Semper Paratus 5 FIELD AMBULANCE RAAMC ASSOCIATION Established 1982 WINTER ISSUE 2019 RESERVE FORCES NEWSLETTER A PROUD SUPPORTER OF THE RAAMC ASSOCIATION Inc. WEB SITE: www.raamc.org.au

PERTH

Tasmania

Adelaide Canberra Melbourne

QUEENSLAND

Northern Territory

2 5 Field Ambulance RAAMC Association Patron: COL Ray Hyslop OAM RFD Office Bearers PRESIDENT: LTCOL Derek Cannon RFD– 31 Southee Road, Richmond NSW 2753 (M) 0415 128 908 HON SECRETARY: Alan Curry OAM—35/1a Gordon Close, Anna Bay NSW 2316 (H) (02)4982.2189 (M) 0427 824 646 Email: [email protected] HON TREASURER: Brian Tams—453/1 Scaysbrook Drive, Kincumber NSW 2251 (H) (02) 4368 6161 COMMITTEE: WO 1 Warren Barnes OAM Mobile: 0409 909 439 Fred Bell (ASM) Mobile: 0410 939 583 Barry Collins OAM Phone: (02) 9398 6448 Ron Foley Mobile: 0422 376 541 Ann Jackson Mobile: 0407 236 724 CONTENTS LIFE MEMBERS ------Page 3 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE/CORRECTION/SICK PARADE ------Page 4 SECRETARY’S MESSAGE/KIND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ------Page 5 VALE (Harry Strong) ------Page 6 EULOGY (Huss Mahomet) ------Pages 7-10 OBITUARY (Dr. William McBride) ------Pages 10-11 ANZAC Day (Summary) ------Pages 11-14 ANZAC ADDRESS (KTMW-Gary Wilson ------Pages 15-16 AHS “CENTAUR” (Summary) ------Pages 16-17 Reserve Forces Day-Newcastle (Details)/New Members/POEM ------Page 17 HAPPY (WINTER) BIRTHDAYS/POEMS ------Page 18 Clarence Power WW 1 Diaries (Continue Part 3) ------Pages 19-24 STORY (MAJGEN Sir Charles Ryan) ------Pages 25-26 STORY (Reflections of an American Army doctor) ------Pages 26-27 MESSAGES FROM MEMBERS ------Pages 28-30 ITEMS of INTEREST/Battle for Australia (request) ------Pages 31-33 Fund Raiser/Apply to join/Late Subscribers/THANK YOU ------Page 34 5 CSSB Health Company “Update”/Poems ------Page 35 Activity Sheet ------Page 36 ADVERTISEMENTS: Any enquiries for advertisements in our magazine, please contact Alan Curry or any committee member (details are listed above) We are not a Charity, we are a ‘Not-For-Profit’, community- based organisation and we are unincorporated, and have been since 1982. DISCLAIMER: Opinions expressed in our quarterly newsletters are not necessarily those of our Patron, Executive or Committee. We welcome any input as long as it is not offensive or abusive but if any member has a problem with a printed article we would like to be informed in order that the author may be contacted. We do encourage your opinion.

Thank you to all our members and friends for their letters and contributions to our Association. We are very grateful for your input. 3 LIFE MEMBERS (Please contact me if I have omitted your name or if any corrections are needed)

Mr. Samuel ALEXANDER MAJ Eileen HENDERSON OAM MAJGEN John PEARN AO RFD CStJ WO 2 Michael ALI OAM RFD (nee Anderson) MAJ Robert PEARSON (Ret'd) COL Suresh BADAMI OAM RFD LTCOL Kym HENDERSON RFD Mr. Barry PERIGO # Mr. Adam BAILEY Mr. Rodney HOGAN # Mrs. Heather PERIGO Mr. Trevor BARNES RFD MAJ James HOOLAN Jr. USMC Mr. Peter PETHER WO 1 Warren BARNES OAM (Ret'd) LTCOL David PHILLIPS RFD Mr. Alan BECKERLEG Mr. Edward HUNG Mrs. Karen PHILLIPS (nee Stead) Mr. Fred BELL LTCOL Sandy HUNT-SHARMAN RFD WO 1 Ken PHILLIPS OAM Mr. Robert ('Scotty') BOYD (Ret'd) Mr. Bob PINK OAM # Mr. Greg BROWN Mr. Kevin HURRELL Mr. John PRICE Dr. Harding BURNS OAM # Mrs. Norma HUTTON Dr. F.G. (Geoff.) PRIOR Mr. Bob BUTLER COL Ray HYSLOP OAM RFD +Mr. Thomas (Tom) PRITCHARD LTCOL Derek CANNON RFD Mr Ken ILES RFD COL Robert (Bob) REID ED (Ret'd) # Mrs Edna CANNON CAPT Jim ILIOPOULOS CAPT Alan ROBINSON (Ret'd) Mr. Greg CANT CAPT Natalie ILIOPOULOS CAPT James ROCHE OAM WO1 Michael CARLSON (Ret'd) (nee Polydoropoulos) MAJ John ROCHE OAM Mr. Kevin CARTER Mr. Terry IRVINE OAM Mr. Michael ROWLEY CMDR James CHAPMAN (Ret'd) Mrs. Ann JACKSON Mr. Bill RYLANDS Mr. John CHARTER (nee Williams) Mrs. Cathy SALMON Mr. Noel CHRISTENSEN RFD # Mr. Don JARMAN CAPT Susan SALVI Mr. John CLEGG Mr. Ernest JOHNSON MAJ Rod SEARLE (Ret'd) Mr. K.B. (Barry) COLLINS OAM # Mr. Patrick JONES Mr. Paul SHERGOLD Mr. David COOPER OAM Mr. Richard JONES Mr. Robert SHILLINGSWORTH Mr. Roy CROSSLEY LTCOL Stuart JONES RFD Mr. George SIP # Mr. Joseph CRUMLIN OAM # M/s Sarah JONES Mr. Ross SMITH Mr. Gordon CURTIS # Mrs. Sue JONES CAPT Stephen STEIGRAD (Ret'd) Mr. Alan CURRY OAM Mr. Anthony JORDAN Mr. Robert STEWART Mr. Greg CURRY MAJ Robert (Bob) KENYON # M/s Judith STRACHAN Mr. John CURRY Mr. Doug KERSEY Mr. Chris STRODE Mr. Patrick CURRY Mr. Colin KLINE Mr. Teddy SLIGPATAN # Mr. Stephen CURRY LTCOL Edward KREMER OAM Mr. Peter SULLIVAN MAJ David CZERKIES OStJ # Mr. Anthony LAING Mr. Brian TAMS MAJ Peter DALGLEISH RFD COL Frank LANG OAM RFD ED # Mrs. Debra TAYLOR WO 11 Theo DECHAUFEPIE OAM # Mr. Terry LANGWORTHY # Mr. Trevor TAYLOR # Mr. Bernie DENNIS Mr. John LA YHE EM Mr. Bill THOMPSON # Mrs. Mavis DENNIS LT Igor LEMECH Mr. Peter THOMPSON # Mrs. Olive DODD # Mr. Bryan LINDSAY Dr. Peter TRALAGGAN Mr. George DONNELLY # Mr. Geoffrey LINDSAY Mr. Ian TUCKER Dr. Ken DOUST OAM # Mrs. Maureen LIWNGSTON Mr. Keveral TURNBULL LTCOL Marie DOYLE MAJ Kathleen LOADSMAN Dr. Michael TYQUIN Mr. Stuart DOYLE Mr. Robert LOVE Mrs. Ruth VAUDIN (nee Corbet) LTCOL Andrew ELLIS OAM Mr. Edwin LOWERY LCPL Rhys VAUGHN # M/s Brittany EVANS Mr. Alen LUCIC Mrs. Kate VERCOE (nee Rose) # M/s Felicity EVANS Mr. Nick MARSHALL Mr. Matthew VERCOE # Mr. Josh EVANS Dr. Helena MARTIN Mr. Don WALKER # Mrs. Julie EVANS # Mr. Don MELVILLE # Mr. Kim WARNOCK # Mr. Tony EVANS Mr. Gordon MILLS # Mr. David WASSON MAJ Madeline EVES RFD Mr. Paul MISTO # Mr. Lindsay WASSON Mr. Phillip FAGUE COL Bill MOLLOY RFD ED LTCOL Darren WATERSON Mr. Laurie FARRUGIA JP Mr. Michael MORONEY Mr. John WEAVER Brett FERRARI # Mr. Charles MURRAY Mr. Ronald WEBB Mr. Nelson FIORENTINO Mr. John McCARTHY Mr. lan WHITE Mr. Garry FLOOD Mr. Hugh McCARTY MAJ Bruce WHITTET (Ret'd) # Mrs. Adrienne FOLEY # Dr. Philip McGRATH CAPT Don WIKNER ED JP Mr. Ron FOLEY # Mrs. Trish McGRATH # Mr. David WILKINSON Mrs. Frances FOOKES LTCOL John McKEOWN RFD (Ret'd) COL Warwick WILKINSON AO RFD (nee Henderson) CAPT Tom McLANDERS (Ret'd) ED LTCOL Paul FOOKES # Mrs. Yvonne McLEAN MAJ Alex WILLIAMS Mr. Richard FORD Mr. Ken McNUFF Mr. David WILLIAMS MAJ John GALLAGHER # M/s Marion NEWMAN Mr. John WILSON Mr. Joe GATTY CAPT Richard NG # Mrs. Margaret WOODHEAD CAPT John GORRELL RFD (Ret'd) # Mrs. Rayda NOBLE (nee Prain) CAPT Raymond YEOW # Mrs. Margaret GORRELL MAJ John O'BRIEN (Ret'd) Dr. Phillip YUILE Victoria GORRIE # Mr. Peter O'GRADY Mr. Jim ZORBAS WO 1 Gordon GRANT MiD (Ret'd) Mr. Barry O'KEEFE Mr. Barry (Bob) GRIEVES WO 1 E. (Bill) O'KEEFE (Ret'd) + 2/5th Australian Field Ambulance Mr. George HARRIS COL John OVERTON AM RFD # Associate Mr. John HEAD MAJ Peter PAISLEY (Ret'd) CAPT Ken HELSBY WO 2 Steve PARIS (Ret'd)

