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Makan No. 162 Dear Dig, Jack Hart & George Cambourne are still working at the Small Arms Factory at Lithgow. They've been there for many years. Don Sutherland of Bowen, Q'land., writes that his wife, Sylvia was bitten by a black snake recently & spent a few days in hospital very ill. She is quite recovered now. We received a nice letter from Tommy Gardiner's wife who is re-adjusting her life after 24 years of life with Tom as the mainspring of a happy marriage. Mrs. Gardiner thanks all concerned for their kind messages on the death of Tom. No doubt you will recall Harry Maurice, the youngest looking man for his age ever to enlist in the A.I.F. When he was 40, he looked 25! Harry has been ill in Yaralla for some time with an enlarged liver and now, sugar diabetes. This year Harry will see Anzac Day from a hospital bed, but last year he marched at Sawtell with Benny Pearce. Lloyd Stuart is still playing nice golf. Harry Griffis is still at Taree, and Les Southwell is still living at Braddon, A.C.T. Harry Wilson of Collaroy, is a great old swimmer & is an identity at Collaroy Beach. Lyn Booth (ex A coy) has been transferred to Sydney & after much house hunting & heart burning has bought a house at Turramurra. Ken Forward of Yagoona & Charlie Golledge both send greetings. A letter from Tommy Davis is too good to edit. Here it is: ' I think that I told you, before that I am Superintendent of the Cobar Ambulance, & that we have settled down quite well in the outback beyond. Cobar at present is one of the fastest growing towns in the State, the reason being the re-opening of Copper mines, in the past 2 years there has been over 170 new homes built in the town that previously had a population of 2300, and at present time there would be over 30 homes being built. I am afraid that I am the only 2/30th chap around here, the closest 2/30th chap that I know of is at our next town of Bourke (only 100 miles away), that is Charlie Taylor, who you may remember as being the fastest eater in Don Company. I have also run across Brian Hayes several times. Brian is at Parkes. I have met both boys, during my travels while playing bowls. After living out in these parts distance is nothing and it is not unusual to travel up to 200 miles each way on a Sunday, leave here about 6 am and head off, generally arriving home around midnight, after a very good day in several ways. I regret that I have never been able to make any of the Association's meetings, reunions, etc. I just missed out by one day going to Sydney last year, and so missed the Annual Meeting at the Great Southern Hotel. You had the meeting on the Saturday Night and I left Cobar Sunday night for Sydney. Perhaps one of these days I will finally make it. I take a great interest in the R.S.L. here being Vice President of the local Sub-Branch. Only a couple of weeks ago, a Far Western District Council was formed, which takes in 9 Sub-Branches stretching from Menindee, Nyngan, Goodooga and points in between. I was appointed Secretary of this Council, so you can see that a little bit of travelling may be incurred, Menindee being about 250 miles from Cobar and Goodooga is about the same the other way. Both my wife, our 2 children and myself are all well. Clarrie Lattimer of Kyogle sent his subs in on the dot as usual. (How about yours? Have you sent in your 10/- yet? Eh?) Babies in the Unit are rare these days and are becoming all the more precious. Bruce Ford surprised us all by announcing the birth of a little son - Malcolm a few months ago. Malcolm has been described by his grandmother as being like a fat white wood grub but, for all that, she wanted to mind him for a "few months", SALE OF JAPANESE ASSETS A COUPLE OF 'MAKANS' AGO we went on tour with the Thorburns and the Collins's. Remember? We left them, after visiting Fiji, eating, sleeping and playing deck quoits, en route to Japan. We'll continue Harry's narrative after the next commercial. BUY A BATTALION TIE Harry Collins Diary The vast harbour was like Port Phillip Bay on a wet morning except that there were ships of every shape & size from every nation under the sun. I have never seen so many ships in one place before, nor have I seen a place so grey, drab & miserable as Yokohama appeared to be that day. Even when the sun shone it did not look much better. Everything was the Same drab uniform grey and, to make matters worse, the place was lousy with Nips! We took a bus to Tokio about 25 miles away and being autumn we were on the lookout for big displays of chrysanthemums, but all we did see was row after row of unpainted hovels & here & there a small vegetable garden. It was undescribably drab & colourless, although Bett & Daphne were very impressed at the Persil Whiteness of the washing hanging from