1954 Round Australia Trial
# 1954 Round Australia Trial

The 1954 Round Australia Trial, officially the Redex Trial was the second running of the Round Australia Trial. The rally took place between 3 and 20 July 1954 over 9,600 miles (15,400 km), and had a first prize of £2,000. The route was truly "round (mainland) Australia", beginning in Sydney on 3 July 1954, passing through Brisbane, Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville, Mount Isa, Darwin, Broome, Meekatharra, Madura, Adelaide and Melbourne, finishing at Moore Park on 20 July.

246 cars took part and 127 finished within the times allowed, though many doggedly completed the course in the following week. One forced to drop out was the celebrated radio personality Jack Davey. The winner was a Ford 1948 V8, an ex-taxi dubbed the "Grey Ghost", driven by John Eric "Gelignite Jack" Murray (1907–1983) and navigated by the unrelated Bill Murray, losing no points on the trip. It was on this trial that Murray gained his nickname, from his occasional celebratory detonation of sticks of explosive, a custom that delighted some and infuriated others. "Secret" intermediate checkpoints were an innovation this year in an attempt to curb speeding.

## Results

| Pos | No | Entrant | Drivers | Car | Penalties (Points) |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 256 | J.E. Murray | Jack 'Gelignite' Murray Bill Murray | Ford 1948 V8 | 0 |
| 2 | 29 | G.W. Patterson | Bill Patterson Harry Russell | Peugeot 203 | 8 |
| 3 | 176 | A.A.C. Anderson | 'Duck' Anderson Tony Anthony Vergel Zaccour | Holden FJ | 14 |
| 4 | 30 | E.A. Nelson | Eric Nelson Brian Simpson | Standard Vanguard Phase II | 19 |
| 5 | 31 | Rootes (Australia) Limited | Tom Sulman T. Dowse Norman Hutchison | Humber Super Snipe Mark IV | 22 |
| 6 | 260 | Preston Motors Pty Ltd | Stan Jones Don Thomson Ern Seeliger | Holden FJ | 22 |
| 7 | 22 | J.E. Roberts | Don Roberts Bill Edmonds | Standard Vanguard Phase II | 25 |
| 8 | 33 | T.H. Farrell | Tom Farrell Frank Denlay John Jones | Ford 1954 Customline | 25 |
| 9 | 96 | Team Gibson and Vale | Alex Gibson Neville Vale | Mercedes-Benz 170 D | 25 |
| 10 | 52 | R.B. Walker | Bruce Walker Reginald Hall | Standard Vanguard Phase II | 26 |
| 11 | 262 | F.A. Johnson | Fred Johnson Ray Johnson | Holden 48-215 | 27 |
| 12 | 20 | H.C. Cape | Harry Cape George Scales | Holden FJ | 28 |
| 13 | 27 | Sandy Rayward | Sandy Rayward Harvey Roy | Peugeot 203 | 29 |
| 14 | 54 | Regent Motors Pty Ltd | Laurie Whitehead Ian Barns | Volkswagen 1100 | 29 |
| 15 | 136 | Team Westren and Kennedy | Les Westren Carl Kennedy | Peugeot 203 | 30 |
| 16 | 126 | NSW Country Holden Dealers | Ken Miller Alan Miller Norman Colless | Holden FJ | 31 |
| 17 | 213 | Rootes (Australia) Limited | Russell Lane Claude Turner Donald Boynton | Humber Super Snipe Mark IV | 32 |
| 18 | 53 | S.W. Hecker | Sam Hecker Jack Oliver Norwood Warry | Holden FJ | 32 |
| 19 | 199 | J.F. Crouch | John Crouch Keith Jones Gordon Stewart | Morris Oxford Series II | 33 |
| 20 | 253 | Standard Motor Company | Harry Firth Max Newbold Reg Sparks | Standard Vanguard Phase II | 33 |
