Some of the details in this page come from the eulogy delivered by Jock's son at his funeral in 2011.
Alexander John, 'Jock', Robertson was born on 18 July 1923, the first son of John Charles Robertson (1894 - 1942)and Dorothy Robertson (nee Aikman). See the link for further information on the history of where Jock lived when he was young.
Jock originally attended the Newtown primary school in his early years but, after his father lost his job, the family moved to Belmont and Jock was sent to Chilwell Primary School. He attended Geelong High School from February 1935 to December 1936 and Geelong College from February 1937 to March 1940.
Jock, his brother Cargill, and sister Pam spent their holidays at Ocean Grove. Ocean Grove was a very small village then.
Jock's father, John Charles Robertson, had continued his involvement in the military after returning from World War 1. On 3 April 1935 he was promoted Major in the Citizen's Military Force, the 23rd Battalion. When war was declared on Germany on 3 September 1939, he was second in command of the composite 23rd/21st Battalion. John Robetson formally enlisted in the 2nd A.I.F. on 29 October 1940.
On 7 November 1940, the Geelong Advertiser noted that the Minister for War (Mr Spender) had announced John’s promotion to Lieutenant-Colonel and command of the 2/29th Battalion.
John was told to build up his battalion as quickly as possible and, to do that, he interviewed officers of the 2/21st and 2/22nd Battalions between 4 and 6 November, and went to Tasmania to interview officers of the 2/40th on 8 November 1940. On 13 November, Major J K Lloyd was appointed 2IC of the Battalion. On the same day, John went to Sydney to 8 Division HQ and were briefed on future training. On 16 November 1940 they went to see the site at Bonegilla Camp to be occupied by the unit.
After completing his education at Geelong College, Jock worked at the Ford Motor Company in Geelong in 1941 as a Ledger Keeper.
The 2/29th Battalion left Melbourne in late July and arrived at Singapore, then part of Malaya, on 14 August 1941. Lt Col John Robertson was killed in action near Bakri, Malaya, on 18 January 1942.
A telegram addressed to Dorothy at 3 Claremont Avenue Geelong was sent on 20 January 1942. It read: 'It is with deep regret that I have to inform you that Lieut Col J C Robertson VC38973 has been killed in action no date given and desire to convey to you the profound sympathy of the Minister for the Army and the Military Board'.
Family history recalls that it was Jock who received the telegram at home and took it to his mother at a nearby bus stop.
Much of the following has been derived from Jock's Service File, accessible on the National Archives website.
Jock Robertson enlisted in the RAAF on 22 May 1942. His motivations for doing so are not known. Perhaps he was motivated by the death of his father and/or perhaps his uncle Clem Aikman (who had been in the Air Force in WW1).
Jock's mother signed the 'Certificate of Parent or Guardian' and his neighbour Victor Profitt at 5 Claremont Avenue certified 'as to his moral courage and suitability for service in the Royal Australian Air Force'.
According to this Wikipedia article on the No 11 Elementary Flying Training School, 'Flying training was undertaken in two stages: the first involved four weeks of instruction (including ten hours of flying) to determine trainees' suitability to become pilots. Those that passed this grading process then received a further eight weeks of training (including sixty-five hours of flying) at the EFTS. Pilots who successfully completed this course were posted to an SFTS in either Australia or Canada for the next stage of their instruction as military aviators.
Jock's postings, courses, musterings and 'promotions, reclassifications, reductions and reversions' in Australia were recorded in his service file as follows.
Initial Training School (ITS)
On 22 May 1942, Jock enlisted as Air Crew (AC) 2, 'Air Crew V' and was posted to Bradfield Park (now Lindfield), NSW. Bradfield Park was the home of the No 2 and No 6 Initial Training School (ITS), and several other units. On 13 July 1942 he was remustered as Air Crew V (P). He passed the No 28 Air Crew Course (P) at 2ITS (Bradfield Park). On 15 August 1942 he was promoted to Leading Air Crew (LAC), mustered as Air Crew II (P). His character as a LAC was recorded as being 'very good'.
Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) - Temora
On 4 September 1942, Jock was posted to No 10 Elementary Flying Training School EFTS Temora, NSW, where he learned to fly a Tiger Moth A17 (likely the DH-82a). He recorded 61.40 flying hours in that aircraft.
According to volume 16/06 of the Australian Vintage Aeroplane News, 'the role of these EFTS units was to provide a twelve-week introductory flying course to personnel who had graduated from one of the RAAF's initial training schools. Flying training was undertaken in two stages; the first involved four weeks of instruction (including ten hours of flying), which were used to determine trainees' suitability to become pilots. Those that passed this grading process then received a further eight weeks of training (including 65 hours of flying) at the elementary training school'. It also noted that 'If you were to be trained as a pilot, the first step was basic flying training at an EFTS to see if you were suitable. This was followed by further intermediate and advanced training at a Service Flying Training School (SFTS).' The document also noted that '... crashes were a relatively common thing and a quite a number of instructors and trainee pilots were killed.'
Jock crashed the plane he was flying ('while buzzing some mates' he later said) and was transferred out of the training program. Years later, Jock still recalled that time as one of the biggest setbacks of his life. From pilot to other ranks in the blink of an eye. Curiously, the 'Service Conduct Sheet' on his file shows 'Certified No Entry', indicating no issues with his conduct. Perhaps this was Jock's way of rationalising that he did not end up being a pilot.
Service Flying Training School (SFTS) - Deniliquin
Despite the crash, Jock was then posted on 23 November 1942 to No 7 Service Flying Training School SFTS, Deniliquin, NSW where he trained on the Wirraway general purpose and training aircraft, flying 15.35 hours. This course was then 'scrubbed'.
On 11 January 1943, Jock was posted to No 3 BAGS West Sale, Victoria and was remustered to Air Crew V (G), payscale V. He passed the No 28 (G) Course at 3BAGS, where he flew 7.25 hours on the Fairey Battle single engine light bomber. On 4 February 1943, he was promoted to Sergeant (T), then Flight Sergeant (T). He was awarded the Air Gunner's Badge and was remustered to Air Gunner, payscale V.
Having completed his EFTS and SFTS training to become a pilot he was posted on 12 February 1943 to No 1 ED Ascot Vale, Victoria prior to departure for the UK. On 6 March 1943, Jock embarked for the UK.
Jock travelled to the UK via the USA, crossing the USA by train. His service file does not record this information, however, on another website this information is recorded 'my brother embarked on from Melbourne, 27 September 1943 and arrived in San Francisco 16 O october 1943 en route to Great Britain As part of the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS)' (Cited from: http://www.militarian.com/threads/raaf-shipping-details.5637/)). See also http://ww2troopships.com/crossings/1943b.htm
Jock disembarked in the UK on 17 April 1943 where he joined the 11 PDRC (Personnel Despatch and Receiving Centre) at Bournemouth (which re-located to Brighton in May 1943) Jock would rejoin this unit on 8 May 1945 prior to his return to Australia in August 1945.
On 4 May 1943, Jock was posted to the 26 OTU (Operational Training Unit), 'the last stage of training for aircrew before being assigned to an operational unit in NW Europe and other RAF theatres of war. By this stage, individuals had 'crewed up' (ie formed and trained as a crew in the aircraft type they were to fly in combat operations) with the other men who were to make up their crew with whom they would fly until separated by death injury illness or re-posting' (Source: https://vwma.org.au/explore/units/1067). Trained on a Wellington aircraft, flying 86.25 hours. Possibly in the same location - Completed the Special Gunnery Course with 1483 Flight at Newmarket, flying on a Wellington.
Jock's 'Half-Yearly Return of Flying Hours to June 1943 states that flew as Captain on (a) an Anson for 50.30 hours (plus .40 hours as 2nd pilot), and (b) a Moth Minor for 2.20 hours (plus .40 hours as 2nd pilot). He was qualified to fly the following aircraft: (a) Tiger Moth (25.05 hours as Captain, 24.30 as 2nd Pilot), (b) Airspeed Oxford (54.25 hours as Captain, 65.10 as 2nd Pilot, (c) Moth Minor (hours as shown) and (d) Anson (hours as shown). His flying ability was stated to be 'satisfactory'; the same document clearly shows that he was not considered unsatisfactory (this section was crossed out).
