Ww2 occupation money

[Little Jo]

Originally Posted by Tony Wheeler

No, it's ordinary Japanese currency. Occupation currency is clearly marked as such in English.

As you say though Tony it's an interesting note, no doubt with a story to tell. My guess is it's WW2 era, and the names are post-war occupation servicemen. From there I can only speculate - perhaps they were drinking in a bar and there was no paper handy so they used a banknote. But what were they writing? Perhaps they were electing a "Boozer's Committee" to handle the bar tab. But why so many people on the committee? Perhaps they handled the tab for their entire base, to save everyone carrying around wads of increasingly worthless Japanese currency. How's that for speculation!

Hi Tony

I would like to thank you for your PM and the contact with James with the BCOF people. I rang James tonight and he was very interested in what we were trying to do and has offered all his help. I sent him an email with a photo showing all the details on the note. James has sent me an email with contact details for Noel WHITING one of the guys identified by Mike Cecil and he is still alive and living in NSW. I will try and ring him tomorrow and interview him about the "Boozers Committee", and how his name came to be on the note.

Thanks to you guys, Tony, Richard and Mike we may have an interesting story to tell about a bunch of diggers antics so long ago. I will keep you posted.

Cheers

Tony

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Little Jo

James has sent me an email with contact details for Noel WHITING one of the guys identified by Mike Cecil and he is still alive and living in NSW. I will try and ring him tomorrow and interview him about the "Boozers Committee", and how his name came to be on the note.

Nice work Tony, it's always great news to hear that a vet is still with us. Hopefully you can make his day by reminding him of the Boozer's Committee!

[Mike Cecil]

Tony,

I have NX142085 Corfield, PHF, Private, 123 Tpt Platoon, so he fits the trend.

However, none of the 'Russell' names listed fit with 123 Tpt Pl. There's an A Russell in the 1st Armoured Car Squadron, also a New South Welshman - maybe that's the connection?

Worth asking when/if you speak with Whiting.

Nice find! This note might be worth a story for the AWM's Wartime magazine. I recently finished some research and an article on a Chev lorry that has all sorts of names and service numbers scratched into it: proved a very interesting story, and narrowed down the truck's service history considerably. It will be published in the next Army Motors. Maybe you should consider something similar on 'The Note'. They (Wartime) will only want about 1,000 words.

Regards

Mike C

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Great story indeed!
Keep up the good work.
Waiting for the next instalment.

As an aside, we came across "C J Bouchard" scratched into the back of a Champ Generator Panel last month. Could not find a CJ on the net that fit the demographic, but thought it was worth a try. National Service archives are not yet accesable it seems.
Rich.

[Little Jo]

Hi Tony, Mike and Richard.

Well the investigation continues.The phone number I had for NX206814 Noel Whiting has been cancelled so I made other enquiries with posible relatives still living in the area and have located a number of posible contacts, however I can not call until this evening, so I will see what I can sniff out. I am not hopeful of good news as Noel may have passed away or been admitted to a home.

My investigation uncovered a number of other former members of. 123 Transport Company. I rang these people who were all elderly, though helpful, they were not in 123 Tpt Company at the times of the names on the Japanese note. I hope my calls tonight may throw more light on the investigation.

Mike. Thanks for confirming the other name, NX142085 Corfield, PHF, Private, 123 Tpt Platoon. I have sent his details to James hoping he may be able to provide an address and phone number. So we are identfying the names, one by one, but so far I am hoping to find a relative in Molong NSW who may be able to give information on Noel Whiting.

So the hunt continues to locate at least one of the Diggers who can give me the full story behind the "Boozers Committee". I will then hopefully do a story on the group.

Cheers

Tony

[Little Jo]

Hi Guys

I thought I would give you an update on my investigation into locating one of the identified names on the back of the note. It appears, at this stage, anyway that there may only be one member of the "Boozers Committee" still around. He is in his late 80's and moved from his home 6 weeks ago. He has moved in with his daughter in Castlereagh NSW. I have written him a letter and I hope to hear from him with information that may lead to a story.

Mike. You suggested a story for the AWM. If all goes well and the story unfolds I would do that and also give them the original Japanese Bank note to go with it.

Cheers

Tony

[John McGillivray]

In one of our old photo albums there is a half of a Japanese Filipino 1 Peso note. Why it is there I have no idea.