which I will be covering today, some facts, something of her character and what Gran means to me.

SOME FACTS

Gran was born in 1898 in Clarendon near Ballarat. She was the eleventh of thirteen children, her grandmother raised her until six years of age because some of her siblings were sick. When she was 18 she left home to stay with her sister in the Mallee in north east Victoria. After that she travelled to Melbourne working as a domestic servant in large homes for a few years.

Gran met Grandpa at a dance where he played the violin. They married in 1926 with only her mother attending. They travelled on Grandpa’s motorcycle, Gran riding pillion and her mum in the side car. Their first home was in Camberwell, then in east Melbourne where she took in boarders until they moved to Elsternwick staying there for nearly 60 years. Grandpa worked in Spotswood as a fitter and turner during the depression. They had two children Brian and Beverley. Grandpa died in 1982

SOMETHING OF HER CHARACTER

Gardening and the Richmond football club were her main interests particularly after Grandpa died. She also enjoyed telling us about her life and many fond memories with sharp detail and clarity.

Gran was strong willed, determined, fiery but loyal to her family, not lacking patience with her grand children. She was a strong Protestant, having a dim view of anything Catholic while maintaining a philosophy of being kind to all. She spoke her mind while retaining a warmth of genuine concern for our well being. Gran was a real survivor, being tough and resilient. Considering the amount of change she lived through it is a testimony to her strength of character: Two world wars, a depression, the advent of the car, TV, the space age etc.

WHAT GRAN MEANS TO ME

As a little girl I loved Gran because she was so open with her love for me, always expressing pleasure when I came and always happy for me to stay overnight. I loved the way she made me feel at home, making me feel a part of what was happening. Warm memories of Gran were Saturday night roasts, cooking toast over the open fire while listening to footy, home made sausage rolls, jams, Christmas puddings, her proudly showing me her garden each visit. I used enjoy walking with Gran to Gardenvale shops.

I remember once when to my horror something Gran was cooking caught fire. I panicked but Gran seeming to have the calmness of an experienced fire fighter put the pot in the sink after which the curtains caught on fire. While this had the effect of plummeting me into a further state of panic it didn’t unnerve Gran at all. She took the curtains down and put the fire out. This same Gran didn’t mind coming with me to a scary outside toilet in the dark.

When I was a little older I enjoyed riding my bike from home to Gran’s to stay with her. It gave me a sense of independence which was nurtured and encouraged just by the type of person Gran was. She seemed to have a knack of being able to accept people for who they were, making them feel at home and at ease.

Gran’s interest and concern for me continued throughout my marriage and extended to my own children with no less love than she had for me.

I want to thank God for giving me such a unique Grandmother who has had a good part in making me who I am today.

I have chosen to read Psalm 103 because the love that God has for us was made real to me through Gran.

Psalm 103:1 A Psalm of David.

1 Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me,
bless His holy name!
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His
benefits;
3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your
diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who
crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies,
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that
your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The LORD executes righteousness And justice for
all who are oppressed.
7 He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the
children of Israel.
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger,
and abounding in mercy.
9 He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep
His anger forever.
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor
punished us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, So
great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;

12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He
removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities
those who fear Him.
14 For He knows our frame; He remembers that we
are dust.
15 As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of
the field, so he flourishes.
16 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, And its
place remembers it no more.
17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to
everlasting On those who fear Him, And His
righteousness to children’s children,
18 To such as keep His covenant, And to those who
remember His commandments to do them.
19 The LORD has established His throne in heaven,
And His kingdom rules over all.
20 Bless the LORD, you His angels, Who excel in
strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His
word.
21 Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, You ministers of
His, who do His pleasure.
22 Bless the LORD, all His works, In all places of His
dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul.

Trivia

BBC profile: Ron McHale

Bentleigh Baptist Church Diary, December 1991

After a short break of one issue of the Diary to allow the Church to focus on its mission, we return again to another Profile on one of its members. This time on one who needs forty-eight hours in the day, a sharp pencil for taking accurate notes, a memory like an elephant and a listening ear just as big. But most of all he needs an attitude of servant-hood and humility. No, it’s not the church mouse listening for intruders while he works out who has copyright on the Scriptures, it’s our Secretary, Ron McHale.

