Don Riach, at the grand age of 92 (and-a-half) is one such person.

 The World War II veteran has just handed in his licence to the RMS - a decision he made of his own accord; not because of failing eyesight or ill health but simply because he believed it was the right thing to do.

Along with his beloved wife Mollie (94), the couple, through the assistance of homecare and support from family, still reside at the Carrington Street address they have called home for more than 45 years.

“I'm not as agile as I used to be so I thought now was the time to give up driving,” Don said.

“Yes!, I’m missing getting out and about in the old Magna. It really is a loss of independence, but that’s the way it has to be.

“I purchased the Magna when I was 63, thinking at the time it would see me out. In a way it has.”

Don first acquired a motorbike licence at age 16.

“Like all teenagers, I couldn’t stand to see a tail light in front of me, especially whilst riding on the dirt roads which were all we had in those days.”

A life full of Coincidences

It wasn’t until he was conscripted into the army in 1942 that Don secured a driver’s licence.

At the time he was living with his parents at Manildra and was employed by Alan Tom to travel the district with the Amusu Touring Talkies.

Mr Tom also ran the Amusu Picture Theatre in Manildra which is still operated by his family  today.

While most young men were conscripted at age 18, Don’s call-up didn’t happen until he’d celebrated his 19th birthday.

From then on he describes his life as being one `full of numerous coincidences.’

“I remember my first day reporting for service as if it was yesterday,” Don said.

“How could I forget, after all, it was Anzac Day 1942, when I along with two others from Manildra reported to the Sydney Showground which was referred to during the war years as the Leave and Transit Depot.

“Once we’d signed-up, I was sent to Dubbo for six weeks basic training then   transferred to the 14th Machine Gun Regiment which was broken up after about three months.

“Reinforcements were then sent to other units, and whether you call it luck, a coincidence or whatever, six of us were left in limbo.

“I remember Colonel Treasure, who was in charge of the 6th Motor Regiment, formerly known as the 6th Light Horse, found out all six of us were keen to join his regiment and decided to take us on.

“We were sent to Nowra where one of the men contracted measles which resulted in all of us being quarantined for a fortnight.

“After the isolation period, and given the all clear, I was taken to a tent only to discover I was to share my accommodation with Clem Marriott, an old neighbour and friend who I had gone to school with at Gregra.”

Don wasn't with the 6th Motor Regiment for long because shortly after the unit was dissolved.

"We weren't to know it then but it was close to the end of the war. 

“So it was that I, along with Clem Marriott and a couple of other Manildra lads I’d gone to school with were sent to Western Australia to the Armoured Division 11th Armoured Cars.”

Don said that in late 1944, the thought was that the allies had the Japanese forces under control and the decision was made to break up the armoured division.

Along with his mate Clem, the pair were transferred to the Kapooka Army Camp at Wagga to train as engineers.

During a three month period he was instructed in the laying of mines, setting of booby traps, construction work and carpentry.

Don was allocated final leave to join up with the 7th Division that had returned from the Middle East. It was close to war’s end and it was during this period he was introduced to Mollie Davoren by his sister Laurel, at the Bathurst Railway Station.

At the time, Mollie and Laurel were working as nurses with the Australian Army Medical Women’s Service and the meeting remained indelibly printed in Don’s memory.

After being sent to Brisbane with the 18th Field Company Royal Australian Engineers, the unit was attached to the 7th Division.

Don spent only a short stint in Brisbane and on leave met up with his sister Laurel and Mollie.

This was just prior to his first overseas posting.

His unit was involved in the famous allied invasion of Borneo that resulted in the successful recapture of the territory from the Japanese. 

Don spent six months in Borneo and was there at war’s end.

What followed next was fate in the good sense of the word.

“Clem and I had talked about going to Japan with the Garrison Force after the war ended on August 15, 1945, and also the possibility of being part of the victory march in London.

“But in the end, Clem looked at me and said `I reckon we’ve had enough mate, let’s take the pleasure of returning home’.

Clem returned home but because of the points system, Don was sent with the Garrison Force to Rabaul for a further 12 months to help with reconstuction and the welfare of the prisoners of war.

Life after the war

Don was officially discharged from the army on July 23, 1946, and enlisted in a carpentry course in Sydney.

Less than a month later (August 15, 1946), he and his beloved Mollie married in Newcastle.

Following their honeymoon, Don and his new bride visited his parents in Manildra which also included a trip to Parkes to see his brother Ray.

During the visit he called in to the employment office in Clarinda Street to say hello to Jimmy Fullerton who was running the office.

Jimmy was the dad of another of Don’s mates.

It proved to be another positive step in his life journey.

“Jim asked me what I was going to do with myself now that I was out of the army.

At the same time, he indicated a new cordial factory was being built in Bogan Street where he felt there’d be a job for me,” Don said.

“I knocked back the suggestion but Jimmy persisted and called on me later that day saying I should think seriously about the job because I’d learn more working there than in Sydney.

“I thought about it for a while, moved to Parkes, and was employed by Reg Ashcroft where I initially became the Barratt ice-cream and later the Peters ice-cream salesman servicing Parkes, Forbes, Wellington, Dubbo, Narromine, Peak Hill and Condobolin.”

Don described the late Reg Ashcroft as a `terrific boss and mate'.

“He must have been because I stayed on for 25 years and learnt far more than I would have by going to Sydney.

“You know, I’ve always said that if you take pride in your work you’ll enjoy your job and this was certainly the case working for Reg.”

It was during a trip to Orange in 1973 with three fellow employees to attend a seminar that Don received his one and only driving infringement - a $25 fine for going five miles over the speed limit. 

Luckily for him, the fine was paid by his employer.

“It was my fault, I got too carried away with the conversation I was having at the time with my workmates,” he said.

In 70 years of driving, it proved to be his only misdemeanor.

Don spent the last eight years of his working life with Miller and Cheney Refrigeration before retiring at age 60.

He and Mollie have resided at their home in Carrington Street for the past 45-years and despite their longevity continue to do so with the support of homecare and family members.

Don and Mollie are the proud parents of Vicki (deceased), Roseanne, Gregory, Richard and their respective spouses.

They have eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

“You know, I never thought I’d see the day when one of my great grandchildren would get to attend high school 

“I’m really thankful to the taxpayers of this great nation who keep us in comfort with our pensions and the medical profession who keep us both going,” Don  quipped.