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Welcome to the 2019 Winter Issue and RAAMC Birthday Newsletter of the 5 Field Ambulance RAAMC Association. I am attending monthly meetings of Richmond Sub-Branch of the Returned and Services League of Australia (NSW Branch) when possible, and was present at their 104th COMMEMORATION of ANZAC march and ceremony on Sunday April 22nd to Richmond War Memorial. The ANZAC ADDRESS was given by Wing Commander Trent Harris RAAF Base Richmond. Local school representatives and representatives of local Associations and local Government members laid wreaths and associated flower bunches at the War Memorial. I attended the Sydney March on April 25th form up in Sydney where my family members Life members Debra and Trevor Taylor and their son Nathan (Naval Doctor) and his fiancée Lindsay, Britt Evans (my prop) all attended to line the route and my daughter Life member Julie Evans marched in my place. My good friend and member, poet extraordinaire, Tomas Hamilton travelled with me and took his place in the March. The new march format worked well with Banner’s leading carried by members of 201 ACU from Manly in uniform, then the very welcome members of 5 CSSB Health Coy in uniform representing, the present day linage to 5 Field Ambulance and giving marchers some good military spine. Then marching with pride and a sprightly step, were a very worthy representation of medical and health personnel. The after March lunch at the Sanctuary Hotel in Kent Street organised by I Field Ambulance association was a great success. (Refer to the March reports and photographs later in this Newsletter.) This year, apart from the Newcastle contingent carrying on with Reserve Forces Day (RFD) it means we have one less function in Sydney where RFD has ended after the 2018 Parade. To all our long-time, and recently enlisted, members and with a constant thought for our sick, Edna and I wish you all the very best for the future. Good reading and I hope to see many of you, joining our ranks in Sydney on Battle for Australia Day on Wednesday 4th September at the Cenotaph (Martin Place Memorial)

Derek Cannon

THINKING” (Courtesy-Derek Cannon) If you think you are beaten, you are. If you think you dare not, you don’t If you would like to win but think you can’t, it’s almost certain you won’t If you think you will lose, you’ve lost. For out of the world we find, success begins with a fellow’s will. It’s all in the state of the mind.

Full many a race is lost, ‘ere even a step is run, And many a coward fails ‘ere even his work is begun. Think big and your deeds will grow, think small and you’ll fall behind. Think that you can, and you will. It’s all in the state of the mind.

If you think you’re outclassed, you are. You’ve got to think high to rise. You’ve got to be sure of yourself, before you can win the prize. Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster man, For sooner or later the man who wins is the fellow who thinks he can.

CORRECTION On Page 14 in our last newsletter (ANZAC DAY AUTUMN Issue 2019) under New Members Greg Brown, and the explanation of the “Choco’s” I wrote that the Japanese Army started NORTH from Buna and Gona etc. I should have written SOUTH! My thanks to our member who contacted me SICK PARADE Dick BOURKE, Bob BUTLER, Derek CANNON, Kevin CARTER, John CLEGG, Barry COLLINS OAM, Roy CROSSLEY, John DAVIES, May DENNIS, George DONNELLY, Nelson FIORENTINO, Garry FLOOD, Richard FORD, Joe GATTY, Gordon GRANT, Tomas HAMILTON, Norma HUTTON (Minnamurra Aged Care, 12-14 Clements St, Drummoyne NSW 2047), Ken ILES, Vic INESON, Brian INMAN, Terry IRVINE, John LAYHE, Robert LOVE, John McCARTHY, Hugh (Macka) McCARTY, Peter O’GRADY, Mike O’KEEFFE, Chris O’REILLY, Barry & Heather PERIGO, Karen PHILLIPS (nee Stead), Bob REID, Alan ROBINSON, Robert SHILLINGSWORTH, Judith STRACHAN, Natalie SWAN (nee Lloyd), Brian TAMS, Irene TROY, Keverell TURNBULL, John WEAVER, John WILSON, Margaret WOODHEAD and Jim ZORBAS. 5

Message from the Secretary Dear members, I send a warm greeting to you, especially to our sick and hospitalised members. The one item I miss dearly is the message that our late Padre, Brian Hogan, used to send me for each edition. I miss him for the loving task he embraced in phoning our sick members to enquire after their welfare. That being said, do we have a member with a Theological Degree who would consider being our next Honorary Padre? If so, please contact me.

Our Association sends a sincere message of condolence to the family members of those Muslim worshippers who were killed by that deranged Australian gunman, in mid March. 50 innocent people were killed and 50 more were seriously wounded when he went on his shooting rampage at the Mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. After writing this, we now read about those terrible terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka which has killed 250 Christian worshippers and wounded hundreds more. What is happening to our world?

The “Feeler” I put out in our last newsletter for ‘someone’ to replace me has possibly drawn a member who will ‘think about it’ and let me know! I do know that if this person wants to give it a try, this person will succeed and become an approachable replacement. I will keep you informed.

I attended the Pre-ANZAC Day service at the Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway on the 24th (Read the “Summary” about ANZAC Day). I had the honour of presenting a “Citation” for my RSL Sub Branch at their Dawn Service on ANZAC Day at our Tilligerry RSL Club. I spoke about Major Peter Badcoe VC. After breakfast I headed down to Sydney for our march. You will read the ‘summary’ further on in the magazine.

It is unfortunate that Sydney will no longer host a Reserve Forces Day Parade but I am pleased that Newcastle will carry on the tradition which started the nation-wide movement of acknowledging the immense value of our Reserve Forces. The contribution of our volunteers, especially in the Defence Force, is greatly appreciated and relied upon. A BIG THANK YOU is extended to all our volunteers.

KIND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS (Please advise us if your payment has not been acknowledged) Ron GILLESPIE (EFT $50) for RAAMC Tie. (Non Member) Kevin HURRELL (Cash $50) for balance to become a Life Member. Greg LEWIS-PHILLIPS (EFT $15) for Subs. Don MELVILLE (Cheque $25) for Postage & Donation. Barry SAINSBURY (Cash $30) for Subs to 2019 Darren WATERSON (EFT $50) for RAAMC Tie. Margaret WOODHEAD (Cash $100) for Life Membership. Raymond YEOW (EFT $100) for New Member and Life Membership James ZORBAS (EFT $30) for Donation.

A recent study has found that women who carry a little extra weight live longer than men who mention it! 6

Henry (“Harry”) STRONG. Harry passed away peacefully, in Gosford Hospital, on the afternoon of the 3rd April. His family had been with him. Harry had not enjoyed good health, particularly over the past 12 months. Harry joined our Association in 2014 after he and his friend, Ray Greenfield, offered to carry our banner in The Newcastle Reserve Forces Day Parade of that year. We had the privilege of reading a little of Harry’s life on Page 38 of our AUTUMN Issue 2015.

The family was grateful for the large attendance of the Gosford City National Service Sub Branch and their Welfare Officer, Derek Crawford, who present the National Servicemen’s Tribute. Derek informed all present of Harry’s service; Harry was given Army Number 2719853 and commenced his 3 months Full Time service on the 28th April 1953 with 13 NSTB in Ingleburn and completed his National Service commitment with 3 Inf Bn, (The Werriwa Regt.) He was a rifleman and was discharged on the 27th April 1958 with the rank of Private. He was awarded the Anniversary of National Service 1951-1972 Medal and The Australian Defence Medal. Ray Greenfield, (himself a member of the Gosford City NS Sub Branch) and I also represented our Association. Harry’s son Stewart gave the below Eulogy; Eulogy for HARRY STRONG (From his son Stewart) “I had the best parents when I was growing up and my father was the best father anyone could want. When I played soccer, he was my coach. When I bought my first car he helped me to work on it and later on, he helped me to restore ’a 53 and a ’57 Chev. It was good to have a panel beater in the family whenever we needed it.

He never had a bad word for anyone (except politicians) and he was there to help anyone. The only time I ever saw him get angry was when I fell off my skateboard and broke my arm and he chopped my skateboard up with an axe!

He joined the Native Plant Society and did bush care for many years. He was fit and healthy until about 15 years ago, when he was diagnosed with lymphoma, which eventually claimed his life. Until a few years ago, I think he was fitter than me.

My dad was a quiet achiever and a true Australian. He will be missed by everyone who knew him”. Eulogy presented by Mr Anthony Thorrington (Celebrant) on behalf of Harry’s family; “Harry was welcomed into the world on 9th March, 1934, at Mittagong, NSW, Henry Stewart Strong was the youngest of six children born to Wilfred and Elspeth Johnstone Strong (nee Stewart). There was Ian, Dorothy, Bill, Eric, Jean and Harry and Harry is now survived by his brother, Eric. Their father was a sheep farmer…..

Harry was diagnosed with the onset of lymphoma several years ago and the last two of those years have been very difficult for him. Very sick from infections and pneumonia, Harry was regularly shuttled backwards and forwards to hospital for treatment. June lovingly looked after him at home as best as she could and for as long as she could. Sadly, his health continued its inexorable decline and some more recent tests found scarring on his lungs. Finally, Harry was admitted to the Gosford District Hospital, where June and the family, as they have always done, gathered around him there to help love and care for him, however, Harry just wasn’t able to recover, and he had told June that he was ready to go.

And so it was there at Gosford, Henry Stewart Strong, aged eighty-five years, quietly and, perhaps, rather mercifully departed this life early on Wednesday afternoon, 3rd April, 2019.

He will be very sadly missed by all those who knew and loved him. It is a great debt we owe to men like Harry Strong, a man who good and faithfully served the citizens of Australia as a National Serviceman.

Harry was a happy, honest, and very much a gentle man, who enjoyed life and genuinely liked people. He was always the first to put up his hand to help others and he had a small coterie of neighbours. Ladies he regularly helped by fixing lights, taps, etc., etc., and gave sound and common sense advice to them.

That respect for people which Harry possessed is readily seen by his and June’s involvement and support in the “Shirley Shuttle”, providing free transport to patients suffering with cancer, to medical appointments, etc.