Ron was received into membership at Bentleigh on 16th November 1983, but it had taken fifty years for the Lord to work in his life. He was born on 30th March 1933 in the city of Salford, Manchester, England.

Ron’s first memories are very vivid concerning the war years. War broke out in 1939 and bombing in Ron’s area started 1940. He was caught in the “Manchester Blitz” for a year and was then moved to his grandparents home for safety in Lincolnshire. It was here that he first heard the gospel from his grandmother. Ron recalls that Lincolnshire was not the safest place to be either as it was surrounded by R.A.F. Airfields, mostly bomber squadrons. This was where he first came into contact with Australians, he used to get sweets and chewing gum from the airmen.

Ron remembers watching heavily laden Lancaster bombers taking off and circling to gain altitude and then form into groups for night bombing raids over Germany. These would return in the early hours of the morning, sometimes with an engine trailing fire, or with bits missing, or worse still, to crash on approach to their home airfield. Local children would later visit the crash sites to pick up pieces of shattered perspex with which to make brooches or rings, not really comprehending that seven brave airmen had met a violent end the process. Such is the awful futility of war.

Ron went to school until he was fourteen, and left in 1947 to work in a garage. He worked there for 2 years and then joined the R.A.F. where he stayed for 10 years. In this period Ron saw service in several parts of the world, including six months at Christmas Island for the British Atomic tests, seeing sights never to be forgotten of “H” bombs and “A” bombs being detonated only 30 miles away.

During the late war years, Ron was a choir boy at the local Anglican Church (Keep that in mind, choir leader), and was confirmed during the early part of his R.A.F. service.

After working for four years with Massey Ferguson, the lack of job opportunities and poor wages caused Ron to leave Lincolnshire and improve his prospects elsewhere. In 1964 he joined T.A.A. in London and applied for a position working in Australia at Essendon Airport. Ron’s immigration was organised by T.A.A. and before long he was in Australia.

Ron spent his first 18 months in Australia in a room in Sydney Rd., Brunswick. A friend at T. A. A. introduced him to Bev in 1966. She lived in Elsternwick and before long Ron was also living in Elsternwick at the home of a married friend. In March 1968 Ron and Bev were married and for the first 12 months lived with Bev’s parents. Later they moved to their own home in Tucker Rd., Bentleigh where they still live. Suzanne came along in November 1970, and Michele in August 1972.

Since 1969 Ron was employed as an Airworthiness Surveyor by the then Department of Civil Aviation. He attended a number of aircraft accidents over the years as part of his job. Two in particular stand out. The first about 1970-71 when a light aircraft crashed into the snow near Mt. Bulla. The plane wasn’t found until 3 months later when the snow melted and Ron was among the first on the scene, finding the occupants still strapped in. The other crash was near Cradle Mountain in Tasmania, a light aircraft again, but fortunately the Pilot survived. Ron had to spend a day walking through the rain forests covered with leeches to attend the crash. Nowadays he never goes to Tasmania without a bottle of meths.

After 44 years in the workforce with aircraft, Ron’s retirement from the Civil Aviation Authority is due about mid November 1991. He is looking forward to his retirement so that he can spend more time in the garden, and also getting the better of his computer. He will then have more time to devote to church affairs.

Looking at the Christian side of Ron’s life, there was not a lot happening in the early years. His family in England were nominally Methodist and there were only two churches in the village of Binbrook in Lincolnshire. One was Anglican, the other Wesleyan Methodist. Neither was active in the community. Ron became a born again Christian in 1983 after visiting the M.A.F. Air Engineering facility at Ballarat Airport and experiencing the Spirit-filled atmosphere among the men, which to Ron was very obvious. On the drive back to Melbourne he questioned his Christian friend about the difference in the workers at M.A.F. and the Lord worked through the conversation and opened Ron’s eyes. Later that night Ron was to commit his life to Christ, and after further discussions with his wife, Bev made the same commitment. Soon after, Ron joined Bentleigh with the hope of becoming part of the fellowship.

He was soon put to use by the Lord, first he served as a Steward, then on to the Diaconate and Sunday School Superintendent, and then Church Secretary in May 1989. Although Ron is happy doing the Lord’s work he feels that it is hard to give his full attention to being Secretary and Sunday School Superintendent and would prefer to commit his attention to only one of them and do that well.

As a Christian father Ron strives to set a good example to his family and to honour the Lord in all things. He continually strives to strengthen his faith and knowledge in Christ, and to do his best in his various Church roles.