On 12 August 1943, Jock was posted to 1678 Flight at Foulsham and Waterbeach, UK. He trained for 150.10 hours as a bomber on the 'Little Snoring' Lancaster II, also recording 37.20 hours flight time. (By the time he had completed all flying training he had 208.25 flying hours).
On 18 September 1943, he was posted to 514 Squadron (click link for more details and a link to a book on the Squadron)
514 Squadron was established on 1 September 1943 and was located at RAF Foulsham in Norfolk. Its first Lancaster Mk II, DS735, arrived on 11 September. After a raid to trial the new Gee-H (GH) location system bombing on 3 November 1943, the Squadron was fully operational. The Battle of Berlin commenced on 18 November 1943. Midway through November, 514 Squadron was re-located in secret from Norfolk to RAF Waterbeach, north of Cambridge, where it remained for the rest of the war, with three flights each of 10 aircraft. The aircraft were assigned both a serial number and the squadron code; the squadron codes for 514 Squadron were: JI-A or -B for A and B flights, and A2 for C flights.
According to the 514 Squadron website, 'survival was partly a matter of skill, but mostly of luck'. Jock was a rear gunner and successfully completed then bombing missions from 18 September 1943 to 30 January 1944.
At around 1730 hours on 30 January 1944, DS735 JI-A, departed RAF Foulsham for a bombing raid over Berlin. This was Jock's 11th mission, as the rear gunner of the seven member crew:
According to Jock's statements recorded on his service file, the Lancaster bomber was estimated to be at 15,000 feet when it was hit by flak 'just before entering the target area' (Berlin). On the Captain's instructions, the crew reported themselves as being uninjured. However, the port petrol tanks had been hit and on fire. The pilot instructed the crew to bale out. Jock noted that the Bomb Aimer (Wallington) baled out before he did. Jock noted that 'as far as I know the aircraft was under control when I jumped, but was still on fire. The aircraft probably crashed near Berlin'. Jock baled out, as did the bomb aimer, navigator, second pilot and engineer (all of whom later ended up in the same POW Camp). The other members of the crew (Captain FL Chequer RCAF, Mid Upper Gunner (F/Sgt J O'Brien RAAF) were killed. The W/Op Sgt, B Montgomery was 'missing presumed killed'; Jock said he thought he 'may have baled out without his parachute opening'.
The following slightly different version of events is from the 514 Squadron site:
30-Jan-44 DS735 JI-A Berlin F/L George Chequer who had been with the unit since its formation and who had got 514 Sqn airborne when he piloted DS735, JI-A on a test flight as described previously. He was flying the same aircraft when he and his crew were shot down at approximately 2030hrs approaching Berlin. The aircraft crashed in flames and the crew baled out. F/S Alex Robertson, the Rear Gunner, walked SW for five nights before being captured near Magdeburg. He stated that the aircraft had been hit by flak. However, the ‘second dickie’ pilot, A/F/S Gulliford, later stated that the aircraft was hit by upwardly-fired cannon shells which immediately ignited the petrol tank. He presumed, albeit after the event, that this was ‘shrage musik’, especially as he heard a shout from the rear gunner to corkscrew immediately beforehand. It has been suggested by unverified sources that DS735 was shot down by Obstlt. Gunther Radusch of Stab NJG5, who destroyed three Lancasters in the area between 2024hrs and 2030hrs. F/L George Chequer, 22 years old and Sgt John O’Brien, MU gunner, 23 years old, baled out too low for their parachutes to deploy whilst Sgt Robert Montgomery, the WOP/AG also lost his life after landing in a lake and apparently drowning. They are now buried in Berlin War Cemetery. F/S Ken Mortimer, Navigator, was subsequently killed on 19/4/45 when Typhoons shot up a POW column near Boizenburg. F/S Robertson survived the war and was discharged from the RAAF as a Warrant Officer.
