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No. 42 Official Organ of 2/30th. Bn. A.I.F. Assn, Patron: Brig. F.G. Galleghan, D.S.O., O.B.E., E.D. Dear Dig, If you were not at the Annual General Meeting in March you missed out on a very enjoyable little function. About sixty members turned up and with Jimmy Cooper in the Chair the ordinary business of the meeting went off like clockwork. The office bearers were elected unopposed and nothing interesting happened until the Old Man got up to propose that Ken Crispin and Alan Penfold be made Honorary Life Members of the Association, in recognition of the work which they put in on the publication of “Galleghan’s Greyhounds”. It is little enough to do for these two to show our appreciation because without their efforts it is doubtful if the Unit History would ever have been published. The two members in question were a little embarrassed about the whole thing because they were the only two who wanted us to forget their part in this work, but the motion was heartily seconded by Major Johnston and was carried unanimously by all those present. Jimmy Cooper moved that Bill Clayton’s father be made an Honorary Member and he detailed at length the assistance we have received from him both whilst we were away and since returning home. You probably do not know that the entire five hundred copies of the Unit History were parcelled and posted by Mr. Clayton’s firm, free of all charge to the Association. This is only one of the jobs which he has done so willingly for us. The motion was passed most enthusiastically by those present. After the meeting had finished all this business, Jimmy Cooper, on behalf of the Association, welcomed the Old Man back to Australia and said among other things how pleased we were to see the old black face once more. The Brig. replied at length and delighted us with some of his usual caustic comments; he slated us left and right for not being able to produce more than sixty at a General Meeting and Jimmy didn’t have the heart to say that that is twenty more than any other General Meeting. After a few remarks of that nature he gave us some of the more interesting sidelights of his period in Europe and there was not a dull moment for his listeners. After we tapped the keg his form became even better and the meeting concluded very happily at about eleven p.m. It was really a great night. Some of our lads are so enthusiastic about the Association that they themselves make all the arrangements for their cobbers to join. One of these is Wally Bell, Mark 11, of A. Coy. Wally had been trying to flog Harry Brown of the same company into stirring himself into joining and he eventually did it for him. Now we can claim another member in Harry who is a farmer on the Nepean River near Penrith. Since we came home Harry has married and has had the good fortune to become the father of a lovely daughter. As a dairy farmer, Harry is making a reasonably well-buttered crust and has few worries. Way back in ’42 Harry was almost the first casualty of A. Coy. He was cut off from young Blanshard’s section when they were ambushed by the Nips on the afternoon of the 14th January, at Gemas. Harry bobbed up the next morning slightly the worse for wear but all in one piece. Tommy Davis and his new wife have just returned to earth after their recent honeymoon to Heron Island. They are living in their new house, which Tom hopes to complete some time this year. He built it himself, so there is no need for him to worry about the cost of labour. Ernie Stratford is making enough cash out of the butchering game to run a new Austin car. Ossie Jackson, the local storekeeper and postmaster of Binna Burra, is as fat as a seal. He blames his wife’s cooking. Arthur Buckingham of Lakemba always send his subs along on the dot but forgets to send us some news of himself. My wife and I had the pleasure of entertaining Des Gee at dinner recently. He has not altered much since the old days and still fits into any company quite comfortably. Since returning to Australia Des has had his ups and downs and for the last couple of years has been living in Melbourne where he intends to stay permanently. Harry Webber is now at Lady Davidson Home at Turramurra, where he is doing mostly nothing. During the last four years Harry has spent most of his time in hospital and several times his life was despaired of. He is one of our “chest” cases but recently was unfortunate enough to have trouble with his eyes and as a result some of the skin from his arm was grafted to his face. All members will join with us when we hope that Harry has seen the last of his major troubles and that good fortune will fall upon him from now on. Ross Madden sends his subs, along, through the medium of his wife who now writes his letters. Ross is a nurseryman at Armidale and is getting along famously. Clem Jobson is still fishing at Crowdy Heads and making a good living at it. The nearest put is five miles away from the Heads and Clem will guarantee at least one regular customer to any enterprising young chap who is prepared to open an hotel there. Lew Cohen is still around but we have no news of him. Keith Richardson, married and with one daughter, is living at Leycester via Lismore where he has a banana plantation. As yet there has only been hard work for him but the bananas will bear this year and Keith will see something for his efforts. Colonel George Ramsay is now working for the Snowy Mountains Water Scheme as Public Relations Officer. This is the same type of work which he has been doing for the Water Board and he is now making the break with the Board after thirty-seven years’ service with them. Cec. Palmer of Scone is the real family man now and visits the city very rarely. Country life agrees with him and his young family and he has had little worry with his health since we returned home. Jack North of West Wyalong was down in the big city for the February Re-union but we missed seeing him. Ashley Pascoe who works at the G.P.O. is in strife with his housing accommodation. That’s something to smile about, you will probably say, because without much trouble you could probably name a