Being in a position to see an overall picture of the Church life, Ron would like to see more involvement by a greater number of the fellowship so that the workload might be spread between more than just a few willing souls. He is also concerned that because of the lack of volunteers, there is little or no current youth activities to hold or uplift our young people.

On a brighter note Ron sees the increase in new visitors attending our services as an encouraging sign for the future of our Church at Bentleigh. The wide range of age groups should ensure that no more ‘generation gaps’ appear in our membership.

As the writer of this Profile, I extend an invitation to all at Bentleigh to keep our Secretary in a prominent position in their prayers, so that he may be upheld with strength and wisdom to attend to the many duties he has to perform in the Lord’s Name, and all to the glory of Christ.

– Bernie Thomas

Untitled notes

Below is a transcription from some handwritten notes Dad wrote.

I was born at an early age on 30th Mar. 1933 in Salford, Lancs.Lancashire, now a part of Greater Manchester.

– 1933 – the year that Hitler came into real power in Germany – Reichstag Fire – persecution of Jews.

– After a few years we moved to the cotton town of Bolton, some 12mls from M, which was just as well, because 1940/41 saw the beginning of German bombing raids on M. docks and industrial areas which flattened many parts of the city.

– I clearly remember standing at our front door with my parents and watching the fireworks display of gunfire, bomb flashes and searchlights over M, then the big red glow of numerous fires.

– Our house in Bolton was located some ½-mi. from two cotton mills and a large elect. power station and, one right after the airaid sirens had sounded and we had left our beds to shelter under the staircase – said to be the safest place in the house – we heard the unmistakeable engine note of a German a/c. heading our way. Then came the equally unmistakeable whistle of a falling bomb! The whistle seemed to go on forever, but in reality lasted only a few seconds, then came a tremendous ‘bang’, shaking our house to its foundations and rattling all the windows (tape over glass).

– Fortunately the bomb had fallen well short of target, to detonate harmlessly on waste ground.

– That was the only bomb in our area that night, so it was back to bed once the all-clear sounded.

– Next morning it was a race between local boys to try and find a piece of bomb shrapnel in the crater, but by now it had been roped off by the police and no-one was willing to risk a clip round the ear just for a piece of metal.

– This narrow escape prompted my parents to pack me off to live with my grandparents in a country village called Binbrook in Nth. Lincs.

– As far as I was concerned, this was terrific, but really this was out of the frying pan and into the fire, because Nth. Lincs. was home to the largest concentration of RAF bomber stations in the whole of the UK.

– Within 10 mls of Binbrook there were eight fully operational units […]

End of page 1

plus RAF Binbrook only 1 mile from the village.

– It was at this time I began to meet my first Australians, and what a wild bunch they were! Very much ‘eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we may die’ and – tragically – so very many did night after night.

– On a late evening in summer, the sky would be filled with hundred of Lancaster bombers all fully laden with fuel and bombs, circling for altitude before heading off in loose formation into the gathering darkness towards Germany.

– Came the dawn, and back would come the survivors, though seldom it seemed, as many as went out.

– Occasionally there would be one with an engine fire still streaming embers.

– Having managed to nurse a badly damaged aircraft back to base, not all made it safely to the ground. Landing gear that would not lower – or worse still – only part-lower – flying control cables that broke under the strain of landing. Live bombs hung up in bomb bays, all contributed to spectacular crashes around the local countryside, with the consequent violent deaths of 7 aircrew each time.

– As boys, we had little appreciation of the awful waste of life, being only concerned with obtaining pieces of perspex with which to fashion rings and brooches, and – if really lucky to find unburnt mag.nesium signal flares that we could later dismantle and use the powder for highly illegal firework displays among the gravestones of the local church yard.

– Sadly, not all crashes were due to enemy action. At least 4 crashed after T/O from Binbrook during a two year period due to direct sabotage. I learned of this after the war, but it appears that maintenance people with sympathies towards Russia infiltrated a number of RAF bases for the express purpose of obstructing the bombing of Germany. This all ceased when the German armies attacked the USSR in 1940/41. Who needs enemies with friends like those!

End of page 2

– Being sent to live with my grandparents had a much more profound effect on my life than getting familiar with aeroplanes though.

