Parton, Roy 'Gus'
Roy "Gus" Parton
Dec 12th 1920 - 17 April 2006
Enlisted 8 May 1941, 36567 Leading Aircraftsman, Discharged 16 Dec 1944
8 Transport and Movement Office
Roy "Gus" Parton a twin was born in Balmain on the 12th December 1920 along with his brother Jack. He was one of nine children.
He married Doris on 1st September 1944 and they were married for 55 years. In his diary Roy wrote;
4 & 5 January 1943
Managed to buy an engagement ring for Doris , a spot of luck, they're unprocurable.
.. Can't get her out of my mind for a minute.
And subsequently
I cannot think of anything else but her; reckon I'm caught this time.
Roy enlisted with the RAAF in 1940 at Windang at the age of 19 and after training joined 9 Squadron (Amphibious). In 1942 he was posted to 457 Squadron (Spitfires) at Livingstone air base in the Northern Territory where he spent two and a half years with this squadron and thereafter became a life member if the Spitfire Association.
Photo: Roy Parton in Darwin
Roy's diary showed the atmosphere of uncertainty when servicemen went off to war.
12 January 1943
All excited, to-day we leave for parts unknown, wondering where. Board troopship at Glebe Island. Leave port 6am on troopship M.S.Muet Stycker-Batavia. Bound for unknown destination. I think it will be Darwin.
There was plenty of action from enemy attacks and many horrific casualties balanced to some extent by many enemy aircraft being shot down. Roy made many entries in his diary and some of them are reproduced here as they highlight the extreme fighting that occurred in that theatre of the war. Some of the harrowing incidents were also accidental, either as a result of being in a war zone or just due to the harsh environment to which the servicemen were subjected.
Fascimile of Roy's 457 Squadron ID card.
The diary entries below record many of the unrelenting attacks by the Japanese on Darwin during 1943 but do not cover all of the combat between the RAAF and the Japanese that Roy recorded in his diary, nor do they include much of the diaries more graphic detail that the Spitfire pilots and crew and other servicemen in generally experienced first hand.
The diary entries have been included to show the ongoing determination of the Japanese to inflict severe damage on Darwin and the Northern Territory and theextremely brave and effective retaliation by the RAAF in general and Spitfire pilots specifically.
They paint a harrowing tale of ongoing conflict with no complaints as to the dire conditions and harsh climate.
25 January 1943
Arrive Darwin 2pm. Harbour full of bombed hulks. Shops & houses of town in terrible state - shot to pieces. Hospital bombed.
2 March 1943
Raid to-day -7 Zeros shot up Beaus..54 Squadron accounted for three, possibly four - plenty of excitement.
6 March 1943
Our squadron shot down enemy bomber - Flt Lt McClean & Darky McDowell (Roy's best friend) participated.
15 March 1943
Japs raid -25 bombers with escort of 15 Zeros. We accounted for 3 Zeros & 1 bomber - all the excitement in the world -
Days total for Fighter Wing -
6 shot down
6 probables, 7 damaged.
Japs got 4 Spits.
Only for operations bungling scramblers, we'd have got the lot.
Photo: Roy (centre) with two bunk-mates at their living "quarters" in Darwin
6 May 1943
Bruce Little has narrow escape at Millingimbi. Shot down 1 Zero then with damaged trimming tabs crash landed at 140 m.p.h. and walked away from it. The kite was a wipe off . Zeros shot him up on the ground -
8 May 1943
Millingimbi raided .We lose Harry Blake and Bruce Beale, that's three gone.
20 May 1943
6 Zeros destroyed at Millingimbi - by our squadron - four damaged. We lost three kites and two pilots.
12 June 1943
Lockheed crashed behind our transport shed, bombs exploded, nearly blew us up, seven were killed, four blown out, the other three being burnt to ashes.pretty sights we witness.
20 June 1943
Red Warning -10 am. Raided by 30 bombers and 20 fighters.
Score for the day 24 bombers and fighters destroyed. We lost 2 fighters - all pilots safe.
Casualties - 3 killed, 11 injured,
At Wynellie - expect will cop an issue shortly.
22 June 1943
Red Warning -10.15 am.
5 Zeros attempt to strafe us. Spits chase them away.
28 June 1943
23 bombers raid Yesties escorted by Zeros.
2 damaged - 2 probables.
30 June 1943
25 Bombers raid Fenton Strip. All told the fighter Wing got -
12 destroyed - 10 probables, 6 damaged. We lost six planes - three pilots.
One crash landed at Strouss, pilot died at MRS.
