Looking Back - 1939 to 2011 - the Autobiography of Robert V. J. Padula, OAM

1981 - Award of the Medal of the Order of Australia

Home
1941 - Bikes and Cars
1943 - Hiking - Hills and Coasts
1944 - Growing up in the War Years - Part 1
1944 - Growing up in the War Years - Part 2
1944 - Growing up in the War Years - Part 3
1945 - Auburn schooldays - Part One
1945 - Auburn Schooldays - Part Two
1945 - Auburn Schooldays - Part Three
1945 - Upwey and the Puffing Billy
1945 - Gramaphones and Record Players
1946 - Flinders St Station
1946 - Astronomy
1946 - Beach and Swimming Adventures
1946 - Going to the Pictures
1947 - Adventures at the Altona Bungalow
1947 -The Listener-In Magazine
1947 - Balwyn WIldlife Sanctuary
1948 - Fishermen's Bend Aerodrome
1948 - Radio Australia QSL cards
1948 - Excursions
1949 - Australian Rules Football
1949 - Radio Monitoring at Auburn
1950 -Trains and Ships
1950 - Radios for Communications
1950 - Radio Listening Clubs in Australia
1950 - World Radio TV Handbook
1950 - Shortwave Radio Propagation Research
1950 - Medium Wave Radio Propagation Research
1950 - Radio and Hobbies Magazines
1950 - Discovering shortwave radio at Auburn
1951 - Photography
1951 - Competitions on local radio stations
1952 - Camp Buxton - YMCA Shoreham
1952 Tennis and Ten Pin Bowling
1953 - Stamp Collectiong
1953 Camberwell High School
1954 - Royal Visit to Melbourne
1954 - Shortwave Radio reception at Auburn
1956 - Melbourne's Olympic Games
1956 - Trainee Telecommunications' Technician
1957 - Trainee Technician - field work
1957 - National Service Registration
1958 - Laverton Air Show
1958 - MOOMBA Parade
1958 - Trainee Technician - field work
1959 - The move to Mont Albert
1960 - Working at Deepdene Telephone Exchange
1963 - Trade Unions, Staff Associations, Industrial Relations
1964 - Senior Technician work in the Melbourne CBD
1964 - Project support for Radio Australia
1964 - Project support for Radio Australia
1964 - Amateur Radio
1964 - Media Writing
1964 -Travels
1964 - Engineering Support for International Broadcasters
1965 - Professional Employment with PMG/Telstra
1967 - Professional Qualifications - Institution of Engineers Australia
1967 - Australian Radio DX Club Photo Gallery (to 1979)
1972 - Wireless Institute of Australia
1972 - Natural disasters in Melbourne
1980 - Australian Radio DX Club Gallery (to 1995)
1981 - Award of the Medal of the Order of Australia
1995 - Padula Books
EPILOGUE
LINKS TO AUTHOR'S PERSONAL WEBSITES
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEPENDENT BIOGRAPHIES
SPECIAL CHAPTER - Oldtime Australian Radio Drama from the 1930s
SPECIAL CHAPTER - Radio Monitoring Clubs in Australia - 1920 to 1949
SPECIAL CHAPTER - Melbourne Picture Theatres - History - 1906 to 1970

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2011 Government House, Melbourne

AWARD OF THE MEDAL OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA

In 1981, Her Majesty The Queen approved my nomination for the award of the Medal of the Order of Australia.

The citation was "For Service to Shortwave Radio".

I was first informed about my nomination of the Award in April 1981, which I subsequently found out was the result of an intensive and comprehensive selection process.

I was not advised that my Nomination had been approved until only a few days before the official Press Release in Australian newspapers on June 13, 1981.

My nomination came as a complete surprise

Nominators were required to verify and vouch for the many facets of the Service , and the Investiture took place at Government House, Melbourne in July 1981.

Following the Press Release, letters. cards and telegrams of congratulation flowed in from scores of people, including:

  • Mr. Malcolm Fraser, Primie Minister of Australia
  • Mr.Laurie W. Neal, Senator for Victoria, Parliament of Australia
  • Mr. David I. Smith, Official Secretary to the Governor General of Australia, Canberra
  • Mr. J. H. Curtis, Managing Director, Telecom Australia
  • Mr. S. K. Langley, FIEAust, President of the Institution of Engineers, Engineers Australia, Canberra
  • The Executive Manager of the Melbourne Chamber of Commerce
  • The President of the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria

I was overwhelmed by the number of other congratulatory letters, cards, and calls, from many colleagues in Telecom Australia, and friends in the Australian and the worldwide radio monitoring community, and of course from my family, friends, and people in the Engineering Faculties of most Victorian Universities. 

The Nominees had asked that they remain anonymous, in view of the importance of the occasion.

Articles were published about the Award in the House Magazine of Telecom Australia, and in the local Newspapers.

The Award was essentially for Service to Shortwave Radio, both as an individual professional engineer and in a voluntary capacity over several decades in radio club management.

The inscription on the Certificate reads:

From

Zelman Cowen,

Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia and

Chancellor of the Order of Australia

To

ROBERT JOHN PADULA

Greeting

NOW KNOW YOU that, with the approval of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Secondm, Queen of Australia and Sovereign of the Order of Ausdtralia, I have been pleased to award you the Medal of the Order of Australia in fhe General Division.

I DO by these Presents authorize you to hold and enjoy the dignity of such an Award.

GIVEN at Government House, Canberra, under the Seal of the Order of Australia this thirteenth day of June 1981.

By His Excellency's Command

David Smith
Secretary of the Order of Australia

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The OAM Certificate

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OAM Insignia

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OAM letter from Governor General

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OAM Letter from Victorian Senate

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OAM telegram from the Prime Minister

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OAM telegram from Adventist World Radio

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1981 - OAM article in newspaper

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