– My Gran was a Godly woman and she made it her business to teach me about the Lord Jesus Christ. She taught me to pray and to read her bible each day, and generally instilled a respect for the Lord in me.

– Although I didn’t continue on with her teachings as I grew older, I’m sure that she laid a good foundation for my later life.

– Thank God for caring Grans!

– At age 14 in 1947 I left the little village school with a very rudimentary education to start my working life in the village garage, mostly serving petrol and greasing cars.

– I stayed at this for 18 mnths, then managed to scrape through the entrance exams for RAF Boy Entrant. I was then almost 16. This took me to Somerset for 18 mnths, where I was taught aircraft maintenance.

– It was there that I came under the influence of the RAF Padre (CofE) named Scott, who persuaded me to join 5 other fellow airman to be taught the creeds and catechisms leading to Conformation.

– We were duly Confirmed by the Bishop of Bathe Wells in the lovely old Wells Cathedral but, unfortunately, there was no follow up by the Padre and I think we all just gradually drifted away.

– My first posting from training was to an RAF Transport Comm. base in Nth. Yorkshire.

– This was an exciting time – the real world at last! Within months of my arrival the whole unit was sent to Egypt for 3 months due to a crisis in the Persian (now Iranian) oilfields where their PM was threatening to nationalise everything in sight.

– Egypt was an interesting place, but no one tells you ahout the smell! Quite unforgettable!

End of page 3

– Several postings later I managed to get to RAF Binbrook and onto a Canberra Bomber Sqdrn.

– With them I came out to Malaysia for a 3 mth spell at RAAF Butterworth, near Penang. A group of communist guerrillas was living in the jungle and generally creating havoc, so the RAF was given the task of daily bombing various areas of jungle. As far as I know, Ching Pin their leader died a peaceful old age in retirement just a few years ago, having survived all attempts to flush him out.

– It was in 1958 that I made my first big mistake. I actually volunteered for service at Christmas Island where the Brits were running a series of atomic bomb tests. This C.I. is in mid-Pacific, some 1500 mls SW of Hawaii, not the one in the Indian Ocean.

– I don’t know what made me volunteer for it, unless it was the novelty of living on a SS. island in the sun.

– Whatever it was, the novelty soon wore off. The place was alive with large landcrabs after dark – quite harmless, but able to nip an unsuspecting toe if one walked around barefoot.

– Thousands of them were squashed on the roads by car and trucks, which attracted clouds of flies next day.

– During my stay there I witnessed the testing of 2 H-bombs and 4 A-bombs. The H-bombs being a sight never forgotten.

– I will briefly describe the first H-bomb test:–ß

– Detonation site or grd. zero was 30 miles away on tip of island.

– Early morning about 7.0 am. everyone breakfasted at first light.

– Into trucks and driven to assembly area. On the way there we pass the airfield and see the jet bomber being loaded with the bomb. A short while later the a/c takes off and climbs to altitude – some 35000 ft.

– Beautiful blue sky – wall to wall – no wind, not even a breeze.

– A roll-call, then over the PA comes the call to sit down facing away from the blast site.

End of page 4

– PA. says ‘Zero minus 15 mins.’

– Then 10, 5, 2 mins.

– Sixty seconds. Cover eyes with hands and rest head on bended knees.

– 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2,1, ‘0’

– The flash is unbelievable!

– With eyes closed and hands over eyes I (and many others it turned out later) clearly caught a momentary glimpse of my hand skeleton – like an x-ray photo – such was the brilliance of the light

– With this came the heat flash, like someone opening a hot oven door immediately behind.

– Several seconds later came the blast wave that caused coconut palm trees to bend over like willows.

– After about 20 secs. the PA system came to life once more and a voice said we could tum around and cautiously look at the mushroom cloud. I did, but it was far too bright to look at yet, far brighter than the brightest sun.

– -Another ½ min. and then I could bear to look at it.

– -What an awesome sight! The sheer size of the mush. cloud already thrusting up to 15000ft and still climbing.

– A huge icecap some distance above the main cloud was reflecting all the rainbow colours and the cloud itself was a boiling, seething mass of dust, steam and debris coloured dark red to light yellow.

– It was a glimpse of hell itself.

– 1 hour later, the cloud had been dispersed by upper atmos. winds to cover the whole area of sky west of the island.

– This would gradually return to earth as radioactive rain on its journey westwards.

