Back to 1950 index or Main Index

Makan No. 49
Christmas, 1950

Official Organ of 2/30th. Bn. A.I.F. Assn,
13 Albany Street, ST. LEONARD'S

Patron: Brig. F.G. Galleghan, D.S.O., O.B.E., E.D.
President: J.H. Cooper, Esq.
Hon. Secretary: S.F. Arneil, Esq.
Hon. Treasurer: R.E. Ellis, Esq.

Dear Dig,

We preface our news this month with two very sad items. Kevin Donohoe died during the month of October, and since our last Makan, Sid Grounds and his wife have lost their three months old baby, Anna. We extend our very deepest sympathy to the relatives of Kevin and to Sid and Isobel Grounds.

Don Sutherland of Bowen, Queensland, has just been discharged from Greenslopes Hospital in Brisbane after 11 weeks treatment. We hope that he is now on the way to better health.

Don McKenzie now owns a half share in a timber mill near Kyogle. He is doing fairly well and has a nice little home. Don spent seven months in Yaralla, for amoebic dysentery, when we arrived home, but has been fairly good since then. He recently spent two weeks at Greenslopes for an overhaul and, whilst there, saw Ron Harris. Ron is out Nimbin way and is a timber-getter.

Ray Sharples moved into a new home at Corrimal during Sept. He built it over a period of 12 months by working five days per week for the boss and each weekend for himself. He and his wife are naturally very pleased with themselves and they will always extend the glad hand to any of the lads who are down that way. Their address is Payne’s Lane, Fern Hill, Corrimal.

Very good news from Tommy Kennedy of Adamstown. He has purchased the house in which he is living at a bargain price and is congratulating himself on his good fortune. Tommy has four little Australians in the backyard so he needs all the concessions he can get. He is back in the C.M.F. with his old pre-war unit and does a good job as the C.Q. Tommy is one of those pleasing types who is always doing something for somebody else. He is a driving force in his local R.S.L. and has attended Congress meetings in Sydney as the local delegate.  

Stan Larkin has left the Tick Dept. and is now share farming at Theresa Creek. He is on a farm next to his brother-in-law and his best cobber, George Lister. George, by the way has become engaged to a lass at last. We anxiously await the sound of the chimes.

One of our latest Life Members – Greg Ducker of Liverpool. Greg is doing well.

The great Don Garner, the Sgt. with the black moustache, is getting a little restless again. He is doing fairly well selling insurance to the local millionaires who own 7 or 8 sheep, and his wife has a very nice little frock salon.  Yet, never satisfied, he has the itchy feet and is ready to move off to another district. Are you interested in buying a frock salon at Leeton? It is going at a reasonable price.

Andy Hyslop, one of our kid wallopers and a man with a capable pen, drops in his subs. but forgets to add a crumb of news. From other sources, however, we hear that he is in good health and is making a mark for himself in the Education Dept. (It’s too good to miss – the question is “Is he making marks on the kids”? – sorry).

Watty Gates had a spell at Yaralla during November – we trust that he is fit and well again.

Big Ron McBurney and his wife went to the Cootamundra district recently for their holidays and, whilst there, met Darkie Despoges and Digger Preen. Darkie and Digger are doing well in partnership in a Fibro Plaster business in Coota.

Stan Coultas is running a carrying business at Stockinbingal.

We received a very welcome letter from Harry Riches, who is now living permanently at Brisbane. The letter would do your heart good to read as it shows just how strong the old thirtieth spirit still is. Harry arrived at Brisbane a complete stranger and within the space of a few days was made to feel as if he really belonged there. Constable Slim Cranitch, now the father of a promising 18 months old boy, took Harry home to tea and made him very welcome. It was a grand opportunity for Slim to ask about old friends and he made the most of it. Slim has not been in good health but is pounding the beat again. Col Tuckfield makes a practice of calling for Harry now and again after working hours and runs him out to the Tuckfield mansion for tea, whilst Vic Gordon arrived to see Harry and is taking him home to dinner also. That’s the type of spirit  which we like to hear of and if you knew of as many cases of our chaps helping one another as we know then you would perhaps be even more surprised.

Harry’s news of Vic Gordon is the first inkling we have had of Vic since we returned. Vic is an insurance agent, has a very nice car and has just built a very nice home. We hope that, with some new blood around Brisbane, we will reap a few of the Queensland boys into our little family Association.

Vic Hamlin of Bora Creek is doing well enough for an old digger and finds that he has no time for growling. He often sees Curley Heckendorf around his district.

Harry Holden is one of our lads who is really on the ball. He spends his spare time reefing the coin from the big property owners in his district by contracting with them for the services of his bulldozers and earthmoving equipment. Harry doesn’t do so much of the work himself now, he spends lots of his time running around in his new utility truck arranging his contracts.

Jock McLean is another of our comfortable boys. He has a wife, a baby, a home and a new Holden car. What more could a man wish for – Well, perhaps another three for four babies, but we are sure that Jock has that well in hand. 

