AUSTRALIAN field ambulance corporal and Victoria's oldest civilian ambulance officer, poet and great storyteller, George Prolongeau has died.
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A beloved community member and proud Sebastopol man, Mr Prolongeau was 103 years old.
Mr Prolongeau kept a handwritten, daily diary, for more than 83 years - a habit he was determined to keep up in lockdowns - and made his final entry on Saturday morning just hours before his death.
Health had always been important to Mr Prolongeau, who kept fit and sharp, excepting loss of hearing in one ear from a workplace mishap as an ambulance officer. A big part of staying healthy for Mr Prolongeau was writing and talking to people.
As an ambulance officer, Mr Prolongeau liked speaking to people and hearing them share their problems. This remained important to him to reflect on.
"I like thinking about human character and influences, that interests me," Mr Prolongeau told The Courier in early April.
Stories about "telling times", like war, were also important to Mr Prolongeau. The Sebastopol RSL member had not marched on Anzac Day for a while - he quipped this year that "I never thought anyone would be my age" - but he reiterated the importance of keeping the Anzac legacy alive.
He only started to talk about his WWII experience when the son of his former sergeant sought him out to learn more about his father. This visit prompted him to reflect on his shared experience with the men he served alongside.
- Story continued below
Anzac Day 2020
- a poem by Australian Field Ambulance Officer corporal George Prolongeau
Special holidays throughout the year
Each important as they appear
While in the Ballarat area wide
Anzac Day is remembered with pride
Surpasses with sadness - memories alone
Loss of loved ones, not returning home
Families suffering who never forget
A family member, with regret
WWII - overseas - also close at hand
Vietnam warriors fight, in a foreign land
Lest we forget - and casual be
Of those who fought - air, land and sea
We will remember them - let courage excel
Australian troops have always done well
So let's demonstate - appreciate - and
Respectfully honour.
Lest we forget.
Remembrance also became a prominent topic in his poetry.
Mr Prolongeau was conscripted to Australia's WWII efforts and, as a devout Christian, asked for a non-combative role. He started in the kitchens and became a field ambulance corporal in Papua New Guinea.
It was 4am in Bougainville when Mr Prolongeau learned the war had ended. This came as he served 15 consecutive weeks in jungle warfare.
April 1 this year marked 75 years since he was "finished with war and able to come home and marry" his sweetheart.
Joy Prolongeau, aged 99, was holding her husband's hand when he died in Nazareth House. Moments earlier, he was making sure his "mother goose" was nearby.
Together they share children Merlene and Albert, seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Mr Prolongeau shared a birthday with two siblings: Muriel Welsh, who died last year aged 104; and Bill. Mrs Welsh quipped her brother could have the spotlight in 2017 when he joined her as a centenarian.
The army offered Mr Prolongeau a chance to take a correspondence course via University of Melbourne. While keen to further his studies in health, Mr Prolongeau had previously not had the money or secondary school qualifications to do so. He worked on the family gold mine and farm before getting the call-up to the army.
Mr Prolongeau became one of the first in Ballarat to go to a civilian ambulance school. He was an ambulance officer in Ballarat for 22 years and worked his way up to being Ballarat station officer.
In becoming a Retired Ambulance Association member in 2016, Mr Prolongeau told The Courier ambulance officers in his era relied on the medical expertise of doctors and nurses. Mr Prolongeau was only required to have advanced first aid skills when first entering the service.
"When I was first working at the hospital we had one ambulance, and the yard men handled that," Mr Prolongeau said. "They would have to pick up a nurse to go with them to do the medical side of things because they weren't medical men."
Albert Prolongeau said his dad loved his RSL and was so proud to be an Ambulance officer.
Retired Ambulance Association of Victoria president Ian Donaldson spent Friday afternoon interviewing Mr Prolongeau for a members magazine. Mr Prolongeau was waiting for Mr Donaldson's arrival in his ambulance uniform and medals.
"Retired Ambulance Association will miss him greatly for the contribution he's made for us and the presentations he has given," Mr Donaldson said.
"George is such a switched on and interesting person, loved over time. He's a personal friend, teacher and great storyteller.
"What a wonderful person."
Mr Prolongeau will be farewelled on Friday. A piper and drum will accompany him to the funeral cortege, which will be led by a vintage ambulance believed to have been used by Mr Prolongeau in his work.
A modern ambulance will also be in the cortege.
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