It was in early 1940 that George Francis was approached by Lieutenant Commander Eric Feldt, who was based in Townsville to set up the HQ of Section C, Allied Intelligence Bureau, otherwise known as the Coastwatchers. George’s early life and his knowledge of the South Pacific would be of great value to the Coastwatchers, he was told. A number of civilians as well as military personnel were being asked to volunteer and Lieutenant Commander Feldt was most eager to recruit him.

George, as it turned out, was more than willing to be recruited.

Both Betty and eleven-year-old Tom had been confused by the speed with which things had happened. As senior sergeant their father was one of Townsville’s most prominent citizens, then all of a sudden he was gone and twenty-six-year-old Sergeant Bruce Desmond had been promoted to his position.

‘It’s because of Grandpa Albert,’ their mother had patiently explained, which had only added to Betty’s confusion. She’d met her paternal grandparents just once in her life when they’d paid a visit to Brisbane and she couldn’t even remember what they looked like. Tom, who had never encountered his grandparents, was left even more in the dark. Then Grace had explained further.

Albert Francis had been employed as a teacher for the Australian Government Colonial Affairs Department and the family had travelled extensively throughout the South Pacific. George had grown up on the islands, living in Fiji, the New Hebrides, Bougainville and New Guinea.

‘Your father’s familiarity with the region will prove invaluable to the military,’ Grace had said, and Betty had accepted the fact. She’d known her father had spent a great deal of time in the South Pacific as a child and also as a young man, so she supposed it made sense.

Tom, however, was not so easily satisfied. The freckle-faced, hyperactive and quick-witted boy had questions.

‘But why has Dad disappeared so quickly,’ he’d demanded, ‘and why don’t we know where he’s been sent?’

‘Your father is working in Navy Intelligence,’ Grace had flatly answered in a tone that brooked no further discussion, ‘they always keep things close to their chest.’ And Betty and Tom had had to be satisfied with that.

Grace had carefully avoided throughout the conversation any mention of the Coastwatchers, for fear her children might discover the danger a Coastwatcher faced. In his lonely duty out there on those remote islands monitoring enemy activity, a Coastwatcher worked with virtually no backup support. Grace was not at all happy about her husband volunteering for such duty, despite his efforts to quell her fears.