Ihave found that writing about one's own life experiences has been emotionally draining, so much so that I had to leave it at times for several years. I shall endeavour to provide at least some clarity and understanding of the impact on one family in Western Australia during the Great Depression and Second World War (WW2) and the day-to-day struggle within the orphanages where my brother Robert (Bob) were placed.Despite the above, I set myself goals that I was fortunate enough to achieve in the years that followed, at Clontarf Boys Town, by serving in both the Royal Australian Air Force, in Australia's Foreign Service as a career overseas officer and finally by returning to Federal government service as a protocol officer with the departments of prime minister and cabinet and foreign affairs and trade. Some may disapprove of my referring to Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officers and staff from other departments serving at Australian overseas missions as Foreign Service officers. However, while writing this memoir, I have found that it has simplified and encapsulated the core name of the many Australian Government departments that often serve at our diplomatic missions overseas.I should have devoted so much more detail in this book to the wives and children of Foreign Service officers and the single staff who commit themselves to leave their family and friends for years at a time to face the difficulties, disruptions, illnesses, and dangers that so often occur while working at overseas missions. However, that would have been a book in itself. George J. Knox