World War II Mackay servicemen Sidney Booth’s great escape … to get married

A Mackay World War II serviceman almost found himself in front of a firing squad after he went AWOL to escape from the war only to go right back.

Ryan Booth's father was almost shot for going AWOL when he jumped a train to get married during World War II. Pictured here with Michelle Dodds. Photo: Fergus Gregg

For many Australians Anzac Day is an important day of remembrance, but for one family it’s a special day of thanks for one that was almost lost.

Ryan Booth joined the Dawn Service celebrations at the Farleigh Mill and wore the medals of his grandfather Sidney Booth, who was a sapper in the 2/2nd Pioneer Battalion during World War II.

But Sidney Booth’s time in the Australian Army almost came to an abrupt and dishonourable end after he went AWOL for more than a week to get married.

Ryan Booth said his father and other servicemen were in Tully and bound for Papua New Guinea, when one day they jumped into the back of a train.

Hundreds gathered at Farleigh Mill just after 5am to join the Farleigh-Northern Beaches RSL sub branch service. Photo: Fergus Gregg

“Went all the way to Sydney jumped off and said we’re getting married,” Mr Booth said.

“They stuck around for 10 days and on the 20th day, if you were still AWOL, they could shoot you.”

Sidney Booth of the 2/2nd Pioneer Battalion avoided capital punishment by returning to service in time and he was forced to spend an extra two weeks in Papua New Guinea, “cleaning up” Japanese resistance towards the end of the war.

“They said ‘look you went AWOL and haven’t done your service, you have to stick around and scare the Japanese out’,” Mr Booth said.

“That was pretty tough I think … it’s a pretty funny story”

Coningsby State School student Aria Woodley wore the medals of her great great grandfather Sydney Dodds. Photo: Fergus Gregg

Mr Booth was joined at the Farleigh Dawn Service by Michelle and Jeffrey Dodds and the Dodds’ granddaughter Aria Woodley, who wore the medals of her great great grandfather.

Also celebrating his family’s legacy of service in the armed forces was RSL Farleigh and Northern Beaches sub-branch president Greg Smith, who served in the RAAF and wore both the medals of his father and grandfather.

Farleigh-Northern Beaches RSL sub branch deputy president Greg Smith wore medals from his service in the RAAF, as well as his father's World War II medals and grandfather's World War I medals. Photo: Fergus Gregg

Mr Smith’s father, an infantryman, “put his age up by 12 months” to join World War II and found himself landing in Borneo the day of his 21st birthday.

Mr Smith’s grandfather was a light horseman in World War I who arrived too late for the Gallipoli campaign and instead fought in France, becoming wounded and eventually coming home.

“I made a lot of mates over my 23 years in the air force,” Mr Smith said.

He also said he was surprised at how many people joined them at Farleigh for the service.

Hundreds gathered in the shadow of the Farleigh Mill just before 5am this morning and at Half Tide in Hay Point to watch the sunrise and commemorate Anzac Day.

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