As the aircraft did not return to base, a telegram was sent from No 514 Squadron to various addressees including the Air Ministry at 8.41 PM on 31 January 1944 advising that the Lancaster II DS735 was missing from air operations against Berlin the previous night. All crew were missing, particulars unknown, and a request was made to contact the next of kin. The Lancaster was stated to be carrying 'SAA IFF Camera Bomb, Incend. Gee Astrograph'.
The Air Force wrote to Dorothy on 2 February 1944 to advise that her son was missing in action in air operations over Germany.
According to his own statements, Jock 'walked at night in a south westerly direction'. On the evening of 3 February 1944 near Magdeburg, Germany, he was 'sheltering from the rain in a railway truck' when he was found by a German sentry. As he had no papers, Jock showed the soldier 'my brevet and stripes and identity disks'. He was captured and registered as POW 1095. He was not reported as a prisoner of war until 15 March 1944.
According to one document on his service file, Jock may have initially been sent to Stammlager ('Main Camp', usually abbreviated to 'Stalag') Luft 3 (or III), 'Lager A', Germany, run by the Luftwaffe (as each service ran its own POW camp). 'Lager A' may refer to either the first or East compound, rather than the second or North compound. The camp was established in March 1942 in the German province of Lower Silesia near the town of Sagan (now Zagan, Poland), 160 kilometres (100 miles) south-east of Berlin.
Jock noted that he met the other crew members who survived from his flight in POW camp.
According to his service file, on 10 February 1944, Jock was located at Stalag Luft 6, at Heydekrug (shown as 'Heydeling' in the file) renamed to Šilute after the war, in Lithuania (previously near the old Prussian-Lithuanian border), 40 kilometers northwest of Tilsit. This suggests he was transferred relatively quickly after being captured five days earlier.
Stalag Luft VI was opened in September 1943 to admit British and Canadian NCO’s who were former prisoners at Stalag Luft 1, Barth. American POWs started to arrive from early February 1944, so Jock may have been among them. One former American POW noted that they were transferred to this camp via 'a long cold ride in boxcars'. Another noted that the trip took two to three days.
The Australian Red Cross Society informed the Air Board on 23 June 1944 that Jock's mother had received 'an airgraph letter from England written by the father of a member of the same crew stating that F/Sgt Robertson is in Stalag Luft III Lager E'. This probably refers to his original POW camp.
Jock remained at this camp for 150 days, until July 1944. His service file noted (from post-war debriefs) that this camp was 'fair generally although very crowded'. Rations were 'good'. His clothing and footwear were described as 'good' and he was issued with an 'American suitcase' at Dulag [sic] Frankfurt. Sanitation was 'good'. Recreational facilities were good.
On 19th July 1944, in response to the Russian advance west, Hitler ordered preparations to be made for moving around 100,000 POWs from the east to the rear (west). On one hand, this instruction 'prolonged the war for hundreds of thousands of allied soldiers and airmen, forcing them into misery, starvation and, in some cases, death.' On the other hand, Stalag Luft VI became a Soviet Gulag.
The marches from Heydekrug begin from mid July 1944. The POWs were marched either to either Stalag Luft IV at Gross Tychow or Stalag XX-A at Thorn/Torun in Poland, with part of the distance covered in cattle trains. It is approximately 410 kms walking distance from Šilute to Thorn (620 by road). Google Maps suggest it would take 83 hours to walk the 410 kms route.
The time it took for the POWs to travel from Stalag Luft VI to Thorn varied and many POWs died. A note in his service file (regarding possible German war crimes) seems to indicate that they were forced to march for two weeks:
His service file also notes that they were in both Heydekrug and then Stalag Luft 357 in July 1944, suggesting that they went from one camp to the next within two or three weeks.
The first Stalag 357 (‘Kopernikus’) at Thorn/Torun, Poland, was located about 290 kms northwest of Warsaw, about two and a half kms from Thorn railway station from which the new POWs were marched.
The camp was already inhabited by 7,000 British Army prisoners of war. It now became home for the 3,000 or so Air Force NCOs who were accommodated in a separate compound to the Army prisoners.
