Obituary--Albert Raphael Guthrie 1927-2005.

The Victorian Branch of the Military Historical Society of Australia is saddened to report the passing of long time member Albert Raphael Guthrie in Melbourne on 8 December 2005. Gus as he was widely known had been a strong supporter of the Branch for about three decades and was a keen member of various veterans' and musical organisations in Victoria and overseas. Born in Melbourne in 1927 and educated at Scotch College, Gus followed the seafaring footsteps of his father who was a ship's master and joined the Australian Merchant Marine service as a deck boy in late October 1944. He saw active service in the South West Pacific Area on vessels such as the Era and Lawana from the Melbourne Steamship Company, which plied the coastal routes between southern Australia and the war torn islands to the north, at a time when 1 in 8 Merchant Mariners met their demise at the hands of the enemy. For his service he was awarded the 1939-45 Star, Pacific Star, War Medal and Australian Service Medal 1939-45 and exhibited conduct and ability described as very good throughout his war service.

After the war Gus continued to serve on one Australian vessel after the other from ports such as Geelong, Sydney and Devonport. War time vessels well known to military historians such as the Kanimbla and Taroona were among the dozens on which Gus was engaged as an able seaman. Long time members will recall that in his later years Gus spent considerable time on the Princess of Tasmania. Rather late in life he met and married Grace and remained a Bayside resident when not away at sea or on one of his innumerable trips overseas to the United States spending time with American veteran groups, or in South Asia. Closer to home Gus was a popular and well known member of the RSL and Victorian Railways Bands where he performed as a drummer, and rarely missed an Anzac Day March in Melbourne, often dashing back to march yet again from the city to the Shrine of Remembrance. Gus was also a member of the Corps of Commissionaires for many years and was instrumental in involving the Military Historical Society in the establishment of the Moorabbin/Canakkalei Twin Cities project and other commemorative activities. Always keen to share his enthusiasm, knowledge and enquiring mind with fellow Military Historical Society members, Gus Guthrie will be sorely missed by all who knew him.