Harry had also a keen interest in the environment and Nature. He loved the water and the bushland and was keenly involved in “bush care” work, especially at the Katandra Reserve at Gosford. Very much a family man, Harry was a much-loved husband to June of sixty-three years, a much-loved and proud father and father-in-law to the family, as well as a beloved brother, brother-in-law and uncle and a good and loyal friend. His work here is now done. May he rest in peace”.—————————————————- (Eulogy for Huss Mahomet on next page) 7

Eulogy for the late Huss MAHOMET (from his daughter, Claire, on behalf of all her family) “Hussen Christopher Mahomet, born during WWII, July 20th, 1940 at home, Pittwater Rd, Gladesville, Born to Philomena his mother and Hussen his father. He was the youngest of 3, with 2 older sisters, Miriam and Noelene. At the time of Dad’s birth, his father Hussen, was off serving as a solider in the war fighting as one of the ‘Rats of Tobruk” with the 7th Division in the Middle east. It was unfortunate his Dad was not to be around for a long time… Baby Huss surprised everyone, arriving very early as a premmie. So early in fact that when he came into this world, he only weighed a tiny 1pound 2 ozs! Aunty Noel clearly remembers him fitting into the palm of your hand and being placed into a shoebox wrapped in cotton wool, in order to keep him alive. So tiny, the odds were not in his favour. But surviving against all odds he did! And it’s no wonder Dad had a stubborn streak and a loud mouth on him. He was born to be a fighter and over these past few years he definitely did a lot of that! Now despite being so small and having to be being dressed in Noelene’s pink dolls clothes, everyone loved and spoilt him, especially his Aunty Mary and Uncle Oscar, who for the longest time could not have children of their own so Dad took up following Uncle Oscar until Mary & Oscar adopted Jimmy. Dad and Jimmy were like brothers growing up.

Then at the end of the war when his own father, Hussen, returned home from service Dad didn’t know who that man was, and for the longest time wouldn’t have much to do with him. Upon returning, his father then spent most of his time at Concord Repatriation Hospital, as a sick war vet.

Dad longed for a close relationship with his own father, but as he was so ill that just wasn’t to be. Luckily, he had Jeff, who married his big sister Mirry. Dad loved Jeff a lot, looking up to him as a father figure and probably Uncle Jeff was responsible for corrupting Dad with smokes and scotch! But the good thing is that he also taught him to cook yummy curries too! Dad attended Boronia Park Public school, then went on to high school, Villa Maria Marist Brothers. It wasn’t a place he enjoyed much but he did develop his love for football there. He mustn’t have been too bad a player, as he even travelled to Brisbane with the school for a footy match. Those skinny legs could run! Despite a household of girls, he watched his fair share of footy and over the years his football teams were firstly Balmain Tigers, then he would barrack with us girls in the 80’s, as a Parramatta Eels supporter (as we lived in the ‘west’). Spending much of his working days in the thick of the Lower North Shore, he would also proudly cheer for the North Sydney Bears, as he would often have to coordinate transport diversions for footy games around the city and North Shore and when really lucky got to attend a game or two.

If it wasn’t football he was watching in the 70’s, 80’s and 90s it was cricket. I remember the cricket being on TV for hours when I was little and as a result one of my favourite songs as a kid was “Come on Aussie Come On” – thanks to Dad! When I and Judith started having tennis lessons he then became a big tennis fan. Dad and Mum would stay up all night watching tennis with me, when younger, and that tradition continued even up to this past summer. Many a summer’s day he would spend watching tennis battles. These past few years there was a long-standing rivalry with Mum loving Nadal, whilst Dad was the Federer fan.

His youth was spent helping his Mum and Aunty around the house. His joys came from the menagerie of animals they cared for; dogs, cats, sheep, finches, chickens, ducks and crested cockatoo. He was also lucky to have a huge backyard that ventured down to Buffalo Creek and the Lane Cove River, which Dad immensely enjoyed, where he and his neighbours, would play in the bush or along the river.

Dad’s first mate was “Lucky”, a scruffy dog and his first feathery friend “Sailor” a sulphur crested cockatoo. It was in his youth that paved the way for the animal shelter we had growing up, a stray would always be welcomed into the fold at our place—dogs, heaps of cats, birds, chickens, injured magpies, and even orphaned cockatoos! These furry friends were some of his closest. If you lived in Greystanes then you knew “Sydney James”, his cockatoo of 37 years. Gifted to Dad by Shelly and Lorry, she was adored and pampered. She was his girl and was not to be left out of any family celebration, even joining us at the table on Christmas Day!

He loved his cats. Over the past 20 years his ginger cats were his favourites with “Pumpkin”, “Carrots” & “Mr Leo” - or more recently his old girl “Lulu”, these furballs would spending many hours by his side after he recovered from dialysis, it was their gentle, non-demanding nature that seemed to calm Dad too. Army Having had his own Father serve in WW 2, Dad grew up appreciating the honour it was to defend and represent your country. A proud Aussie through and through, at about 16 Dad joined the army as a cadet, then the CMF later becoming a sergeant and stepped away in about 1969.

The friendship and camaraderie he developed remained a constant throughout Dad’s life; these men were the brothers he never had, and their friendship remained a constant right to the end.

Over the years the Army social events were always well regarded, along with always celebrating Anzac Day, he looked forward to the Anzac March, carrying the flags, his Father’s medals as well as his own. (Cont. on next page) 8

(Cont. from previous page) Dad really instilled in us girls the love of this country and I know it is the reason why I ventured to Gallipoli to attend the dawn service when I was 21, something he was very proud of, and often retold the tail to many who would listen.

Right up until recently, Dad remained a ‘Sergeant’ through and through. Before becoming an old man and having to wear ‘suitable’ slippers he religiously wore his boots. Boots that were always polished and so shiny! It was the Army man in him that ran so deep. As Dad became less mobile he had a tendency to shuffle along, but if Mum needed to stir him, to get those skinny legs moving, she would drill him ‘Lift those boots up off the ground, soldier and stop shuffling’ And like any good solider, he obediently followed the instructions of the drill sergeant! Judy, dad’s wife of 54 years, friend for 57 Dad met Judith Anne Mackney in April 1962, thanks to the fine working of Grandma (Flemmie) who worked in the kitchens of Mount St Margaret Mary’s, Ryde, where mum was living and studying to become a nurse. Flemmie had gotten to know the girl from Dorrigo and thought she would be a lovely girl to date her precious son. Thanks to Grandma and her match making she suggested Dad take Mum out to a local dance in Ryde.

That first date Dad picked mum up in that little red VW, she thought he was so handsome with those thick curly locks and deep dark eyes and his ability to charm her. That night they talked all night and if that didn’t do it for Mum, she would be swayed at the knees by her man in uniform…. and then as they say the rest is history! Hussen married Judy at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, Gladesville 18th Sept, 1965, they were married for 54 years. They first lived in East Ryde where they had their first child, their princess Kathryn. With the family expanding they then moved to the family home at Greystanes in February 1968, just before Dad’s pup Donna Ducky joined the family in April.

In 1971, Christopher the son they longed for, came into this world, Dad finally had a little man to join him and be his mate. Unfortunately God had other plans and he was sent back to heaven to watch over us all in 1973. After Christopher, in 1977, came Claire (me) and only 16 months later his family was complete, with the last addition, Judith, being born in July 1978, just a few weeks before his 38th birthday. Hussen was Uncle to many Nieces and Nephews, he always had a fond affection for them all.

He often expressed guilt for not being there, to support them as much as he would have liked to. “I’m sorry cousins you have us demanding girls to blame for that”! Dad was surrounded by women as both a boy and now as a father he was destined to spend his life being babied and spoilt by women!

Dad really was a simple man. His life was his girls – He was surrounded by them – and boy did we spoil our Daddy Dumplings! As did he enjoy spoiling us in the simple ways that he could, there was not much money to go around for holidays or material possessions, but instead what he had was spent on making sure that his 4 girls were safe and bought up in a good environment and received a good education, so Mum and Dad poured their money into sending us to all-girls Catholic schools and University.

Dad was a shift worker so he wasn’t often around for netball or after school events but on Sunday he could often be found in the kitchen cooking curries, making parathas, chapattis and roti’s. He taught Mum to make a mean curry and as we got older it was then Mum who was in charge of making the salmon curry for Easter or the beef curry for Christmas. He loved Mum’s salmon curry and asked her to cook him one only a few weeks ago! ‘Bag of Bones’ as mum would call him, seemed like a little man but when he had a good appetite boy could he eat! he had a wicked sweet tooth, it’s because of him that we all have a sweet tooth today!

Many a time he would come home from work in the city bringing us freshly baked Cookie Man Cookies, Darrell Lea Jersey Caramels, Herbert Adams donuts. He would also surprise Mum with Toasted Coconut Marshmallows and Rocky Road chocolate.

He was very protective of us girls and always worried that we were going to get sick, perhaps that had come from losing Christopher as a toddler. It meant we had cupboards full of cough syrups, chest rubs, cough lollies, Fisherman’s Friend - you name it we had it. He was always telling us to cover up our kidneys and have socks/ shoes on our feet and at the first sound of a sneeze it was hot toddies and egg flips to keep us from getting ill. Secretly though I think we all loved getting sick, as again Dad would always bring us home something special like a chocolate éclair or apple pie and cream, not sure how good it was nutritionally for healing but it always cheered us up and was a good excuse to be spoiled by Dad - and I’m sure he loved to have a sweet treat with us too.

The protective streak ran rife whether it was going to school, learning to drive or dating ….Kathryn recalls the first boys who took her out had to hand over their driver’s licence. And he would record their number plate details too.

