FCV – Returned Servicemen .

Clarence (Clarrie) Gray Ward saw action as a gunner with the 2/7th Field Artillery Regiment around Tobruk in 1941 and during the first and second battles of El Alamein in 1942. He later landed at Tarakan in Borneo in May 1945.

Clarrie was one of about ninety ex-servicemen recruited as overseers into the Forests Commission Victoria (FCV) after the War.

A handful of ex-servicemen were also accepted into the Forestry School at Creswick, some under a special entry scheme. They included Jeff Brisbane (RAN), Trevor Arthur (RAAF), Bill Middleton (2 AIF), Frank May (RAAF), Derrick Rolland (RAAF), Keith Jerome (RAN), Col Almond (RAN), Joe Adams (RAAF), Dudley Adams (RAAF), and John Macdonald (RAAF).

Several foresters who had already graduated from Creswick also served with distinction. They included Ben Benallack (2 AIF), Paddy McMahon (2 AIF), John Chinner (2 AIF), Bill Flentje (RAAF), Stan Butler (2 AIF), John Newey (RAN), Charles Fletcher (RAAF), Rex Jones (2 AIF), Bert Head (2 AIF), Roly Parke (2 AIF), Alan Gordon (2 AIF), John Fitzpatrick (2 AIF), Tom Loughrey (2 AIF), Ken Simmonds (RAN), Russell Larnach (RAAF) and submariner Alf Leslie (RAN).

Others who had previously served in the First World War, such as the Divisional Forester at Wangaratta, Charlie Watson, reenlisted into the Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC) to serve once again on the home front.

The Chairman of the Forests Commission, A. V. Galbraith, a WW1 veteran who had been badly gassed at Messines on the western front, was very supportive of other servicemen.

These blokes often had reputations for being tough, no-nonsense and practical, foresters and bushmen. They undoubtedly helped shape the “can-do” culture of the Forests Commission.

The forest foreman and overseers were the backbone of the Commission and became the undisputed kings of their domain with overall operational control of their individual patch of bush. This included firefighting, fuel reduction burning, silviculture, logging supervision, road maintenance and other works.

Overseers had influence in their local communities, longevity of service, and status to go with it. Occasionally a bit gruff, they also proved invaluable mentors to fresh-faced foresters straight out of Creswick and enjoyed playing a few harmless tricks on them from time-to-time.

Unlike Creswick foresters who were regularly and compulsorily moved around the state by the Commission every few years, forest overseers tended to stay in one place for longer periods and not only got to know the bush but integrated into their local communities.

Clarrie had an interesting and varied forestry career. After attending the Foreman’s School at Kinglake West in 1950, he was first posted to the wilds of Bendoc and then Cabbage Tree in far East Gippsland, and later to Robinvale on the Murray River in 1965. It was here that he gained the confidence and respect, not only of the community, but also the local indigenous FCV crews. He died in April 1977 after a long illness, aged 61.