Age shall not weary Helen's campaign for veterans' welfare

A two-year stint in the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF) took her from country girl to sending secret signals about aviation movements at the RAAF's Sydney headquarters.

"I was sick of working in the shoe shop (at Young) and if I hadn't joined, I would have been made to stay at home," Mrs Clark said.

The 98-year-old Goulburn woman recounted her experience at Goulburn's Anzac Day commemorations in Belmore Park.

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Mrs Clark was born in Sydney, one of five children. The family moved to Young where her father died when she was 12 years old. At age 18, she decided to join the WAAAF as a signals clerk.

"I worked in headquarter units and in a number of towns - wherever you could get a phone connection, because it wasn't always easy," she said.

"Once you lost the link, you were sunk and you only had a split second to get the signal out...It was very interesting work and I got to meet a lot of people.

"We were just background people, nothing special. I just plugged away doing my job."

At first they sent signals using teleprinters but then the Americans introduced "new fangled" teletypes that made the work easier.

Alison Grunsell, who later married future Goulburn mayor, Harold Howard, was among her colleagues.

Men were paid 12 shillings and women - six shillings a week, despite training together and doing the same work.

It wasn't the only inequity that Mrs Clark noticed. After the war she was seconded to work in civil aviation for a year but by the 1950s, an interest in veterans' welfare needs took hold.

A group, including herself, worked behind the scenes to secure medical help for ex-servicewomen.

In 1962, Mrs Clark established the Goulburn and District Ex-Servicewomen's Association. Initially there were 30 members.

"We were the first one to take the Women's Land Army (under our banner). They did the same work and we thought they should be entitled to repatriation benefits as well," she said.

Mrs Clark had to fight for her veteran's entitlements too, but eventually secured them. She noted that some men had missed out and the Association "went into bat for them."

She was incensed that some male veterans were not looked after.

"During the Vietnam War when the RSL turned its back on soldiers, we got parcels together and sent them to those serving to let them know we cared," Mrs Clark said.

"When they arrived home they were treated like rubbish and I'll never forgive them (the RSL) for that."

The Ex-servicewomen's Association continued, driven forward by Mrs Clark, Val Casey and others.

It disbanded in latter years after members passed away.

Mrs Clark relocated from Goulburn to Sussex Inlet with husband and ex Royal Navy man, Norman, in 1988.

She moved back to Goulburn about four years ago. Norman died in August, 2020. Today she lives with son, Peter, and is a Legacy widow.

"Ex-servicemen and women are very important to me and that's why I lay a wreath on Anzac Day," Mrs Clark said.