Big Michael did well to pass the test and paved the way for the other son in laws Brendan and Victor – although I know neither of them were given an easy time, and well, Donna’s suitors just ran! (Cont. on next page)

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(Cont. from previous page) Dad had a household of women, but far from the precious types did we turn out. We all are a little more tom boy like, then precious princess and we can thank dad for that! The amount of grease smeared across our hands and face due to the hours we all would spend with Dad fixing or ‘tinkering’ with cars is remembered fondly. Each one of us girls laugh about the right of passage we undertook visiting auto wreckers, buying spare parts and helping him to bleed the brakes. we all had to know how to check the oil, water, radiator and change a tyre. This along with teaching us to drive a manual of course was all taken very seriously! I’m surprised with the amount of time we all had with Dad under the bonnet, that none of us wanted to become a mechanic! But seriously though these skills around the house have served us well, we can hold our own as strong independent women – just ask Michael, Brendan and Victor! Radio! As long as we can remember, Dad loved the radio and listening to music. Kathryn and Donna remember Dad loving the 70s with Dad listening to 2SM until it became 2WS FM. When younger he would dance around the house and conga down the hallway loving Johnny Mathias, Stevie Wonder, Roy Orbison, Mario Lanza, Johnny O’Keefe and some girl power in Aretha Franklin and the Supremes.

I think Dad loved the constant companionship of the radio, he always had a transistor radio with him, when he worked on the buses. During the past 19 years, when sitting in the chair on the dialysis machine, it was the most constant and closest item he possessed. I think it bought him peace. On the buses. Dad joined the buses at about the age of 18, first becoming a conductor at Ryde depot, then Bus Driver for many years before then becoming an inspector and first class inspector. He served Sydney working for the State Transit Authority for 35 years. He has some adventures whizzing around in double deckers, bendy buses and the like. I don’t know how he loved it really, as coordinating events, traffic diversions and moving drunk people around during big events like NYE was actually quite stressful and listening to people swear, complain all the time wouldn’t have been very pleasant but he always had a happy story to share and could recall every bus route, and back street from Greystanes to Palm Beach, which came in handy as us girls got older. When nightclubbing in the city Dad would often pick us up and drive us home or if we became stranded he would put out the call to the other bus inspectors and someone would come to our rescue!

If you ever spent any time with Dad for a beer or a coffee I’m sure you have been on the end of those stories.

Michael, Brendan and Victor could probably share those bus routes with you now and despite the dementia over the past decade these such stories were as sharp as anything and despite being in Brisbane for the past 7 years I would just have to mention driving somewhere around town and Dad would tell me the best way to get there, who needed a GPS!

After 30 years living in Greystanes and once retired, he packed up and headed west to Bringelly to give Mum some land, to be surrounded by bush and nature and be closer to Kathryn and the grandkids. It was a huge accomplishment, and one he was very proud of. He was able to get his girl back to the country, ‘Sydney style’- It wasn’t Kyogle but the property teemed with trees and birds and was a nice refuge for the kids to play - Before illness saw Mum and Dad relocate to Brisbane. I missed them living up there but every time I would ring Dad would always say’ ‘Ah Fluffy I was just thinking about you, and I knew that was you calling’ I’m sure he said it to all of us, it was his way of saying how important and loved we were. That loving greeting I will miss dearly! Poppy! Dad was very proud of his girls, Kathryn, Donna and Judith blessed him with lots of grandchildren, 10 in total, I however never delivered, instead on that front, Dad could live through my travel adventures as I travelled and lived abroad. In fact it was Dad that I have to thank for starting that interest and curiosity with the world, thanks to his encouragement and his service with the buses I won a scholarship to Canada at 16, and so proud he was he would tell just about anyone! Although I won the scholarship it really was like Dad had won – he knew that unless I was gifted this opportunity it would be impossible to pay the way. It was probably the best reward he could get from his years of service on the buses.

Pops! Poppy, poopy, Mr Mow, Grumble Bum, Bag of Bones

Dad was the proud grandfather to 10 Grandchildren- to say that they bought him so much joy is an understatement. Kathryn & Michael blessed him with 8 grandchildren, the first arriving in 1989, with the birth of Emma, next Michael, Antony, Megan, Gerard, Alison, Luke and John. Kathryn recalls that he loved it when she was pregnant always excited about the new bubba on the way. He made sure that Kathryn was plied full of milo/ malt milkshakes, for each new pregnancy. Dad was also excited to feel her stomach and see if he could get them to kick. Those shakes must have been to blame for the big babies, ten pounders she delivered! (Cont. on next page) 10

(Cont. from previous page) Before moving to Qld in 2002 the Riley bunch were always a constant either living at our house or we lived at theirs. Then in February 2000 Donna Duck gave birth to Isabelle, ‘Miss Belle in Issey’ really was like the much younger daughter rather than granddaughter. She was always with Nan and Pops out at Bringelly and then living with them in Brisbane over the past 7 years.

When little she would follow pops around the property at Bringelly, cut the grass with him on the ride-on lawnmower or would be tinkering outside and tending to the animals, with pops. You could say she was like Pop’s shadow during sickness and in health, she took over as us girls got older and had left the nest! She would spend many a moment with pops either sparring with him or comforting him and both him and Donna were his hospital buddies during the many trips to hospital he had over the years

He felt blessed to have Isabelle and Donna there with him to care for him during the last few years when the illness really took us all on a roller coaster ride – Donna and Issey made sure he kept his stubborn streak and kept on sparring for another round in the ring! Dad was so happy to meet his youngest grandson Ethan Christopher Reid. His birth was an awakening for mum and Dad as they always doted on their grandchildren and it had been 11 years since a baby had been in the family. We didn’t think Dad would make it but he surprised us being here to see Ethan’s birth in 2012.

Dad felt an instant connection with his little Grandson and it was this connection that we know sparked the desire to keep going for another 6 years. Poppy called Ethan his ‘Ekka the Wrecker’ because he had so much energy whizzing around non-stop getting into everything. The one thing that could slow him down was the jelly bean jar.

Being a diabetic of 40 years Dad always had jelly beans close by, Ethan would go up to poppy give him a big cuddle and ask for some of them. If poppy wasn’t home Ethan would have to wait till pops got home to ask him for some.

Those 2 had a special bond and as he grows we know that whenever Ethan sees a jelly bean he will think of his pops. Church. Sundays was Church Day, Dad served as an acolyte in this very Church from 1977 to 1997. It was such a huge part of his life, he loved it. He loved serving his God, and serving the community. During our teenage years Dad would also deliver communion to the old and frail at Merrylands Aged Care centre every other week. During that time, serving the church, he developed some dear friends in Uncle Larry, Brian Bradley and many others who he either served with on the altar, or helped organise Easter and Christmas celebrations throughout the year. When Mum & Dad moved to Bringelly in 1997 Dad was serving with Fr Paul at Holy Family Parish, Luddenham. Being retired Dad had more time on his hands so not only did he serve as an Acolyte again but in helping to organise morning teas and catering for events he developed friendships with the local baker and with Vicki from the general store, who always ensured the little community was provided for.

Mum and Dad installed in us the importance of love, good manners, showing respect, empathy and kindness to others, just as importantly to have respect for ourselves. Along with this he fostered our faith, teaching us that we would never be alone, and God would always walk with us and be by our side, as an adult we now all know the meaning of this so much more. It was Dad’s faith that stopped him from complaining during his long roller coaster ride and journey of illness. We never heard him say ‘why me’ or ‘how unfair it was’. He accepted his path and journey. It was us girls and Mum caring for him that seemed to do all the whingeing! And so as ‘Grumble Bum’ life came to an end he can be proudest of all that his efforts in instilling faith in God, good values, morals, compassion and empathy for another that will serve us well. And as he always said to us; no matter what happens in life there is nothing to fear for God will always walk by your side and carry us forward.

So today, Pops your girls will walk forward knowing your love and knowing that you will always be with us. We will not be sad but celebrate your life and the cherished memories you have left us.

We know that someday soon we shall be with you again in heaven”. —————————————- OBITUARY for the late Dr. William Griffith McBRIDE AO CBE MBBS MD FRCOG FRANZCOG (with kind thanks from his friend, Dr. James Roche OAM)

William McBride was born on the 25th May 1927 in Sydney. He grew up in Bexley and later, attended school at Bandon Grove near Gloucester.

Both sides of his family were musical and as a teenager he was taught to play the trumpet at the NSW Conservatorium of Music. (Cont. on next page)

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(Cont. from previous page) (William’s father and uncle were in WW 1 in the Australian Army. His father was attached to an Army Brass Band which had to play music for the soldiers who marched from the rail stations on their way to the front- line trenches. These Bandsmen were also stretcher bearers and had to carry wounded men from the trenches back to the Casualty Clearing Stations where their wounds were dressed before being taken by horse-drawn ambulances to a hospital. It was during his duties at Villiers Bretonneux, in France, that he was badly wounded by enemy shellfire whilst carrying a wounded man on a stretcher. The shrapnel from the shell remained in his thigh for 50 years until an abscess burst and the metal was discharged. His cousin, John McKee, flew in a Lancaster Bomber which was shot down during a raid on Berlin in 1943. He died and was buried in an Airforce Cemetery in Berlin.)

William commenced medicine at the University of Sydney in 1944 and graduated in 1950. He was a resident medical officer at St George Hospital in Sydney and in Launceston, Tasmania. In 1954 he went to the United Kingdom and worked at the Chelsea Women’s Hospital. After obtaining his degree in Obstetrics and Gynaecology he was appointed to the Women’s Hospital as Medical Superintendent.

He married Pat Glover, who had completed medicine at the University of Sydney. William was on the staff of the Women’s Hospital Crown Street, St George Hospital, Bankstown Hospital and the Royal Hospital for Women. In 1961 he wrote, in the Lancet Journal, about the harmful effects of thalidomide on the foetus. In that year he organised a member of the medical staff to study electro-cardiography under Professor Ed Hon, who had been the Professor of Obstetrics at Yale University and had been the visiting Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Sydney; Later, he became Professor of Obstetrics in California.

In 1962, William was awarded a Doctorate of Medicine from the University of Sydney for a study of causes of recurrent miscarriages.

In 1964 he went to India with Professor John Stallworthy, who was the Professor at Oxford University and they gave several lectures on the use of oral contraceptives.

In 1969 he organised Dr Jim Roche to study ultrasound at the University College Hospital, London, under the supervision of Professor William Nixon, and he returned to Sydney and set up the Department of Ultrasound at the Women’s Hospital.

