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Back to 1949 index or Main Index Makan - No. 30 Official Organ of 2/30th. Bn. A.I.F. Assn. Patron: Maj. Gen. F.G. Galleghan, D.S.O., O.B.E., E.D. Dear Dig, Fred Abbotts is still sawing timber at Nabiac, on the North Coast. There is more than sawdust in this timber game because he has just purchased a new Chevrolet car. Ray Godbolt is now firmly established in his barbering business at Raymond Terrace. Jack Fell from Yass writes that he saw Les Southwell a short time ago. Les has been having trouble with his leg, or rather with the part of his leg which he still has, and he will probably have to come to Sydney to receive treatment for it. We send our congratulations to Ron Eaton and his wife on the birth of their first baby, a son. The number of copies of the history still available is decreasing every week. We know the number of chaps who have not yet ordered a copy and there will not be enough to go around. If you want a copy or two or three order at once so that you will not be disappointed. It has been gratifying to sea the number of chaps who have ordered copies for the next-of-kin of their deceased friends. A little gift like this would be treasured by any parent. If the history has not already been sent out when you receive this then you can expect it within a week or two. The copies are back from the printers and they look very nice. However, it takes a little time to wrap five hundred copies and address them. The Ball this year must be a financial success if we are to carry on our organisation on the same lines as we have done in the past. Speakers at the Annual General Meeting stressed the need that our income must meet our expenditure. Well here is your opportunity to help us and at the same time enjoy yourselves. You know that the Annual Ball has been a whacking success in the past. This year, don't be selfish and enjoy it alone. Bring along a dozen of your closest friends and give them an opportunity to have a good time also. They will thank you for it later. To ensure that you will not be kept waiting at the door you may send in the cash for your tickets now. The price will be 12 /6 a single ticket and that is the cheapest Ball ticket you will hear of this year. The Social Secretary is: MR. JOHNNY PARSONS. He will send you your tickets immediately. Now remember, bring ALL your friends and don't leave out Mum and Dad. It will be a grand night and we will have everything there from fireworks to performing puppies - bring your own toddy. PLACE - NEW DUNGOWAN RESTAURANT, Martin Place, Sydney. TIME and DATE 8.30p.m. SATURDAY, May 21st. Les Melrose has just returned from a holiday at Coolangatta. He enjoyed a little re-union whilst he was there with Rex Rowe and Alan McPherson. Rex and his wife have a lovely baby about 19 months old. Alan is not married yet, but being a sensible young fellow will not delay very much longer. He is doing well in his milk run business. Alex Olley of South Lismore is doing well as a carpenter since he completed his C.R.T.S. Course. He intends to build his own house some time this year. Georgie Smith of 'A' Company has a Milk Bar at Auburn and is so prosperous that he sent along four year's subscriptions. Sid Knight (R.A.P.) is living at Parramatta. Des Gee, who has settled down permanently in Melbourne writes bitterly about the cold weather down there. He saw young Wightman (Carriers) in a fashionable after theatre restaurant a few weeks ago and again at the races. If you ever see Les Hall tell him that your greatest friend is a 'Black-market' builder and then watch him go cold. Les has just been carried into his new house. Carried, we say, because the effort of trying to build it put him into hospital twice, sent him half mad with worry and put such a crushing financial load on his back that he normally walks now with his shoulders hunched. Every single person from the Architect to the Bricklayers had a stab at him and the mere mention of the word 'builder” sends him into a coma. Les is writing a book at the moment in which you will probably be interested later. To cap all his other misfortunes he has lost his typewriter and as he only requires one for a short period he cannot afford the outlay of a new one. If you can help him out with the loan of a typewriter for a few weeks he will be more then grateful. His address is .- L.G. HALL. We welcome new member Bill MacDonald, 'A' Company this week. Bill was an 'A' Force lad and he has developed a talent for painting water colours since we returned home. More of B.J.'s letter-"I think when I leave here there will be a lot of people know something about Aussie they did not know before. I had to send Xmas presents to half-a-dozen senior British and American Generals. I got some good photos of Australian scenes and had them framed. Now each of the General's houses has a picture of Aussie in it and they really like them. I expect to be back in Sydney this year and I will be in position next Anzac Day. I am looking forward to it. I had a period away from Berlin from the fourth to the nineteenth December. And in that time went to Rome, Naples, Genoa, Milan, Switzerland and to Cologne. I had to go to Italy to represent Aussie at an international conference. The conference was held in the room that had been Mussolini's office in the Palazzo Venetia. I picked up a Dodge car (that had been sent for me from Australia) at Genoa and returned to Cologne by road. Thanks to the ruskies I can't get the car into Berlin yet. We crossed the Swiss Alps via the St. Gothard Pass or rather we tried to. My driver is W.O. II J. Simmons who was in 8 Div. A.A.S.C. and went away with 'A' Force. We got almost to the top of the Pass and were then caught in the snow and there we stuck from 5 p.m. until 7 a.m. We had no lunch and not even a drop of water in the car. And so passed 14 hours of the most intense cold. When the snow stopped, the sight of the Alps in the moonlight was really wonderful. I don't think even that sight was worth the cold though. When in Rome I had a private audience with the Pope which was most interesting. He is very well informed about Australia. As a Protestant I was more than impressed with his simplicity, humaneness and understanding.".-- More of this letter next month. Here are a few addresses for you: M.R.
GEOGHEGAN, - Joe - small, fat and happy - he was a 'babbler' in H.Q. Coy. That’s all for this month, but we must mention one more thing, and this is why you have received your Makan earlier than usual - DON'T FORGET TO BE AT THE MARCH ON ANZAC DAY - Near Conservatorium - Hats if possible - Wear your Association Badge - about 9.30 a.m, See you there. Cheerio, When remitting money please make all cheques and postal notes payable to the 2/30 Bn. A.I.F. Association at Sydney and forward same to R.E. Ellis, 21 Military Road, Neutral Bay. Here is the financial statement for the Annual Meeting held last month: Expenditure £21.19.2. Back to 1949 index or Main Index |