12 Castlereagh Street

12 Castlereagh Street, SYDNEY.

30th June, 1949.

Dear Tunneller,

“Best show we ever had”, or at least it was for me. There is no doubt about you all, and all the curses and epithets I have hurled at you during the last few years for failing to answer circulars are hereby revoked. The gift you made me is something super-dooper a magnificent (yes, that’s the word) pair of field glasses, and I’ll bet I could not get full on the little change there would be left out of £50. Anyhow I am not often at a loss for words but I was the other night, after the presentation.

What surprised me most was some of the far away Tunnellers whom I have reviled so much for not answering circulars and who for all I knew were dead, came forward with subscriptions.

Well, since you have all written saying how much you have enjoyed receiving my circulars with news of the old Tunnellers, I will make this a bumper circular and tell you what I can of all the old boys, living and dead.

Well, the dinner was held at the usual place, Sydney Legacy Club, 188 George Street, on one of the foulest nights Sydney has known for years, and I was very despondent as to whether we could get a quorum (we had, I might mention, a jorum). In spite of the weather 39 Tunnellers, near Tunnellers and visitors, arrived, there being only one absentee from the list of those accepting and that was Archie Thomson who was down with the dogs disease.

The following were present:

General Fewtrell, in the Chair. Jack Armstrong and his nephew Geoff. Roy Nilsson of the Alphabetical Co. Old Bill Manton – hale and hearty but with a touch of stringhalt. C.H.J. Clayton, once known as the “Ubiquitous” Clay, but now a working (?) pastoralist. Clay supplies us annually with two large turkeys. They were delightful this year and fed the multitude. Thanks Clay old chap – we forgot to do so at the dinner. Frank Hooper – still I think with the Water Board. Sam Lindsay – recently retired from a Shire Engineer’s job. Colin (Dap) Morris – now with the Housing Commission. Viv Bennett – also retired and living at Wollongong. Fred Phippard – still making bricks, and accompanied by his son John. Ossie Ochs – now with Tutt Bryant, earth (and heaven) movers. Dad Adcock – still making (but not drinking) Jusfrute at Gosford, accompanied also by his son. Pat Close – also retired. Doug Brigstocke – from Port Kembla, also with a touch of stringhalt. Taffy Owen – (dinkum R.E.) booby trap expert just back from a trip to the old Country. He did not get caught in a booby trap this year at the dinner and behaved very well indeed for Taffy. Phil Caro – the evergreen, does not look a day older. L.G. Wilkins – little Wilk, one time of Broken Hill, now of Drake near Tenterfield, which was Woodie’s home town. Big Bill David – (son of the old Professor) now a quack at the Prince of Wales Repat. Hospital. Harry Dean – now retired, also with son. Aubrey Law – also with son. H. Taylour. Ponty Seale & Son. Amongst others were some gentlemen interested in the non-production of coal. These were segregated at a separate table and except for holding a few stop work meetings and a certain amount of temporary absenteeism from the room (there was plenty of beer and it was a cold night) they behaved rather well – for coalies.

They were: Don Yates – (once a mule fancier) now head man at Sulphide Corp. David Robertson – on No. 3 Company, now of Wallerawang Colliery. James Robertson – of Port Kembla. Bunny Sawyer – of Pelaw Main. Pills Hill – of New Lambton. George Hindmarsh – head coal man at Wollongong for A I and S. and myself accompanied by a son.

Our guests were Sam Cox whom many of you may remember in the Moore Park School. He could not apparently make the grade as a Tunneller and finished up a half colonel in the Engineers. And our other guest was Sir John Madsen, better known to all the short-in-the-wind artists as Major Madsen, that b— that used to run us round Centennial Park before breakfast. Sir John thoroughly enjoyed the anecdotes about his training and was told how often his students dropped out at the start and cut over to tail up at the finish. He says he will run at the rear of the column next war.

Dr Neil Francis was a guest of Dr David and Commander Frazier a guest of Ponty Seale.

There were several excellent speeches and the beer and rum punch flowed freely. We still have the bedroom utensil (without a handle) in which we have now been making rum punch for years. Dr Francis, however, was not appreciative of the rum on account of the way it was served – he is very squeamish for a saw bones.

Now I will give you all some news about the ones who were not there.

Little Andy – W.T. Anderson, is down with the flu. He is still in the Water and Sewerage Dept. of the Public Works.

W.H. Logie writes from Safety Bay, W.A. We are all delighted to hear from you, old chap, as my last circular to you at Kalamunda was returned not known. He writes that when his son returned from active service with a spine injury they sold their orchard property at Kalamunda and took on processing and canning crayfish and fish offal for poultry food. They found it reminded them too much of trench No.4711 at Hill 60 on account of the stink (not a very nice word I think) and they sold out at a profit no doubt to someone without such delicate noses. His son has now gone to Collie to run a transport business while Bill himself has, to use his own expression, joined “the saints from whom their labours rest”. That reminds us of Logie and the C.R.E. when he told the C.R.E. – “You might have a crown on your shoulder but I don’t see any halo yet”. I have also to thank Bill specially as he it was who suggested to Carrol the idea of this splendid presentation. Thanks, Logie, Carrol and Clayton and the Committee here who carried out the idea.

A telegram from Alex Kennedy at Wodgina – “Wish could be with you tomorrow. Best wishes to all old Tunnellers. Kindest regards”. We would all love to see you too, Alex.

