Toowoomba RSL sub branch pay their finals respects to WWII navy veteran and sub branch stalwart Joe Treers

Tributes have flowed for World War II navy veteran and Toowoomba RSL sub branch stalwart Joe Treers, aged 99.

THE gunfire breakfast at Toowoomba’s Anzac Day commemorations won’t be the same next year, after the passing of a sub branch stalwart.

Joe Treers, a navy veteran who served in the North Atlantic, the Indian and the Pacific Oceans during World War II, died on September 17, 2021 aged 99

leaving behind son Carl and daughter-in-law Barbara, three grandchildren and his RSL Toowoomba “family”.

AT REST: World War II navy veteran and Toowoomba RSL sub branch member Joe Treers has died aged 99.

Paying tribute to Mr Treers, sub branch secretary Wendy Holt said Mr Treers’ absence would be felt by many in the Toowoomba veteran community, as he was a longtime volunteer and a regular at Friday evening social events where he was a one-man welcoming committee for new members.

“Our Joe was a very special person in the life of the sub branch who was admired and respected by all,” Ms Holt said.

“He took an active interest in all the activities right up until his last days and considered our members to be his family. He felt at home here at our Veteran’s Hub, surrounded by friends.”

Ms Holt said Mr Treers loved nothing more than to sit in his favourite chair in the lounge chatting to veterans young and old, or joining in the conversation around the table during the regular morning coffee.

Joe Treers, WWII veteran. Toowoomba United RSL Sub Branch member.

“Joe was proud to be a member of the Toowoomba RSL Sub Branch and remained on the Citizen’s Auxiliary and the Committee of Management as surely the most senior Committee member in the state,” she said.

One of Mr Treers’ annual duties was to assist district secretary and close friend Tracey-Fay Penrose to distribute the gunfire breakfast prior to the Dawn Service each Anzac Day.

Even this year, at the age of 99, Mr Treers was up at 2am, dressed in his Toowoomba RSL uniform, ready to go, Ms Penrose said.

“We are so thankful for the life of this wonderful man, who was so admired and respected by all,” she said.

“Personally, I give thanks for the privilege of having had Joe as a friend and being given the opportunity to be a part of his life. He was such a lovely gentleman.

“An old sailor has crossed the bar – rest in peace, dear Joe.”

In one of his last interviews with RSL Queensland in 2020, Mr Treers shared the story of how he found his first beer ashore after the surrender of the Japanese.

World War II veteran Joe Treers waves to the crowd during the march to the Citizens' Commemoration service Anzac Day in Toowoomba, Sunday, April 25, 2021. Picture: Kevin Farmer

He was at sea at the time, so it occasioned just a small celebration among the crew of HMAS Ping Wo, but when the vessel returned to Townsville, he and a couple of mates decided to go ashore for a beer.

“We couldn’t get a beer, because they had no glasses,” Mr Treers said.

“So I thought, ‘I know what we’re going to do.’”

Mr Treers said he had one of his mates find some empty beer bottles that he took back to the ship and fashioned into beer glasses.

“I put hot wire across the top of the bottle, and then plunged it into freezing water. This cracked the top of the bottle off. Then I ground the edge,” he said.

“I got some paint and painted our Christian names on each glass, and that’s how we got our beer.”