Bert remembers his ‘mates’
Bert Stobart, OAM, is one of many returned servicemen receiving Royal District Nursing Service (RDNS) Victoria care, who will again have a swirl of poignant memories this ANZAC Day.
Bert Stobart OAM reflects with RDNS case manager Megan Spencer at Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance.
It was an evening of memories and just four days before his 93rd birthday, when RDNS took Mr Stobart, a former tail gunner, to Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance for a pre-ANZAC Day quiet moment. He stared into the Eternal Flame for a minute or two as he remembered his mates who did not make it home.
For more than half an hour RDNS case manager, Megan Spencer, and Mr Stobart linked arms while the decorated war hero reflected on the time he was a 22 year old RAAF pilot warrant officer, attached to Bomber Command during World War 11, flying sorties over Europe and dropping bombs on strategic German positions.
Silently, he also remembered Stalag Luft IV-B, just outside Mühlberg. One of the largest POW camps in Germany, this bleak place became his home for 18 months.
Today Mr Stobart is a proud member of the exclusive Caterpillar Club, evidenced by his distinctive tie pin. The name refers to the silk threads that made the original parachutes, recognising the debt owed to the silk worm. “Life depends on a silken thread” is the club’s motto.
After the war Mr Stobart married Noel, his sweetheart from high school days, in the 30s and joined a fledgling airline that was to become known as TAA. He remained there in management until he retired at 65, enjoying an active family life and being second in command to Bruce Ruxton as deputy national president of the RSL.
He was president of the Elwood (Melbourne) branch of the RSL and was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 1988 for service to the welfare of veterans and to community welfare.
Today Mr Stobart receives an RDNS Home Care Package funded by the federal government, allowing him to stay at home – and taking the pressure off his main care support, daughter Pam, who is a full time teacher in country Victoria.
His wife is in residential aged care, and RDNS takes him to visit her most days of the week.
In the case management role, Ms Spencer (who is also an occupational therapist) facilitates the provision of various types of supports to enable Bert to remain happily at home.
These often include regular visits by care workers and the case manager, home care, transport to his medical appointments if required, transport to see Mr Stobart’s wife, carer support and supervision and organisation of meals.
Mr Stobart is determined to remain in the home that he and his family have lived in for 65 years. He admits he probably could not do this without RDNS support.
“It is often very humbling and heart-warming to hear the life experiences of some of the people we work with, such as those who have risked their lives during war times, those who struggle with chronic health conditions and those who have very poor support living in their home and community,” Ms Spencer said.
“Mr Stobart’s family have a great understanding and respect for their father and his wishes to remain at home, despite his declining memory and age. His family do not live close by, are unable to visit as often as they would like or at short notice and even with these challenges they have respected Mr Stobart’s wishes.”
As well as providing aged care for more than 40,000 clients every year, RDNS looks after more than 6,500 veterans around Australia through its many programs.
RDNS Home Care Packages are an allocation of money provided by the government enabling older Australians to receive support services and remain at home for as long as possible.