Jock noted (on his service file) that the new camp was said to have had 'no lighting' and 'as were a reprisal camp mattresses tables and forms were taken from us' [sic]. Rations were 'fair ... but no cooking facilities apart from one hot meal from cookhouse - very bad indeed'. Clothing and footwear at this camp was 'fair'. This camp had 'very bad washing facilities'. Recreational facilities were said to be fair.
As the Russian troops continued to advance west, it was decided to relocate Stalag 357 to Oerbke, near Fallingbostal, Germany on the site of the former XI-D camp. The new camp would be constructed by Italian POWs at XI-B camp.
Most of the POWs were again forced to march the 650 - 700 kms to the vast POW complex at Fallingbostal that at that time already housed some 96,000 POWs on the windswept north-German plains. Some walked all the way, in pitiful conditions as they were rushed along the corridor of land beside the Baltic Sea, then crossed the first natural barrier they came to, the River Oder, and then plodded west until the next one, the River Elbe. The lucky ones - including Jock, according to family sources - travelled most or at least some of the way by train.(Source: https://kenfentonswar.com/stalag-357/)
Jock was promoted to Warrant Officer on 4 August 1944.
Stalag Luft 357 and its POW population from Thorne/Torun who reached Fallingbostel were housed in the 'new' Stalag XI-B camp, now known as XI-B/357, on the northern side of the village of Oerbke, about two and half kms east-south-east of Fallingbostal. The former Stalag XI-D had a terrible reputation. The condition of the camp was so bad that within 12 months, 6,000 POWs had died.
The surrounding countryside was flat heathland with many wooded areas used as a training ground for German troops, especially tank and assault gun training. A large area with many barrack blocks housed the tank school which was situated immediately south east of the camp, meaning the POWs were constantly under the watchful eye of the German Army troops. (Source: https://kenfentonswar.com/stalag-357/)
The Fallingbostel Military Museum website includes a history of the camp and also photographs.
Jock and other POWs arrived at Stalag XI-B/357 in August 1944. They would remain for the next 270 days, until April 1945.
On his service file, Jock noted that this camp also had limited lighting and was overcrowded, with 'not much food and parcels were not coming through'. Jock said he had 'some clothing through [sic] but not enough. As we had to carry everything from Luft 6 we did not have much'. Sanitation was 'fair, running water helped a lot'. Recreational facilities were fair.
Jock noted that, while he was a POW, he received one food parcel per week until June 1944. After that date he received only half a parcel until August 1944. Two clothing parcels 'went astray in 14 months'. The situation with cigarette parcels was 'very bad'. The mail was 'fair'.
In November 1944, the 'formidable' Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) John C Lord of the British 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment, arrived in the camp as a POW. He and his men set out to raise the standards of the camp, insisting on military discipline, regular exercise, and parades. Approximately 17,000 POWs were housed in this camp at the time; each hut housed 400 men, with enough bunks for only 150.
Jock also noted that Stalag 357 was said to have had 'no lighting' and 'as ... a reprisal(,) camp mattresses tables and forms [sic] were taken from us'. This incident is probably the same noted on the Fallingbostel Military Museum website:
In February 1945 both camps XI-B/357 and XI-D were in a deplorable state-a lack of food-medical supplies and the influx of 'BATTLE OF THE BULGE' American pows captured in the German push into the Ardennes was becoming a massive problem. Tents were erected for accommodation of the newer pows. In XI-D/357 conditions were made worse by the removal of mattresses and bed boards as a reprisal for alleged poor treatment of German pows in Egypt by the allies. In all of the camps, pows were still arriving in their thousands even as the allies advanced on all fronts.
Jock noted that 'the Army guards were not as strict as the Luftwaffe and were usually ready to barter food for cigarettes'. The Fallingbostel museum site (link above) noted that:
The camps were guarded by home defence battalions 'Landschutzen' - normally old not 100% fit for service men. (One) 55 year old sgt (was) suffering from flat feet, scurvy and dysentery, not a good example of the master race.
