2005 - BRIAN "WINGS" CLARKE

Chelsea RSL gives ‘Wings’ life for good behaviour.
  
By Mike Morris  Ref: “Chelsea Leader”

Earlier this year, executive members of Chelsea RSL were at a regional meeting of the league and were having a friendly chat with the retired state CEO, Major General (retired) John Deighton.
 
They told him about a faithful branch member of 56 years, a plasterer who did a lot of work fixing things around the club and never charged for his services.
 
He does the same for the Chelsea Football Club, where he is a Life Member, and he does the same for pensioners and people who need a bit of work done around the home. He rarely leaves a bill and, if he does,
it’s much cheaper than the usual rate.
 
“He tells them not to worry about it,” the members said.
 
“He should be made a Life Member of the RSL,” General Deighton happily suggested. “Put in a submission and I’ll back it.”
 
And so it happened.
 
It’s extremely rare for someone  who has not served overseas to be given Life Membership of the RSL. An average of only four people in Victoria earn RSL Life Membership each year.
 
Brian ‘Wings’ Clarke, who turned 73 on Saturday, did national service in the mid-1950’s and later served in the Australian Army Reserve.
 
Some weeks ago, as is his custom, a totally unsuspecting ‘Wings’ arrived at Chelsea RSL for the Friday night stand-to and raffles and was ambushed by the president John Morris, who announced to all that the popular
plasterer had been made a Life Member of the League. The place burst into joyous applause.
 
‘Wings’ looked like he’d been pole-axed. He was speechless. He was shaking and could barely accept the award from the president. He has since settled down and is back to his laid-back, laconic self. He says he has
been greatly honoured and forgives John Morris for setting him up.
 
Born in Elsie Grove, Chelsea, Brian Clarke has spent his whole life in the Chelsea area. He went to Carrum State School where he was given his nick-name which stuck for life.
 
“They said my ears made me look like a cab with the doors open,” he explained.
He decided to quit formal education when he was thirteen. “I left via the window.”
 
‘Wings’ worked at a number of jobs such as peeling spuds until he was offered a job as a trainee plasterer, and that’s where he’s been since, and he’s still at it.
 
‘Wings’ seemed to be a very contented soul. You rarely hear him grumble or demean anyone. He’s reliable, honest and open. He’s a big admirer of others in his community who pitch in.
 
“If you can’t do something for nothing you might as well not do anything,” he said.
 

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