3/- per day claim. Here is an extract from the Macleay Argus, Nov. 7th, -- The Macleay Sub-Branch of the R.S.L. on Friday night decided to protest against the Commonwealth Government’s acceptance of the Special Committee’s finding that ex-P.O.W.’s claims for 3/- per day sustenance be disallowed. Representations will be made through Mr. E. J. Eggins, the Federal Member of Lyne. – The Argus followed this with the complete extract from our November Makan whilst the Editor had already telegraphed a full account of the Minutes of the R.S.L. meeting to six other country newspapers. This little stir was created by Arnold Ainsworth and could easily be followed by a dozen sub-branches in the country. How about Don Garner, Tommy Kennedy, Bert Hodge, Darby Young and some of our other club members following the lead. In addition to this, if every reader of this Makan, on receipt of the issue, sat down and wrote a few words of protest to his local Member, then we might have it brought up in the House and once that is done then there are very few of our vote conscious Representatives who would dare to speak against such a motion on the floor of the House. Time will act against us unless we can stir a little action now. How do you think the claim would have been received had it been mooted whilst you were still away? It is a fair bet to say that they would have been waiting for us at the wharf with the cash done up in Regimental bundles. And just to keep your feelings on the right track, do a little brooding on the millions of pounds, over four millions, which were collected by your relatives and friends for the Red Cross Fund for prisoners of war. You know how much you received of that grand fund! Perhaps we are on the wrong track, perhaps we should consider ourselves very lucky that transport was provided to bring us back to Australia! Think it over and if you can manage it, sit down and write to your local Member to-night!

We’ve reached the limit at last. Since 1945 we have received members’ subscriptions per wives, mothers, sisters and daughters, but now we have to award the prize to Popeye Kentwell of Castle Hill. This gentleman depends upon his girl friend to attend to the tedious business of buying postal notes and so on and he could not leave it to a more capable person. The covering letter tells us that Popeye is well and happy and if not a millionaire that at least, he has little to growl about.

We extend our thanks to the following members who donated something towards the cost incurred by us, on your behalf, for the recent 3/- per day claim. Monty Montgomery, Vic Hamlin, Harry Holden, Col. Tuckfield.

From Col Tuckfield of Brisbane we hear that his little boy is coming along fine and made great friends with Harry Riches when he arrived at the Tuckfield mansion.

From Wally Barnes we report, rather late, of a little reunion for ex-P.O.W. which was held during August at Newcastle. There was a good roll up of the locals and the guest speaker for the evening was W.O. Jack Crawford. We will try to obtain three months notice of next year’s Newcastle reunion so that those who could make the trip may do so.  

Ab. Mahoney, (late of 7 Platoon, A. Coy) has been sighted at Newcastle and his friends will be pleased to hear that he is keeping as well as can be expected, although his leg, which was hit during the campaign, still is far from normal. Ab was lucky enough to come home before the doors closed upon us.

Now that we have come to the end of another year, we respectfully remind you that on the 1st January your annual subscription of 5/- is due and payable. For those who neglected to pay last year, we hasten to tell them that we never apply subs. received, towards arrears in the previous year. If you are a Life Member then, of course, you do not pay any more subs. and you will not be worried by us for them. Members who wish to become “Lifers” will have all subs. already  paid by them deducted from the payment of ₤5.5.0 plus entrance fee. 

New Addresses:-

Don Garner (Sgt), Leeton.
Stan Larkin, Theresa Creek, via Casino.
Don McKenzie, Bundgeam via Kyogle.
Vic Hamlin, Bora Creek.
Hank Massey, Warialda.
Doc Wilson, Balmain.
Ashley Pascoe, Campsie.
Harry Holden, Bunyan Siding, N.S.W.
Harry Riches, Valley, Brisbane.

The festive season is practically here once again and most folk at this time feel perhaps a little more kindly and tolerant towards their fellow men. It would be a nice gesture if each of our Sydney members made an effort to make just one visit to Yaralla before Christmas Day. The main P.O.W. wards are 17 and 18 and the chaps in there will probably be able to tell you the whereabouts of any other of our lads in the hospital. On December 15th, a tea-time treat, followed by an entertainment, is to be provided by Unit Assoc. through the medium of the Eighth Div. Council, to the members of Wards 17 and 18.

The Patron, Brig. Galleghan, the Executive and the Committee take this opportunity of wishing you a very happy Christmas. A special greeting is extended to those who are in hospital, to those who are in ill health and to those who are suffering temporary reverses. This Makan went to press before the news of the Reunion was available but we heard a rumour that some of the boys on the Garden Party were told by a well dressed Chinaman (who spoke perfect English) that the whole show went swimmingly.

Please send all cheques, money orders or postal notes to Reg. Ellis at No. 13 Albany Street, St. Leonard's. Please note that Reg Ellis’ private telephone number is now XB. 4293.

Happy Christmas.        

STAN ARNEIL.

Back to 1950 index or Main Index