– Cancer anyone?!

– It was noticeable than nobody in my group spoke a word until later that day. I think we were all overawed by what we had seen.

End of page 5

– Over the years since those tests I’ve read in the UK newspapers that many of the servicemen who took part have died as a result of cancers believed to have been caused by the massive irradiation we all experienced.

– I’m quite sure that men would not be put at the same risk today if tests were resumed.

– On return from C.I. I left the RAF and joined a ME agency, working on tractors and combine harvesters (swords to p’shares) This was completely different to anything I had experienced in the RAF and I enjoyed it very much.

– After about 5 yrs I got itchy-feet again and began to look around.

– Early in 1964 TAA carried out a recruitment drive in the UK for ex-RAF tradesmen, so I applied, was accepted and in the November boarded a charter jet bound for Ess. A/P.

– Two days after arrival I started work for TAA on Viscount and Friendship a/c, and, later, on Boeing 727 jets that had just been introduced by TAA & Ansett.

– Four yrs. later I met & married Bev and, one year later that I landed one of the rare vacancies in DCA Department of Civil Aviation as an AWS Airworthiness Surveyor.

– This job brought together my years of experience with a/c in the role of Govt. watchdog over the a/c maint. industry.

– My time with DCA was interesting and varied.

– I served on the team that approved the GAT Nomad a/c.

– This had the potential to be a real earner for Aust until the dead hand of Govt Bureaucracy got hold of it.

– Sufficient to say that towards the end or its production run GAF, in order to get sales, had to ask customers for cash advances so that they could buy materials and

End of page 6

– parts with which to build the aircraft. Needless to say, it wasn’t long before orders dropped away, giving the Govt the excuse to close the production line.

– Aust. a/c manufacturers had all the expertise and capacity during the 1970’s to run a viable a/c industry, but for some reason the Govt was totally opposed to it.

– Now, the expertise has mostly dispersed and it is all too late.

– I was called to a number of light a/c accidents during my time with the Dept. All were different, but most were fairly messy!

– My first was a Beechcraft in a forest near Warburton.

– This had crashed & burned whilst lost in low cloud.

– My first experience of a burnt human body – not very nice!

– Again to the forest near Mansfield. This one disappeared in May and wasn’t found until snow melt in mid-August.

– By that time the term ‘advanced state of decay’ had become more than just a description. 2 men and a woman in that one, but you wouldn’t know it!

– -I visited the NSCV several times – met John Frederics Friedrich – a striking personality – wasn’t surprised later that he had so successfully conned so many people, in his mind the end justified the means.

– In 1982 I visited MAF Ballarat to check their a/c maintenance along with my good friend Bill Waters. He had then been a Christian for 25 yrs. We all knew where he stood and we respected him for it.

– During this particular visit we ate our lunch in the MAF staffroom and I was gradually struck by the atmasphere of the place. The peacefulness, no swearing, no coarse remarks, no fooling around. Some men reading their bibles – this was different, and rather pleasant.

End of page 7

– In the car on the way back to Melb. I remarked to Bill how impressed I had been with what I had seen at MA. After a couple of minutes silence, he launched into his statement of belief in the Lord Jesus Christ and finished with the comment that I should seriously consider doing something about it.

– Normally this would have turned me off, but this time I sensed that I should heed his advice.

– I committed my life to the Lord at 10.0 pm that evening (22 Sept. 1982)

– Some weeks later I was led to BBC and began to atten regularly.

– I was baptised early in 1983, became a member, door steward and, too soon in my opinion – a deacon.

– It would have been nice to have a period of settling in before becoming involved in the running of the place, but – expediency rules – ok!

– Later came SS, SS Supt. e Sec.

– I know that the Lord brought me to this Fellowship at the right time and for a purpose, but I’m glad that one does not get to see one’s future or I’m afraid I would have run a mile in the opposite direction.

– As it turned out though, it has been a gradual progression, one step at a time – in God’s perfect timing. Who can argue with that?

– Now that I’m retired from the warkforce, I’m able to spend a bit more time with my hobbies and interests.

– I have a fascination with old steam trains and model trains in fact I have begun to put together a model train layout (Brit. of course!)

– Then there is the maintenance of this place. Always seems to be something that needs fixing or renewing, and handymen are a bit thin on the ground in this fellowship.

