A number of years ago, my father was interviewed for the Jewish Migrant Oral History Project. Thankfully, I have a copy of the interview, and I will be publishing excerpts from it in his memory.
Previous installments: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Interviewer: So why Australia then?
Dad: That we came? Because of the permits by McEwen. Jack McEwen I think it was.
Interviewer: Let’s talk about that.
Dad: Because my father was immediately recognised at the university through a couple of friends he made here in Perth. Even though my father couldn’t speak English too well – my mother could, she did it at school, and father had a hearing difficulty because of the horse artillery – he made friends with the Silbert family…Stuart Silbert’s father lived in Darlington. They had a place there. And their neighbour was a Dr McKenzie-Clarke who lived in Darlington away from Perth. He was Director of Veterinary Services in W.A. McKenzie-Clarke took my father to the university. McKenzie-Clarke had been outside Australia, and he vouched for the qualifications which was very important. My father was about the only one at that time who was immediately recognised. It was only when the war broke out and necessity stepped in that other people were recognised.
Interviewer: So Australia sort of presented itself.
Dad: Yes.
Interviewer: So you were talking of your trip and the boredom of that trip.
Dad: Yes.
Interviewer: How was the average day spent? You mentioned your father teaching you to play chess. When did you get up, what did you do and then when did you go to bed?
Dad: Well I found the adults very boring on board the boat because all they could do was huddle together and talk about what they were getting into and how they were going to make a living and what the prospects were. And they wanted to know the news because we knew war was coming. Ship news were eagerly sought after. I didn’t understand most of it. That’s how the day was spent.
