Lester May writes:
The strange drinking hours Down Under in 1945 are recorded here (search for ‘Fleet Canteen’) – I remember Dad (Able Seaman (LTO) Wally May) saying that, not only was Sydney on the upside down part of the earth but the bars closed when ours opened and it was the first time he’d seen upside down (drop) handlebars on a bicycle.
So it was all upside down!
The caption reads: BEARDED RATINGS of the Royal Navy enjoying their pots of beer at the Naafi Fleet canteen in Goulburn street, Sydney, on its opening night on Saturday. Under supervision of the Naval patrol, sailors will be able to drink between 6pm and 9pm seven nights a week. British sailors who visited the canteen at the weekend voted it first class.
The man on the left is AB (LTO) Walter May and a one-badge Leading Seaman, presumably also from HMS Wager, is on the right.