Kokoda Diggers tell you how to be a good leader PART 4

Having a brother killed in action in 1941 during the Battle of Britain, I felt revenge most important, here was a chance to square the deal. Our life style was upset by the japs, especially after all the stories of Singapore and what they did to our women folk. Nurses etc and having a relation army nurse killed in action (shot on Banka Beach), “hate’ was there. The defence of Australia and her people was our first consideration.

A man hears only what he understands

General (later Lord) Montgomery certainly inspired the 8^th army in Africa, Lord Mountbatten certainly restored morale to a disheartened army in Burma. Our own General Blamey had just the opposite effect on Australian troops.

If it were, not for a habit, we should start life a new each day.

By and large a man profits in proportion to the work, time and energy he invests.

There is a principle which can never fail to leave a man in everlasting ignorance, and that principle is “condemnation without investigation”.

Plan your work – work your plan.

Step aside and see yourself go by.

If you are content with what you have attained, you are already slipping.

Amongst the best candidates for failure are those who are satisfied with what they achieved.

An AIF officer demanded that we join the AIF. We were already volunteers in the army and had volunteered to New Guinea. I was stripped of my rank, along with others, and by the time the army paymaster adjusted my paybook to the lower rank (months) I had to pay back the extra money. I was fighting this fierce war in New Guinea on a shilling a day till paid back. Another rotten leader, forcing people to do unnecessary things at the time.