John Dunn, photographed in 2015
Each year, Anzac Day is a unique opportunity to honour the Australians who have fought and died in service of our country.
On this April 25th, the community at The Laurels Retirement Village will be paying special tribute to resident John Dunn, a WWII veteran who sadly passed away in January at the age of 92.
“John was highly respected and much loved by everyone he knew,” says Christobel Dunn, John’s wife of 62 years.
“He was a very practical man and a man of great resourcefulness.”
John was first conscripted into the Royal Australian Artillery at the age of 18 and later joined the Royal Australian Air Force, where he worked as a navigator and wireless operator in Britain throughout World War II.
John was proud of his service and even participated in the Australian Institute of Professional Photographer’s Reflections project alongside other veterans to commemorate the 70th anniversary of World War II ending.
After peace was declared in 1945, John returned to Australia to study medicine and provided 32 years service as a general practitioner in the small town of Penola, 388 kilometres southeast of Adelaide.
John and Christobel were married in 1954 and had six children, 13 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
In 2006, the couple retired to The Laurels Retirement Village in Mount Barker, which coincidentally was the former estate of John’s great-great-grandfather and prominent miller, philanthropist and politician John Dunn Sr.
“We ended up here quite by accident,” Christobel explains.
“Out of curiosity, we went to see what had become of the old estate and had a look around, and by the end we had decided that it would be an ideal place for us to retire!”
At The Laurels, John was able to spend time exploring his diverse interests, including camping, gardening, carpentry, native Australian botany and Antarctic exploration.
“We spent many of our pleasant retirement years outdoors, camping and getting to know the birds of the local area,” Christobel says.
“His role as a navigator in the air force helped us along: if we ever got lost on a walk or a camping trip, John would just look up at the stars and find his way.”
Both John’s family and the wider community at The Laurels will miss his unwavering loyalty and kindness, but the difference he made to their lives will not be forgotten.
Vale, John.
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