Australian Army

Received: 

• Queens Medal Bar "1958".

The following is an obituary which appeared in "Australian Target Rifle" the Journal of the National Rifle Association of Australia, No. 37 January/February 2002. Page 53.

"It is with regret and some degree of guilt that I report the passing of Joffre Arnold (Jack) Guymer on 7th August 2001.

There are a number of reasons why it has taken so long to reach Target Rifle, but Jack joined the Perth Club in 1965 when he retired from being a full time soldier and moved to Western Australia from South Australia. He soon won the club Championship and also occupied the position of club Vice President. In 1993 he transferred to the Boddington club, when he moved there to be with his daugther and in 1998 Jack was presented in Boddington with his 50 year certificate, another proud moment for him. From here on I am afraid Jack did not experience very good health which no doubt retarded his much loved shooting career.

As a full time soldier (Warrant Officer First Class) he saw service in the Occupation Forces of Japan and later Korea.

Early in his army career, Jack became a keen target shooter and travelled to WA to compete in and win an army Queen's here at Swanbourne, strangley enough against another Perth member who was also a permanent soldier at the time, Phil Jeffery. They were both excellent shots. Phil was to win an Army Queen's himself the next year.

Jack had the occasional short fuse for which he was well known, but nevertheless he endeared himself to all members of the Perth Rifle Club and certainly to me. Jack's greatest joy was when his daughter Karen presented him with twin granddaughters when he was in his eighties.

A particular occasion relating to Jack's short fuse comes to mind, when he was shooting and getting a frustrating run of fours, the scorer, extra keen to do the right thing was calling out the score with great gusto when a red faced Jack turned around and yelled "Do you have to call 'em out so b..... loud" But that was our Joffre, a name given to him by his mother, after French Field Marshall Joffre I believe.

Jack was cremated at Karrakatta WA in August 2001."