A master of mechanics

– Mara Pattison-Sowden
Albert William Cranch Fox was born on 9 June 1920 in Warburton, the youngest of three children.
From the age of five, he had a keen interest in trucks, cars and engines.
Leaving school at 13, Albert worked in the family garage, the Donna Buang Service Station, until the start of World War II.
He was able to see an engine problem and solve it.
Albert joined the war in 1941, training in Seymour before he was posted to the General Transport Company in Alice Springs.
He was head of dispatch, maintaining the army vehicles that were driven between Adelaide and Darwin.
He always drove the last vehicle in the convoy, to ensure that everyone reached their destination, stopping to assist any breakdowns.
Tyres on the trucks would often overheat because of low pressure and Albert suggested to his superior the pressure of the trucks’ tyres needed to be increased from 35 to 70 pounds.
Routine orders wouldn’t permit that, but the commander authorised the change which saved the government thousands of pounds and reduced the number of tyres they had to replace.
During the war, Albert met his wife Edna at Bonegilla, where she worked in the signals division, and they later married on 20 July 1944.
After discharge from the army, they returned to begin a long and happy life in Warburton, where they remained until moving to Portland due to Edna’s ill health in 2007.
Albert worked in the family garage until 1990, servicing vehicles used during the building of the Upper Yarra and the Thomson Dam, panel beating and heavy duty vehicle retrieval and haulage from damaged vehicles.
Albert had three children – Bill, Elaine and Frank, and became a doting grandfather of nine and great grandfather of nine.
Albert was an inaugural member of the Warburton Golf Club and spent many years playing team pennant.
He was a club champion, and teamed up often with Edna.
He also enjoyed cricket, football and tennis.
Trips overseas to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the fall of Singapore, and a visit to the UK to meet family, known only by letters and telephone, were very much enjoyed in later years.
Albert joined the Warburton RSL in 1980 and held the position of president for eight years.
He was a delegate to the RSL state conference, a member of the State Council and a regional committee and district board member for 18 years.
He co-founded the Warburton Lyrebird Day Club with Edna.
Albert was awarded a Victorian RSL life membership in 1997 and was awarded the second highest honour in the RSL, Life Membership of the Australian RSL with a Gold Badge in 2003, which was later followed with a Meritorious Service Award in 2005.
Edna passed away shortly after the move to Portland, and Albert lived independently until last year, when he moved into a nursing home in Heywood.
Albert passed away on 5 April 2011 and will be sadly missed by all his family and many friends in the Warburton community.