| 21 | 46 | D.H. Antill | Peter Antill George Reed Max Winkless | Mercedes-Benz 220 | 34 |
| 22 | 135 | Claridge Motors | Fred Claridge Jim Claridge | Holden FJ | 34 |
| 23 | 19 | Reno Auto Sales | Reg Smith Robert Whyte Harley Mehegan | Austin A70 Hereford | 35 |
| 24 | 127 | A.L. Kipling | 'Possum' Kipling Ken Walker | Holden FJ | 35 |
| 25 | 47 | J.F. McCaffery | John McCaffery Thomas Leonard | Holden FJ | 37 |
| 26 | 156 | Walton and Gardner | Ted Walton Flo Gardner John Gardner | Holden FJ | 37 |
| 27 | 202 | Noel Worland | Noel Worland Michael Malouf John Burton | Dodge 1954 Kingsway | 38 |
| 28 | 78 | Frank Kleinig | Frank Kleinig Clive Gibson | Peugeot 203 | 38 |
| 29 | 10 | Marshalls Motors | John Lefoe Evan Green | Standard Vanguard Phase II | 40 |
| 30 | 197 | Preston Motors Pty Ltd | Reg Nutt John Joyce Lou Molina | Holden FJ | 41 |
| 31 | 205 | H.A. Hines | Bert Hines Arthur Scholtz | Holden FJ | 41 |
| 32 | 219 | Orrman's Service Station | Kenneth Orrman Ian Mountain | Peugeot 203 | 41 |
| 33 | 48 | S.M. Miller | Sam Miller Patrick Kelly Albert Griffiths | Ford 1953 Customline | 45 |
| 34 | 95 | E.A. Gibson | Eric Gibson Leonard McGill Allan Robshaw John Roberts | Chevrolet 1951 Deluxe | 46 |
| 35 | 101 | Rootes (Australia) Limited | Anthony Peck John Trowell Robert Callander | Humber Super Snipe Mark IV | 46 |
| 36 | 231 | Parade Motors | Cecil Dix Ronald Dix Alec Dealtry | Plymouth 1947 De Luxe | 47 |
| 37 | 110 | G.N. Horner | George Horner Len Reay Ken Worrall | Ford 1953 Customline | 48 |
| 38 | 150 | J.E. Pedley | Joe Pedley Stan Hill | Austin A70 Hereford | 48 |
| 39 | 172 | Standard Motor Company | Alan Pilkington Wal Gillespie Llyn Evans | Standard Vanguard Phase II | 48 |
| 40 | 129 | P.E. Benson | Peter Benson Greg Percival Bert Watson | Holden FJ | 49 |
| 41 | 148 | Parker Brothers Auto Company | Arthur Parker Ron Tandy John Parker | Holden FJ | 49 |
| 42 | 181 | Rootes (Australia) Limited | Gilbert Graydon Ian Logan Ken Harper | Humber Super Snipe Mark IV | 49 |
| 43 | 79 | C.M. McArdle | Colin McArdle Frank Sexton Ray McNamara | Standard Vanguard Phase II | 50 |
| 44 | 38 | Team Cox,Mackenzie and Smith | Rowl Cox Blyth Mackenzie Clem Smith | Standard Vanguard Phase II | 50 |
| 45 | 194 | M.D. Lawrence | Michael Lawrence William Gee John Place Bob Crewdson | Ford Zephyr Six | 50 |
| 46 | 32 | C.A. Fulton | Cecil Fulton Neil Stewart Norman Newton Lester Minchin | Austin A70 Hereford | 51 |
| 47 | 112 | Team Theil and Billing | Ard Theil Angus Billing | Holden FJ | 51 |
| 48 | 252 | N.Q. Klingner | Neville Klingner Thomas Lonergan | Standard Vanguard Phase II | 51 |
| 49 | 132 | R.K. Osmond | Ron Osmond Norman Smith Ray Harvey | Holden FJ | 52 |
| 50 | 154 | G.S. Onto | Joe Kent Kevin Mooney Geoff Robbins | Lagonda 3-Litre | 52 |
| 51 | 106 | Team Macmillan and Murray | Joe Macmillan Harry Murray | Peugeot 203 | 53 |
| 52 | 165 | Advanx (Gosford) Motor Service | Robert Burgin Roy Francis Rob Boddenberg | Peugeot 203 | 56 |
| 53 | 214 | L.J. Coppock | Launce Coppock Neil Long | Holden FJ | 56 |
| 54 | 173 | John Welsh | John Welsh Theodore Irwin Alfred Rabone | Humber Super Snipe Mark IV | 57 |
