2/5 Australian General Hospital

Pte. Herbert Sydney Peet NX23727

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Herbert Sydney Peet, known to all as Bert, was born in Sydney on 10 May 1915. He was the second of four children and grew up in Campsie, Sydney. His Father died on 18 October 1933 when Bert was only 16 years old. He left school to learn a trade as a boiler maker to help support his Mother and siblings.

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He married on 18 December 1937 to Dot, and they had four children. With their family they moved to Wollongong on the NSW South Coast in about 1948. He worked a couple of places but eventually commenced work at Tallawarra power station where he stayed until his retirement.

With the outbreak of WW2 he enlisted in the Army on 31 May 1940, and was discharged on 19 October, 1944. He served in the 2/5 Australian General Hospital and was captured in Greece on 27 April 1941, and in December 1941 he was sent as a POW to Fort XV, Stalag XXA, Torun - Poland. He remained here until he was repatriated in October 1943 arriving back in Sydney 3 February 1944.

Bert was very proud to have served his country and stated it was better to fight an enemy on foreign soil rather than wait until his family were under direct threat. However, he spoke very little about his experiences overseas as he was very private man about his feelings. 

His main interest was lawn bowls, and he and Dot were very involved with the development of Woonona-Bulli RSL. He also made sure that any returned soldiers from any conflict were given first class treatment. He lost his beloved wife Dot, to cancer on 15 October 1983. Bert died very peacefully surrounded by his children and grand-children on 31 October, 2003. This story and photos were given to the 2/5 AGH Association by his daughter Margaret Keats, with permission to show them on our website.