Korizo & Maurice 'Bub' Milovitch
FatherEdward Patrick Milovitch b. 26 Feb 1872, d. 9 Jun 1929
MotherMary Reid b. 22 Dec 1879, d. 22 May 1950
Pedigree

Birth, Death, Marriage

Maurice Peter 'Bub' Milovitch was born on 9 September 1907 in Mooroopna, Victoria.1,2,3 
He died on 25 August 1968 at age 60.4 
ChartsMilovitch, Thomas, descendant chart

Story

Peter/Maurice/Bub
In the Victorian birth register, he is Peter Maurice Milovitch, born in Mooroopna.

In all other records such as his military service and newspaper reports, he is Maurice Peter.

To family, he was known as 'Bub.5,1,6,7,2,3,8,9'
 
Nellie (Ellen Agnes), Vincent Patrick, Bub (Peter Maurice, back), Mary (Reid) with Toti (Gertrude Ann), Korizo, Thomas & Paddy (Edward Patrick) Milovitch, c. 1916
Image: Jeanette Henderson
Education
There are records of Bub's brothers and sisters enrolling at St Brendan's primary school in Shepparton, but not for Maurice Peter.

In his war service records, no education records are shown.10,11
 
Fun
Nieces recall their 'Uncle Bub' as being a lot of fun. They also recall he was a bit of a drinker.5
 
He was our favourite uncle when we were very young. Every Christmas he visited us and arrived in a taxi with all the white beard and dressed as Father Christmas, usually with quite a few beers under the belt. We really loved him.7
 
In July 1931, Maurice was charged with being drunk and disorderly in a public place. He had been drinking with his brother-in-law, John Haddock. Both pleaded not guilty, but declined to make sworn statements. In court, Maurice admitted having been drunk but denied being disorderly. The magistrate disagreed and both were convicted.9
 
Work in Shepparton
In 1928, 'Morris' Milovitch was a labourer living in Benalla Rd.

In 1931, the electoral rolls show Maurice, a labourer, and his mother living at 50 Rowe St in Shepparton. His father Paddy had died two years earlier.12,13
 
In 1938, Maurice is mentioned as a truck driver in Shepparton. In his military service enlistment form, he gave his occupation as transport driver.10,8
 
Relationships
As far as we know, Bub never married and he had no children.

At age 37, when he signed up for military service, he said he was single. As next of kin, he gave Veronica Rose Tinsley, whom he described as a 'friend.10'
 
It was once thought he married someone by the name of Elizabeth after moving to Queensland.7
 
Loss of Contact with Family
In March 1938, Maurice fronted court in a show cause case:
An order was made in the Shepparton Court of Petty Sessions yesterday for Maurice Peter Milovitch to pay fines aggregating £2 10/- within seven days or go to gaol for four days in default. The same defendant was fined £1 for having driven a motor truck without a licence.

The fines, threat of gaol, and loss of his Victorian driver licence with which he earned his income, may have prompted him to leave Shepparton.8
 
It might also explain why he then had little contact with his family. He returned for a few brief visits in the early to mid-1940s, mostly as Father Christmas. But at least one brother and one sister made it clear he was no longer welcome, possibly for fear of being visited by the police in search of him.14,6,15,16
 
Work in Queensland
Maurice's military service record shows that he went to Queensland where he worked as a truck driver.3
 
It also shows he moved around quite a bit.

On enlistment in January 1942, he was living at 182 Water St, Fortitude Valley in Brisbane.

On discharge in February 1945, he was c/o MJ Madden, Sunnyside, via Sarina, North Queensland. By November he was at 106 Leichardt St, Brisbane.

In November 1956, Maurice was c/o S Kele, Stock Yard Creek, Bruce Highway via Marlborough, Queensland.

In June 1959, he was c/o Browns store, Walker St, Maryborough, Queensland.

By 1963, he was back in Brisbane: in October he was at 98 Annie St, New Farm, and in April 1965 at 28 Stanley St, South Brisbane.3
 
War Service
Maurice Peter Milovitch enlisted for military service on 27 January 1942 in Brisbane. His service number is QX 29130, and he was assigned to 2/6th Infantry Battalion.3
Maurice Peter 'Bub' Milovitch, enlistment photos, Brisbane, 1942
In response to the question 'Who is your actual next of kin?' (where the order of relationship includes father, mother, eldest brother and eldest sister), Maurice gave Veronica Rose Tinsley of Brisbane, 'friend'. Eight months later, that is crossed out and replaced by Gertrude Ann Sloper of Melbourne, 'friend (no living relatives)'. In fact she is his sister.

In his desire to hide from his past and the Victorian police, Maurice also said he was born in Cairns, Queensland on 16 October 1905 (he was really born in Mooroopna on 9 September 1907.)3
 
Maurice's service also got off to a shaky start; his first AWL (absent without leave) was less than three weeks after he enlisted. He was fined 10/- (about $1) and forfeited three days pay.

More AWLs followed with ever-increasing penalties. There were two more in Brisbane before he went overseas, one in the field, and two on his return to Australia due to illness.3
 
The service record doesn't show any combat details, only movements.

After enlistment, Maurice was transferred to 7 Pioneer Company for training at Boggabilla, near Goondiwindi, and Townsville.

On 24 July 1942, he embarked 'Mangola' in Townsville for 8 Military District (covering New Guinea). He disembarked three days later at 'Fall River', the codename for Milne Bay in New Guinea.