| 55 | 76 | Team Johnston, Rosevear and Lambert | Ronald Johnston Helen Rosevear John Lambert | Standard Vanguard Phase II | 58 |
| 56 | 162 | Preston Motors Pty Ltd | Lex Davison Peter Ward Otto Stone | Holden FJ | 58 |
| 57 | 68 | Jack Hay | Jack Hay Jack Thornton Frank Heyward | Humber Super Snipe Mark IV | 63 |
| 58 | 103 | C.V. Cresswell | Charles Cresswell Douglas Marshall Neville Sutton | Plymouth 1947 De Luxe | 67 |
| 59 | 109 | Team Welinski and Wardell | Andre Welinski Laurence Ward Taroslaw Tablonski | Holden FJ | 67 |
| 60 | 125 | R.J. Williams | Robert Williams Milford Johnson Ian Robertson | Holden FJ | 67 |
| 61 | 177 | G.J. Perrignon | George Perrignon Bruce Hall Roy Glenn | Ford 1953 Customline | 67 |
| 62 | 224 | Team Robinson, Brooks and McLeish | Keith Robinson William Brooks Alan McLeish | Standard Vanguard Phase II | 67 |
| 63 | 43 | Albert Correy | Albert Correy Arthur Anshaw | Ford 1946 V8 | 68 |
| 64 | 56 | E.J. Ahren | Eric Ahren Hector Gray Phillip Hancox | Holden 48-215 | 69 |
| 65 | 145 | Courtney and Patterson | Leslie Courtney Dennis Carroll | Ford Zephyr Six | 70 |
| 66 | 121 | G.A. Birmingham | George Birmingham Ronald Callow Ronald Hall | DeSoto 1954 Powermaster | 73 |
| 67 | 134 | R.H. Clarke | Reg Clarke Norman Neindorf Harry Westcott Ray Clarke | Holden 48-215 | 75 |
| 68 | 11 | Les Burrows | Les Burrows James Allen | Standard Vanguard Phase II | 76 |
| 69 | 143 | Team Watt and Peniston | Neil Watt Arthur Peniston | Peugeot 203 | 78 |
| 70 | 208 | Malcolm Parr | Malcolm Parr Graeme Parr James Costello | Standard Vanguard Phase II | 81 |
| 71 | 105 | Miss S.E. Thorpe | Sybil Thorpe John Diamond Douglas Evans | Holden FJ | 82 |
| 72 | 113 | Reg and Francis Thomas | Reg Thomas Francis Thomas | Ford Zephyr Six | 83 |
| 73 | 35 | V.R. Burton | Viv Burton Wesley Burton | Morris Oxford Series MO | 84 |
| 74 | 133 | Ride-Ezy Shock Absorber Specialists | Harry Walker Horrie Waters George Walsh | Ford Consul | 86 |
| 75 | 40 | R.F. Rothwell | Roy Rothwell Hugh Rothwell Colin Mitchell | Holden 48-215 | 89 |
| 76 | 257 | J.T. Belling | John Belling Robert Peake Forbes Cumming | Ford Zephyr Six | 89 |
| 77 | 237 | H.E. Budd | Harry Budd Dave Sullivan | Holden 48-215 | 92 |
| 78 | 170 | P.R. Williams Pty Ltd | Donald Bain Les Slaughter | MG TD Midget | 96 |
| 79 | 4 | Team Akers and Thallon | Ron Akers Keith Thallon | Citroën Light 15 | 100 |
| 80 | 138 | Mick Simmons Limited | Leslie Miller Arthur Green | Ford Zephyr Six | 103 |
| 81 | 163 | E.B. Perkins | Eddie Perkins Lance Perkins | Rover 90 | 108 |
| 82 | 235 | Team Harrison and Saunders | Ken Harrison Gerald Saunders Allan Ward | Standard Vanguard Phase I | 109 |
| 83 | 169 | F.J. Shepherd | Fred Shepherd Keith Johnson James Power | Holden 48-215 | 131 |
| 84 | 94 | Team McDonald and Schulze | David McDonald Robert Schulze | Ford Consul | 135 |
| 85 | 114 | Stanley Carpenter | Stanley Carpenter Hilda Carpenter | Ford Zephyr Six | 135 |
| 86 | 37 | Dan Evans | Dan Evans Neville Somers Snow Sefton | Ford Zephyr Six | 148 |
| 87 | 17 | Team Campbell and McBride | George Campbell Allan Murphy Jack McBride | Ford 1947 V8 | 158 |
