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Joseph Charles Pickard Oral History
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DescriptionThis interview consists of four audio recordings and transcripts. Joseph (Joe) Charles Pickard was interviewed on 22 November 2003 at the Whitlam Library, Cabramatta by Shirley Kingsford McLeod.
The interview was for the "War Veterans oral history project" in partnership with Fairfield RSLInterview SummaryJoseph (Joe) Charles Pickard was born at Lambeth in England on 21 May 1925. His father served in the British navy in both World Wars and a brother and two brothers-in-law served in the Second World War, so it seemed inevitable that Joe should also join the navy. At the age of 18 in 1943 it was his turn and he enlisted in the British Navy in London.
He was sent to Portsmouth to be fitted out in his uniform and then went by train to Ayrshire in Northern Scotland. There he lived in a Nissan hut and did six weeks basic training.
On his return to London he was accommodated in a Butlin’s Holiday Camp at Skegness. That lasted about 12 weeks then he was sent to Portsmouth where he was put into Coastal Forces which was mainly coastal patrol. It was whilst he was there that preparations were being made for D-Day and they practised what was to be the landing of troops on the beaches. They went to Normandy in France but did not land; they merely picked up survivors whose ships had been sunk and brought them back to England.
Then to Ostend in Belgium where he was uncomfortably close to the German bombing. Joe tells that he felt safer there though than if he had been in England, as England was being bombed virtually nightly. On his leave in England he was to find out first hand just what the British people were confronting. His father injured an ankle whilst serving and was at home recuperating when the ship that he had been serving on in the North Sea was sunk, losing all hands. Joe was fortunate though in that all his relatives who were serving came through the war safely.
In December 1944 Joe was then told that they would be going to Australia and his comment was ‘Where in the bloody hell is that!’ The ship on which he came was Glen Irn and it was a transport vessel. His first camp was at Warwick Farm near Liverpool and here he managed to get into some trouble with the Military Police when he and his mates were found sleeping in a park in Sydney. The fact that they did not have leave passes made it more serious.
From Sydney they voyaged to Manus Island and Leyte, then to Lae in New Guinea before returning to Brisbane. Then it was back to Leyte and from there to Hong Kong to assist in the cleaning up of the town from the damage done during the war which was now over. He remained there for about 5 months to 1946. He tells us that it was so hot that one could not swim in the water there. Joe also served in Brisbane where he had contact with American servicemen.
He returned to England on the ship Anson and was discharged from the RAN. He then decided to migrate to Australia in 1947. He was one of the 'ten pound Poms'. It would not be too long after arriving here that he received word from his mother that she was sick and wanted him to return to England. Joe was not happy there and had met an Australian girl which made him more determined to return here which he did in 1950. He was able to do that because he signed a contract with Fairfield Cables and that came with a house, as well as assisting loans for furniture. Sadly for Joe his first wife died of cancer not too long after their arrival in Australia.
About a year after the death of his first wife, Joe married again but that was not to last and then he married his present wife.
It was not until about 1962 that he joined Fairfield RSL. The RSL was run from the old Butterfly Hall in Fairfield at that time. He was very much involved in bowls there and for a period of time the President of their bowling club. Joe always attends the ANZAC marches which he formerly attended in Sydney but now goes only to the march in Fairfield.
In later years Joe and his wife travelled extensively in the USA and Europe as well as the Pacific Islands and Australia. His particular love in Australia are the Whitsunday Islands which they have visited on numerous occasions.
The interview was for the "War Veterans oral history project" in partnership with Fairfield RSLInterview SummaryJoseph (Joe) Charles Pickard was born at Lambeth in England on 21 May 1925. His father served in the British navy in both World Wars and a brother and two brothers-in-law served in the Second World War, so it seemed inevitable that Joe should also join the navy. At the age of 18 in 1943 it was his turn and he enlisted in the British Navy in London.
He was sent to Portsmouth to be fitted out in his uniform and then went by train to Ayrshire in Northern Scotland. There he lived in a Nissan hut and did six weeks basic training.
On his return to London he was accommodated in a Butlin’s Holiday Camp at Skegness. That lasted about 12 weeks then he was sent to Portsmouth where he was put into Coastal Forces which was mainly coastal patrol. It was whilst he was there that preparations were being made for D-Day and they practised what was to be the landing of troops on the beaches. They went to Normandy in France but did not land; they merely picked up survivors whose ships had been sunk and brought them back to England.
Then to Ostend in Belgium where he was uncomfortably close to the German bombing. Joe tells that he felt safer there though than if he had been in England, as England was being bombed virtually nightly. On his leave in England he was to find out first hand just what the British people were confronting. His father injured an ankle whilst serving and was at home recuperating when the ship that he had been serving on in the North Sea was sunk, losing all hands. Joe was fortunate though in that all his relatives who were serving came through the war safely.
In December 1944 Joe was then told that they would be going to Australia and his comment was ‘Where in the bloody hell is that!’ The ship on which he came was Glen Irn and it was a transport vessel. His first camp was at Warwick Farm near Liverpool and here he managed to get into some trouble with the Military Police when he and his mates were found sleeping in a park in Sydney. The fact that they did not have leave passes made it more serious.
From Sydney they voyaged to Manus Island and Leyte, then to Lae in New Guinea before returning to Brisbane. Then it was back to Leyte and from there to Hong Kong to assist in the cleaning up of the town from the damage done during the war which was now over. He remained there for about 5 months to 1946. He tells us that it was so hot that one could not swim in the water there. Joe also served in Brisbane where he had contact with American servicemen.
He returned to England on the ship Anson and was discharged from the RAN. He then decided to migrate to Australia in 1947. He was one of the 'ten pound Poms'. It would not be too long after arriving here that he received word from his mother that she was sick and wanted him to return to England. Joe was not happy there and had met an Australian girl which made him more determined to return here which he did in 1950. He was able to do that because he signed a contract with Fairfield Cables and that came with a house, as well as assisting loans for furniture. Sadly for Joe his first wife died of cancer not too long after their arrival in Australia.
About a year after the death of his first wife, Joe married again but that was not to last and then he married his present wife.
It was not until about 1962 that he joined Fairfield RSL. The RSL was run from the old Butterfly Hall in Fairfield at that time. He was very much involved in bowls there and for a period of time the President of their bowling club. Joe always attends the ANZAC marches which he formerly attended in Sydney but now goes only to the march in Fairfield.
In later years Joe and his wife travelled extensively in the USA and Europe as well as the Pacific Islands and Australia. His particular love in Australia are the Whitsunday Islands which they have visited on numerous occasions.
Details
IntervieweeJoseph Charles PickardInterviewerShirley Kingsford McLeodDate of interview22/11/2003DurationTotal interview 01:26:01Transcripts availableYesRightsFairfield City CouncilAccess ConditionsAccess open for research, written permission required for personal copies and public use
Connections
Oral History ProjectThe Way We Were - People of FairfieldLocal War VeteransCollectionAll Oral HistoriesMilitary CollectionExhibition75th Anniversary of Fairfield City Library Services
Joseph Charles Pickard Oral History. Fairfield City Heritage Collection, accessed 27/08/2026, https://heritagecollection.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/721