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Back to 1959 index or Main Index Makan – No. 134 Dear Dig, The Annual General Meeting will be held at the Southern Inn, Dixon Street, at 8 o'clock on the night of April 17th. We apologise for the short notice but have been very busy and hope that you will not mind for this once. The Old Man will be present and we urge all who can make it to come along and contribute to the running of our Association. The Annual General Meeting is always a jolly affair in as much as it is a very comfortable little reunion without the rush and bustle and noise that are normally associated with reunions. Come along at six o’clock and enjoy a Chinese feed and a bottle of beer before the meeting. The Annual Report is as follows: The year under review was a quiet one for the Association, the Committee concentrating mainly on maintaining the membership and in a continuance of our welfare functions. Items of interest to members were as follows : THIRTEENTH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING This meeting was held in the Southern Inn, Dixon Street, Sydney on the 28th March, 1959. The meeting which was not very well attended was preceded by an informal Chinese meal. Minutes of the meeting are shown at the end of this Report. MAKAN Production of our Newsletter has been maintained at two monthly intervals, the December, 1958 issue being the 132nd Makan since its inception. The Committee wishes to receive more letters from members in order that the news quantity of the Makan may be maintained. COMMITTEE MEETING During the year a total of six meetings were held at which attendance was as follows :
MEMBERSHIPS Membership remains satisfactory, the position as at 31st December, 1958 compared with the previous year being as follows :
JANUARY 14 - GEMAS DAY: (a) Sydney The attendance at the Cenotaph was the usual twenty-five or so and was numerically disappointing. Many members in the inner city area did not make the effort to attend. In contrast to this attitude by many members, we expressed our thanks to the "Old Faithfuls" who attended each year allowing only the most important engagements as circumstances to prevent their attendance. (b) Bathurst As against the poor showing at the Sydney Cenotaph, grateful mention must be made of the ceremony performed at the stone at Bathurst. The R.S.L. made a splendid gesture to the memory of our dead and performed a solemn ceremony of remembrance. Battalion representatives were John Haskins of Oberon, Phil Bailey of Lithgow and their respective wives. ANZAC DAY MARCH The March was attended by more than 100 ex-members of the Unit. The Old Man led the march whilst Sid Hennessy carried the banner. After the march almost all ranks assembled at the Rawson Hotel in George Street where Harry Collins had arranged for the use of a private bar for us. It was a most congenial occasion and was assisted to be so not only because of the company of the restful atmosphere. Mrs. Collins provided great boxes of sandwiches which were greatly appreciated. ROADSIDE MEMORIAL Although the Roadside Memorial was erected in the previous financial year we mention it again as it is during the year under review that the bulk of the donations to the Memorial were given. The cost of the Memorial has now been reimbursed to the Unit Association and the Memorial has been established as a part of the local colour of the Bathurst district. A postcard photo of the Memorial with a personal letter from the President has been forwarded to each of the next-of-kin whose addresses are known. If any member will advise the name and address of any next-of-kin who has not received one we will be happy to send further photos. Mr. Herb Pratley and his friends at Bathurst have worked wonders in as much as the Memorial has been protected by a handsome surround. We requested Mr. Pratley to accept the position of Custodian to the Memorial and he has done so. In addition Mr. Pratley has advised that in the event of his demise his family will take over the custody of the Memorial. It is of course a very happy position for us and we are deeply grateful to Mr. Pratley for his assistance. Mention cannot be made of the Memorial without expressing again our thanks to Mrs. Olga Geikie for her original idea that we erect the Memorial and her effort in assisting to raise the money to defray the cost. WELFARE Although an amount of only £13 has been shown as welfare payments we have been more active in the invisible welfare field than in previous years. Almost all this work has been performed by Les Hall, who, to his great credit has been untiring in his effort. Les visits Yaralla Hospital once a fortnight and for certain unfortunate cases has made a considerable number of home visits. The thanks of all members should go to Les Hall for this unspectacular but necessary part of our service. LAST POST LEW COHEN, NEVILLE GEAR, ARTHUR OVERETT, REX ROWE During the year we reported the death of these four friends of ours. They were good chaps who died as a result of service to our country. To their families we express again our deep sympathy in their great loss. We knew their worth and valued their friendship during the war and after. Whilst we are able to continue the Makan we will continue to remember our friends who died during the war years or who have faded away since the end of hostilities. ADDENDUM The thanks of the Committee and members of the Association are again due to Stan Arneil for the mighty job he is doing. LANG MAY HIS LUM REEK ARCH THORBURN Back to 1959 index or Main Index |