Leslie Kenneth HODGE

Yesterday I lost a mate. The bloke I met was from the bush like me. We worked together at Redfern. It wasnt all that long that I transferred back to the bush, the country that I love. As it turns out my mate loved the country just as much if not more than I. He loved my birthplace and spent many of his later years working in and around Broken Hill. He had an affinity with the desert. He loved its vast open spaces the quietness of the country the wildness of the storms and he captured that in his photography. I paid tribute to his talents by trying to capture what he had photographed by painting it in oils. Les and my paths crossed again in the 80’s when he walked into the building at Parramatta and joined the Response Group. Yes we were both back from the bush. We worked there on the same shift for awhile until I transferred closer to home. I left the Force in 89 and moved again. I returned to Sydney where our paths once again crossed when he walked into my place of employment. We were grateful to see each other again. “Hey Bunny, come and work with me.” He said. ” left the job and I reckon you would be good at factuals.” I joined him because I liked the bloke he was just that sort of fella. We worked for the same company but he couldnt live in the city and he moved to Orange. I eventually felt the same and moved to the country as well. I again lost touch with Les and moved back to the coast. I was given information that Les had been and still was crook. I phoned him immediately and it was though we had only seen one another yesterday. The old friendship was renewed. I knew he was crook. I knew he was now housebound. He was down in the dumps, The site here was commenced for him to have something to do and to pick up with his friends he missed so badly. “Get Peter Cameron on the site.” He said. “My old mate from Moree.” He never forgot his mates. Peter joined us and another great bloke. Les could pick them. Les had his ups and his downs. I laugh to myself now just thinking about him with his false teeth he got a 12 or so months ago. ” I cant wear these bastards they hurt.” He persisted and I believe he was using them. I went down it was his turn to advise the crew of my well being. Thoughtful even though he was crook. I got back into painting, he was my greatest follower and critic. Although he said I was my own worst critic. He got a lot of art from me. Said it took him back to the country and that he and I in one particular painting were sitting by the camp fire yarning while the billy boiled. He liked my art I liked his straight forward comments and he wanted all of my work but often complained he did not have the walls. Les got very crook and you all know he was at deaths door. He rallied and recovered but was in constant pain and complained to me often as we were in regular phone contact. That contact slowed because of his breathing. I talked to him on video and the bugger would tease me because he sat there munching chocolates while talking. He called me his brother and loved me as a brother. I returned the compliments because he was as a brother to me. He was having trouble with his breathing and you the people of this site wanted to have a whip round to buy him a BIPAP machine. He cried because of your kindness. Police Legacy stepped in he cried again because they paid for a machine that he never got to use. I spoke to him about a week ago he could hardly breathe. I did not keep him on the line. You know the rest. What I am trying to say is that I want to thank every one of you on this site for being his friend. For rallying to his aid, for reading this and being here for all of us. I wish to thank you for all the messaged of kindness on the post, his Vale. I wish to thank you for your messages to me for your concern for me. We have all lost a mate and good friend. Rest in Peace Les. Loved you like a brother.
Bunny