|
Back to 1949 index or Main Index Makan – No. 34 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, Here is an excellent opportunity to do yourself a good turn and help one of our lads at the same time. Jack Grossmith is a Carpet Layer no less and specialises in laying all types of floor coverings, other than rubber. He will do a good job with that new Feltex, Carpet or Inlaid Lino you have planned to put down soon. This is a grand chance to get a decent job done at a fair price. He is also a wizard on Blinds and will fix all your new Venetian or Holland blinds in quick time. Hank Massey, our own boundary rider, is now a very successful grocer in Birchgrove, Sydney. Over his shop is a flat in which Doc Wilson and his wife are enjoying for the first time in their short married life, the luxurious pleasure of lounging from room to room as the mood takes them. Doc's last residence was a single room, so small that an soon as a visitor arrived everybody was forced to stand up, He says that it is such a treat to be able to eat his meals without his hat on -previously he had to wear it until he went to bed, when he used to throw it on the floor where he had been standing. It just goes to show you that a little thought on the part of some of us can shed a great deal of happiness in the lives of others. We congratulate Hank on his unit spirit. Frank Ryan, now a big shot in London, is doing more then representing his firm. He is a very proud father. The new arrival is a bouncing daughter, whom, we hope, will resemble her attractive mother. It would not be so bad for a son of Frank's to resemble him, but for a daughter it would be a tragedy. We would not like anybody to tell Frank this opinion, of course. Frank has now been in London for 3½ years and expects to be there for another 15 months. He and his family live in a garden flat in Surrey and enjoy English life, even with the austerity. Arthur Purdon wrote us a few months ago to let us know that he had gone into the poultry farming business in a big way. Since then, we have not heard of him but we expect that the recent big floods in the Maitland district would have caused him a lot of headaches. Arthur had 4500 laying birds before the floods and he had plans to supply all and sundry with day old chicks. He specialises in White Leghorns and will send them to any part of the state. If you are interested in the purchase of poultry, drop him a line. Eric Arps is the latest of bur boys to become engaged. We cannot understand why a man of Eric's intelligence has delayed so long in such an important matter but hope that he can find a house quickly and make up for lost time. Des Kearney has left the firm of William Brookes and the customers have started to dribble into the shop once again. It was not that they objected so much to the Black Prince personally as to his Ned Kelly method of salesmanship. It was impossible to get out of the shop without a bundle of rulers or a ream of carbon paper and, after the second and third time, people began to quail when they saw the thick moustache and the flash of those white teeth. Des must be a first class salesmen. He transferred to the firm of William Adams as a speciality salesmen of electric light globes during the period of the recent light restrictions. Any man who can sell globes during a blackout must be good! One of our new members is Ernie Ross, better known as "Bogan Gate" to you. We have not much news as yet, except that he is doing well as all wheat cockies are at the moment. As soon as we hear from him we will tell you more. Les Wharton - Bn. Orderly Room - must have hit the big time. He has just moved into the nicest little place one can imagine, at Castlecrag. Castlecrag is not a Fibro Area if any of you battlers got ideas, and the local Council does not allow ex-P.O.W's to slap up temporary lean-to's or to live in garages whilst waiting upon the convenience of some gent to start to build a house for you. Les is teaching somewhere in Sydney and, happily married, keeps very good health. It took him only a couple of years to build his house from the time he opened preliminary negotiations for the purchase of the land. This is in marked contrast to a few of our lads who have had a rough trot with some of these run-down builders who swarm around these days. You know the type we mean, the unshaven creature in a pair of worn sandshoes and with a bag of tools thrown nonchalantly over the left shoulder. He opens the conversation by promising to put the foundations down within two weeks, and to finish the complete job within three months, providing, of course, that he can find a couple of hundred pounds immediately to ensure prompt delivery of the bricks. The two hundred passes over very quickly just in case he changes his mind and decides not to take the contract. Arch Thorburn or Bill Melville will usually get at least some of the cash back for you, if you prosecute before it is all gone. If you want your war medals you may get them by applying to the "Officer in Charge, War Medals Section, Victoria Barracks Melbourne." You must give your Regimental Number, full name, Unit, date of enlistment and your present address. The medals will be sent to you with your name inscribed on the back of them. Doug Okey, late President of the 8th Div. Council, did not stand for re-election this year, when the annual election of officers took place. He has done a sterling job to pilot the Council through its first couple of years. The Council is now firmly established and much of the credit is due to his untiring efforts. The new President of the Council is Dr. Fisher, of Yaralla Hospital. Dr. Fisher is a great champion of the causes of ex-P.O.W's. He is known to almost all of those of our Division who have been unfortunate to spend some time at Yaralla. Steve Allardice is another of our lads who has shifted into his own house. Steve is resting, exhausted, after his efforts to keep the job moving when the builder, the workmen and the suppliers of materials were utterly indifferent to the fact that every delay in the construction of the cottage increased the price. The cost of the cottage was fairly reasonable by present day methods of reckoning. Steve is in debt for the rest of his life, or, if he lives that long, he will own the house, lock stock and barrel, on attaining his seventy-eighth birthday. Don't forget the date of the next Annual Reunion. Country lads can start to plan for it now. It will be held on Friday night, 18/11/49. We mentioned last month a general P.O.W. Reunion to be held at Narrandera, this month. It will be held on Saturday, September 10th, and will be a big show. Narrandera is a very hospitable town and they have promised to turn it on for the visitors. Accommodation will be free and there will not be a dull moment for a P.O.W. who likes to avail himself of this chance to see a really nice country town and to meet some of the old mates. The highlight of the festivities will be a very big dinner on Saturday night with all the hootch provided free. We have been told that there will be so much grog that all ex-P.O.W.’s at the dinner will he issued with Wellington boots to keep their feet dry. On Sunday morning there will be a shooting expedition for all those still able to see the end of the rifle. Nugent Geikie (B Coy.) will be going and others from our Unit. "Geek" may be contacted at FB 2612 any day after 5 o'clock. The plane will be leaving Sydney at 11.30 a.m. on Saturday, 10th September, and departing from Narrandera at 4.00 p.m. on Sunday. The cost of the return fare will be £9.15.11. It should be a memorable weekend. Lots of the lads from the Riverina will be there and many other of your friends from the Division. If your wife can spare you for a couple of days, ring Geek and make a party of it. Here are some more names for your list : Griffis, Harry; Griffiths, Albert; Griffiths, Fred W.; Grossmith, Jack; Gillespie, Dan; Gates, Watty. When remitting money please make all cheques and postal notes payable to R.E. Ellis, 21 Military Road, Neutral Bay. CHEERIO. STAN ARNEIL. P.S. THE WAR IS OVER'. My landlady has just taken the blackout paint from the windows of our residential. The glare is something awful. Back to 1949 index or Main Index |