In 1971 William received the inaugural prize from the Institute de La Vie, in Versailles, which was a branch of the French Academy. The Prizemoney was $40,000 and this was used to establish a private research establishment known as “Foundation 41” and it was set up in the Crown Street Women’s Hospital. The “Foundation 41” name came from studying the first 41 weeks of human life. The “Foundation” comprised four sections, including a foetal biology unit studying teratology, another to study the pharmacokinetics of drugs used during pregnancy and birth, a genetics unit and a psychology unit.

The importance of alerting people about the dangers of thalidomide is that drugs in the past had not been incriminated in causing abnormalities in the foetuses. Previously, irradiation or diseases in the pregnancy, for example, rubella or abortifacients e.g. Aminoptrin had been causes of abnormalities. Over the years “Foundation 41” investigated drugs that were used during pregnancy.

William was involved in activities including being on the Board of Directors for the Australian Opera. He bred cattle, particularly Herefords. He was a councillor of the NSW Agricultural Society and one year he had the Grand Champion. He was a member of the Senate of the University of Sydney from 1975 to 1999.

In 1962 he was named “Australian of the Year” and in 1972 he was named “Father of the Year”.

William passed away on the 27th June 2018 from pneumonia. His funeral was held in the St James Anglican Church. King Street, Sydney. His grave is in Bandon Grove Cemetery close by the local primary school he attended. He is survived by his wife, Pat, and his four children, Louise (a Lawyer), Catherine (an Economist), John (a farmer) and David (a Lawyer) and his seven grandchildren. (Ed. note: We wrote an introductory piece on William in our “Welcome to New Members” in our AUTUMN Issue 2015 on Page 24) ————————————- ANZAC DAY (Summary) The Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway Committee sent us an invitation to attend their pre-ANZAC Day Ceremony on the 24th April at 10.30am. ….(Cont. on next page) 12

(Cont. from previous page) The photo overleaf shows WO 2 Tomas Navusolo and our ASM, Fred Bell proudly holding our Banner. In the front (L/R) is our member, Michael Ali OAM with M/s Alice Tamur from Port Moresby (representing the “Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels”), SGT Lee Morgan (one of the representatives for the NZ Army), Gary Wilson (Black Hawk crash survivor) and myself. (Absent from the photo was another member, Frank Ritchie.) It was a well-attended Ceremony with about 300 in attendance, which included our NSW State Governor, The Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Ret’d). There were a number of ‘Highlights’ on the program and the two most memorable were the “Address” given by Gary Wilson and the “slide show’ on the big screen, on the beginnings of the ANZAC’s. (I have re-printed Gary’s ‘Address’ in this issue, which he kindly gave me).

After the Ceremony was finished, everyone was welcome to have sandwiches, sweets, tea/coffee. Everything was under cover with ample seating and it was a very pleasant morning. ————————- The SYDNEY March A glorious Autumn day greeted all the men and women who marched and the crowd along the way was one of the biggest and very appreciative. All the medical corps groups met in O’Connell Street prior to “March Off” about 10.45am. The big difference this year was in our Order of March. It was decided at the last (Feb. ‘19) RAAMC Association Inc (NSW) meeting that the main RAAMC Banner would lead with the President, MAJ David Czerkies behind it. Following behind was 1 Field Ambulance Association Banner with 5 Field Ambulance Banner beside it and coming behind the 1 and 5 Banners were 8 Field Ambulance Association and 9 Field Ambulance Association (Both 8 & 9 representatives had ‘one man’ Standards)

Then behind all the banners came the uniform marching contingent from 5 CSSB Health Company, and behind them came all the civilian personnel who had, or still have, service in the Medical Corps irrespective of their job. This method was appreciated by all who marched in the bloc, because no one felt left out or abandoned. There were dental and psyche individuals who found a kindred group to march with! In fact, if you get to see the movie footage of our contingent you will notice that a LTCOL Victor Tsang of the Dental Corps noticed there was no uniformed officer leading the 5 CSSB troops and he asked the troops if they minded if he led 5 CSSB Health Company to which there was no objection. In all, there was a large group of us marching, as you will read further on.

We very kindly thank the services of 201 ACU from Manly (NSW). They introduced themselves to myself and Theo Dechaufepie and volunteered to carry all our banners.

The 201 ACU group were:- CDTCPL Max Gregori and CDT Willem Manahan (carried the Medical Corps Banner), CDT Amy Fuller and CDT Ollie Noone (carried the Banner for 1 Field Ambulance Association), CDTSGT Tom Kelsey and CDTCPL Max M-J (carried our 5 Field Ambulance Association Banner). We were very thankful for the presence of the uniformed personnel of 5 CSSB Health Company. Unfortunately, their OC, MAJ Glen Sisson, was unable to be present to lead his unit due to a family illness.

We thank the Health Company contingent of:- CAPT’s James McNeil, and Raymond Yeow, CPL’s Anthony Ly, Teddy Sugpatan, and Rhys Vaughn, LCPL Au Vu, PTE’s Glen East, Mitch Pickett, Matthew Ryan and Nadia Verde. Our members who marched with us, or were able to join us afterwards at the Sanctuary Hotel were:- Samuel Alexander, Fred Bell (our ASM), Derek Cannon (our President), Alan Curry OAM, David Czerkies (Led the RAAMC Association), Theo Dechaufepie OAM, Brit and Julie Evans, Nelson Fiorentino, John Gallagher (marched with his UN Contingent), Tomas Hamilton, Kevin Hurrell, Ray Hyslop OAM, Ann Jackson, Stewart, Sue and Sarah Jones, Robert Love, Michael Moroney, John McKeown, Peter Pether (marched with 3 Tpt Coy RAASC), Bill and Rylands, Paul Shergold, George Sip, (Cont. on next page)

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(Cont. from previous page) Chris Strode, Deb and Trevor Taylor, Kate Vercoe, Darren Waterson, Jenny Weir (marched with the AWAS), Ian and Paloma White, Bruce Whittet and David Williams. (My apologies if I missed a member’s name) APOLOGIES were received from:-Warren Barnes, Suresh Badami OAM, Dick Bourke, Greg Brown, Roy Crossley, Mrs Edna Cannon, Barry Collins, Mick Carlson, Noel Christensen, John Davies, Felicity, Josh and Tony Evans, Ron and Adrienne Foley, Bob Grieves, Betty Hamilton, Joanne Hoveling, Patrick Jones, Edwin Lowery, Charles Murray, Hugh McCarty, John Overton AM Barry and Heather Perigo, Bob Reid, Jim Roche OAM, Brian Tams, and John Weaver.

At the lunch venue, speeches were given by David Czerkies, Pres of the RAAMC Assn Inc, (NSW) Stewart Jones Patron 1 Fd Amb Assn, Derek Cannon Pres. 5 Fd Amb Assn and Kurt Stammer Pres. 1 Fd Amb Assn 14

(Cont. from previous page) I am hoping that any of our interstate members may have been able to join in with a Medical Corps unit in their area and be a representative for 5 Field Ambulance Association.

Sometimes I wake up grumpy; other times I let him sleep!

“THE MAN IN THE ARENA” (Theodore Roosevelt) It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no error without effort and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. ———————————- 15

ANZAC ADDRESS KTMW 24/4/19 (With very kind thanks to Gary Wilson) (Gary Wilson was a passenger in a NATO “Black Hawk” helicopter when it crashed, near Kandahar in Afghanistan, in the early hours of the 21st June 2010. The crash killed three Australian commandos and an American soldier. Gary was one of the survivors but his injuries were critical. The below words were Gary’s “Address” today.)

“In the darkness, I sit strapped to a chair. It is cold - I am confused. I can hear voices behind me, but I cannot make out what they are saying or understand what I am hearing. Driven purely by instinct I determine I have been captured, taken while cleaning up the battle of Eastern Shawali Kot?

Something must have gone wrong, but what? I can't remember, but I know something isn't right - I have to escape. I'm going home - either on my feet, or feet first, I'm going home. I manage to untie myself and try to flee, I fall, but I can't break my fall. My arms and legs aren't working - what the hell have they done to me, are my arms and legs still there? Determined to move, I try to get my body going - no response - I try to urge myself, “come on”, but nothing comes out - have they taken my tongue as well? why can't I talk? Confused and hopeless I realise that, the voices I am hearing, the voices I assumed were the Taliban were female… more than that they were speaking English, more than that they were… Australian.

This was the moment I regained my full consciousness…some 3 months following a Black Hawk accident in Afghanistan. An accident which left me on my death bed.

I would learn that I was one of a lucky seven Australians who still had their lives. Three of my brothers were not as lucky, they paid the ultimate price of war. A price that continues to be paid to this day by their families. An immeasurable cost, and burden that is born for our freedoms. As we pause to remember the lives that have been given, we too must remember the burden that is carried by those that truly bear the burdens of war - the families.

As a soldier, I could not wait to deploy, but for my family, it was a time of anxiety and fear.

In February 2010 I was deployed to Afghanistan for the first time. I felt safe alongside my brothers-in- arms… I was excited to get out in the field, in theatre, and do what I had been trying to do for so many years. While my family was anxious, I couldn't wait. I knew the risks - we all did. It was the price we were willing to pay so no one else had to. We would lay down our lives to keep the lives of our families, our community, our brothers – safe. Because, you see, amid the chaos that is war, the violence, the dirt, the hardships, war is for us an expression of love. The spirit that runs through every soldier, sailor, airman and woman is love.

As I lay in a hospital bed in Germany, on full life support - my body, struggling to survive - my life supported by the machines all around me. There wasn't much left. I was relying on machines to breathe, the pressure in my head was irregular, my body temperature was out of control , my consciousness was AWOL - I was in a complete, unresponsive coma - in fact, the only response I had, was to the intense pain inflicted upon me.

The doctors, conducting a scan of my brain activity, refused to tell my family what they found, likely because they found very little activity at all. But there was still some hope. The local padre saw it and he chose not to provide me with my last rights, but to anoint me for healing. My wife saw it to…choosing not to believe all was lost.

What was it then that pulled me back from the brink? I believe it was love - the love of those around me enabling them to find hope, objectively, when there was none. From the medic in the field who saved the lives of seven Australians and three Americans. To the other Black Hawk pilots who helped to evacuate us… the doctors and nurses in the hospital who stabilised me… My boss who notified my wife, waiting patiently for the phone call, that would see him need to activate a bereavement response instead…. My wife who decided this would not be the end of our journey.

