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Back to 1950 index or Main Index Makan – No. 38 Official Organ of 2/30th. Bn. A.I.F. Assn, Patron: Brig. F.G. Galleghan, D.S.O., O.B.E., E.D. Dear Digs, The Association is very happy to be able to extend congratulations to Harry Holden on his recent wedding. Harry married an ex-service lass whom he has known since before the war. They have been lucky enough to find a house to live in until they can have one built in Cooma. Since we returned to Australia, Harry has done fairly well. He owns a mass of earth moving equipment such as tractors, bulldozers, etc, and he contracts for big jobs in that line. The devaluation has increased the value of his plant and Harry writes that things are definitely "moving" in the district. The Snowy Scheme will mean lots of activity down there and we hope Harry cracks it for a lot of our taxes. Red Thespian Macaulay skips around the country, He is domiciled in Melbourne but recently visited Perth where he saw Major Bruce Hunt. Major Hunt wished to be remembered to all his 30th friends. He has plenty in our Unit. Red Thespian also saw Captain Scollin, Dentist, in Adelaide, Captain Scollin was on "X" Party, Johore, and made many friends in our Unit. Our Unit Adjutant, Stuart Peach, was in Australia recently but he has now returned to Japan, Stuart is now a Major and we have been told that he is a tremendous size. He is doing well and we hope that he will always do so. Stuart's reputation in the 30th will always stand very high. He will always be remembered by A Coy. for his coolness at Ayer Hitam when we struck him going in to Company H.Q., when we were coming out through that awful swamp. Do you remember the way we chewed over, in the early P.O.W. days, the reason for all the apparently stupid and criminal unpreparedness of the war effort in Malaya - Lt. Gen. Percival, as visible G.O.C., came in for more than a fair share of blame and between us we criticised everybody other than ourselves. Well, I have just finished reading a book called "The War in Malaya" by Lt. Gen. Percival himself. If you wish to know the reason for almost every move made during the war in Malaya, you should read this book, which is intensely interesting from start to finish. The story opens with a detailed outline of pre-war Malaya and the defence preparations which were advised for this country years before the war. The first seven chapters deal with events leading up to the war and the pattern is laid out plain enough for all to understand. Thirteen chapters are devoted to the actual campaign and it is possible to clearly follow every action made and the reasons therefore. The A.I.F. received a commendation and the 2/30th received a special mention. The lack of abusive criticism of any leader, unit or civil administrator is, to my mind, the highlight of the work. It would be easy for anyone in the Author's position to heap blame on a dozen different shoulders, perhaps, but he has made every allowance and has presented the book in what appears to be a just and unbiased manner. This book should be a never ending source of interest to all those who were connected with the war in Malaya. It may be obtained from Angus and Robertson, Sydney. I think the cost is about 18/-, but it is well worth it. Newest life member is Bill Melville, Company Commander of Don Coy., who was repatriated home from Malaya after being badly wounded in the Don Coy. attack at Gemas. Bill Melville, as most of you know finished up as a Colonel and did meritorious work in New Guinea. He is a capable solicitor in Sydney and handled a lot of work for our fellows. Bill is one of those who have taken advantage of our life membership scheme. The cost to become a life member is five guineas in addition to entrance fee, but Reg Ellis subtracts from the five guineas the amount of subs, you may have paid since joining. For example, if you joined the Association in 1946 and have since paid subs. for '47,'48 and '49, then life membership will only cost you four guineas. If you are interested write to Reg Ellis and he will tell you where you stand. In the meantime, if you are an ordinary member with a five shillings sub, due, make the great effort of walking to the Post Office to buy the Postal Note. Better still, buy one for ten shillings to cover the cost of next year's subs too. Once you have bought said Postal Note, don't carry it around until it looks like something the cat brought in. Give it to your wife to post to R.E. ELLIS, 21 MILITARY ROAD, NEUTRAL BAY. If it weren't for the wives of some of you chaps, we would definitely go bankrupt. It just proves what sensible wives you fellows have. January 19th, the anniversary of the day the main body of the Bn. first struck the Japanese, falls this year on a Sunday. This is an inconvenient day for travelling from the suburbs to the City so, this year, the laying of an official Remembrance wreath on the Cenotaph will be done on Friday, Jan. 13th, at 1.30 p.m. All those who work in the City and are close enough to the G.P.O. to attend without inconvenience are asked to assemble on the G.P.O. steps, opposite the Cenotaph, before 1.30 p.m. The ceremony will take only a few minutes. It will be 8 years this month since the Unit went into action and many of the little incidents which seem so important to us in the subsequent P.O.W, years have now almost faded from our minds. Can you remember anything of January, 1943? For those who spent most of 1942 on the work parties in Singapore, it was a complete change to be back in Changi. We were quartered on the Barrack Square, sharing the Barracks with the bugs. It was for many the first opportunity in 9 months of visiting friends in hospital. Almost every man in the Unit wagered his last dollar on the 30th Football Team when they played the 2/20th on the Gordon's Padang. Do you remember that day? Most of those, who were able to walk, of the two Bns., were on the sidelines and the 30th, a case of history repeating itself one might say, took the lead and won what was a very hard match. Our packets were well lined after that game and we talked about it for weeks after. On the 15th Jan. that year the whole Unit marched down the road to the A.I.F. Cemetery where wreaths were laid in remembrance of Fallen Comrades. It was a very impressive little ceremony, almost a year after we had been taken prisoner. The Old Man spoke rather eloquently on that occasion and among other things he touched upon our life after we returned to Australia. He, like us, was unable to see that, of those whom he was addressing, almost a further 300 would not return home. They were queer days. The Old Man is now on his way back to Australia and will reach Sydney on about the 20th January. He has been away from Australia now for more than 2 years and the Committee feels that it would be a nice little tribute if a delegation were to meet him at the wharf. If you live in Sydney and would like to come along here's the drill. Ascertain from the daily papers the exact date on which the "Orcades" will berth in Sydney and then ring Jimmy Cooper at BL.2177 on the day before it arrives. Jimmy will then tell you of the place and time of assembly. He will try and arrange it so that you will not be stuck down at the wharf for hours on end. If you can possibly do so, do come along and show the Old Man that he has not been forgotten by us. Jimmy Cooper, the Executive and the Committee join together in wishing all ex-members of the Unit a prosperous and happy New Year with all your brightest hopes being realised. Cheerio, Stan Arneil STATEMENT OF REUNION HELD ON 22/11/49. PAYMENTS Catering
£38.15. 0 RECEIPTS: 190 x 10/- £95.0.0 Balance represents loss on Reunion
£14.13. 0. Back to 1950 index or Main Index |