Jill Scherger

To daughter. granddaughters or great-grandchildren if any. This is an anecdote about Air Cheif Marchal Scherger. It was 1953 and I was a lowly RAF Corporal Physical Training Instructor stationed at RAF KL. I was in my sports store when a runner came in and said "the Air Officer Commanding wants to see you" at that time I wasn't aware that there was an Air Officer anywhere near KL. I was terrified, what had I done, had his car gone past and I didn't salute, what on earth could it be. I couldn't not go. So with trepidation, I climbed the hill to the building that housed the HQ of the Far East Air Force, I entered the almost haloed place and introduced myself to his secretary, she said "he's on the phone take a seat" a little later I was told to go into his office, I enter stood to attention and saluted. Sitting before me was a man whose epaulettes were covered in bands, I had never seen so many on the desk to the left was a cap the peak covered in scrambled egg (as we called it). He look up and said "hello Corp thanks for coming stand at ease" I almost fell down, Cnd thanks for coming, never had I heard an officer say that we were forbidden to shorten any rank, and thanks for coming I had only known a few officers that friendly and none of such high rank, mind you had never spoken to an officer over the rank of Squadron Leader. The next thing he said staggered me even more, he said "I wonder if you would mind doing something for me" would you mind I couldn't believe it. I replied "of course sir, what do you want me to do," he said "I have an area at the back of my garage on which I like a Badminton court, would you go there and fix it up for me "yes sir," I said "but I will need to get some equipment and find my way there," he said "you can go in my car, my driver can take you there" I left his office, his car was there, we went to my store collected the necessary equipment and set off, it was great fun having everyone salute me as I drove out of camp. We arrived at a beautiful home on one of the hills surrounding KL the driver offloaded my equipment and left. I set to work measuring up the area but I saw that the area immediately outside the garage was flat but hen there was a raised area that whichever way I orientated the court was inside the playing area and would be dangerous. Now I had the unenviable situation of going to a Senior Air Officer and telling him I couldn't do what he asked, but I did he then said to me "I paced it out and I thought it would fit in" and without thinking I said "you must have a short pace sir" he replied "you must be right corp and thank you" I saluted turned and left his office. That man was Air Vice-Marshal Frederick Scherger, and as I was walking back down the hill to my store I thought "If all Australians are like that bloke it's got to be a good place to live" I'm pretty sure if I said to him I think your a nice bloke sir he would have been pleased. I also thought "I bet he's been a bit of a rebel in his day" and I've since found out he was. This incident was the spark that eventuated my coming to Australia in 1963 with my young family. I will be 91 in February, and my darling wife of 68 years passed away on the 28/8/2019 and life is not the same without her. There were two people that I actually met while in Singapore and Malaya and greatly admired, one was the aforesaid and the other General Sir Gerald Templer, but that's another story.