The northern territory police magazine $4 c tat

RECRUIT NOTES

There's been many a good yarn spun about the old Hermits of Borroloola, but if our recruits continue to withdraw silently into the distant background at " Citation " time, we just won't be able to nut out a good recruit story. We have managed to force out a few voluntary confessions, and hope that, for future issues, the recruits will step forward gallantly and make themselves known to their scattered fellow members. There's nothing to worry about — we don't send " Citation " to the C.I.B. or to any debt-collecting or divorce or matrimonial agencies.

We give top place to the man who topped the last Recruit Training Course — Johnny Clift, depicted here in non-Territory rig. J. W. Clift was born in England, and educated at Gillingham County Grammar School. At 17 he left school and became a Clerical Officer in the Accounts Section of the G.P.O. At 19 he started his two years' National Service with the Army, and after eight months' cypher training he was sent to Malaya. There he transferred to the Ghurka Signals. He remained in Malaya for fifteen months, eventually taking charge of 99 Brigade Cypher Office at Sembawang, Singapore.

In 1959 he returned to the Civil Service, but found he no longer liked it, so went off to the Northern Rhodesia Police Force as an Assistant Inspector, in October, 1960. He had five months' training at Lilayi Police School, and was then posted to Ndola. Life at Ndola followed the " Old Colonial " style, but this ended abruptly in 1963 when the African majority took over the Government. John Clift returned to the U.K. on six months retirement leave, and in May, 1964, came to Australia determined to get into one of the various Police Forces here. With unerring insight and beginner's luck, he naturally aimed at and was accepted by the Northern Territory Police ! Following the usual training course in Darwin he was posted to Katherine. There, he says, " I have been very fortunate and have covered a large part of this and other Police districts, doing the work that I enjoy and meeting people that I like ".


DUX of the second 1964 Recruit School, John William Clift, before Katherine snared him.

Also at Katherine is John Francis, who was born in South Caulfield, Victoria, on 7th February, 1941. He was educated by the De La Salle Brothers at De La Salle College, Malvern. At 17 he left school and went to the Department of Social Service, Melbourne, as a Clerical Assistant, and remained there for six years. He then worked as a spare parts salesman with Southern Motors, a Holden distributor in Melbourne. His next step was to join the Northern Territory Police (" which is the life for me ", he says), and his luck was to be posted to Katherine. That Katherine! " A great place ", says John.

From West Maitland, N.S.W.— same as Les Darcy, eh? — comes Peter Malcolm Scott Gricks. Peter is 3o years of age, and was educated at various Sydney schools and Waverley College, then at Christian Brothers College, Adelaide, in which beautiful City he lived from 1948 onwards. He has been about a bit since then! He studied accountancy and his first jobs were in a Public Accountancy Practice; advertising; Company Accounting for a large wholesaler/retailer; and specialising in statistics, costing and machine accountancy. He spent a little over three years with the British Phosphate Commission at Ocean Island, and on a tropic isle paradise (!) just below the equator in the Gilberts, Central Pacific. He also saw some of the life ( !) on Nauru. (The exclamation marks-are Peter's, and we dare not amend them or pry into their origins !)

He then went to Woomera, in Northern South Australia, for fifteen months. Whilst there he saw firings of several missiles, including the Black Knight; the first firing of the E.L.D.O. Blue Streak, and several firings of the guided pilotless Jindivik.

Peter's main sporting interests are swimming, water polo and judo. He was dead unlucky to be sent to Tennant Creek, where swimming and water polo are mainly restricted to mirages, and we never ever did hear what finally became of Judyo.

Tony Stenhouse comes from Beaumaris, a seaside suburb of Melbourne. He was educated at Mentone Grammar School. He is our largest recruit in Alice Springs and can be described as " massive ". Prior to joining the Force he was a Clerk with the repatriation Department in Melbourne, where he had been working for six years. Tony has recently become engaged to Jan Johanson, also from Beaumaris. We had the pleasure of meeting Jan earlier in the year. Tony provides transport for most of



Tony Goodwin topped the _.first 1964 Recruit Training Course but his photo slipped through our fingers or something. We now hasten to do him justice. We also congratulate him and his wife Lesley on the birth of a son..

the other recruits, being the owner of 'a utility which General Motors would be interested to know is still running. Tony plays all sports, with the accent on Australian Rules. (It's nice to see the accent on Football in Alice Springs, isn't it !)

Alvin Wardstrom, a Canadian, whose accent is a decided asset, is pursuing his favourite sport of winning the ladies. He was born at Alberta, Canada. He spent some time in the logging camps of British Colombia and in 1957 he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and received a commission. Al was posted to all-weather fighters and was a Flying Officer (Navigator). He was transferred to Marville, France, and there obtained his release from the Air Force. He then travelled around the world a little and arrived in Sydney in March, 1964. Al is keen on team sports and is at present instructing the young ones at the Alice Springs Youth Centre.

Graham Daly was born at Broken Hill, and completed his education at Broken Hill High School. He commenced work with the New South Wales Railways and stayed there until joining the Northern Territory Police Force. Graham is interested in motor cars and cycles. He plays soccer and rugby and will play for United in Alice Springs in the coming season. He has put a lot of work into the lawns and garden at the Police Barracks and they are a credit to him and his fellow gardener John Oldfield.

(The 1965 Recruit Training Course was still in progress when we went to Press, and its members will be covered in the next issue).
AVON DOWNS POLICE DISTRICT