Australia Australia - Marion Barter, 51, missing after trip to UK, June 1997 #9

[MrsWattle]

Do we know how DdH parents died?

You have asked a very important question. How did Diane's and Penny's parents Peggy Walker and Robert Gordon Walker die? The Vaucluse homes would have been an inheritance? Peggy died young !!

 

[auntywithflowers]

67 is pretty young to die and if she died in Lismore and not at her home - I'm eye-balling Rick Blum pretty hard!

Me too. I wonder how she passed over? We need to find out.

 

[Estelle]

Can you just imagine the size of his filing cabinet! IMO DdeH had a full time secretarial job.
Something that's bugging me... The trip on the Chusan was out of character for RB, he preferred plane travel. Did he book that trip because he already knew DW from Europe and was planning to scam her parents or was he about to scam another passenger when he met her by chance? Either way, DW was initially a victim IMO

If we didn't know he was a fraudster, I would have thought that he could have been part of the crew on the Chusan! But I guess, as he's never done an honest day's work in his life, that couldn't be true.

 

[centred]

I have started writing some vignette theories for myself. on this point it goes:
Theory: He had left as WW in 1970 with residency (courtesy of IK) but no return visa. He has convictions under the name WW in Europe. If he wants to get back in to Australia he probably thinks it’s a risk to fly back using the name WW (he might be picked up for lack of re-entry visa or convictions), so he changes MO of travelling and name, hoping this will confuse the "authorities"...which it did!

IMO:I think the police have uncovered this already because at the inquest the AC:

• listed Fredy David as an alias
• was actually the one who suggested corrected SS Chusan dates from 1970 to 1971
• the AC kept saying to WW do you want to see the travel movements list to refresh your memory? (they have a more extensive list that is in the brief?)

And then he holds up in the air a piece of paper

I love this learned articulated clever legal actor if you havent noticed already Haha

 

[MrsEmmaPeel]

If we didn't know he was a fraudster, I would have thought that he could have been part of the crew on the Chusan! But I guess, as he's never done an honest day's work in his life, that couldn't be true.

Speaking of honest day's work, in the inquest, Mr C speaks of RB working in and for his family's furniture factory as if it were fact. During the 6 year period RB and Diane were not in Australia. It made me wonder if the authorities have proof he was working at that time. And I wondered why on earth his family would hire him for anything after all the time in prison and boatload of charges.

 

[gymtonic]

The Gendarmerie / Army Pay Book investigations got me thinking and, based on my knowledge of national service for the males in my French Family, a sudden bell went off in my head (DING!) that of course Gendarmerie is not the same as the Belgian Army and there could be national service records elsewhere!

So this has become my vignette for the timeline around 1959-64 when WW allegedly was in the Gendarmerie (Belgian military police force) at 227, Avenue de la Courrone, XL.

Theory: At this time there was compulsory national service for males in Belgium Army (same as France) when they turn 18 (with postponements if they are formally studying).

From 1830 (Belgian Independence) the Gendarmerie was formally part of Belgian Army. HOWEVER, in 1957 the Gendarmerie was formally separated from Belgian Army. So for this period in question they are two separate entities. Also following change of government 1954 compulsory national service was reduced from 2 years to 18 Months. It follows that if WW DOB is 9/7/1939, he would be eligible for conscription to national service on 9/7/1957 and should have done 18 months conscripted service at that time. Did he do National Service in the Belgian Army from 1957 (for 18 months) and then enter the Gendarmerie in 1959 (at age 20)? Perhaps there are National conscription service records to be found for 1957 - 1959?

NB: If RB is really FD with DOB 7/6/1942 he would be conscripted for national service for 18 months in 7/6/1960. [Whacky tangent = injuries due to horse “crash” is noted as 1960 on WW medical report.]

Also maybe of note: In France conscription to national service can be based in the DOM-TOMs as well as mainland France. In Belgium, it could be the same where national service could be based in any of the Belgian Protectorates (Belgian Congo, independence 1960! anyone?!)

 

[gymtonic]

Speaking of honest day's work, in the inquest, Mr C speaks of RB working in and for his family's furniture factory as if it were fact. During the 6 year period RB and Diane were not in Australia. It made me wonder if the authorities have proof he was working at that time. And I wondered why on earth his family would hire him for anything after all the time in prison and boatload of charges.

Side note: some of the criminal activity listed for the 1970s involve furniture!

 

[centred]

They would have so much evidence of them, we arent even in the ball park haa!- it will be really interesting to see what comes out that no one has thought of that is for sure!

