Fred was chairman of directors of Advertiser Newspapers Limited and a close personal friend of Keith Murdoch and editor Lloyd Dumas.
Sidney was one of only two of their offspring to survive to adulthood; his talented sister Alleyne was to become the dearly loved wife of Henry Rymill.
[1] Downer's parents were in London from 1915 to 1919, during which time he attended Berkhamstead Grammar School, then returned to the family home "Glenalta" in Stirling West, South Australia.
In 1934 he was the recipient of a notorious newspaper story when stage personality Patricia Hackett took out her displeasure at a "mixed review" by slinging the contents of a bottle of ink over him.
In 1940 Sidney enlisted in England with the Royal Air Force, and was posted as a publicity officer with the rank of Flight Lieutenant in 1941 to Singapore.