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VALE: Trevor Thatcher – Aged 97 years

18 Nov 24
Peter Bull
9 comments

At last Thursday’s meeting of Vets at Club York in Sydney several of us asked Trevor’s son-in-law, Ian McDonald, and others for an update on Trevor. The update was that Trevor (aged 97) was doing well with care from nursing home staff and his daughters one of which, Jann, had attended the OTVA XMAS function.

Unfortunately Ian advised at 9:55am on Sunday morning that Trevor passed away with no pain at the Moran Nursing home Engadine. He would have been 98 today (Monday 18/11/24).

He didn’t quite make it to his birthday party which was to be held yesterday.

He was mentally excellent but had problems with hearing and mobility.

Funeral details will be provided once the family has had time to consider its options.

9 Comments

  1. Peter Bull November 18, 2024 at 5:17 pm

    Oh dear!!! So sorry to hear of Trevor’s passing.

    Please pass on my condolences to Ian, Jann and Trevor’s extended family and friends.

    Thank you
    Roger Boyden

    RIP Trevor

  2. Peter Bull November 18, 2024 at 5:19 pm

    I wish that I had known Trevor was at Moran in Engadine.

    As I live nearby i would have popped up the street to visit him. I had a lot of time for Trevor.

    Cheers
    Bob Dean

  3. Peter Bull November 19, 2024 at 6:03 am

    So sorry to hear of Trevor’s passing.

    Please pass on my condolences to Ian, Jann and Trevor’s extended family and friends.

    Thank you
    Gerry Serrao

    RIP Trevor

  4. Peter Bull November 19, 2024 at 6:04 am

    Very sorry to hear of the passing of Trevor Thatcher with whom I had many contacts over the years at OTC. For reasons I never knew, Trevor always called me ‘cousin’, always in a jocular manner. He was extremely helpful om various staffing matters.

    Anyone who had need to seek his advice was appreciative of his time and effort to help.

    A small incident I recall was asking his advice about an electric plug- in clock which I had been given and which sometimes went backwards after a power outage. ‘Just switch it off and restart’ was his advice and it worked!

    David Richardson
    RIP Trevor

  5. Peter Bull November 19, 2024 at 8:19 am

    I had lots of contact with Trevor during our time at OTC.

    He was Ron Flood’s right hand man for many years.

    Regards Fred Kannard

  6. Peter Bull November 19, 2024 at 8:21 am

    I am very sad to hear of Trevor Thatcher’s passing. I worked with Trevor in Cable Services for more than a year and he was an incredibly knowledgeable technical manager.

    The highlight of his time in cable services was when Seacom failed near Guam. Trevor organised Cable & Wireless cable ship “Recorder” to embark from Singapore.Trevor and and Mick Wood located the break in the Mariana Trench with great accuracy and the Recorder’s captain, David Ferrie, complimented Trevor on his superb efforts. There was a small problem when Captain Ferrie took control of the Guam end recovery at the last moment and in his excitement on getting a visual of the cable a few feet under the surface, managed to get the cable grapnel to let go of the cable!, The recovery effort and equalisation went off without a further hitch. The end of this story was being invited aboard Recorder when it was in dry dock in Newcastle where David Ferrie laid on magnificent canapes and a rugby game played by the crew on the dockside for us.

    Vale Trevor.

    Jeremy Cubitt

  7. Peter Bull November 19, 2024 at 8:26 am

    Attached is the Enlistment Photo of Trevor William Thatcher when he enlisted on 23/01/1945 to join the RAAF with his skills as a telegraphist.

    Prior to enlistment, Trevor had left school in Year 7/8 (2 years of high school) to join the Post Office (PMG) in his hometown of Yass. He was working as a telegraphist, among other duties with the PMG.

    The RAAF required the PMG to release him before he could complete his enlistment in January 1945.

    Trevor would be discharged on 08/10/1945 with the rank of Aircraftman, and was attached to 1 Engineering School at the time.

    Regards,
    Chris Hartley

  8. Peter Bull November 19, 2024 at 8:30 am

    Trevor was a real gentleman and I always had good memories of him as he decided to interview me in unusual circumstances, for the OTC training opportunity for the 1965 intake in Brisbane.

    My deepest sympathies to Ian and his family.

    Jim Hulme

  9. Peter Bull November 19, 2024 at 8:31 am

    Trevor was a real nice guy, and a gentleman.

    RIP Trevor

    Chris McMahon

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