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Jim Allpike |
2/4 & 2/3
Machine Gun Battalion |
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Jim Allpike was originally a member of the 2/4 Machine
Gun Battalion and later with 2/3 Machine Gun Battalion. Whilst a POW Jim
was with Weary Dunlop at Hintock Mountain Camp. Due to the initiative
of a Major Clarke (a Dentist) and others they established a still at the
camp to produce distilled water. The still was operated up to 24 hours
a day, staffed by the officers, and could produce 120 pints of saline.
The distilled water could have salt added later to produce saline fluid.
Amongst other things, this could be infused to improve fluid levels of
dysentery and cholera patients. Jim used to carry four 1 gallon demi-johns
of distilled water from Hintock Mountain Camp to Hintock River Camp, a
return journey of over 8km, several times a day. Jim had no boots and
walked/ran the path in all weathers by day or night. It is reported that
Jim was seen doing a delivery at 2 AM on one occasion. One would need
to see the terrain to appreciate the difficulty. Today Jim lives at Shenton
Park. If you have a copy of Ghosts in Khaki (author Les Cody deceased
February 2002) there are pictures of young Jim Allpike on pages 31 and
253.
Article prepared by Lt. Col. Peter Winstanley OAM RFD
(Retired) JP 2003 E-mail peterwinstanley@bigpond.com
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