Like so many before me - I faced odds that were stacked against me, I faced a situation I wasn't supposed to survive, but I did. Not unlike those men on the Kokoda track whose stories of intense struggle and survival of Australians who have faced some of the most harrowing situations fill our history. What was it that caused the men on the boats heading toward that fateful beach at Gallipoli to stay on board, and not flee when they knew the odds were not in their favour? What is it that drives Australians overseas time and time again to contribute to maintaining peace and stability in the world? (Cont. on next page) 16

(Cont. from previous page) I believe it is something simple and something within all of us - love - for their brothers next to them, for their young country, for their families. Knowing if they laid down their lives it was a small price to pay for the safety of those they love.

Love transcends all wars, it is what is common among every story of loss, grief, survival and pain. The lessons that I learned in war help us to appreciate what matters and what doesn’t. It is circular - it helps us see what we have, how lucky we are and ignites the passion to protect it all. Yet it can also break us

Every single person who wears, or has worn, a uniform, knows the price of war. When the price has to be paid it is painful but there is a strange acceptance of it.

In the week before the accident Australia had lost two soldiers to IED blasts. We attended the Ramp Service … we watched and saluted as two coffins, draped in Australian flags, passed us by. We stood quietly in our sadness and grief, but we were united. The pain wasn't ours to bear alone, we had each other.

Personally, I couldn't think too far beyond what I was experiencing in the moment … thoughts about what would happen when that plane landed and the coffins returning to their families… for fear this would break me. The rawness of the grief of the families is among the hardest challenges that we face.

As Australian soldiers we are ‘fixers’, we make things better, we keep people safe. When we can't do these things, we feel helpless and hopeless. We can feel like we have failed

Yet out of love we push through, we uphold our duty to those that we have lost, and with open arms wrap them around their families and bring them into our family.

In the aftermath of my accident, word of my condition spread like wildfire only hours after the accident. My wife had phone calls from every corner of the nation and from my mates in Afghanistan who hadn't moved from my bedside. My army family heard the call to action and had started to rally despite their pain, their grief, their sadness. This gave her the strength she needed, to carry my family through, and the strength she needed to bring me back from the brink. The love they gave to her meant she could focus her love on where it needed to be. War and love don't seem like a natural fit but when you step away, the bullets, the grenades, the packs, the treks, the hardship, everything we do is for love. In the end our experience as soldiers, sailors, airmen and women is perhaps best summed up in the opening stanza of “The Odyssey..”Many were they whose cities he saw whose minds he learned of… many the pains he suffered in his spirit on the wide sea… struggling for his own life and the homecoming of his companions. even so he could not save his companions hard though he strove to” LEST WE FORGET

AHS CENTAUR CEREMONY (held in the 113th AGH Memorial Chapel-Concord Hospital-Sydney) (Summary)

There are many unforgettable events which occurred in war times and one of these was the merciless sinking of the Australian Hospital Ship “Centaur” in the early hours of the 14th May 1943. She was about 25 miles east of North Stradbroke Island (Qld) and fully illuminated with bright lights and huge red crosses painted on her superstructure, when a Japanese sub torpedoed her. She sunk in about three minutes. There were 332 people on board—doctors, nurses, orderlies, drivers and ship’s crew. Only 64 souls survived.

This annual Ceremony is commemorated around the approximate date of her sinking. It is held in most townships around Australia. In the absence of M/s Alice Kang (on leave) the program was very capably organised by her assistant, M/s Peta Macfarlane. The Guest Speaker was Mrs. Margaret Green, the National president of the War Widows’ Guild. Margaret was also a former nurse at the Concord Repat. Hospital. Her speech was much appreciated. (Cont. on next Page) 17

(Cont. from previous page) Margaret spoke of some of the history of the “Centaur” which included some controversy over the carrying of rifles when the ship was loading at Darling Harbour in Sydney, prior to her departure on the fateful voyage north. (The rifles and ammunition were in possession of the 2/12th Field Ambulance drivers, which were allowed under Article 8 of the Hague Convention) The 332 people on board, prior to the sinking of the Centaur, consisted of 74 crew members, 53 Medical Corps, 12 Nursing Service, 192 2/12th Field Ambulance and one Torres Strait Ship’s Pilot.

The survivors were 26 crew, one Nursing Sister, 36 personnel of the 2/12th and the Torres Strait ship’s pilot. LEST WE FORGET (Our Banner stands in support of our comrades of the 2/12th AFA)

The Meriden Anglican School for Girls provided a senior girl’s choir. They sang beautifully under the guidance of their conductor, M/s Jodie Spooner-Ryan and their accompanist, M/s Bethany Cook. They sang “The Soldier—A song for the centenary of the Great War”.

At the conclusion of the Ceremony, the hospital staff had sandwiches, cakes, tea, coffee and fruit juice for those who attended. Our Association sincerely thanks Peta Macfarlane and her dedicated staff for all the effort they put in to the program, to make sure the Ceremony was successful.

RESERVE FORCES DAY—NEWCASTLE As at the end of MAY, the Newcastle RF Committee have advised that, in conjunction with Newcastle City Council, a Parade is expected to take place similar to all the previous years. The exception being it will be held on the first Saturday in JULY, We must support our Reservists. The details are:- DAY & DATE: SATURDAY 6th JULY FORM UP AREA: Lamen Street (above Civic Park) TIME: 10.30am DRESS: Lounge Suit, Medals, Beret and Name Badge

MARCH OFF will be 11am with a short march to Civic Park. There will be an “EYES RIGHT” to the dignitaries on the dais as we approach the park.

Any member is most welcome to march behind our Banner. Hopefully the Reservists might be “ON PARADE”. After the Parade has concluded, those who are able are welcome to join with us for lunch at a suitable venue close by.

WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS CAPT Raymond YEOW is warmly welcomed into our Association. Raymond marched with the RAAMC contingent in our Sydney ANZAC Day march. Although he is a member of the 5 CSSB Health Company, he was in civilian dress hence his marching in the civilian ranks. Raymond is a doctor and is the Reserves with 5 Health Company. I am waiting to put more about Raymond when he sends me some personal details about himself. In the meantime we wish you and your family all the best and look forward to meeting you in the near future.

POEM “A FRIEND LIKE YOU” (author unknown) There are lots of friends, with which I’m blessed, my problems have been few, but of all, this one is the best, to have a friend like you. In times of trouble, friends will say “Just ask, I’ll help you through it” But you don’t wait for me to ask, you just get up and do it. And I can think of nothing more, that I could wisely do, than know a friend, and be a friend, and have a friend like you 18

HAPPY ”WINTER” BIRTHDAY TO OUR FOLLOWING MEMBERS

JUNE JULY AUGUST Senior’s Poem MAJ Jane CURRIE Adam BAILEY Derek CANNON ‘Another year has passed’ John CURRY Lee CASTLE Michael CARLSON Another year has passed, and we're all a Paul FOOKES Alan CURRY OAM John DAVIES little older, last Tomas HAMILTON Stephen CURRY summer felt hotter, but Phillip FAGUE winter seems Eileen HENDERSON OAM Bernard DENNIS Nelson FIORENTINO much colder.

Dr. Jim ILIOPOULOS Marie DOYLE Barry FOSTER There was a time not long ago when life was Garry FLOOD Richard JONES John HEAD quite a blast, now I Hugh (Macka) McCARTY John GALLAGHER fully understand about Ken HELSBY 'Living in the Past' Trish McGRATH Patrick JONES Sue JONES We used to go to Tom McLANDERS Edwin LOWERY Peter KROGER weddings, footy games and lunches, now we Dr. Helena MARTIN Ron PALMER Bill LAIDLAW go to funeral homes Bill THOMPSON John McKEOWN and after-funeral John LAYHE brunches. Keverell TURNBULL Alan ROBINSON Bryan LINDSAY We used to go out Ruth VAUDIN George SIP Fay LYNCH dining, and couldn't get our fill now we ask Ron WEBB John MAIR My goal last year was to lose for doggie bags, come home and take a pill. 10 kgs. Only 12 kgs to go now John WILSON John McCARTHY

Dr.Raymond YEOW David PHILLIPS We used to often travel REDNECK LOVE POEM to places near and far. (kind thanks to email friends) Tom PRITCHARD Now we get sore arses Susie Lee done fell in love, she planned to marry from riding in the car. Rod SEARLE Joe. We used to go to She was so happy ‘bout it all she told her pappy so. Paul SHERGOLD Pappy told her “Susie gal you’ll have to find another nightclubs and drink a And I’d just as soon yo ma don’t know, but Joe is Robert SHILLINGSWORTH little booze. Now we you’re half brother” stay home at night and So Susie put aside her Joe and planned to marry Ken SMITH watch the evening Will. news. Teddy SUGPATAN But after telling Pappy this, he said “there’s trouble still” Bruce WHITTET That, my friend is how “you can’t marry Will, my gal, and please don’t tell life is and now my tale yo mother, is told. So, enjoy each ‘cause Will and Joe and several mo I know is yo half Just remember, once day and live it brother” you’re over the hill you up...Before you're too damned old! But mammy knew and said “My child just do what begin to pick up speed. makes you happy. Marry Will or marry Joe; you aint no kin to pappy”

