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Back to 1949 index or Main Index Makan – No. 37 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, The fourth Annual Reunion held at Sargents, Market Street, on 19th November, was a grand success. The crowd was the biggest yet and indications are that future Reunions will be even bigger. New members bob up at every Reunion and the Committee considers that this is one of the most encouraging aspects of these functions. Once members join the Association we never lose track of them and, if we cannot help them in some little way as the years slide under us, even by a little word of cheer, then we are certain that they will help us. Another point about new members, rather a sordid one admittedly, is that the actual members bear the loss which we sustain each year on the Reunion. Whilst we always welcome all ex-members of the Unit, and indeed any ex-P.O.W. we like enrolling new members to help share the burden. Back to the Reunion. It was a wonderful thing to see such a large number of lads, some of whom travelled hundreds of miles to attend. Bob Neillings, Snowy Hampton, Norm Wilson and Bob Newman travelled from the far North Coast. Col O'Donnell came from Brisbane, John Meillon from Forbes and a team of others. We would like to congratulate these follows on their splendid effort and hope that they enjoyed our company as much as we did theirs. There were lots of visitors from other Units of the 8th Div, and this is a policy which the Committee is fostering at all our functions. These chaps who were with us, though in different Units, are always welcome. One of these other friends of ours present was big, Jim Rutherford of the 2/29th. I can remember him on the night because his massive frame towered above the chaps of average height. Big Jim has a deep, sepulchral voice and when he speaks, I always look instinctively to the floor to see where the voice is coming from. Dr. Fisher, President of the 8th Div. Council, as an ex-officio member of the Association, was also present. Bob Skinner, rotund as a barrel, and Dave Tate, not quite as thin as usual, looked as well as could be expected. Tommy Nixon, Big Max McClelland and a flock of pioneers ear bashed each other for hours. Harry Abrahams, Georgie Smith, Jimmy Angus, Porky Evans and others of A Coy also finished up with little ear muffs on as about 15 of the Company all tried to tell the old jokes at the same time. John Meillon is about 3 stone heavier, Ted Skuse of A Coy is about 3 stone lighter, Curley Hardman has not altered at all, whilst Doc Wilson, A Coy, now has that happy contented look of the married man. Hank Massey looks well, bow legs and all, and Des Kearney flashed his white teeth and black moustache at all and sundry. Speeches were short and to the point. Jimmy Cooper proposed the toast of the Regiment, Reg Ellis followed with Fallen Comrades, and Gentleman George, always the same old George, replied to the toast of the Regiment. Col. Ramsay, is always a popular speaker and, as usual, he brought the house down. Dr. Fisher gave a short outline of the work of the 8th Div. Council regarding our 3/- a day subsistence claim. In passing, it is stated here that any political opinions which may have been voiced during the speeches were not necessarily those of the President, the Executive or the Committee of the Association. We keep our own political beliefs to ourselves, although we will mention that one of our lads, a staunch Anti-Communist, bought a dog recently and enrolled it in the Communist Party so that he can belt it whenever he feels so inclined. The noticeable absentee from the Reunion was our Patron, Maj. General Galleghan, our first C.O., who, after filling a very important post in Berlin as Head of the Australian Military Mission for the last two years, is now on his way back to Australia. We received a message of goodwill from the Old Man which was read at the Reunion. He expressed his faith in the ex-members of the Unit and exhorted all ranks to stick together. So much for the Reunion. It was a great show and the good fellowship and simple fun which the boys enjoyed was a continuation of the esprit do corps which became such a living thing in our Unit. I always feel sorry for those chaps who belonged to ramshackle Units which had a continual shifting of personnel through them. They could never hope to build that feeling of solidarity which seems to permeate a well lead, hard infantry battalion. We welcome to the Association the following new members: TED SKUSE - A Coy: FRANK PURVIS - B Coy; TOM BICKNELL - C Coy; ARTHUR OVERETT and MICK BAILEY - HQ Coy. News of these chaps is very meagre so we will hope to receive a few lines from each of them shortly telling us of their post war experiences. As items of interest come to hand we will let you have them. We did notice the absence of Jerry Bailey. Whenever we see either of the Bailey boys our thoughts fly back to dear old Bill Bailey. He was one of the happiest and most lovable chaps I have ever met and most of the remaining members will probably be able to look back to some time when they enjoyed a laugh with Bill. Young Blanshard did a springboard dive into matrimony last month. He had a beaut little wedding reception but, after the fourth drink, things became a little complicated for the guests. Doug was attended by his three strapping brothers and also present were his parents and sister so that every second person seemed to be a Blanshard. It was a hot night and once the dancing started, Porky Evans gave away the problem of distinguishing one Blanshard from another. After he doffed his coat and vest, exposing his Police and Fireman's braces, he called everybody Doug and flew into his dance properly. I heard him say to one gorgeous young thing, "My word fat people must be feeling this heat." However, it was a great little wedding and Doug is a lucky man to find such a charming young girl for a wife. The Association sends its heartiest congratulations to them both on their mutual good luck and hopes, as an after thought, that they have many children. Don Sutherland writes from Bowen in Queensland of his life in the hot country. He is a fettler on the Railway, preferring the outdoor life to his old trade of a baker. His one worry is a very small one, an angel faced daughter, who apparently cannot tell light from dark because she insists on remaining awake all night and sleeping during the day. Don is rapidly developing into a zombie and wants to know if all babies carry on like that. Gardening is Don's latest Joy, although he is having a little trouble with the soil. We think that he is exaggerating a little when he writes "the soil is so hard that to plant a seed one must hammer a long nail into the ground, extract it with a pair of pincers and drop the seed into the hole." Keith Jones has had a bad spin with sickness in his fondly since he came home but things are brightening up for him now. His wife presented him with a 18-lb baby boy and both mother and baby are doing well. Keith is on top of the world now and we hope he stops there. We receive some very amusing letters at times, many of them coming from wives of members, Here is an extract from a letter written by Fred Griffith's wife - "Since my marriage over 2½, years ago, I have been patiently waiting for my husband to notify you of his changed address. My patience is now exhausted and I am doing the job myself." Fred and his wife are a very lucky pair. They have a healthy son now 19 months old, and have been able to purchase the house in which they are living at Cammeray. Fred's wife is also true blue 30th - her father is Jack Heatley (H.Q. Coy) who has been having a very bad run of sickness and was in Yaralla during November, and is probably still there. We all hope he is soon discharged well and fit again. Congratulations to Ray Streatfeild on his recent engagement. Ray has been a little tardy about such an important event but we will await news of his early wedding. The Association sends best wishes to Tommy Davis and his new wife. They were married at Grafton on 17th Dec. Tommy's wife is Reg Napper's sister. Reg flow to Grafton for the wedding to give his sister away. Xmas boxes are all the fashion at this time of the year. Why not send along your 5/- Annual Subscription this week? Better still, send 10/- for two years' subs. All cheques and postal notes, of course, to be made payable to R.E. Ellis, 21 Military Road Neutral Bay. We have delayed the issue of this Makan until a few days before Xmas so that you may receive it with our Xmas wishes. We send a special message to you from the Old Man, who will be back to lead the march on Anzac Day next year. The President, Executive and Committee would also like to wish you the best type of Xmas you would like to have. We have members in every State in Australia, Garry Rickwood in Singapore and Frank Ryan in London. We include them all wherever they may be and to those unfortunates who will spend this Xmas in hospital we hope for their speedy recovery. Yuletide Greetings. STAN ARNEIL Back to 1949 index or Main Index |