Harold Holt - Where were you when you heard the news?

**Neddie** · 10-12-17, 08:23 AM

In just a weeks time it will be 50 years since Harold Holt disappeared in the surf at Cheviot beach, - do you remember where you were when you first heard of this?

A few here will be too young to remember but I expect that there will be many who do.

That day, 17 December 1967, was my first wedding anniversary, my wife and I had traveled from our first home, a flat in Greenslopes, Brisbane for a day at Burleigh Heads on the then South Coast, now the Gold Coast, we returned to the car to get some lunch when we heard on the radio that a VIP had gone missing near Portsea in Victoria, my wife was very interested, but I just dismissed the report as typical sensationalism by a reporter, how wrong I was.

I found this very interesting and well written article about Harold Holt from the perspective of his niece, Sue Holt. You can read it .

A prime minister drowning in rough surf is the stuff of movies, except it famously happened here. Fifty years on, Harold Holt’s niece recalls an awful day, a gentler time – and hitching a ride home on Prince Charles’ jet.

**Skepticist** · 10-12-17, 09:36 AM

I was delivering bottles of wine to members of an exclusive wine club in Sydney's northern suburbs with a mate and heard on the car radio that 'a well known spearfishing personality' (or something very like that) had gone missing. Immediately recalled that recent newspaper pic of Harold with a speargun and, sure enough, it was him when it was confirmed later that evening.

Yes way more innocent times back then but the JFK assassination was still very fresh in our collective minds. LBJ attended the memorial service for Harold and said 'I've lost a mate'.

**mandc** · 10-12-17, 10:12 AM

Listening to my new transistor radio while being driven around Brisbane in the back of Dad's ute......Yep...no one blinked an eye at kids sitting in the back of a ute back then.

It came up as a news flash.

**gordon_s1942** · 10-12-17, 12:13 PM

In 1967 I had just turned 25 (11 November) I was single with no G'Friend and I had spotted a car I wanted to buy.
I had been to Sydney to the Japanese Trade Centre in Pitt ? street and seen a Datsun Station wagon, 6 cylinder, tinted glass, power windows, HEATER and RADIO. I cant remember now if it was an Auto or Manual.
I am guessing it was worth between $3500 and $4000 but that it had both a HEATER and Radio (power Arial) was what sold me.
Unfortunately it was beyond my financial reach so I opted for a Toyota Corona then around $1900 but in March of 68, I bought a Toyota Crown 4 cylinder for $2240 brand new............no radio but it had a heater............
I have a feeling we were short staffed and I was working 12 days out of 14. On one part of the roster, we worked 21 days straight before we got a day off and even that was after you finished at 7am that morning before returning on afternoon shift the next day.
Oddly enough his disappearance seemed to cause less of a stir than the activities of his Wife and her subsequent partner over the next few years.

**enf** · 10-12-17, 02:00 PM

Remember seeing the news, but no idea of any more than that....

**admin** · 10-12-17, 02:55 PM

Probably shitting my pants given I was 5 months old...............

**Neddie** · 10-12-17, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by admin

Probably shitting my pants

Some things never change.

**admin** · 10-12-17, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by Neddie

Some things never change.

Probably 2/3's of the forum would be, some would not have even been born given it was 50 years ago. Given you would probably have to be about 10 to remember (unless you are good with childhood memories), you are only going to get replies from those 60 and older.

**Onefella** · 10-12-17, 04:09 PM

I was 10 months old.

**Keith** · 10-12-17, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by admin

Probably 2/3's of the forum would be, some would not have even been born given it was 50 years ago. Given you would probably have to be about 10 to remember (unless you are good with childhood memories), you are only going to get replies from those 60 and older.

Whew, glad I'm almost 59, leaves me out.

Nah, I remember looking out over the water somewhere in Victoria and seeing what looked like a periscope when I heard it on the radio.......

Just bullshitting LOL.

**hoe** · 10-12-17, 04:51 PM

I would have been 4 years old, living in gormanston, just about to make the big move to Evandale........

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**admin** · 10-12-17, 05:26 PM

Originally Posted by hoe

I would have been 4 years old, living in gormanston, just about to make the big move to Evandale........

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What the hell were you doing at Gormanston ? ? Its pretty remote.

I was recently researching my Tasmanian side, and my 3 x great grandmother had a brother that drowned at Linda while working for the Mt Lyall company as a 17 year old.

**mi_tasol** · 10-12-17, 05:43 PM

I was in kindergarten

**hoe** · 10-12-17, 06:11 PM

Originally Posted by admin

What the hell were you doing at Gormanston ? ? Its pretty remote.

Mostly playing with my big brother and the girl next door, who liked to take all her clothes off.

My old man was the local copper.

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**lsemmens** · 11-12-17, 03:04 PM

I was in School, it had little effect on me at the time (I was in grade 5), but I do remember it. The only other news stories of the era that I have any vivid recollection of are the Apollo missions. I built a model of the Gemini space capsule which was the precursor to Apollo. Gemini 10 was actually touring around Aust at about that time.

**gordon_s1942** · 11-12-17, 03:18 PM

Despite Harold being PM and you just dont go and drown them because your bored and have nothing better to do, I dont really remember it being such a major calamity.
Dear old Linden B Johnson (LBJ) US President said he had a 'lost a Good Mate' in Harold but I wondered if this was because Harold was one of his supporters for the Viet Nam War even though LBJ eventually withdrew all US Troops from there.

I have the impression more was made about his wife Lady Zara (Bates?) and her boyfriend.
Totally had all that stuffed up.
She was born Dickens, Married Fell then Holt then Jeffery Bates.

According to Wikipedia on Bates, 'Our Harold' was quite the LAD it seems..............

**Neddie** · 11-12-17, 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by gordon_s1942

'Our Harold' was quite the LAD it seems..............

Yes he adopted Zara's sons from her previous marriage, but he was their father anyway.

Too much frigging in the rigging, I think.

**Neddie** · 17-12-17, 08:44 AM

There we had answers available as to the location of the late PM, Harold Holt, and I guess no one in authority did a thing about it.

To read about this, and other conspiracy theories .

**gordon_s1942** · 17-12-17, 12:17 PM

Crikey, how perceptive is that to say HH's body is buried in the sand as he was out swimming when he disappeared.
If Mr Dadi Balsara had managed to get here and do a search, finding any remains after some 6 weeks when this request was made, would be minimal so like all the 'Soothsays' and Clairvoyants who have claimed to know where the Beaumont Children are, could use the excuses that storms, tides, Birds and other Sea critters would have scatted any remains far and wide.

I don't remember now but I am guessing there was one hell of a contingent of State and Federal Police along with other Search and Rescue Teams (Army, Air Force and Navy) who would have searched the whole area with a fine tooth comb?

**Neddie** · 17-12-17, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by gordon_s1942

I am guessing there was one hell of a contingent of State and Federal Police along with other Search and Rescue Teams (Army, Air Force and Navy) who would have searched the whole area with a fine tooth comb?

Yes, but did any of them have the requisite powers in the palmistry and mysticism areas? Answer me that