According to the Wikipedia article on Stalag XI-B, Sgt Pilot James 'Dixie' Deans (RAF), the leader of Stalag 357, was advised in early April by the Commandant Oberst Hermann Ostmann that 12,000 British POWs would be evacuated from the camp in the face of the allied advance. RSM Lord was also selected to leave but hid to avoid leaving. Jock was included in this evacuation, according to his family. The men were marched in columns of 2,000.
According to the Fallingbostel website: '... the weather was grim, typical Fally–snow [sic], rain, the men cold hungry, tired ill- scavenged what they could find on route.
After 10 days (around 15 April 1945) the 12,000 POWs arrived at Gresse, east of the Elbe where they were issued with Red Cross Parcels. British Typhoon fighters strafed the men, mistaking them for Germans; 60 POWs were killed and many were wounded. Under threat of Ostmann's future (to be captured by British or Russian forces), Ostmann gave Deans a guard and they headed towards the location of allied forces, possibly in smaller groups (see next paragraph).
According to Robertson family sources 'As the allied armies approached the guards disappeared, Jock and some fellow inmates marched for three weeks before they were found and released by the British Army. They were subsequently able to commandeer a car and drive west until they were liberated by the British on 2 May. How they were able to get a car in war torn Germany remains a mystery.'
Meanwhile, on 16 April, the POW camps at Fallingbostel were liberated by British troops from the 11th and 8th Hussars. The Imperial War Museum website has a video showing the liberation of Stalag Luft 357 on 16 April 1945.
Deans and the guard heard of Hitler's death on 1 May when they were sheltering east of Lauenberg. The British 6th Airborne overran the area the next morning and Deans was taken to the CO of the VIII Corps to explain the situation. He was given a captured Mercedes car and drove back to Gresse. Two days later the POW column marched back across British lines.
The Air Force sent Dorothy a telegram on 11 May 1945 stating that that Jock was 'liberated by the allied armies and is now safe in the United Kingdom. Anticipate your son will communicate with you direct.'.
The end of the war in the Pacific was declared while they were being shipped home. During these difficult times Jock said that the idea of returning to Ocean Grove was one of the things that kept him going.
Jock returned safely to Australia after the war. Jock often wore the caterpillar badge on his lapel, worn by those that make a jump under extreme duress.
Following the war Jock completed a commerce degree at Melbourne University. He met Cherie Brown after the war although they had lived quite close to each other in Newtown, Geelong. They were married on 3 March 1948 (and remained so until Jock's death), and had three boys, Mark (died 2022), Guy and Hamish.
Jock and Cherie eventually bought a house in the new suburb of Beaumaris that had been market gardens previously. Jock helped to build the Beaumaris RSL. Jock worked at Allans confectionery where he was the purchasing manager. In 1963 the family moved to Toora in Gippsland where Dad became the assistant manager at a milk factory.
In 1966, the family moved to the Ocean Grove cottage so that the children could go to Geelong College. Jock remained behind in Melbourne as the company secretary for Unigate Australia. He had a flat in South Yarra and remained there during the week, returning to Ocean Grove on the weekends.
Jock's favorite pasttime was to walk to Point Lonsdale from Ocean Grove, along the beach, to be picked up by his family a few hours later. The family returned to Beaumaris where the children finished their schooling.
Jock and Cherie moved to an apartment at Blackrock (not far from Beaumaris), returning most weekends to Ocean Grove. Jock left Unigate in the late 1970’s and ultimately became a Financial Officer at Melbourne University, working with academics at the different faculties. The position involved patents and commercialisation of the discoveries and inventions being made at the university. This was a position he loved. He became part of the graduate union and also did a second degree in Fine Arts while he was there.
Jock retired in 1988 and in 1992 completed the home at Ocean Grove that he had conceptualised for many years. He was a member of the Barwon Heads Golf Club for over 40 years. He was a keen golfer. He also became a regular at the Barwon Heads 'Dads Army'. He was also involved with Legacy for many years.
Jock was a great host and loved to have friends around for dinner and some fine wine. He loved a discussion and enjoyed debating the finer points.
Jock died on 18 December 2011.
Page created 28 January 2012, updated 6 November 2019. Copyright © Andrew Warland. (andrewwarland(at)gmail.com)