Anne Overbeck

Story

My parents had some financial problems and decided to try their luck in another country, they tried for Canada first, but because if illness were rejected. So Australia was the next choice.

We spent the last night in Denmark with my grandmother and other members of the family. The next day we caught a ferry to Plymouth England where we boarded the “Otronto’ we were to spend the next 6 weeks at sea. Our cabin was set below the water line and the porthole covered, we shared this space with other Danes, mothers and children in one cabin, the guys were together in another.

No-one in our group spoke English but we were fortunate enough to have a family up on ‘B’ deck where the father spoke English. He tried to teach us the basics.

I recall, one morning our cabin boy, Chris coming in to serve us a cup of tea, but mum wasn’t a tea drinker, so in her mixed Danish and German language, she asked for hot water, Chris smiled and walked away, coming back with a cup of steaming liquid, mum smiled and promptly proceeded to add a teaspoon of Nescafe. Image her surprise when she discovered there was already tea in the cup.

I dont recall much of the trip, but there are some things that stick in my mind, for instance coming through the Suez Canal we were able to watch the Locks fill before we passed into each one. The small boats that came out from places where the ship couldn’t berth – these boats sold their wares with a lot of bargaining and use of fingers, once something was purchased it was hauled up in baskets.

Seasickness was a curse, with no fresh air in the cabins it was not a pleasant place to be, and to sit in a deck chair on the deck was almost just as bad. Going to the dining room in high seas was a dangerous task, staff strung up rope for the passengers to hold onto.

Well, the trip was over and we were in Sydney. Here we were herded into a large hall, luggage checked then we were sent off to spend a night at “The Peoples Palace’. From there we were taken to Central Station, where we boarded a steam train to take us to our new home compliments of the Government. Greta Camp, an ex. army base, barracks and what looked like tin barrels cut in half as far as the eye could see. Here we were alloted a 2 room unit. My brother, because of his age was given a room of his own.

Meals were served in a Mess Hall where we could sit and eat, in the middle of the floor stood what appeared to be a large washtub, filled with bread. Through this, kids would run their filthy hands. My father being a Pastry Cook asked for permission to use the kitchen at the end of each row of barracks. This was granted and we now had fresh bread and home cooked meals. Then dad and my brother found work outside the camp and mum and I stayed there for close on 12 months.

From there we moved to Sydney Oh, I forgot to say the camp was between Maitland and Singleton.

I can’t recall how long we spent in Syd. but my parents bought a shop in Singleton we were there for 3 years. I was always in the shop & missed a lot of school because of it. My education was neglected so my ambition to become a Midwife was wiped. We moved back to Syd. where I commenced working as an Office junior at Speedo. It was though this job that I met my husband on a blind date. In 1963 we married, had 3 children, in 1980 we lost our eldest to Asthma, 18mths. Later we lost our only daughter to Bowel Cancer. our youngest son was sure he wouldn’t make 17 so he got into all sorts of trouble.

Today, my husband and I are no longer together – he has remarried and I am engaged, but we have a beautiful grandaughter who is now 20. and I guess life goes on. I have not been back to Denmark but do have contact with family and friends.

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