WA Surf Industry pioneer Len Dibben (age 80) is now retired and lives with his wife Wendy in Booragoon. Len is still surfing on a 9’6” Malibu board.
These are Len’s recollections of his early days pre-surfing.
I was at Fremantle oval for the recent WAFL derby (SF v EF). I had been invited to have a midday meal at the South Fremantle Club. I know the President of the South Fremantle Past Player’s Association.
Incidentally, I played in every junior combined team at Souths from first year Under 15, two years under 16’s and two years under 18’s. Played in a lot of teams with Sandover Medalist John Todd and champion goal kicker John Gerovich and a host of other top players that went onto represent Souths.
In the following photo of the 1952 Fremantle Boys High School team, I’m a very young boy in the middle row.
Some of these players went on to play league football. Les Capes, Cliff Lang and Milton James played for East Fremantle. John Todd, Barry Millard and Colin Harburn played for South Fremantle. Ken Moncrieff and Bob Bolton played for Claremont.
Image #1. 1952 Fremantle Boys High School Team. Len Dibben pic.
Middle row: L-R George Gilivich, Frank Jackovich, Len Dibben, John Todd, Tony Howson, Barry Millard, Cliff Lang and Milton James.
In the following photo of the South Fremantle combined Under 18’s team, I am standing in the middle row third from the left.
These players went on to play league for Souths.
Top row: Brian Cant, R Ivancovich played 2nds,
Centre row: Bob Johnson, Eric Dickalee
Front row: Stan Badham, John Gerovich. John Todd, Barry Millard
Sitting: Colin Harburn also played a few games of State Cricket.
I was lucky and had good coaches. When we played teams like Claremont, West Perth, Perth & other good teams, they were a lot bigger than us, some of the guys in these teams were well over 6 feet. Not making any excuses, but we were around the 5ft 9” to 5ft 10” and had smaller bodies.
Image #2. 1954 South Fremantle Combined Under 18 Football Team. Len Dibben pic.
Players names listed bottom of team photo.
In 1956, I did my National Service in the Navy for six months straight. We were flown over to Melbourne on a TAA plane.
The following image of me was taken at Leeuwin Naval Depot East Fremantle, before I went to Victoria.
Leeuwin Naval Depot was decommissioned from naval service in 1986.
Image #3. 1956 Len Dibben (age 17) Leeuwin Naval Depot East Fremantle. Len Dibben pic.
In the following picture I am in the 2nd row from the back, on the far right. We were all electricians either tradesmen or Apprentices. I was the youngest in the group at age 17 and did not turn 18 till the 11 December 1956, when I had returned home from national service. NS6 indicates National Service group 6, there were two groups NS5 & NS6.
Image #4. 1956 Len Dibben’s National Service Group LN6 at FIinders Naval Head Quarters or Academy. Len Dibben pic.
Images #5. 1956 Len Dibben at HMAS Cerberus located 70 kilometers from Melbourne at Crib Point on Hann’s Inlet, Western Port Bay. The primary role of HMAS Cerberus has always been Navy personnel training. The establishment was purchased in 1911 by the RAN and was formerly called Flinders Naval Depot.
Left: Len in full dress of the day N2, as per the group photo above.
Right: Len in a navy work clothing called dress or the day 8 ‘s.
Then we had a sea trip to Fiji, 5 days to get there, 5 days on the island and 5 days to get back. Gee the waves in the Pacific were huge, breaking over the conning tower of the ship which was the HMAS Sydney. A Majestic-class light aircraft carrier, bloody scary!
HMAS Sydney was decommissioned in 1973 and was not replaced.
Image #6. 1956 HMAS Sydney in Fiji’s Suva Harbour. Len Dibben pic.
After calling into Brisbane for 4 days, Sydney for same, then to Melbourne for the Olympic Games (1956). I was in the guard of honour for the opening as was a heap of other recruits and permanent sailors. After that I was an usher at the MCG athletics for 5 days, by doing that I received reasonable good seats to other sporting events.
At not quite 19, I was very fortunate just to be there, there was only 11 personnel selected from WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
After national service I was bought back from Victoria by train.
I started surfing after coming back from National service in the Navy. Took up surfing when I met a heap of young guys playing Rugby League for Cottesloe They enticed me to play. I became a front row forward at 5 ft 10” weighing about 10 stone in the old weight measurement. Not the strongest bloke, but I survived!
Cheers Len
Image #7. 1968-9 Len’s new Surf Shoppe built on the side of old church at North Fremantle. Len Dibben pic.
Thanks Len for sharing your early memories and photos.
