Having completed the ninety eight days Wacol training Bob with some members of D Company were transferred to the local army unit which was the Artillery Battery located in the old drill hall in Lawson Street Southport. The remainder were transferred to Artillery Units spread throughout Brisbane.
Because of the units separated location, contact with other D Company recruits would generally be at annual camps initially held at Greenbank. As the unit was an anti-aircraft artillery unit, a convoy drill to conduct live firing at a drone towed by an aeroplane was conducted from the uninhabited beach where in later years the Broadbeach hotel was built.
The Regiment had a strength of 500 plus gunners and a swim at the end of a hot day’s firing was most welcome for the Brisbane based soldiers who in the main very seldom travelled to the beach while for the Southport gunners it was almost routine. Isolation of the beach made it acceptable to practice nature bathing.
Bob attended similar firing exercises held at Hastings Point and Pottsville before these places became populated. During the Hastings Point firing a round exploded in the barrel blowing a large hole the barrel. No one was seriously injured.
It was at these annual camps and other bivouacs Bob would be present wearing Bombardier stripes, later after he passed the next group of rank examinations his Sergeant stripes. It was good to see his loyalty and commitment was recognised.
The senior officers of the Regiment had served during World War 2 and recognised Bob’s ability and his unit commitment resulting in his nomination and officer promotion in the late 1950’s to Second Lieutenant. After a probation period Bob was promoted to Lieutenant, then Captain some years later.
Bob worked at the South Coast Dairy which was located near the Battery depot and it was common to receive a call from RHQ to open the depot to give access to visiting military or authorised personnel. Without saying he was his usual co-operative self.
1960 saw the Regiment change from anti-aircraft defence to Field Artillery. This required extra travel whether going to live firing at Tin Can Bay or to the Regimental Head Quarters in Brisbane. Bob took all of this in his stride.
A Severe storm in mid1967 caused heavy beach erosion and loss of buildings along the coast. Bob with other battery members was heavily involved in the clearance and making safe on the effected Gold Coast beaches. This community work lead to the Battery being granted the Freedom of the City in late1967 which allowed the Battery to march through the city.
Mentioned earlier was Bob’s loyalty and commitment. It was these characteristics which were practised by all members of 41 Battery when Bob in the early 1970’s promoted to Major became Battery Commander.
Bob commanded an efficient, loyal and well trained battery but always had time to mentor young graduated infantry officer to help their conversion to be qualified as an artillery officer.
1971 was the year Bob spent a few weeks in Vietnam as part of the then ongoing Army Reserve Officer training.
The Mount Schanck Trophy, a coveted Field Artillery trophy, now nearing 100 years old, is competed for by all Army Reserve units through Australia. In the training year 1973 – 1974, 41 Battery commanded by Major Bob Dux won the coveted award . Another outstanding feat for Bob.
Rumours are a good way of telling the truth without pointing the finger.
Rumour has it that members of Bob’s battery were practising foot patrols in the hills near Somerset Dam. One member did not want to lose his rifle bolt so he placed it in his basic pouch. When handing back the rifle at the end of the weekend there was no bolt – Lost – Bob reported this to the commanding Officer who in an angry simple comment said “Bob how are you going to fix this , you have a problem”.
Bob again was there to support this soldier and commented that the soldier thought he lost the bolt as he crawled under a fence and would like to retrace his steps on the route taken.
Bob commented - I need time.
Rumour has it; the patrol revisited the area and remarkably found exactly where the soldier had crawled through the fence line.
Everyone was happy and it was hoped so would be the Commanding Officer until the rumour mill circulated that someone organised to find a spare bolt which duly arrived at the same time as the original loss, now the Commanding Officer had to lose one, this was going to be harder to do than find the original loss – poetic justice – rumour has never given any comment
Artillery Officers are generally referred to as “ Officers and Gentlemen “
Bob Dux certainly was entitled to use this reference - He was one of the best. |
