General Notes: He was an outstanding sportsman, especially in Australian Rules football
in South Australia. He played for Victor Harbor and Talbot in Victoria. He was also a competition diver, and an excellent dancer - enjoyed parties and dances while growing up in Victor Harbor in SA.
Served in the Royal Australian Navy during WW2. He enlisted on 11 Nov 1942 as a
Seaman, service number PA3309, and was discharged from HMAS Torrens on 15 Mar
1946 with the rank of Able Seaman. During his enlistment he suffered from chronic
seasickness.
After the amicable divorce from (Marjorie) Claire (nee Nicolle), he remained friends with his
family, even joining Claire and her new husband Bob Ward for an occasional evening meal
when travelling through Ballarat while on the road as a travelling salesman for Hawkes
Bros. After his divorce from Claire (Nicolle) and before he married Ailsa (Murray) he boarded
with her sister Janine Berry, and her family, at Corio.
Following his second marriage in 1960 at Horsham, he unfortunately lost touch with his first
family due to his new wife's obsession about him having absolutely no association with his
previous life, even including his siblings. Regretfully, over the next 44 years he was
subjected to a life of neglect, and mental and physical abuse by his wife and children --
apparently this syndrome is not uncommon with returned servicemen.
In late 2004, he was forcibly removed from his home in Belmont by Department of Family
and Community Services authorities following a letter allegedly sent by his wife to his eldest
brother, stating that she long longer wanted him and that Max (the brother) should come
and get him. However, as Max was 84 and in poor health, he was in no position to do
anything himself, and so the police became involved. Alf was quickly placed into care by the
authorities, as his diabetes was totally out of control and he was in a poor physical state.
He was first put into the Geelong Hospital until his medical state was as stable as they
could get it, then into a nursing home in Belmont, and finally into the Queenscliff Nursing
Home. His second family was also banned from seeing him (they were allowed write to
him if they wanted to, but they didn't bother). He later remembered being in hospital, but
was confused at that time and so had no idea about how he actually got to Queenscliff --
probably a good thing.
Alf then had several 'plusses' -- he was reunited with his two eldest children from his first
marriage (whom he had not really seen for over 40 years), he met his two adult grandsons
(Sean and Darren McGee) for the first time, was reunited with his surviving siblings who
made the trip over from South Australia especially to see him, had his first real Father's Day
and Christmas Day for many years, and achieved the age of 80 years. This last event
occured about 2 weeks before he quietly died at 4.20am on Monday 18 April at the
Queenscliff Nursing Home, Hesse Street, Queenscliff.
The only sad note about all this was that his second family placed a rather hypocritical
notice in the death column of the Geelong Advertiser, 20 April 2005, saying: 'McGee, Henry
Alfred, 3/4/1925 - 17/4/2005 [sic] ex RAN. Passed away in Geelong [sic]. Loved
husband of Ailsa, much loved father of Andrew and Tracey [my emphasis]. At last now in
peace.' The last statement at least is true.
According to his wishes, Alf was cremated and his ashes were sent to his siblings at Victor
Harbour, where they were to be scattered into the sea from the causeway.

Noted events in his life were:
• He worked as a hardware sales representative from 1947 to 1985.
• He resided at 92 Taylor Street in 1953 in Wallaroo Hospital, Wallaroo, South Australia.
• He resided at 56 Torquay Road from after 1960 to 2004 in Belmont, Geelong, Victoria,
Australia.
• He was cremated Geelong Crematorium on 20 Apr 2005 in Geelong, Victoria, Australia.1
His ashes were sent to his siblings in South Australia, and were spread into the waters
from the causeway at Victor Harbor where he was born 80 years prior.
Alf married Claire NICOLLE on 2 Nov 1947 in Church of England, Victor
Harbor, South Australia. The marriage ended in divorce in Feb 1957.
Alf next married Ailsa May MURRAY, daughter of William Harvey MURRAY
and Myrtle Jean CAMERON, on 6 Aug 1960 in Horsham, Wimmera, Victoria,
Australia. The marriage ended in separation in Sep 2004.