The Young Historical Museum displays a photograph and uniform of Private Joyce Downes, who served in the Australian Women’s Army Service (AWAS) during World War II from 13th April 1943 to 12th April 1946.
The AWAS was formed on 13th August 1941 as Sir Percy Spender, Australia’s Minister for the Army, considered that women were an under utilised resource in Australia’s war effort.
There were 24,026 women enlisted in the AWAS during the war and these women were the first to serve in the Australian defence forces outside of the medical/ nursing field.
Joyce was born in Bathurst, on 12th June 1916, to Sidney John Downes and his wife Bessie Emeline, nee McKay.
After graduating from Bathurst High School with her Intermediate Certificate in 1932, she worked at the Bathurst Telephone Exchange.
Latest Stories
Joyce enlisted in the AWAS at Paddington in 1943.
At first, she served as a Signaller at Bonegilla and Ivanhoe.
In March 1944, Joyce was moved to the Adelaide River and then to Darwin, where she worked as a Clerk three Telephonist and Signalwoman.
Joyce was one of 300 AWAS members who served in the Northern Territory between 1942 and 1946.
At the end of May 1945, Joyce was moved to Victoria, where she had further signalling training and took a keyboard operator course.
Her report stated she was ‘Keen. Works well. Should make efficient keyboard op. with further practice’.
After her discharge from the AWAS in 1946, Joyce returned to Bathurst and worked at the local Post Office.
She was relieving at the Post Office in Young by August 1950.
In March 1951, Joyce married Charles William Alan Walter, known as Alan, at St Paul’s Presbyterian Church, Young.
Tragically, Alan died in 1955 and Joyce was left to bring up their two infant children on her own.
Joyce worked at the Young Telephone Exchange and took up a secretarial position at Young High School's office in 1964.
The South West News Pictorial described her as ‘a very talented person’ who was a member of Quota International, a service organisation that provided for the basic needs of women, children, the deaf, and hard of hearing.
She ‘eagerly took part in its social work’.
Joyce ‘was also an active member of the Presbyterian Women’s Association, and the Ex-Servicewomen’s Association’.
She was also one of the founders of the Ex-Servicewomen’s Association in Young.
At the time of her untimely death, Joyce was the Association’s treasurer.
While she had been ill for a week with bronchitis, her doctor told her on Saturday morning that she would be able to return to work on Monday.
Joyce Walter died of a heart attack that Saturday evening, 1st November 1969.
Karen Schamberger - Young Historical Society
