Megan Spencer: Jim Paizis WW11 Navy Veteran
Posted on: Mon 12 Oct 2020
Special permission has been granted for us to bring this interview to Service Voices Listeners. It was coordinated by the Shrine of Remembrance as part of the National Trust and Centre for Architecture Victoria Open House Melbourne’s World War II at Home project. The project was funded by the Victorian State Government. The interview was conducted by Megan Spencer and recorded by Podbooth (in Adelaide!).
James “Jim” Paizis was born in West Melbourne to Greek parents in 1924. Thinking he’d “look rather smart with gold buttons and a strap”, Jim enlisted in the navy just days after his 18th birthday. He served on Corvettes, initially as a midshipman on HMAS Glenelg—undertaking convoy and escort duties up and down the east coast of Australia and into New Guinea—then, as a Gunnery Officer on HMAS Colac.
