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Back to 1948 index or Main Index Makan
- No. 17
Official Organ of 2/30th Bn. A.I.F. Assn. Dear Dig, A little news from here and there - the lads are still marrying, changing jobs and avoiding trouble wherever possible. Terry O'Rourke of the Forestry Dept, is now at Blackheath, after ten months at Moss Vale. His district extends from Springwood to Orange and from Capertee to Tossalga, and to cover this territory he moves around quite a lot. Terry works with Mel Williams, who left the "I". Section at Bathurst a few weeks before we sailed. Mel spent two years in the A.I.F. Forestry unit in Scotland, came home via the U.S.A. and then went to the Islands. Hilton McLaren of "C" Coy, is fishing for a living, on the Maclean River, and is doing reasonably well. Vince Leonard has a little farm at Wilberforce. He is doing quite well with poultry, grows his own corn and millet, and will grow a few melons next season. The farm life suits him and the money is good. Vince has enough time on his hands to enable him to play the piano again and he plays for all the local balls and shindies. Shorty Hart recently spent a few days at Leeton with his old mate, Laurie Mountford. Young Derek Smith, the little soccer player with the wide smile, is right back in the groove again and plays every Saturday. He kicked his way into some nice big Cup last season and hopes to do even better this year. Derek is engaged to a nice little girl and hopes to be married shortly. Norm Lee, of Woolgoolga, is keeping in reasonable health and is working in a Banana Case Mill in that district. Tommy Kennedy of "C" Coy. is back in his old job at B.H.P. as a fitter's assistant. His health is good and he is putting an a little side now that his wife has presented him with a new baby. Jack Chatfield is not yet married but has made all the plans. He is in the building trade at Cairns and is making good money. If you know "Chatty" you also know that his customers will be getting first class houses at the lowest possible rates. Ernie Martin is working at the Prices Commission. Since we returned home, he has spent two years at the Tech. College, full time, and has qualified as an Accountant. Ernie is only one of many of our lads who have taken advantage of a C.R.T.S. course. Most of them have passed their courses or are still attending the Technical College. Val Henning is working at Griffith in the local Post Office. Our congratulations go this month to Rex Rowe, who became a "daddy" last Father's Day. Rex is still in the legal business up Murwillumbah way. Two more marriages this month, and the best wishes of the Association go to both parties. Doc Wilson was married at Manly and will never now look back. The wedding was a quiet little affair - Doc lost his old Dad recently and all the original wedding plans were cancelled. They haven't a place of their own, of course, but Doc, at least, has lived in a lot worse places than one room. Johnny Haskins was the other one to be married and he did the business in real Haskins' style. It began with a Stag Party a week before the wedding and, judging by the reports, it took a week for them all to get over it. The party was held at Ron Foster's joint and was well attended. There were John Taylor, Steve Allardice, Stewart Blow, Ron Eaton, Reg Friend and Reg Ellis and they dobbed it an properly. Reg Ellis staggered home at 3 a.m. so you can imagine what it was like. The wedding was held at Shore College Chapel and went off very well. The bride, by the way, was Ron Eaton's sister, so it was a real unit show. Personally knowing John, I hope that he doesn't make his wife dig potatoes or plant peas up on the Oberon farm not this season, anyway. The Old Man has written us from Berlin that he is now settled in and is enjoying his new job. Mrs. Galleghan is with him and they had a grand trip to England, via India and Egypt. B.J. was met at Singapore by Rickwood, MacDougall and Watt and they gave him a royal time. There was inspection of the Gaol, where the guard turned out to present arms (I heard of this from Garry), the laying of wreaths, a visit to the Bishop of Singapore and a slashing big dinner at the Australian Commissioner's residence. The letter says that the stop at Singapore was too short for comfort and the strenuous programme followed there knocked the Old Man up, but he appreciated the efforts of Rickwood and his gang vary such. Colonel Holmes, looking as fit as a fiddle, met B.J. at London, but they were not there very long and went on to Berlin. "Berlin (so the letter runs) is a real monument to the Air Force and reminds me very much of the obliterated towns of France and Belgium in the Kaiser's war. It is a real international city these days and I am enjoying it all." There was quite a lot more strain so, as usual, B.J. has the game by the throat. One part of the letter did make me smile and that was the information that big plans are in hand to allow the Aussies a decent Anzac Day service. This will be one year, at least, that Berlin will learn of Anzac Day. The Third Annual Meeting will be held an Friday, 23rd April, at Sargents, Market Street. We have only hired a small room because General Meetings are very uninteresting affairs and this year we have no contentious matters to be thrashed out. The meeting will commence at 8.p.m. sharp and will not take very long. All positions in the Association have fallen vacant and must be refilled. We must have a capable man to take over the running of at least one social evening, such as our Dungowan Dance last year. Without such a volunteer we will not be holding any more functions of this nature, so if any one or more of you are prepared to take over the full responsibility of such a job, then come along and speak up. If anybody has any suggestions as to how we can improve the Association in any way, then they should come along and speak up. The Anzac Day march this year will be held in the afternoon. I have not received official times as yet but the rendezvous should be the same as last year. We assemble just a hundred yards on the harbour side of the Conservatorium. The march is timed to start around 2 p.m. so you should be in your assembly area half an hour before that. Anyway, watch the paper for further details and come along, hail, rain, or shine. The beer will be off on the Sunday, of course, but if the strike is over, wander into the Tattler on the Monday and you will find plenty of the lads to drink with. Now, gents, if you have not yet paid your 5/- subs., we urge you to do so without delay. Don't write apologetic letters because you are a little late, just pop a postal note, together with an address slip, in an envelope, and we will send you a receipt. If you wish you may send 10/- or 15/- for two or three years' subs., as many of the boys are doing, or, if you can, ask we for details and become a Life Member. Lee Wharton is the latest Life Member. It saves all the trouble and bother of sending postal notes and so on. I have received a letter from Neil Huntley and he is doing very well. At present he is doing a two months refresher course in Farm Management at Yanco Experimental Farm. The conditions down on the farm are excellent - single men are paid £3.10.0 per week and married men £7.5.0. per week, less 25/- for keep. All text books are supplied free. The Dept. of Agriculture is running the show and will give information to those who require it. Neil has drawn a 1500 acre block near Quirindi, no house or anything like that but there are 65 acres of lucerne on it and he is quite satisfied with it. He has purchased three small Army huts, which will do as a dwelling temporarily. He will probably make so much money within the next few years that he will be able to growl about the high taxation. That's all for this month, gents. See you round about Anzac Day. STAN ARNEIL
President: J.H. Cooper, 105 Pitt Street, SYDNEY. Back to 1948 index or Main Index |