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Clarence Oscar POWER MM (Continuing Part 3 of Clarence’s WW 1 Diary. With very kind thanks to his daughter Mrs. Margaret Tanner) 10th November 1916 Doc. Gray (RSM 19th Bn) killed. 11th Night’s rest at HQ. Papers from Mary and Alice. Wrote back to them. 12th Out to Hill Crest relay post. Fairly busy day and night. Father Clune and Capt Hutchinson wounded at ‘Goose Alley’ 13th Out to ‘Goose Alley’. Quiet day and night 14th At 7am our battalions and ‘Tommies’ attacked taking trenches. Casualties heavy. During morning Sgt Christmas hit in right thigh. Alec Adams fractured left thigh. Bob Thompson wounded left arm. Later in the day I was returning from a carry with the other 5 of the stretcher squad when I thought I saw Frank Butler close by, I went over but it was not he. I went after the squad and was about 50 yards from them when a shell burst among them, killing them all. E.E Potter and J. Wain were killed and Dick Jennings, Jack Harrison and Geoff Wood were injured. I must have been hit only stopping for those few minutes. I have the personal property of Ernie Potter and Jack Wain to hand in to the authorities. Relieved after dark by 7th Field Ambulance and after a weary walk reached our Rest Camp. Darley Carr wounded. A sapper was enquiring for me at ‘Goose Alley’. He was slightly wounded. Must have been George Wheatley—his company was working there. 15th Placed In Charge of “B” Section stretcher bearers temporarily. “B” Section sent to ‘Drop Alley’. 16th Saw a ‘Taube’ (German monoplane) forced down at Flers. This is the first one I have had the pleasure of seeing brought down. 17th Very frosty. Had to break the ice on a shell hole to get the water for our breakfast. George Wheatley working near us—he was not hit, as I heard. 18th Snow fell last night and today it is raining. We go back to the line at 1pm for two more days. Prospect not pleasing. Our feet are suffering like they did last November on Gallipoli. Went to Runners Post, plenty of work. 19th On to Factory Post. The famous factory at Flers that the tank leans against. 15 of us huddled up in a German dug-out as this place is under observation. 21st Relieved by ‘Tommies’. 22nd Marched to HQ at Becordal. 24th Appointed Corporal (wagon orderly- temporary). 26th On leave to Amiens. DECEMBER 1916 DEPARTING WESTERN FRONT 2nd On Furlough to England. Start from Becordal midnight. News through that Pte Harrison and Carroll (who were wounded on the 14th November) died from their wounds. 5th Leave passes not arrived yet. Still at Becordal. 10th Waiting to leave here 12pm for Albert. 12.30pm left in M.A.C car and reached Albert Station in good time 11th Travelling very slowly all day. 12th Detrained at Havre 4am. Marched to Rest camp. 13th Marched to wharf and steamer “Donegal” left about midnight. 14th Landed at Southampton after being delayed by fog for a couple of hours. Train left about 10am for London. Reached Waterloo Station about 1pm. Went to A.I.F. and War Chest Club where we stay. Most of afternoon taken up getting rid of mail. At night went to “Razzle Dazzle” at Empire Theatre. 15th Had a look around town. In afternoon I tried to find Mr. Andrew Brown (Mary’s eldest brother) at the address I had—no luck, he had moved from the locality. Caught train at 11.30pm for Edinburgh 16th Arrived Edinburgh about 8am. Went to Victoria League Club where we stayed. (Cont. to next page)

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(Cont. from previous page) Saw Forthbridge and Edinburgh Castle, also wandered around the city. “A little bit of fluff” at one of the theatres (don’t misunderstand this please). 17th Visited zoo, museum and Portobello and surrounding districts. 18th Left for Selkirk but owing to a landslide I had to detrain at Cloveireford and motor to Galashiels and then four of us fellow passengers hired a car to take us on to Selkirk. Snow had been falling all day and I saw the countryside with a generous covering of white. Found 29 Southport and Miss Ramsay’s sister (Mrs Hood) sent for Teenie. She arrived and showed me around the town that afternoon. 19th Tom Ramsay took me to Philiphaugh Mill where I was shown over by Mr. Geddes, various town institutions and Mary’s old home seen during the day and several visits to people known to Mary. Pictures at night. 20th Miss Ramsay took me to Forest Mill. The owner took me over explaining everything. Saw the table where Mary and Teenie worked. Left Selkirk 2.30pm. Teenie and Mary’s aunt Maggie seeing me off. Missed train at Peebles and had to stay in that town all night. 21st Reached Edinburgh and went out to Mr. J.H. Brown’s residence. Met Mrs Brown and stayed for an hour or two. Met Mr Brown at his office during the afternoon and had afternoon tea with him. Later he saw me off in the train for London. 22nd Reached London 7am. Voice gone and can only whisper. Made some purchases for the boys in France. Invitation for soldiers to go to “Bluebell in Fairyland”—went along but wasn’t much impressed. 23rd Stayed by fireside all morning. Madame Tussard’s in afternoon. The “Bing Boys” at night. 24th Quiet day. Left Waterloo at 4pm in Leave train. Embarked at Southampton. 25th Back in Havre. Not a very pleasant place to spend Christmas Day. Never mind, could be worse. Bully beef for dinner. 26th BACK TO THE WESTERN FRONT In Train going back to Becordal. Reached Albert about midnight. 27th Back at Becordal – voice still missing. Parcel from Mary. 29th Voice improving, can speak aloud but still very huskily. On night duty-IC of stretcher bearers unloading railway train. George Wheatley passed through yesterday, has trench fever 30th Sam Bailey, Bob Hayward and Bob Potter left here on furlough. 31st New Year’s Eve. JANUARY 1917 1st Cold, windy and inclined to rain. Still at Becordal. J.Saunders and R.Campling left on leave. Mail delivered. 2nd Wrote to Jack Brown. Lt Col Phipps awarded DSO 4th Noakes, Searle and Longmore went on leave tonight. 5th Box of cigs from Miss Ramsey. Heard Norman been evacuated with scabies. 6th Very quiet here at Becordal. No shelling near us. 7th Frosty and cold. Smith, Jones and Bellamy on leave tonight. 8th Changed over today. Duty at Railway Post. Marney Ohleson (my mate from Freshwater Lifesaving Club) came out from Albert for a couple of hours. 9th Nothing to record. 14th Letters from Pony. (my good friend) 15th Norman called—is attending Wireless School. 16th Pony called here. Snow fell during night—fairly heavy fall. 17th Everything snow-covered. ……(Cont. on next page) 21

(Cont. from previous page) 18th Leave Becordal at midday. Marched to Buire and occupied the same billets as last time 19th Having a boil on my shoulder dressed twice a day. 20th Weather dry but cold. 21st Alf Ray evacuated with mumps. Applied for admission to O.T.C. 22nd Letters from Jack, and Phil Rowley. 23rd Marched to Ribermonts. Very cold. I go to Ribermonts every day to have boil on shoulder re-dressed. 24th Parade before Maj. Fry re OTC 25th Cold weather still continuing. 26th Washing wagons at Ribermonts. Parcel from T.Ramsay. 27th Washing wagons-we obtained waste hot water from a dye works otherwise couldn’t remove frozen mud from wagons. 28th Ambulance wagons follow up 5th Brigade infantry tomorrow. 29th Proceeded to Becourt with infantry, then on to Albert to our billets at Ecole Superiore. Parcel from W. McG. 30th Snowing again. Fritz planes dive-bombing and played machine gun on streets of Albert. 31st Ambulance wagons following 5th Brigade to Contal-Maison. FEBRUARY 1917 2nd Remainder of unit leaves Albert today for Contal-Maison. Transport back at Fricourt camp. 3rd Ambulance wagons taking patients to Becordal from camps around Fricourt. 4th Reported to HQ Contal-Maison. In Charge of railway entrainment point. S/Sgt Beattie and Pte Font wounded at Martinpuich. 5th Pte Font died of wounds. I believe another of our men has been killed. Their station is at a very hot spot for “Whiz-Bangs” (the noise heard from firing of a 77mm German Field Gun) Pte W.C.Luke was the man killed. 6th Ptes Emanuel and Jones evacuated sick. This is the coldest I have ever experienced, am lucky enough to be sitting near a fire most of the time. Letter from George Wheatley at G.H.Q. 300 Echelon B.E.F. 8th Received Mary’s photo. 9th Still at Peake Wood light railway siding. Today the weather is much milder.

10th Weather still mild. 4th Bn attempting a raid tonight. The enemy’s wire was not broken. Phil Rowley one of the raiders. Phil says Bob Dorman alright. 11th Hun shelling this post today. Shells landing about 300 yards from my tents. Killed 20 artillery horses, one man killed and two wounded. 12th Sleet falling. Norman passed through here—a piece of H.E. hit him on the knee but did not penetrate, probably a few weeks rest for him. 13th Ground is thawing and mud making its appearance again 14th Dibley McKeon has been evacuated with bronchitis. 16th A.M.C. detail 19th Bn says Norman’s knee may keep him out of action for some time. Mail. 17th Raining and ground very sloppy. 19th Paddy Bourke wounded in foot by kicking a Mills bomb. Parcel from Teenie Ramsay. (Cont. on next page) 22

(Cont. from previous page) 20th Raining. Bray going to hospital with influenza. 27th Advance continues slowly. Losses not very bad. E.Selthorpe wounded. Am doing 24 hours on duty as car and wagon orderly from station to HQ Contal-Maison. 28th 24 hours no duty. Slept all day. Advance still going on. MARCH 1917 1st At villa again. Steady stream of wounded arriving. Zulu Watters and George Hope returned from hospital. 27th Bn took ridge. 2nd Off duty. Mail from home. Still progressing—we have advanced 2 and ½ or 3 miles in the past week. 3rd Relieving Cpl Hookman at Martinpuich. Went out with L/Cpl Hope to a couple of posts. Very quiet day. Had only one trip with patients. 4th Had a look around Martinpuich. Has been a fairly prosperous town. Walked back to Contal-Maison. Went up to Le Sars with bearers-stayed the night up in their cellar relay post. Snow fell during the night. 5th Walked up to Watencourt bearer post with Ivo Ling. Scored new horse rug and a Prussian Guard helmet badge. Came back to Martinpuich. No attack on account of snow. 17th Again at Boltom Wood. Sent to new M.D.S. at Poziers. Bapaume taken. Town set on fire by Fritz. 18th Erecting tents etc M.D.S. Poziers. 19th General fatigue M.D.S. In Charge of “A” Section bearers. 20th Rainy and cold. Advance on 80 mile front. 21st Orderly Corporal. We are on the Bapaume road. There is a continuous line of traffic—all day and night. Artillery going up and being relieved. 22nd Bob Frankland promoted to sergeant general duties “A” Section. 23rd Camps fatigue. 28th Bearers relieved from line. 29th Tidying wagons just returned from near the lines 30th Took 7th Field Ambulance wagon to Becordal. Issue of Comforts—1 Pr. Underpants, 1/3rd Pkt of cigarettes, 2/3rd Pkt gravy powder. 31st Washing ambulance wagons. Wagons greased. APRIL 1017 1st Still at Poziers M.D.S. Greasing wagons. Raining. 2nd Very cold and windy. Heavy fall of snow for an hour or so. Rush of wounded from big hop over. 3 ambulance wagons taking walking cases from Poziers to Avelsy. 3rd Letters from Mary, Alice and Dad. The last lot over was on a big scale. Several divisions went over and advanced to a depth of a mile. Australians took two villages. 4th Letter from Mary. Snowing again. 5th Greasing again. GS Wagon broken in Albert. Davidson and I went to bring it back. 6th Fine sunny day until about 5pm. 8th My Birthday. Sgt Mausland and myself sent to Div Gas School (Scot redoubt near Contal-Maison) for instruction. 9th Again at gas school. Lectures, Respiration drill and practical demonstrations. (Cont. on next page) 23