dozen people who are in the same plight, but still you MIGHT be able to help him and if you can then give him a ring at 8040 - Extension 630 from nine until five. Sid Musgrove is a very lucky man and what’s more he knows it. He married an exceptionally nice girl; they now have a daughter and wonder of wonders, they now have a flat. George Gallard has been out of hospital for some time now and is back with his family on the farm at Bray’s Creek on the Tweed. Arthur Isaac has shifted to Bankstown, recently. Any of the Unit who live out that way are always welcome at Arthur’s home. The last time we saw this lad he was studying a C.R.T.S. course and was by all accounts doing quite well. We have reported during the last few years that Arthur has married and from that day all our correspondence with him has been through his wife. We often wonder just how many financial members we would have if it were left to members to send in their own subs. Lloyd Stuart’s Mother has written to say that she and Lloyd have been living in their new house at North Bankstown, for about seven months. Lloyd has been playing lots of golf lately but his nerves are not too good and he is unable to reach the form which made him Country Champion prior to the outbreak of war. Arthur Welch from Queensland was nearly flooded out in February from his farm. He must be doing well because he is too busy to write us. Doug McLaggan of A. Coy. is now a Chartered Accountant and has gone so far as to invest in a nice new car. He is a bright boy, this lad; he gained first place in Australia in one of his exam subjects and is now holding down a good job in the Sydney Morning Herald. Rex Rowe, A. Coy., had done very well for himself since we returned home. Until a few months ago he was A.C.P.S. at Murwillumbah and is now doing the same job at Mudgee with the job of C.P.S. at Gulgong which he visits two days per week. The most attractive part of the new job was the tenancy of a cottage which he now occupies. Rex was a patient at Greenslopes Repat. Hospital, Brisbane, for six weeks last year an he apparently does not keep the best of health; however, with a new job, a house and a family he has little to worry him. Bill Rooke is managing the Murwillumbah R.S.S.A.I.L.A Club and by all reports he is doing the good job one would expect him to always do. “Smoky” McAndrew, A. Coy., in farming at Ballina. Smokey does not enjoy good health and we hope that the change of climate will be a change for the better for him. Snowy Hutton, also of A. Coy. has never looked better in his life. I saw him a couple of months ago and he was a different chap from the one whom we know. He has returned to Sydney after a year in Wollongong. Vince Leonard is in the big time with a vengeance. He has just had a new dam put in on his property and will buy a 5 H.P. Howard Rotary Hoe as soon as he can have it delivered – to say nothing of timber and iron for new sheds. If the sheds are reasonably weatherproof I am sure that many of our chaps would like to rent them as dwellings. On the subject of dwellings. Clarrie Burgess of A. Coy. has four little children who are living in three different places. Here is a family in real trouble and a house or cottage where they could all live together would seem like a miracle to them. The big news of the month is the announcement that our Annual Ball will be held at the New Dungowan, Martin Place, on the 3rd June. This year the price of the tickets will be fifteen shillings a single ticket, a slight increase on last year’s figure. The Ball this year will be just a big friendly party as it always is with friends to talk to at every table. We urge you to book early in order to allow the Social Committee plenty of time to see how they are progressing. The cost per person will be dearer for us this year and it is essential that we make a profit of at least ₤65 on the Ball. To do this you are asked to try to make your party as big as you possibly can without, of course, sacrificing your chances of lots of lots of fun. If we do not make a success of the Ball we will be in real trouble with our finances because as you know, our modest five shillings per year does not go very far. You will find two tickets for the Ball enclosed in this envelope. If you are going you are asked to send your cash in, not forgetting to mention the number of your ticket, to Johnnie Parsons, Penshurst. To reserve a table you can write to him or ring him at BW4401 between nine and five. You may reserve a table for any number from two to two hundred but try to BOOK EARLY. We offer our rather belated congratulations to Alan Mason on his recent marriage. This announcement would have been made earlier had I not been careless enough to lose some correspondence. Chook Fowler dropped his subs along from South Gippsland, Victoria. The following addresses are listed to enable you to keep your register up to date:-- NEW ADDRESSES – R.T.S.
Hall, Neutral Bay. Hilton Blanch, who is now married, is the foreman of a cane-cutting gang on the North Coast. He and his wife are living at Woolgoolga. You know of all the chaps whom we mention as living in the country very few have had housing troubles. Harry Jarrett and Jackie Collins are both working for the same butchering business in South Grafton. All the news in the above few paragraphs came from one letter by Ron Stoner. If you haven’t seen your name mentioned for some time then write a note to us. One of our enthusiasts is “Saff” Saifallie of Don Coy. He has not yet missed one of the re-unions and always insists on paying for two years subs at the one time. His address is c/-Hotel Burlington, Hay St., Sydney. Frank Craven has moved into his own home at Hurstville so his housing worries are over. Kevin Ward is still working the switchboard at Sydney Technical College. His eyesight shows no sign of improvement. Please forward all cheques, postal notes and money orders to R. E. Ellis, 21 Military Road, Neutral Bay. His telephone number is XY3468. See you at the Ball with your party of twenty. STAN ARNEIL. P.S. Don’t forgot to send in the numbers of your ball tickets with your money. Back to 1950 index or Main Index |