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Makan – No. 20
Official Organ of 2/30th. Bn. A.I.F. Assn. Dear Digs, Our membership is still rising, this month we have another life Member, your old mate Whitey Wightman. There are still quite a bunch of coves whom we would like to see join up, so be a salesman for the Association and ask every lad of the old unit whether he would like a copy of the Makan each month. It is most important that in these days of plenty we build up a permanent contact with all ex members so that if a slump ever does roll upon us we will be in a better position to help one another and to do so quickly. Most of the boys are doing well and are grabbing with both hands just a little of what they deserve from life. Others are not as fortunate. Take the case of Jack Green - H.Q. Coy. Over the other side Jack was well liked by all the lads and that was a fair test of a man's character. Since we arrived back Jack has worked about fifteen months, the rest of the time he has been in and out of Yaralla having skin grafts on his leg. He is finished with hard work for all time, and until he is discharged from hospital is trying to keep his wife and two kiddies living like human beings on a military pension. You can realise yourself how his bank account must be sliding down. Ironically enough most of Jack's trouble started on Anzac Day, 1947. He marched with the unit, stampeded into a pub with the mob and stood up for hours. When he arrived home his leg was up like a beri beri case and the skin burst that night. Don't think that Jack is looking for succour, he is not. His optimism is as high as ever, and he is making plans to put his ship on an even keel as soon as he is discharged. I would just like to point out that Jack is not the only case of hardship which has fallen to our lads in the last couple of years. There is ample scope to help one another even in these times of plenty and thee a will be probably greater need as the years roll over us. Don't be sure that because you are in an apparently unassailable position you will always remain so. The skids of misfortune might just run you from the top of the hill to the bottom and you might be floundering yourself. Don't wait until a chance comes along to help an ex-comrade, go looking for the opportunity to do a good turn for him, we have a long way to go yet. The Ball was such a success in all respects that I would have to invent new words to describe it. The usual superlatives fall far short in their efforts. There were 180 there, all ex-230th and their friends and the seating arrangements were made on the spot. As each couple or group arrived Harry Collins or Garry Evans directed them to a table or part of the hall where they would find some friends. Can you imagine turning up to an ordinary ball and being pushed into a party for the night. You would feel like prime quality frozen mutton and yet at this show the ball took on the atmosphere of a family affair with chaps dancing with partners from every table in the room besides their own. The girl friends and wives of the lads were a picture. You couldn't IMAGINE what a glorious collection they were. The manager and the head waiter both made a point of remarking on the loveliness of ALL the girls present. The current 'flu epidemic prevented a few of the lads from turning up. Reg Ellis was down with a bad bout and a few others rang up to say they were too ill to attend. A few of the old familiar faces were absent also but will probably turn up fresh and Protexed for the next dance. The outstanding success of the Ball was the result of the efforts of the Social Committee, Harry Collins, Garry Evans, Sid Grounds and Alan Smith. They are to be congratulated on their efforts and we hope for a repeat performance. A little news from the back-blocks. Neil Huntley has gone into occupation on his block “Tungenbore", Spring Ridge. He has as yet no house so his wife is still living at Katoomba. These cold winter nights Neil's wife takes a hot water bottle to bed, Neil sleeps with his horse. Neil is trying to slap in a little wheat, he has an old tractor but he is having a lot of trouble because of lack of transport. He owns a cart and the afore-mentioned horse but is trying to purchase a new truck through the New Vehicles Release Commission. His writing is improving rapidly owing to the countless forms he has filled in to obtain it and I heard that if you say Good Day to Neil he replies unconsciously with his age, religion and place of birth of his grandparents. However, he is still without a new truck and he cannot bring himself to purchase a second hand job through the usual discoloured channels. He was almost persuaded by one of those slick 'spiv' salesmen to pay a more £800 for a broken down Hansom cab, fitted with a T model ford engine but the salesman wanted Neil to pay for the duty stamp on the receipt so Neil called the deal off. Our congratulations go to Don Sutherland and his newly married wife, Sylvia, on their recent marriage. Jock MacDougall has bobbed up with a son. Second time around the course for this young fellow, he was beaten for first place by Jimmy Cooper last month. We send our sincere congratulations to Jack and his wife. I was speaking to Bernie McMahon a few weeks ago, he is doing well and has been made Bank Manager of the National Bank, West Maitland. We have a lot of our boys up that way, Arthur Purdom came down for a couple of days and told me that he has taken a good job as foreman in the local Burlington Mills. Arthur will still run his little poultry farm but only as a hobby. The lack of good feed forced him to reduce the size of his stocks and take this job. Now here are the addresses of six of our members, we will publish six addresses earth month. F. Abbotts, H.S. Abrahams, G.E. Alcock, S.R. Allardice, R.H. Anderson, E.D.W. Arps. Greg Ducker is still driving a cab at Liverpool. He finds night work a little hard of course but is making a fair salary, and is trying to buy his own plate. Bob Jack has a wireless shop in Brookvale. He built two shops and offered one to Doug Blanshard. Doug has opened a mercery shop next door to Bob and they are both doing exceptionally well. If you live over Manly way this gives you an excellent opportunity to lend that helping hand. Bob stocks every known brand of wireless and will make you one to order if required, while Doug will pull more scarce lines from under the counter than Houdini would pull rabbits from a hat. Furthermore, no matter what you require, in mercery, manchester, or soft goods, if Doug hasn't got it in stock he will get it for you. On August 12th the 8th Division Ball will be held at the Grace Auditorium. It will be a slap up affair with hot sausage rolls and altogether a strictly informal ball with lots of good fun and jollification. The tickets will set you back 12/6 or 13/6 a nob, that is 25/- or 27/- a double. It is planned to place the tables in blocks so you will all be with the 2/30th group. The night should be an excellent affair and looks like being a great success. There will be man from every unit in the Division and the Committee of our own Association strongly recommend you to go along. We are hoping for a hundred 30th. The proceeds will go to British Ex-prisoners of War, living in Britain and will take the shape of food parcels. For reservations ring Major Johnston - BW6801. It is hoped that the Governor will be there and if so he will receive any debutantes. Deb* should be at least related to an ex-P.O.W. Now don't forget we want more members and we also want your own subs. If you are unfinancial drop me a dollar, no letter required just your name and address. Don't be like Mick Cutler he sent me 5/- and didn't put either his name or address. It took us six months to find out where it came from. If you are in town drop your subs into Jimmy Cooper's office at 105 Pitt Street, Cheerio, STAN ARNEIL. Special Note: If there is a rubber stamp on the bottom of your circular then you are unfinancial and unfinancial members are reminded that this is the last circular they will receive until such time as their subs are paid. Back to 1948 index or Main Index |