End of page 8

– As to the future of this church, – well, if we don’t soon get a few suitable younger men in the membership we shall run out of deacons.

– Carrum Downs will take away several potential deacons.

– I can see that we shall be obliged to enlist the help of the deaconesses in many more church duties if the situation doesn’t improve.

– I did suggest to the diaconate that my ‘useby date’ as Secretary must surely have arrived, but for some reason they didn’t agree.

– So I guess that you are stuck with me for the time being!

– A/C accident Sth. of Devonport 1970 – Dallas Hays. – now M/O of Tas Airlines.

– Suicide by young man – C150 at Eildon.

– Hamilton – drunken pilot dentist – night T/O [takeoff] – crashed & burned. (Not liked)

Dad’s eulogy

Read by myself and my sister Michele at Dad’s memorial service at Frankston Presbyterian Church, 11/10/2025.

Suzanne:

I am Suzanne McHale, the eldest daughter of Ron McHale. He was always there in my life and I cannot believe he is gone.

He was the protector and provider for his family. He cherished Mum and was her soulmate, supporter and carer as they grew older. He was close to his sister, Hilda Reilly, and took his duty as her guardian also when their own father died in the 1950s. She greatly grieves his passing.

Dad was a genius at fixing things! He could do anything from home renovations or gardening to servicing a car or aircraft engine. His practical skills will be sorely missed. I inherited from him an interest in aviation and technology.

We had our difficult moments and disagreements – we had similar personalities – but ultimately he stood by me and supported me in whatever I tried.

I was privileged to be beside Dad when he passed. When his body decided to release him, he left this world peacefully. I will greatly miss him and his hugs.

Michele:

Good morning, everyone. My name is Michele and I had the privilege of being the youngest daughter of Ron McHale.

Dad was born in England in 1933. He spent much of his childhood with his parents and sister Hilda in the town of Binbrook, Lincolnshire with his Grandparents, to avoid the bombing raids of WW2. Dad recalled watching nearby Lancaster bombers taking off and crash landing at times. This was when he and other boys would naively pick up shrapnel and other pieces of aircraft, unaware of the devastation before them.

This was also when Dad’s Gran taught him to read the bible and pray.

Dad joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) as an aircraft engineer when he was 16. During his 10 years of service, he worked on the Canberra bomber and witnessed several ‘H’ and ‘A’ bombs being detonated in the mid-Pacific Christmas Island. Dad described briefly seeing the skeleton of his hands with the brilliant flash of the bomb’s blast, even though he had his back to the blast and eyes shut.

In 1964, Dad joined TAA (airline) and was accepted for a job in Melbourne, Australia as an aircraft mechanic. He later went on to be an airworthiness surveyor for the Department of Civil Aviation for over 20 years.

Initially when Dad met Mum, it wasn’t smooth sailing. There was no holding hands. Thankfully, for me, they got married in the late 1960’s. He and Mum were blessed with over 57 years’ marriage. Suzanne and myself were born in the early 1970’s and our family was complete.

Dad provided us with a home; he renovated the kitchen and built another bedroom thanks to his handyman skills. Dad was fair and kind and provided us with everything we needed. Dad could turn his hands and make many things, such as a dolls’ house that my own children enjoyed. His shed evidenced the multitude of tools and equipment that he used over many years; he had a real museum in there!

Dad enjoyed Mum’s ginger cakes and puddings to the point of not wanting to share these with anyone else. He liked to fossick for gold, using his metal detector, much to our dismay at times. While he was never successful, I was always hopeful that we would go into a town and buy us an ice cream. Dad enjoyed working in his garden and growing a variety of flowers. As a family, we enjoyed seaside holidays at Inverloch and a couple of holidays in England.

Mid-life saw Dad dedicate his life to Christ thanks to the witness of a work colleague. At the same time, I committed my life to Christ thanks to Wendy Beesley, one of my teachers at school. Dad had a central role at Bentleigh Baptist Church over many years, mainly supporting the Minister Peter Rutledge as church secretary and as a handyman.

When we went to collect Dad’s personal items in his room recently, we found that Dad had his bible on the table and a devotional book open. He was faithful to the last and had every confidence he would one day be with God.

I want to conclude by thanking family and friends for their ongoing support; especially Rob and Lea, Jan and Diana and Pastors Kang and Robyn.

Thursday, 23 October 2025 at 2:34:40 pm