Maurice (Monty) Leslie Julian was born in New Plymouth on 16 December 1923, the son of Ellen Mary and Frank Julian.
In 1940, aged 16, he joined the Air Training Corps No 8 New Plymouth Squadron, then two years later he joined the RNZAF. He then completed his training in bases in New Zealand before being posted to the Solomon Islands in 1943 as a radar/radio operator. He was based on one of Guadalcanal’s western beaches.
He described, in a June 2012 interview for TOM, the intense heat and swimming a lot to get some relief and scanning the skies for aircraft in order to alert the American Airforce to enemy presence. He left the island on leave in 1944 and was unable to return due to ill health.
After the war Monty married Patricia Rita McCormick and he worked as a waterfront worker and in the printing trade. He later ran business specialising in selling record albums, sound equipment and televisions. His first business was called the Record Inn, then later he owned Colombus Appliance Ltd and then Vision Hire.
Monty died in New Plymouth on 2 May 2014.
Documents
Monty Julian: One of the last ANZACS, TOM newsletter (June 2012).
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