In February, he was evacuated by field ambulance with headaches, later diagnosed as malaria. In September, following several more bouts of malaria, he returned to Cairns for recovery. Over the next seven months, Maurice was in and out of hospital and convalescent depot before returning to service, but this time in Queensland.3
 
By October 1944, things were looking better. He was serving again and had received a pay increase after being transferred to 5 Section Kit Store in Queensland.

But it didn't last. In January 1945, he was found guilty of a civil offence. He claimed to be someone else and cashed their cheque for £4/16/0. He was fined £1, forfeited 6 days pay and ordered to make restitution of £4/16/0, in default 1 month in prison. The fine and restitution were paid.

Maurice was discharged 4 days later with the official reason to 'enable him to take up employment in an industry or occupation his employment in which is necessary in the interests of the defence of the Commonwealth'.

His Returned from Active Service Badge was no. A 107414. And his personal description at discharge was: height: 5 ft 9½ in; eyes: blue; complexion: medium; hair: dark; marks or scars: scar right thigh.3
Maurice Peter 'Bub' Milovitch, discharge photos, Brisbane, 1945
According to certificate of discharge no. 121452, Maurice served full time from 27 Jan 1942 to 3 Feb 1945, a total of 1060 days. And he was on active service abroad from 15 July 1942 to 9 October 1943, a total of 413 days.3
 
War Service Medals
One of Maurice's Second World War service medals was kindly returned to the family by a lady in Queensland. Paula was trying to find a home for medals that her recently-deceased policeman father wanted to return. Queensland policeman John Kenneth Nevin didn't want to just let them disappear into the police lost and found system.

It was this kind act in November 2011 that led to the family finding out what had become of Maurice after he left Shepparton seventy years earlier.3,17,18
Bub (Maurice) Milovitch, World War 2 service medal (Thanks to John Kenneth Nevin)
It is possible more of Maurice's service medals will be found. His service record shows a series of communications with the Australian military between 1953 and 1965 regarding lost medals and certificate of service.

A statement of service was sent in October 1953, but returned unclaimed as Maurice had moved before it arrived.

In November 1956, Maurice requested another copy plus replacement medals. The statement of service was sent together with a statutory declaration that he needed to complete before replacement medals could be issued.

Another request for medals and service statement was made in July 1959. A service statement was sent with another blank statutory declaration form, but again returned unclaimed.

He tried again in October 1963, but this time lost the statutory declaration form and in March 1964 requested another one, which was duly sent.

Finally in April 1965, he completed and returned the statutory declaration. In it, he claimed to have lost the two stars, two medals and discharge certificate in a fire about four years earlier in the Stanthorpe district. This time he gave his correct date and place of birth, and his next-of-kin on enlistment as Mrs G Sloper, sister, Northgate St Mooroopna. In his covering letter with the statutory declaration, Maurice requests yet another copy of his certificate of discharge. This was sent two weeks later.

While there are no records of replacement medals ever having been sent, the one returned to the family indicates they may have been.3
 
Three years later, Maurice Milovitch died in Queensland. No father or mother is recorded.4
 

Citations

  1. [S270] Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, registry and index, Peter Maurice Milovitch entry, birth registration no. 28996, 1907.
  2. [S241] Treasury of Catholic Doctrine, family bible, 1919.
  3. [S439] 'Milovitch Maurice Peter', B883 Citizen Military Forces Personnel Dossiers, 1939-1947, control symbol QX29130, service record, 1942-1945.
  4. [S487] Queensland registry of births, deaths and marriages, registry and index, Maurice Milovitch entry, death registration no. B99934, 1968.
  5. [S227] Pat Whyte, personal communication, 12 May 2012.
  6. [S486] Elaine Wilkinson, personal communication, 20 November 2014.
  7. [S82] Jeanette Henderson, personal communication, 14 May 2012.
  8. [S201] Show cause case, Shepparton Advertiser, 1914-1953, newspaper, 18 March 1938, Thomas Pettit and William Callender, p. 3, 27 November 2017, viewed http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/174998641
  9. [S201] Under the clock, Shepparton Advertiser, 1914-1953, newspaper, 16 July 1931, Thomas Pettit and William Callender, p. 2, 27 November 2017, viewed http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article186774175
  10. [S439] 'Milovitch Maurice Peter', B883 Citizen Military Forces Personnel Dossiers, 1939-1947, control symbol QX29130, service record, 1942-1945, attestation form, Jan 1942.
  11. [S165] History of St Brendan's Primary School 1891-1991, St Brendan's Centenary History Committee, 1991, pp. 68-69.
  12. [S429] Fine of L35: Breach of lincensing act, Weekly Times, 1869-1954, newspaper, 15 March 1928, p. 3, 27 November 2017, viewed http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/179172789
  13. [S248] Early Electoral Rolls of Australia, 1st ed., DVD-ROM, AIGS, 2009, division of Echuca, subdivision of Shepparton, 1931.
  14. [S82] Jeanette Henderson, personal communication, 24 May 2018.
  15. [S82] Jeanette Henderson, personal communication, 6 October 2018.
  16. [S486] Elaine Wilkinson, personal communication, 4 October 2018.
  17. [S76] Noellene Wood, personal communication, 30 November 2011.
  18. [S126] Peter Phillips, personal knowledge or recollection.