Mission Down Under

Famous, highly decorated aviator and war hero – Sir Basil Embry – decided to live out his dream in retirement, carving out the family fortunes in heavily timbered bush in Western Australia. Challenges and hardship were already in his DNA and seizing opportunities had always been his philosophy in life – whether leading his airborne squadron on flak ridden raids, or diving into a manure heap to escape from his German captors.

Later in life he became politically active, trying to improve the lot of fellow farmers, as the wool and meat trade descended into the doldrums. His daughter-in-law Joan writes of the inevitable challenges and vagaries of establishing two sheep properties over the years in Western Australia, with basic living in sheds and shacks.

Financial and living hardships did not dent Joan’s continuing enthusiasm for the way of life she found herself living. The iconic scent of the Australian bush; the depth and breadth of colour to the horizon both in the day and night and the scent and feel of the wool as the fleece comes off the sheep in the shearing shed, remain with her to this day.

A light-hearted book about rural Australia in the 60’s and 70’s, and a family’s determination to create a better life for themselves. A book with humour and emotion which makes a great read.

Author . Authors Father qualified as a doctor in Scotland just before WW2, He trained as a. pilot and specialised in Aviation Medicine and Oxygen systems retiring as an Air Commodore. As RAF Children she and her husband Mark met when they were 14 and in subsequent Postings. At age 21 she was engaged to Mark and joined the Embry family as the sixth member pioneer farming in Western Australia. Living ten years in a small caravan adjoining a small shack. f Two years engaged and eight years marriage. She was a working member of the team and raise her first three children during this time living on limited finances as priority went to developing the sheep farm. After ten years they were left in charge of the first farm while Sir Basil Embry his wife Hope plus brothers Kieth and Paddy moved on to a second farm development also needing priority expenditure for several years.

BOOK The book is an interesting autography of the struggle to develop a viable farm on limited income and the only biographical record of the last seventeen years of Air Chief Marshall Sir Basil Embrys life after a very distinguished and highly decorated thirty five years in the Royal Air Force. In addition to supporting five other family members initially on his pension he converted two undeveloped area in to two profitable farms that supported the whole family and their descendants. He also worked hard to improve the lot of Australia Sheep farmers, a workload that eventually accelerated his demise.