The author is Robert V. J. Padula,
OAM, of Mont Albert, Victoria,
Australia. He was one of the first Victorian War Babies of the Second World War,
having been born on September 6, 1939, in Melbourne. On September 3, 1939,
Britain and France declared war
on Germany. Neville Chamberlain broadcast the announcement that the country was
at war.
The author grew up in East
Hawthorn and .is a
Chartered Professional Engineer, providing specialized
consultancy services in International Broadcasting Engineering.
He is a graduate of the RMIT University (Communications Engineering)
and Swinburne University of Technology (Astrophysics) and
holds the rank of Member, Institution of
Engineers Australia.
He is a recipient of the Medal
of the Order of Australia (OAM) for Services to Shortwave Radio, and was
employed by the PMG's Dept/ATC/Telecom Australia from 1956 until 1997.
He also worked in the Radio Australia Transmission
Planning Group (Melbourne) between 1970 and 1990.
He has been actively
involved in bushwalking since 1954, and regularly
undertakes short walks around Greater Melbourne
and nearer country areas.
His passion for
digital photography, 4WDing along
unmade roads, the exploration of parks, reserves, sanctuaries,
coasts and mountains, support his interests in the research
of
Victoria's history