6 July 1943
Raided by 25 Bombers & 23 fighters - Considerable damage done to ground installations. Score for the day. We shot seven Japs down 5 damaged 6 probables.
We lost seven Spitfires. Three of our pilots are still missing.
P/O Darky McDowell
F/O Hamilton "Bush"
P/O Robinson
16 July 1943
"Darky"- "Bush" & "Robbo" - have been gazetted as "dead". They've had it!
14 Aug 1943
Raided tonight . 18 bombers -.two waves of nine. Bombed Fenton & Hughes.
We picked up dozens of "Flak" - no casualties - no damage -
Was I scared - too right I was.
17 Aug 1943
Scamble - Red Warning - Our squadron shoot down three Recos.
"Skeeter" - Sqn / Ldr James - 1
"Yellow Head" - Flt / L Watson - 1
"Rod" - R/O Jenkins - 1
Another scamble - Red - Killer Caldwell shot reco - Tojo seems determined to photograph us,
Occasionally there was time for some recreation and celebration. Roy would continue with his boxing after the war. (see below)
12 October 1943
Fougt in final of N.W.A. Championships. Won on points - Gosh I was pleased.
12 November 1943
Horrible tragedy to-day - some of our boys playing about with an anti-tank shell and it exploded -
..Jack Stewart - critical - 32 shrapnel wounds
Jack Garnham - shrapnel wounds -17 - two toes off - broken legs.
Buried Jack Parsons to-day.
Sickening affair.
Raided tonight by 18 medium bombers - No damage or casualties - lost five hours sleep. F/O Smithson destroyed two of them - the first lot to be shot down by Spitfires of a night in Darwin. This brings our total to 30 destroyed - we lead the Wing.
Sometimes the local environment was as hazardous as being in a war zone.
15 November 1943
Crocodiles kill a soldier at tumbling waters - left half of him on the bank.
17 November 1943
Two crocs shot at Tumbling Waters - believed to be those responsible for soldier's death.
11 December 1943
F/O Smithson gets D.F.C. for shooting two night bombers down on 12th November.
Photo: Roy (second from left) with some service mates at a bar in Darwin
During the war Roy became Featherweight and Lightweight boxing champion of the north western area. He turned professional after the war under the guidance of the then well known trainer Ted Milnio,
He retired undefeated in his professional boxing career after deciding there was no money or future for a fighter at that time.
Roy was heavily involved in the flying of sailplanes (gliders) and was a flying instructor with the Southern Cross Gliding club for over 10 years having 2600 hours plus combined power and gliding time. Flying was his passion and he would willingly take anyone up in his glider so that they too could experience the joy of gliding. Gliding gave him a great deal of comfort following the tragic and untimely death of his son Peter.
Ever the technocrat Roy constantly studied and improved his technical prowess completing a refrigeration course at South Sydney Tech and three and a half years engineering diploma. He also obtained a Mechanical drawing certificate and Production Illustration drawing certificate at Kogarah Tech. During this time of intense study he also had a wife and young family to care for and he worked three jobs; one of those jobs working in a garage late at night repairing car engines.
Roy was an amateur radio operator for most of his adult life. He was able to communicate with people from all around the world and as technology improved so did Roy's radio equipment which led to his interest in computer technology in his 70's.
Roy was devoted to his work and rose to a position as executive engineer in one of Sydney's leading refrigeration companies. During his working life he spent many years travelling overseas and working with the governments of India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, New Guinea and Japan.
Roy's interests were very extensive including the breeding and exhibiting of Australian wire-haired fox terriers, taking out Best Terrier at the 1956 Royal Agricultural Show.
In 1954 his bravery was revealed when he was presented with a Police Friend badge and illuminated address by the police commissioner (Norman Allen) for the capture of a criminal in the process of attacking a woman at Oatley.
At the age of 57 Roy retired. He was devoted to his work and the industry and he quickly rose to a position as executive engineer in one of Sydney's leading refrigeration companies. During his working life he spent many years traveling overseas and working with the governments of India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, New Guinea and Japan.
Roy was very close to his family including his nephews, nieces and their children. He loved spending time with them and singing to them. If there is only one thing we remember about Roy it is that he loved to sing. He also loved to see his niece Pat every Friday when she dropped in for a chat and a coffee. He idolised his grandchildren and his great grandsons and they love him dearly.
He also enjoyed the company of his close and loyal friends and neighbours.
Roy's favourite saying was;
"You're worth more money and if I had it I'd give it to you!"
He always had a story to tell, in fact he could recount his adventures for hours; and they were always prefaced with; "Did I tell you about the time when I ".
What a life he had!
