After joining the navy at the age of 14 a resident at our Gladesville Home was on the landing ship during the D-Day invasion in World War II.
Thomas Duffy, who now lives at Ashburn House, was born in Coatbridge, Scotland in 1923, and joined the British Merchant Marines when he was 14 years old.
During WWII, he worked on the mine sweepers in the English Channel, and was actually on the landing ship in the engine room at “D” Day in France at the end of WWII.
After two visits to Australia during the war years, Thomas loved the country so much he talked his fiancée Cathie into immigrating to Sydney in 1953.
They married in October that year and had four children; Christine, Katherine, Maureen and John.
Tom worked as a fireman at night and roof tiler by day to save for their first home.
In 1962, they whole family moved to Concord West. In 1994, after the passing of his wife, Cathie, he decided to move into a unit in Ryde.
He lived there for 22 years until he came to Ashburn House in May 2016.