innumerable balconies. We were taken to the outskirts of the Imperial Palace and even there everything was the same drab grey. We quizzed our guide about the lack of paint and he assured us that the Japanese do not believe in spoiling the natural beauty of timber with paint but we reckon that even Blind Freddie would not get stuck with a story like that. We were not allowed close enough to the gates to look inside which was very disappointing. Our chief complaint on all these conducted tours was that we were not allowed any freedom. The guide went in front with his little flag & we were all supposed to trot along right at his heels rather like a lot of small dogs who are just aching to stop at a post or two. Tokio, of course, is a fabulous place - eleven million people, so you can guess we only saw a small part of it. We went to one section called Asakusa. Its main feature is a very narrow street restricted to pedestrians. It is lined with small shops on both sides selling just about anything & everything for almost nothing! Some of the party got lost & the guide gave me his red flag to hold aloft while he went back to look for them. I found myself wishing that Harry Abrahams, Sammy Hall & Jackie Salisbury were there. We could really have jazzed Asakusa with a few verses of "The Red Flag". Here we did see chrysanthemums but all in tubs. Each plant has three stems & each stem has one bloom supported on a wire frame which is very beautiful but very stiff and formal. I was given a leaflet on which it said in part: "About 70 kinds of chrysanthemums are now in Japan and much in variety To be eaten to remove insects and especially to be enjoyed'. (??) The next day we went to Tokio under our own steam by train. This time we had a little language difficulty as Arch & I could only remember this sentence: "Ichi Ni San Shin, but whenever we got stuck there was always a "well-dressed Nip" speaking perfect English to help us out. Apart from getting wet in a violent rainstorm, we had a fabulous day. Bett & Daphne went shopping while Arch & I kept a tight rein on the Travellers' Cheques. In the evening we went to the Capitol Ichigeki Theatre and saw a show called "Autumn Girl". It was an excellent show except that no one applauded and they did not even laugh at the comedian! The poor fellow really worked hard but the only laughs he got were from scattered groups of Europeans who did not know what he was saying anyhow! We rounded off the day at a Japanese restaurant with a meal of "Pempura"". We were issued with chopsticks but our method of using them met with unlimited amusement to every Nip in the place. At one stage we had about 10 people around us showing us how to use the wretched things. Arch & I were each given a quart mug of beer, but we did not need any instructions with them! Back to Yokohama on the train with Arch & I intensely studying all the middle-aged Nips to see is we could recognise any of our former playmates. One could not help but notice that most of the young people seemed relaxed and happy, but their elders could not crack a grin between the lot of them. Sayonara until next time..... ANZAC DAY MARCH Remember - this is our one public demonstration of faith to the memory of our comrades and of the Supreme Sacrifice that many of them paid during the war & for the premature deaths of many since the war. The Anzac Day March is NOT a picnic, but is a commemoration which may be participated in by only a privileged few. We are of that few & we should be happy to avail ourselves of this great privilege. "The Old Man will again lead the March and Dave Clarke will carry the Banner. The Assembly Point will be in front of the old Mint Building & extending to Queens Square &, if necessary, to King Street. The March may be a little difficult this year at Park Street where it turns into College Street. At this spot there is a median strip & we are told that it will be particularly difficult due to the angle of the strip. The columns will divide into eight on each side of the strip. A CHANGE IN 'AFTER-THE-MARCH' VENUE AFTER the MARCH We have shifted again! This time to the Occidental Hotel, York Street, opposite Wynyard Park. We will have the exclusive use of an upstairs lounge and the dining room. We anticipate a comfortable day. Our friend, Don Garner (Sgt.) is the licensee of the pub (sorry Don - hotel!) and under his care we should have no worries. ANNUAL PICNIC What about it? What about coming along for an old-fashioned picnic at Lane Cove on Sunday, 3rd May. It's a great day with races for everyone after lunch, but above all it is a chance to stroll around and meet a few of the lads in a comfortable atmosphere. If you haven't been before, try it for once! THAT’S ALL See you on Anzac Day at
the March Good luck! Stan Arneil Back to 1964 index or Main Index |