25.3.24 – 17.6.17
John Crook passed away at the age of 93 in Queensland.
John was born in England. At the age of 16 in 1940 he joined the Home Guard, and in 1941 transferred to the Air Training Corps. The following year he went to the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough attached to the Radio Division.
In 1943, he joined the RAF as a wireless mechanic, and many radio courses later, in 1944, went to India and then on to Burma with a Mobile Signals Servicing Unit until the end of the war.
John then joined the British Commonwealth Communications Squadron which was formed at Hmawbi in Burma at the end of 1945, eventually arriving at Iwakuni in Japan as part of the Occupation Forces.
He returned to the UK at the end of 1946 where he served at RAF Dishforth and another RAF Station near Nottingham before final discharge as a Corporal. John was awarded the 39/45 Star, the Burma Star, the Defence Medal and War Medal.
John then rejoined the RAF in 1951 as a Civilian Radio Technician and progressed through the system until he resigned in 1974 having reached the position of Deputy Signals Officer at RAF Kemble, Gloucestershire and came to Australia in October 1974. John was also a long serving member of the Royal British Legion.
After arriving in Australia, John began working with AWA radio telephone company. Following that he worked for Walton’s until he retired and started dedicating his time to working with the Returned and Services League (RSL).
John joined the Australian Returned and Services League (RSL) Sub-Branch at Windsor on November 11, 1974 and then transferred to Richmond RSL Sub-Branch in June 1976 and subsequently became a Life Member. He was a member for 43 years.
At the Sub-branch he held the positions of Welfare Officer, Vice President, Treasurer and Entertainment Officer. He was also a Far Western delegate from 1986-1990. For many years John organised bus trips for members on the third Thursday of every month, which were enjoyed by all. John was also a founding member of the Lachlan RSL Day Club held at the Sub-branch.
He and wife Trudy had three children: Gerald, Valerie and Christine.
He was completely dedicated to helping veterans and their wives and would spend much of his time visiting and talking with them. He was very ‘regimented’ in his routines and often said “I will always treat people the way I like to be treated”.
He certainly lived up to his word. John even spent one day a week playing cards with the widow of one of our past members to keep her company. Even after his wife Trudy, passed away in 2013, his dedication to helping others did not waiver. John held his 90th birthday party at the Sub-branch where 75 friends and family joined him.
John also had a very good sense of humour and on his visits to the Sub-branch, every Tuesday and Friday he would have a couple of jokes to start the day. If John did not turn up on one of these days we would always know that something had happened or he was unwell and a quick call would be made to him to ensure all was OK.
John was also very active with local community groups and was a member of the Hawkesbury Men’s Probus Club. Every week you would find him in a local cafe with a group of friends.
In 2010 he was the recipient of the Hawkesbury Citizen of the Year Award. In 2016 John was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for Service to Veterans and their Families.
He moved to Queensland on in August last year to be near his family due to poor health.
John was a well loved and respected member of the Richmond and wider Hawkesbury community. His dedication to helping others and ensuring they were looked after was greatly appreciated by all.
John will surely be missed but not forgotten.
