Neville Mitchell

Hello, my name is Neville Mitchell and I was a student at the RAAF School Penang from late in 1969 to the end of year 1971 with my brother David and sister Valerie. I also have a younger sister Andrea who was too young to attend the school at the time. My parents names are Mavis and Geoffrey Mitchell. My mother passed away in 1992, but my father lives in Adelaide and has remarried.

I have fond memories of my stay at the school and I still maintain contact with one of my school friends from those days, John McConnell. We often recall some of the great times we had in Malaysia and hope to some day catch up with other friends of ours from that time.

The Principal during my stay at the school was Mr Lee and my favourite subjects were Science, Technical Drawing, Woodwork and English. My favourite teacher was Mr Buckley who took us for English lessons. I also enjoyed playing on the volleyball and hockey teams, and taking part in the cross-country run where I came second in the school overall.

We made some great things out of wood in the woodwork class and I still have the wooden tea-tray I made which won me a credit grading. My sister is still using a small wooden table with a drawer made by my brother from the same class.

When we first arrived in Malaysia we were given a house in Robina Park on the Mainland and travelled to school by bus to the Ferry, then onto the school on another bus on Penang Island. Eventually my Father was able to get a house in the same street as the school on Jalan Azyze. This was so much better for us as we could walk to the school and home again in a very short time. My school friends, John McConnell and Michael Gray also lived in the same street and we had many adventures around the Island together.

Michael Gray and I were members of the RAAF Scout group and were the only two scouts to attend the Jamboree held on the Island. On the mainland my brother and I were part of the Air Scout Group and participated in many inter scout group activities such as camping trips, Jamborees and competitions. During one competition, my brother David, Frank Shilton and I constructed a large platform and pitched a tent on the top where we stayed for two nights. The organisers admired our construction efforts and as a result we were promoted to senior scouts.

I also had some American friends on the Island who were the sons of a Missionary who lived nearby. Their names were Paul and David Almond.

My Father, Geoff Mitchell was a service Fireman, but he also spent part of his time as an announcer at the RAAF Radio Station 1445 RRB. I used to help out in the Radio Station Library putting together shows like "Yours for the Asking" and filing many of the records.

My Family and I eventually returned to Australia in February 1972 and we were sent to Melbourne as my father was posted to RAAF Base Laverton. The first thing we noticed was the difference in climate, and we all froze as we stayed in a small caravan outside Werribee while Dad organised a RAAF married quarter at Laverton.

I decided to join the RAAF in November of 1971. Initially I was trained as a Dental Assistant at RAAF Edinburgh, but remustered to a Dental Technician a year later when I was working at Laverton RAAF Base. When posted to RAAF Richmond to train as a Dental Technician I married and we had two children, Sherry and Adam.

One of the students I used to know and travel to school with on the bus from Butterworth was Ross Maunder. When at Laverton I was assistant to his Dentist Father Wing Commander Maunder who put in a good word for me and encouraged me to remuster to a Dental Technician. I will always remember his kindness and support.

I also remember the dental visits to the Penang School, and when it came to be my turn to be in the chair the Dental assistant at the time found my 'shaking legs' very amusing. We eventually ended up worked together later on at Laverton and became good friends.

I left the RAAF in 1980 and went into private practice as a Dental Ceramist in the A.C.T for a while until 1986 until my first marriage broke up. I then moved to Melbourne to be near my parents before I gave up Dentistry completely and worked in the coal industry for a few years, obtaining a Boiler Operators Certificate and becoming a Foreman. I married the Plant's Office Aministrator, Donna, and when our daughter Sally was born in 1992 I became a Mr. Mum and have happily remained one ever since.

I now live near Packenham in Victoria on a large cattle property with my family and still keep in touch with one of my school friends, John McConnell, who lives near Geelong. My two children from my former marriage now live on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland and have their own families. Four years ago I bacame a Grandfather when my son Adam had his own son, Connor.

Through the years I have met a few of my old school buddies in my travels. While posted to Joint Services Health Centre in Canberra I met a school friend of mine called Frank Shilton. He had joined the Navy and was a very successful Photographer. During my enlistment in the RAAF I met Matthew Waixel who joined the services also. In my first year of the RAAF I spent time with Michael Gray, who eventually enlisted in the RAAF himself. My brother David also joined the RAAF but left after a serious motorcycle accident. He now lives in Adelaide and is happily married with two daughters, and has recently become a grandfather.

I would like to pass on my congratulations to Cynthia for her wonderful web-site and the happy memories it has brought back to me. I hope to renew some old friendships through this medium and look forward to new entries to the guestbook. Hopefully, some of them will be names of old buddies.

Best regards,