| 88 | 229 | Team Cooke and Saville | William Cooke Norm Saville | Peugeot 203 | 164 |
| 89 | 66 | J.G. Anderson | James Anderson Charles Anderson | Austin A70 Hereford | 170 |
| 90 | 261 | Phillips Brothers | J. Phillips A. Phillips | Holden FJ | 180 |
| 91 | 258 | J.A. Bicket | John Bicket John Andrew | Peugeot 203 | 184 |
| 92 | 216 | C.A. Edgar | Cec Edgar Jack Jorgensen | Austin A40 Devon | 200 |
| 93 | 168 | D.G. Barnett | Douglas Barnett William Jones Roy Woodham | Ford 1949 Custom | 210 |
| 94 | 144 | M.G. Seike | Maurie Seike John Knight Neville Sheppeard | Ford 1946 V8 | 216 |
| 95 | 70 | R.E. Wilson | Ralph Wilson James Wilson | Volkswagen 1100 | 236 |
| 96 | 245 | A.W. Standfield | Wes Standfield Ron Standfield | Standard Vanguard Phase II | 248 |
| 97 | 233 | Christie's Motors | Ray Christie Ken Christie Stan Christie | Chevrolet 1952 Deluxe | 273 |
| 98 | 80 | R.E. Gudgeon | Bob Gudgeon Alan Platt | Hudson Super Wasp | 276 |
| 99 | 182 | J.H. Farrow | James Farrow Gary Fuller E. Grey Peter Wieland | Mercury 1947 Eight | 286 |
| 100 | 36 | Christys Motor Auctions | Tom Mills Jack O'Hara Bert Easterbrook | Chevrolet 1946 Deluxe | 315 |
| 101 | 221 | David Raven | David Raven Harry Tregilgas Ray Hall | Holden FJ | 316 |
| 102 | 220 | W.H. Crockford | William Crockford William Chambers Bill Huggett | Ford 1946 V8 | 336 |
| 103 | 63 | Team Kreig and Sanders | Ross Kreig Ronald Sanders Ronald Treloar | Holden FJ | 338 |
| 104 | 89 | R.E. Pryer | Bon Pryer David Pinkard | MG Y Tourer | 358 |
| 105 | 72 | Herbert Happ | Herbert Happ Rowan Grissi Charles Sexton | Holden 48-215 | 447 |
| 106 | 187 | Century Storage Battery Company | Keith Winstanley Cecil Curtis Frank Lewis | Holden FJ | 456 |
| 107 | 64 | Stephen Gibbs | Stephen Gibbs Douglas Thornton Allen Nixon | Ford Zephyr Six | 462 |
| 108 | 159 | M.L. Arentz | Martin Arentz Ray Davie Sid Cresswell | Ford 1953 Customline | 480 |
| 109 | 190 | N. Shean | David McKay Barry Gurdon | Austin A70 Hereford | 522 |
| 110 | 74 | John Perkins | John Perkins David White William Tennent | Holden FJ | 563 |
| 111 | 119 | Consolidated Press Limited | Bill Buchanan John Larkin John Wawn | Austin A70 Hereford | 596 |
| 112 | 44 | A.G. Melrose | Aubrey Melrose George Wakelin | Austin A70 Hereford | 622 |
| 113 | 23 | Team Holland, Payne and Playfair | Allan Holland Sel Payne Bob Playfair | Holden 48-215 | 705 |
| 114 | 60 | 'Mac' Hicks | 'Mac' Hicks Eric Scott Fred Strachan | Ford 1953 Customline | 722 |
| 115 | 91 | Wattle Corrie Motors | Patrick O'Sullivan George Davidson Victor Walters | Holden 48-215 | 835 |
| 116 | 140 | Manly Pacific Garage | Ronald Green Jack Scharkie Keith Wilson | Peugeot 203 | 855 |
| 117 | 116 | D.A. McLachlan | Bill McLachlan Marie Higgs Malcolm McKay | Ford Zephyr Six | 978 |
| 118 | 201 | Team Lee and Hamilton | Digger Lee Richard Hamilton Doug Carle | Vauxhall Vagabond | 991 |
| 119 | 236 | Mrs Edith Nielsen | Edith Nielsen Gwendoline Bagust John Carson | Peugeot 203 | 1,209 |
| 120 | 6 | G.P. Setter | George Setter Bernard McGrath Gerald Downing | Ford Zephyr Six | 1,242 |
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