 Mike 'Pony' Moore has kindly sent in the following Eulogy for Jeff,  compiled by his close friend and MOBI classmate, Mick Brice...
Jeff and I joined the Navy together as Artificer Apprentices in June1964, along with 86 other boys/young men aged between 15.5 and 17.5 from all over Australia, lured into the Navy by a recruiting brochure. (copy held up)
Our 12-year enlistment started at HMAS Nirimba with our artificer training of 3.5 years. Nirimba was a reused Naval Air Station from the Second World War. west of Sydney. On arrival we were kitted out and suddenly responsible for washing, ironing, undertaking drills on time, PT, classes etc. If you can imagine more than 650 of us, limited leave, plenty of sport, and plenty of extracurricular activities around the airstrip if we played up! The accommodation was cold in winter and hot in summer. But the training in each of the trades was excellent, and, on reflection, we were well looked after. Pay? $9.99 per fortnight rising to $13.74 in the fourth year! (Pay book held up)
The first six months were spent being assessed for our potential as tradesmen including activities such as turning round billets of steel into precisely sized hexagon blocks using only a hammer and chisel and a couple of files. We even made the tools we would later use in service. (Held up outside callipers)
In February of 1965 a Royal Guard consisting of 100 of the newest apprentices including Jeff, paraded for the Sesquicentenary (150th anniversary) of Bathurst. The Governor General Lord DeLisle reviewed the guard and remarked that even though it was an extremely hot day and we had been on parade for a very long time, it was one of the finest guards he had seen. Jeff got a mention in Navy News! (copy held up) And Mike over there, was part of a Navy team running the 132 miles from Sydney to Bathurst as part of the celebration.
Jeff took on the trade of fitter and turner along with Mike here. Gary Ballhause who lived at Barooga about an hour from Jeff when they joined, Barry Edwards, Jim Moon and Geoff Piesse, all fitter and turners, send their condolences and best wishes.
There was an apprentice band at Nirimba and Jeff played the side drum – I remember him twirling the sticks with flair and having them land on the drum just as required for the beat. At one point he was the band leader and took to throwing the mace high into the air and catching it a few paces further on - to the surprise of those nearby – and to the consternation of those in charge who, despite his successful evolutions, invited him to be a little less enthusiastic.
At the end of our apprentice training, we had a passing out parade and here is a photograph of jeff, his mother and father, and his sister on the day. We went our separate ways to the ships of the fleet – frigates, destroyers and the aircraft carrier - that we were to operate and maintain. We were steadily promoted – first to leading hand, then Petty Officer and then Chief Petty Officer. And in Jeff’s case, to Warrant Officer – the most senior non-commissioned rank. From time to time our paths would cross, or we would meet someone who knew of the progress of our fellow apprentices. More recently we have been attending reunions, and each time we meet, in the spirit of true friendship and camaraderie, we take up conversations as if we had only seen each other yesterday.
Having spoken to a number of our term-mates including Mike Neal and Warwick Williams in Adelaide, we have come to the view that Jeff was a very competent and considerate person, undertaking his duties quietly and proficiently and rewarding well both the faith that his parents had in him when they sent him off to become an apprentice at what now seems such a young age, and the faith the Navy had in him to look after the machinery and crews of its ships in which he served.
Jeff has now crossed the bar, like quite a number of his fellow apprentices, and we hope that they’ll be able to chew over old times, as MOBIs (an affectionate name for apprentice artificers) and the things they got up to at Nirimba and afterwards, as they served far and wide, in war and peace, in the Defence of Australia.
Farewell Jeff from all of us, Rest in Peace.
(From Mick Brice) "For my part I spoke of the earlier, apprentice days - thinking that much more would be said later by others about his great contribution to the town in so
many ways, or his support of the Morris Minor restorations etc. But while the size of the large crowd reflected Jeff's impact there wasn't much said - perhaps, as country
folk, their presence was their demonstration of their appreciation of Jeff. The name board in the hall showed he had been the Secretary of the RSL subbranch for many years.
He visited veterans in hospital, undertook Meals on Wheels, etc."
 
....................................................  Just two of a number of Morris Minor/ 1000 restorations/ modifications undertaken by Jeff...
Pony wrote: Very sad news. I knew Jeff at Nirimba, and later at Cerberus and post retirement. Very capable Tiff, and a quiet, solid reliable mobi mate.
I also knew Jeff as a member of the Victorian Rugby Referres Assosciation in our endeavours to referee Rugby Union in Victoria during the 1980's and 1990's.
Jeff was in Stirling division and a side drummer in the band before becoming the drum major leading the band.
He was a quiet thoughtful bloke and very conscientious and reliable.
One of his loves in life was finding old Morris 1000's and doing them up, which was one of his real passions in life.
Another taken far too soon. RIP Jeff, fair winds and following sea your watch is done.
Condolences to his family.
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Whilst I vaguely remember Jeff from Nirimba, I can't say I knew him personally, but from Pony's post 
