Digger had stout heart

Sydney Osborne Black
SYDNEY was the youngest of four children born to Inez and Allan Black.
He spent a carefree childhood growing up in Preston and then Ascot Vale, before signing up to war at the age of 17.
He spent 12 months with a unit in Larramah in the Northern Territory and captured much of his time on camera, including the task of loading up 2000 pounds of bombs, four or five a load, and travelling in long convoys, sometimes getting bogged, often sleeping under the trucks at night.
Syd was sent to northern New Guinea with the 17th Australian Infantry Brigade, with the aim “to flush out the Japs” in the jungle warfare.
He lived and fought with a stout heart, courage and initiative, making him the quintessential Aussie Digger.
He had a team of almost 18 Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels, an integral part of the 2nd Field Ambulance team, who would help Syd get injured soldiers to the nearest aid station with stretchers made of poles with a rough bit of hessian.
Syd was on the airstrip in Wewak when the Japanese troops surrendered on 13 September 1945. He returned home in 1946 and found it difficult to adjust to civilian life.
Syd spent 40 years happily married to Nola Chamberlin, and after Syd’s sister moved to the Yarra Valley, he fell in love with it and the couple relocated to Warburton in 1951 bringing baby Joe.
Sandra, Peter and Dianne followed soon after, and Syd began working with Milners, taxying people around the valley, from the mines in Woods Point, the Upper Yarra Dam construction and the many guest houses that were booming.
He spent six months carting pulp for Keith Johanson before securing a job with Martyrs Bus Service in 1953. Some trips were really busy with more than a full load of papers, freight and passengers.
People were let off anywhere they pleased, so there was a lot of stop starts along the highway.
His daughter Sandra had written in Syd’s memoirs: “Mum used to take us to the city sometimes for special outings.
“We would always catch the early bus around eight o’clock.
“Of course, Dad would be driving and it was very exciting. We would wait outside, we could see the bus coming, the old blue diesel.
“As he rounded Coopers Corner he would sound the air-horn, we were waiting at the front gate.
“We hopped in and I loved sitting in the front seat behind Dad, so I could see what he was doing. This was our Dad who had the really important job of driving the bus.”
Syd became an active member with the Warburton RSL, and in the last decade his children and 12 grandchildren would join him for the annual Anzac Day march.
Syd’s war medals include a 1939-1945 star, a Pacific Star, two service medals and an Australian Service medal. He was also nominated in 1988 to receive the Upper Yarra Rotary Club’s Pride of Workmanship Award.
Nola passed away in 1987. Syd retired from Martyrs in 1989, notching up 36 valuable years of service to the company.
Syd had met Linda Way in the late ’80s, finding lots in common. He proposed and they married on 24 July 1989.
They enjoyed more than 20 years together and retirement found Syd keeping active with gardening, renovations, aviary birds and travelling.
Sydney was an active and valued part of the Warburton community and will be remembered for his kind-caring nature, with a wonderful wit and sense of humour.
His life journey was packed full with family, friends at Martyrs and the extended family of passengers throughout the Yarra Valley.