Bill Brooks
Born: 6 April 1914
Died: 8 January 2014
BILL BROOKS, who died three months short of his 100th birthday, was a man with a keen sense of egalitarianism who believed that “Jack is as good as his master”.
Much to his wife Barbara’s embarrassment, when he was presented to the Governor of Victoria to receive a Scouting award, Bill ignored protocol and instead of bowing, held out his hand.
It perfectly illustrated his determination that everyone should be treated equally.
Reginald John (Bill) Brooks was born on 6 April 1914 in the family home in Clarendon Street, East Melbourne.
His family moved to 38 Robinson Street, Dandenong, in 1920.
Bill was a passionate advocate of the Scouting movement.
He joined as a young boy and learnt many skills that would be useful later in life including during his service in World War II.
In the summer of 1927-1928 three 13-year-old boys, Bill, Alan Strachan and another approached, Ted Swords, an ex-Scout, to help them start a troop.
Eighty boys turned up for the inaugural meeting and the 1st Dandenong group was born.
Bill went on to win a silver cup from Miss Ada Armitage of Como for Most Advanced Scout 1928.
Later he would become a King’s Scout, a Senior Scout, Rover, Scout Master, Rover Leader and District Commissioner.
Scouting introduced Bill to skiing in 1934. He was a foundation member of Lonsdale Ski Club from 1961.
He skied the Bogong High Plains, Mt. Buller, Falls Creek, Mt. McKay, and Mt. Buffalo (ice skating on its famous lake), all well before the sport was developed and ski tows installed.
He only stopped skiing in his mid-80s; not because he was too old, but out of concern that he might hurt himself and therefore not be able to look after his wife.
Bill was also a surfer, a surf lifesaver and a long distance swimmer.
After leaving school at the beginning of the depression, Bill held a number of positions including a motorbike salesman at Kingsbury’s in Foster Street.
Bill used to visit potential customers on a Harley and sidecar.
He later pumped petrol and handled the accounts at Park Motors where he foiled an armed robber by punching him in the face and taking his revolver.
There were also part-time jobs such as caddying at Royal Melbourne golf course.
Bill was a returned serviceman.
He joined the militia in 1939 with his brother, Ron, and rose to become sergeant of a 60-pound gun battery.
He sometimes talked about his satisfaction when, out on a night exercise, he was able to place the battery in position long before the others because being in the Scouts had taught him to navigate by the stars.
When the Japanese entered the war in 1942 he joined the RAAF, volunteering for aircrew.
Because he was studying accounting at night school, the RAAF wouldn’t take him as aircrew, they needed radio technicians and believed that they could train him.
This started Bill’s love of telecommunications and a successful career with the PMG and Telecom.
On the way to his posting in New Guinea aboard a merchant ship, he saw the destroyer escort signalling with semaphore.
He turned to his mates and let them know they were soon to change direction.
They scoffed, but sure enough they changed to the bearing Bill had indicated.
Scouts had taught him semaphore, Morse code, navigation and self-reliance.
Bill met his wife Barbara Macdonald, a telephonist at PMG.
They married, bought land in King Street, and set about building a home.
Before the house was completed, Barbara became pregnant with Warwick and so the three of them moved into a ‘work-in-progress’.
The couple would have three sons, Warwick, Howard and Stephen, and later a much adored grandson, Hamish.
Bill’s career progressed well. He passed his senior technician’s exam in 1949 and retired in 1976 in a senior technical management role with Telecom.
Bill retired early at 62, because both his parents had passed away at 68 and he wanted to spend his few remaining years with his family.
He wasn’t to know that he would live well past his parents and outlive his much-loved Barbara and his two brothers.
After his retirement Bill, Barbara and Stephen travelled to visit Warwick who was living in Singapore. Two years later they toured through Europe with Howard.
Bill was a talented photographer. He had set up his own darkroom, was a member of the Dandenong and Melbourne camera clubs, and he won a number of awards for his work. He loved working in wood and made furniture at home.
He also developed a keen interest in computers.
Bill’s strong sense of independence meant he was still walking down to the main street to do his shopping, and living at home until February last year.
He still rode his exercise bike at that stage, every day.
Unfortunately Bill’s balance had deteriorated, so for his safety he moved to Rosewood Downs, an assisted living home where he was cared for by a team of caring staff.
– Stephen Brooks