WA Surf Industry pioneer Len Dibben (age 80) is now retired and lives with his wife Wendy in Booragoon. Len is still surfing on a 9’6” Malibu board.
These are Len’s recollections of his early days pre-surfing.
I was at Fremantle oval for the recent WAFL derby (SF v EF). I had been invited to have a midday meal at the South Fremantle Club. I know the President of the South Fremantle Past Player’s Association.
Incidentally, I played in every junior combined team at Souths from first year Under 15, two years under 16’s and two years under 18’s. Played in a lot of teams with Sandover Medalist John Todd and champion goal kicker John Gerovich and a host of other top players that went onto represent Souths.
In the following photo of the 1952 Fremantle Boys High School team, I’m a very young boy in the middle row.
Some of these players went on to play league football. Les Capes, Cliff Lang and Milton James played for East Fremantle. John Todd, Barry Millard and Colin Harburn played for South Fremantle. Ken Moncrieff and Bob Bolton played for Claremont.
Image #1. 1952 Fremantle Boys High School Team. Len Dibben pic.
Middle row: L-R George Gilivich, Frank Jackovich, Len Dibben, John Todd, Tony Howson, Barry Millard, Cliff Lang and Milton James.
In the following photo of the South Fremantle combined Under 18’s team, I am standing in the middle row third from the left.
These players went on to play league for Souths.
Top row: Brian Cant, R Ivancovich played 2nds,
Centre row: Bob Johnson, Eric Dickalee
Front row: Stan Badham, John Gerovich. John Todd, Barry Millard
Sitting: Colin Harburn also played a few games of State Cricket.
I was lucky and had good coaches. When we played teams like Claremont, West Perth, Perth & other good teams, they were a lot bigger than us, some of the guys in these teams were well over 6 feet. Not making any excuses, but we were around the 5ft 9” to 5ft 10” and had smaller bodies.
Image #2. 1954 South Fremantle Combined Under 18 Football Team. Len Dibben pic.
Players names listed bottom of team photo.
In 1956, I did my National Service in the Navy for six months straight. We were flown over to Melbourne on a TAA plane.
The following image of me was taken at Leeuwin Naval Depot East Fremantle, before I went to Victoria.
Leeuwin Naval Depot was decommissioned from naval service in 1986.
Image #3. 1956 Len Dibben (age 17) Leeuwin Naval Depot East Fremantle. Len Dibben pic.
In the following picture I am in the 2nd row from the back, on the far right. We were all electricians either tradesmen or Apprentices. I was the youngest in the group at age 17 and did not turn 18 till the 11 December 1956, when I had returned home from national service. NS6 indicates National Service group 6, there were two groups NS5 & NS6.
Image #4. 1956 Len Dibben’s National Service Group LN6 at FIinders Naval Head Quarters or Academy. Len Dibben pic.
Images #5. 1956 Len Dibben at HMAS Cerberus located 70 kilometers from Melbourne at Crib Point on Hann’s Inlet, Western Port Bay. The primary role of HMAS Cerberus has always been Navy personnel training. The establishment was purchased in 1911 by the RAN and was formerly called Flinders Naval Depot.
Left: Len in full dress of the day N2, as per the group photo above.
Right: Len in a navy work clothing called dress or the day 8 ‘s.
Then we had a sea trip to Fiji, 5 days to get there, 5 days on the island and 5 days to get back. Gee the waves in the Pacific were huge, breaking over the conning tower of the ship which was the HMAS Sydney. A Majestic-class light aircraft carrier, bloody scary!
HMAS Sydney was decommissioned in 1973 and was not replaced.
Image #6. 1956 HMAS Sydney in Fiji’s Suva Harbour. Len Dibben pic.
After calling into Brisbane for 4 days, Sydney for same, then to Melbourne for the Olympic Games (1956). I was in the guard of honour for the opening as was a heap of other recruits and permanent sailors. After that I was an usher at the MCG athletics for 5 days, by doing that I received reasonable good seats to other sporting events.
At not quite 19, I was very fortunate just to be there, there was only 11 personnel selected from WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
After national service I was bought back from Victoria by train.
I started surfing after coming back from National service in the Navy. Took up surfing when I met a heap of young guys playing Rugby League for Cottesloe They enticed me to play. I became a front row forward at 5 ft 10” weighing about 10 stone in the old weight measurement. Not the strongest bloke, but I survived!
Cheers Len
Image #7. 1968-9 Len’s new Surf Shoppe built on the side of old church at North Fremantle. Len Dibben pic.
Thanks Len for sharing your early memories and photos.
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