Radschool Association Magazine

Radschool Association Magazine - Vol 12

Next reunion 25-27 April 2003

31 Oct 2002

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Bon Hall (Wng Cdr ER Hall)

Honorary Life Membership

Recently we were speaking with Bon Hall, who as Wng Cdr ER Hall (it’s a name that most will never forget) was the CO Radschool from 4th July 1964 to the 28th June 1968. A lot of us were at Laverton during his reign, yet I don’t think too many of us ever spoke to him, or got to know him and consequently we knew him only as that stern looking bloke who took the salute on parade once a week. Not many of us knew that as a Flt Lt, Bon Hall had been a POW under the Japanese during WWII and was forced to work on the notorious Burma railway and to endure horrific conditions. It’s probably still a surprise to most people, and it’s a pity that it has taken nearly 35 years for a lot of us to find out who our CO really was. Most of us have been to a war of one sort or another, God knows there has been enough of the bloody things, but none of us has had to endure the hardships that was forced on Bon during the later years of WWII. Frank Alley, who was an EdO at Laverton during that period knew him and said of him “My experience of him was that of a fine, honourable man, much to be admired for his work at Radschool. He was a man that looked older than his real age, I expect due to his war-time experiences. I didn’t know of his past at the time, but some time later I saw him interviewed on an ABC program about the Burma-Siam railway where he described the atrocious conditions and how he and his mates were forced to eat maggoty meat and were happy to do so. He later wrote a book about those experiences - "The Burma-Thailand railway of death" plus a number of other books including "A saga of achievement", a story of the men and women who maintained and operated radio and radar systems of the RAAF over 50 years; "A saga of achievement", the RAAF radio story and "Glory in chaos" a story about the RAAF in the Far East in 1940-42.

Frank says “I found him to be utterly supportive of a sprog such as me and entirely admirable. I was lucky to be an officer in the RAAF at the time that he was OIC. I admired him immensely, even though he chipped me for wearing my 'work' cap on parade. If ever there was a man who epitomised the best of the RAAF for me, it was Bon Hall and my worst moment in the RAAF was when I found that I had disappointed him.”

Since his retirement from the RAAF Bon has been very active in a number of organizations, but he is now slowing down, and is starting to draw back from active participation. He lives in Melbourne, not far from the City in one of the eastern suburbs and we thought it only fitting that the man, who had so much influence on us when we were young tear-aways living at Laverton, and who should be admired for his past experiences, should be our first Honorary Life Member. I’m sure I speak for all of us when I say we’re proud to have him. Perhaps he can share a few moments of his time at Laverton with us in later editions-we hope so!! Incidentally, we know what the ER stands for…..

Despite the cost of living, have you noticed how popular it remains?

To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research.

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