Oh yes I am hanging to see the next act before the curtain falls

 

[StarrChance]

You have asked a very important question. How did Diane's and Penny's parents Peggy Walker and Robert Gordon Walker die? The Vaucluse homes would have been an inheritance? Peggy died young !!

Were was RB living in 1988?

 

[centred]

The Gendarmerie / Army Pay Book investigations got me thinking and, based on my knowledge of national service for the males in my French Family, a sudden bell went off in my head (DING!) that of course Gendarmerie is not the same as the Belgian Army and there could be national service records elsewhere!

So this has become my vignette for the timeline around 1959-64 when WW allegedly was in the Gendarmerie (Belgian military police force) at 227, Avenue de la Courrone, XL.

Theory: At this time there was compulsory national service for males in Belgium Army (same as France) when they turn 18 (with postponements if they are formally studying).

From 1830 (Belgian Independence) the Gendarmerie was formally part of Belgian Army. HOWEVER, in 1957 the Gendarmerie was formally separated from Belgian Army. So for this period in question they are two separate entities. Also following change of government 1954 compulsory national service was reduced from 2 years to 18 Months. It follows that if WW DOB is 9/7/1939, he would be eligible for conscription to national service on 9/7/1957 and should have done 18 months conscripted service at that time. Did he do National Service in the Belgian Army from 1957 (for 18 months) and then enter the Gendarmerie in 1959 (at age 20)? Perhaps there are National conscription service records to be found for 1957 - 1959?

NB: If RB is really FD with DOB 7/6/1942 he would be conscripted for national service for 18 months in 7/6/1960. [Whacky tangent = injuries due to horse “crash” is noted as 1960 on WW medical report.]

Nice ! of course conscription , i think that is what gave me the idea about the creation of our reserves and our period of "conscription " by birth date . IMO

Someone in the last week posted a link to a photo of a very young fella in uniform and posted because it was one of his names and i must admit i thought he resembled the passport photo of Mr AKA when he was young ? i will see if i can find but if the poster turns up in the meantime let me know ?

 

[gymtonic]

Nice ! of course conscription , i think that is what gave me the idea about the creation of our reserves and our period of "conscription " by birth date . IMO

Someone in the last week posted a link to a photo of a very young fella in uniform and posted because it was one of his names and i must admit i thought he resembled the passport photo of Mr AKA when he was young ? i will see if i can find but if the poster turns up in the meantime let me know ?

I also added this edit:
Also maybe of note: In France conscription to national service can be based in the DOM-TOMs as well as mainland France. In Belgium, it could be the same where national service could be based in any of the Belgian Protectorates (Belgian Congo, independence 1960! anyone?!)

 

[chicken96]

Were was RB living in 1988?

Hi! Been following along here all week. Hope you don't mind me chiming in. I think I can help with this.

Diane claimed they purchased a house at Woodenbong in 1987 using Diane's inheritance. I would presume they still lived there in 1988.

 

[MrsWattle]

Were was RB living in 1988?

Where was RB on or before 4th Sept 1988.
Peggy Walker died in Lismore, 67 years
Was DdeH family living in Ballina? Remember he got caught with F.Remakel licence in QLD in 1988
Geeeez I'm not good at the timelines. But hopefully a webslueth will slot that death in his timeline. I feel unwell now

 

[BonnieB]

So DdH's mother lived at Narrabeen before she died but must have been visiting someone in Lismore when she died.

Her family came from there.

 

[gymtonic]

I have found another version of the family tree that lists WW as male. Généalogie de Maria COPPENOLLE

Of interest it also shows Maria’s father, so WW’s grandfather served in WW1. So it’s possible WW is telling one of his grandfathers war stories!

Ah OK so female probably a typo/mis-entry? Otherwise I was starting to wonder if Willy was a diminutive for Wilhelmina (a female name that I have heard shortened to Willi before)

 

[Estelle]

Her family came from there.

When she married, it said Peggy was from Murwillumbah a 70 minute drive away from Lismore.

 

[Estelle]

Ah OK so female probably a typo/mis-entry? Otherwise I was starting to wonder if Willy was a diminutive for Wilhelmina (a female name that I have heard shortened to Willi before)

It's funny you should say that but that's what I've been thinking too.

 

[Podcast Tragic]

Can someone please pm me on how they are going to catch/charge him with Marions disappearance. I am assuming he and his family are reading all of this so thinking don't put it here. I am just curious to know how they actually get him .

 

[Ooohm]

Ahhh. I wonder if RB caused the horse-riding accident to get out of conscription.

 

[F.Knab]

Ah OK so female probably a typo/mis-entry? Otherwise I was starting to wonder if Willy was a diminutive for Wilhelmina (a female name that I have heard shortened to Willi before)

In his NAA file - he spelt his name Willi