H.P. Wallman writes from 20 Vautier Street, Elwood, S.W. Melbourne, to say he has retired from the Electricity Commission and is living at that address and concludes – “Please remember me to all old friends at the dinner and I hope they are still allowed to imbibe sufficient alcoholic stimulant to make them feel young again”. The answer to that hope is yes, definitely – with nobs on. Woodie (O.H. Woodward) writes from 14 Beaumont Common, Burnside, S.A. Woodie has retired from his General Managership and is now acting as Director for several Companies. He writes very nice remarks about my efforts in keeping you all together and adds this about our guest, Sir John: - “Had he been as well advanced in Science as he is now, he could have plotted by radar our progress in climbing the famous observation mast and located those who got off course during our early morning run round the park”.

Doug Brigstocke has contributed the following overheard in camp: “I say, Bill, I have just heard there’s fifteen cases of V.D. down the village.” “Have yer – Goodo, that will be a bit of a change anyhow, I am getting a bit tired of that b— camp pie myself”.

John Bate writes from Stawell, Victoria – “Salutations to all old comrades. As the years flit by one’s mind seems to dwell more on the past and old comrades become nearer and dearer”.

J.B. Justice of 7 Wellesley Road, Hawthorne, Vic writes very flattering remarks about my efforts for the Association. He has been hors de combat with a bit of blood pressure but is better now and out of hospital. He sends his best to all. I really think he would have appreciated our g. and v. cocktails the other night.

John Dowe writes from Main Roads Commission, Brisbane. He passed through here a couple of years ago and although I was able to find him accommodation I missed seeing him. We had the pleasure of meeting his tall son during the latter part of the war.

Eddie Tooth is running Austral Motors in Brisbane and is always the first to reply to a circular. Thanks, Eddie, a lot.

N.S. Kellie McCallum now retired from the Northern Rivers and living at Roseville is the only other British Tunneller (Taffy Owen) on our records. He has not been to our dinners yet, but we hope to have him one day. Thanks old chap for your contribution.

Duncan Corfe has also retired from the North and is living at Neutral Bay. During the war we had the pleasure of entertaining his nephew John Palmer who was in the British Navy. Thanks, Duncan, for your contribution.

Now we come to a joint letter from Pip Piper and Warlow Davies from 5A Stoke Street, Hobart. They both weighed in handsomely. We are looking forward to seeing them one day at a reunion.

P.J. McShane of the Alphabeticals also sends in his bit and greetings to all Tunnellers.

Trebilcock writes from No. 1 Brunswick Road, Victoria. He came to one of our reunions years ago and we are looking forward to seeing him again.

Bert Carrol writes from Wiluna. I know he had something to do with this presentation – he, Logie and Clay I imagine started the fun. Thanks to you all.

K. Bryon Moore writes from 11 Mona Place, South Yarra. He is another good one at answering circulars. Thanks a lot for your support.

We were very delighted to hear from the (now) Rev R.G.B. Ashcroft who is stationed at Richmond. We have not heard from him much in recent years and are glad to hear he is still on deck.

John Purvis who used to be a regular attender, writes from 34 Martin Place. All very glad to hear from you again, and thanks. C.S. Honman writes from 3 Fairy Street, Ivanhoe, N.21. Vic. All glad to hear from him. I had the pleasure of meeting his son a couple of years ago at the Cement Co, Marulan, N.S.W.

Now wouldn’t these next ones rock you? Old A.W. Johnson, of London taxi cab fame, writes from 150 Esplanade, Middle Brighton. Phil Burns, of Rosebery (that’s all the address he gives) R. de Passey, Box 140, P.O. Kalgoorlie, and R.C. Irving, Lacey Street, Whyalla, H.W. Petherbridge of Metropolitan Gas Co. Albert Park.

Now all of these latter ones please accept my apologies for all I have said and thought of you. It is wonderful to me to hear that you have been enjoying the circulars even if you have not replied before, and I will make sure in future that you will get all the news.

The old Plum (P.C. Plumer) writes from. I had the pleasure of meeting his son John complete with bride recently and took them to lunch. He is very like old Plum but I doubt whether he will ever get to as many places as his old Dad. Plum, when he can spare time from golf, plays bowls.

Ralph Justice has retired and is now living as 23 Fairfield Avenue, Camberwell, Vic.

During the last few years I do not know whether I have told you of the deaths of some of our old friends. I will note below a few to whose death my attention has been drawn:-

Dave Bonar 1947 H.W. Gartrell 1945 Ron Hinder 1948 Harry Wheeler Brown1948

There are one or two others from whom I have recently had verbal messages, but I do not ever seem to have heard from them by mail, i.e. Campbell Shaw and R.J. Kavanagh, both from W.A.

Now with one or two more or less humorous stories told, the best of which I think is the following:-

A reporter was meeting the overseas immigrant ship at the wharf and after interviewing the great and not so great he got down to the lesser fry. One nice looking woman, on being questioned, said her name was Mrs Ovenbaker, had been married three months and was on her way to join her husband. “Have you any children” asked the reporter. “No,” she replied, “my name is Ovenbaker, not Pressure Cooker”.

Should I have inadvertently left out any names of any who were at the dinner or who wrote, please accept my apologies. Write and tell me and I will rectify the omission. With 60 or 70 letters in front of me and the telephone buzzing all the time, it is difficult not to make a slip or two.

Well, for the time being, au revoir. Will I hear from you all again next presentation time, or will you write anyhow?

Fred Phippard has asked me to thank all those who sent messages to him as he was not able to reply personally to so many letters.

With all my thanks and best wishes.

(Sgd) Johnnie Royle.