We sailed from Sydney to Penang on the Johan van Oldenbarnevelt in November 1960 and lived at 53R Choong Lye Hock, Tanjung Tokong, with the Chinese cemetery right behind us. We later moved to 87-C Kelawei Rd. I was in Grade VI (Mr. McLaughlin) my brother Craig in Form 2 (Mr. Lyons) at Residency Rd.

In 1962 came the exciting move to the new school at Hillside. I started there in Form 1 (Mr. Bannister). We left Penang on the Chusan in July 1963, returned to Sydney and shortly after Dad left the RAAF and we all moved to England. Quite a shock after the tropical climate of Penang. I finished my schooling there, married in 1973 and emigrated to Canada in 1975, our one daughter was born in 1977.

We live in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia and I work at the TRIUMF particle accelerator at the University of BC. I'm still hoping to take my family to Penang for a nostalgia trip, hoping it hasnt changed too much.

Allan Wilson
2001
(Updated Dec 2014)