(Cont. from previous page) 10th Orderly Corporal. Have some new reinforcements. Falling marquees and packing them into motor lorries 11th Camp fatigue. Weather cold as usual. Heavy fall of snow. 4th Division suffered severely in hop over. 2/3rds of the Division casualties and captured at Hendecourt. 12th Marched from Poziers to Bapaume. Stayed the night. I go up the line with “B” Section as Sgt Ling is on furlough. 13th Marched to Beunarte. 72 bearers, Sgt Campling and myself In Charge went on to Vauloc-Viacourt where 7th Field Ambulance are running the A.D.S. Campling proceeded to bearers and did posts through Vauloc- Viacourt. I am left at A.D.S. with 18 bearers. Some shelling close by. 14th My 18 men still at A.D.S. During evening I went out to Prents’ Post to look around. 15th Fritz broke through 12th Bn lines and advanced past Lagnicourt (1st Division). 5th Brigade outflanked them and very few Huns got back—over 700 prisoners. I am at 19th Bn R.A.P. with 13 men. Like old times –making a shelter with sand-bags and a Fritz waterproof. 16th Fine day and only one casualty during the night. Fritz shelled this Sunken Road early this morning but did no damage. Village of Nouvel starts 50 yards from our position. Letter from Jack. 17th Raining and cold. 4 of us huddled in a bit of a water-proof shelter. Relieved just after dinner and I am now back at the A.D.S. Letters from home. 18th Resting at A.D.S. Never-ending rain as usual. Went down to HQ and brought back mail. 19th Still resting. Expecting a big stunt very soon. Weather as usual. Pte Roberts DCM rejoined unit. 20th Issue of Havelock cigarettes and tobacco, Southern Cross Fund. Fine sunny day for a wonder. Cpl Abbey and Pte Stillman go to 17th Bn details. Many gas shells used by enemy last night 21st Sunny day again. Nothing much doing. We are still resting at Vauloc. Pte Roberts DCM attached to “B” Section bearers. 22nd Fine day. Great activity by Fritz planes. Brought down one of our capture balloons. 4 men from 6th Field Ambulance killed at Sunken Road, Noreiul. 23rd Ready to go into the line. Bearers at Advanced Posts are to wear Brassards. Fine weather, wind favourable for enemy gas attack. Left A.D.S. at 5.30pm and proceeded to bearer post. I am in-charge of bearers at Advanced Posts. 24th Lovely day again. Only a few casualties last night. I am in-charge of bearers from two Sunken Roads near Noreiul and Noreiul posts. Met Pte Rice, an old Steenwerck patient of mine. L/Cpl R. Bailey and Pte Portus killed. L/Cpl Breen and Pte Parsonage wounded recently. Pte Newtwigg wounded tonight. 25th Busy last night – squads going all night. I lost myself for 5 hours and wandered into ‘Tommies’ lines. Received 8 letters and a parcel addressed to Bert Emanuel. Fairly quiet tonight 26th Capt. Voss, Forward M.O. was hit in right elbow whilst sitting at my dug-out 50 yards away. Considerable shelling of this Sunken road. Watch, pipe and scissors arrived. 27th Fairly quiet. Not being relieved today as expected. 28th Relieved about 8pm. Went back to A.D.S. at Vauloc. Parcel from Teenie. 29th 5th and 6th went back to Beugnatre. Fatigue and plenty of cricket and football. 30th Lovely weather -- same routine. MAY 1917 1st Played 6th Field Ambulance cricket—victory for us. Went to pictures at Bapaume. Cecil Davis killed at Artillery Post. 2nd Marched to A.D.S. Had tea and now going forward. Stationed at 2nd Sunken Road, Noreiul. 3rd Stunt started at 3.42am. Not very successful. Many casualties. Am bearing for A.R.P. about 40 yards behind the front line. Hunt, Hienze, Ferguson, Albon, Ivers, Curtis, Hill and Donovan wounded. Martin killed. (Cont. on next page) 24

(Cont. from previous page) 4th Bearing from 2nd Sunken Road to wagon loading post. Heavy casualties. Connelly killed. Pascoe wounded, Darragh shellshock, Woodward wounded. 5th Resting in 1st Sunken Road from 8am to 3.30pm. Sent with 30 men to R.A.P. 10th and 11th Bns. Few casualties to evacuate. Heavy bombardment and Fritz counter-attacked. A piece of H.E. stuck in the waist- belt of my tunic. Stunt turning out more successful than I thought on the 3rd.—Australians holding part of Hindenburg Support Trench. 6th Maj. Conrick brought up bearers from 4th Field Ambulance to relieve us and we returned to the M.D.S. at Vauloc. No casualties in party. About 150 stretcher bearers killed up to date. 7th Balance of bearers (myself In Charge) sent to 1st Sunken Road (in reserve). Later, at wagon loading post, steady stream of wounded. Had to pick up stretcher cases and clear away for a while during shelling. 8th Raining for the first time since the 20th April. Expect to be relieved tonight. Heavy bombardment—both ours and Fritz—Fritz counter-attacks broken down. 9th Relieved by 4th Field Ambulance. Returning to M.D.S. and then proceeded with remaining 5th Field Ambulance chaps to Fricourt Camp by motor lorry. 5th Division taking over the line. 10th Bath at Fricourt. Field Ambulance casualties in the Bullecourt Attack number 164 killed and wounded. 11th Fatigue. 12th Section drill Fricourt. Cricket match V 18th Bn. Victory for us. Soccer match V 18th Bn—Drawn game. 13th Church Parade. Address by General Birdwood. Cricket match V 17th Bn-another victory. I took 2 for 12. 14th Reported back to ambulance wagons. 15th Cleaning wagons. Cricket match V 5th M.G. Company. Victory. Took 2 for 3. 16th Cleaning wagons and packing. 17th Followed 6th Brigade from Mametz to Warley then returned to Senlis where unit has moved to. 18th Camped at a Rest Station overlooking Senlis. Length of stay unknown. 19th Appointed Honorary Secretary of the Sports Units Clubs. Senlis, looking from the hill our camp is on, is a typical French village—rather larger than the usual. Plenty of trees and shrubs all covered with a lovely green foliage, makes quite a pretty show. 20th Church Parade in Senlis. Good preacher and a 1st class band. 30 odd reinforcements arrived 21st Raining. Difficulty in getting sports material. O.C. giving us no help. 22nd Raining. Sports committeemen who were to go to Doullens for material were put off again by O.C. 24th Held sports today. Huge success—fine day—Brigade band. Orders through. M.M’s for L/Cpl’s Forest, Barwick, Munroe, Opie, Watters, Pearbly and myself. 25th Leave to Amiens. Left Senlis 6am, walked to Albert. Train at 7.45am to Amiens. Left in Corps HQ ambulance car at 8pm. Car stopped at Quier and we stayed in Char-banc till morning. 26th Watters, Batey, Hughes, Effie, Bridge, Coe and myself caught motor lorries at 6am and landed back at Senlis at 7.30am. Played 7th M.G Coy rugby—lost 5-14 28th Practice game of Australian Rules V 7 MG Coy—win for us. Col Phipps presented MM Ribbon to Forest, Opie, Munro, Barwick, Searle, Watters and myself. 29th Camp matches. Aust. Rules V 22 MG Coy—gunners won. Soccer V 25th Bn.—win for us. 30th Grand concert held in presence of Brig Gen Wisdom, staff and officers from other units. A great success. 31st Dinner to celebrate 2nd Anniversary of Transport and “C” Section departure from Sydney. A good time. Col Mosely and Maj Savage present. PART 4 to be continued, from 1st JUNE 1917, in next Newsletter……. 25 Major General Sir Charles Snodgrass Ryan KBE CB VD (with sincere thanks to authors, John Gillam and Yvonne Fletcher) and member, John Head Charles Ryan was born on the 20th September 1853 on a farm called “Killeen Station”, north of Melbourne, Victoria. He grew up with the love of the land and nature. He also developed an interest in photography.

He worked hard at school before going on to university to study and become a doctor. He was well liked by his fellow doctors and nurses.

At 23 years of age, whilst he was travelling around Europe, he saw an ad for military surgeons needed for the Turkish Army. He applied and was accepted and in two days he was on his way to Constantinople, the capital of Turkey! He was posted to work in a large hospital before being sent to serve in the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-78. He was placed in charge of 3,000 Turkish soldiers.

Although sick from dysentery, he marched with his men for ten days and they were attacked nine times by the enemy before reaching Plevna, a town in Bulgaria, where they engaged in their first battle. Charles was the only doctor and he needed all his skills to save lives.

He spent over four months, under siege, at Plevna and served under the Turkish Field Marshall, Osman Pasha, the hero of the “Siege of Plevna”. Charles learned a lot about the Turkish fighting spirit as they fought the Russians. They stopped the Russians from invading Turkey.

After Plevna, Charles was sent to Erzeroum and placed in charge of a hospital and ambulance unit. This city was also besieged by the Russians for six weeks. At this time Charles was sick with typhus, and the disease killed thousands of Turkish soldiers. Erzeroum was eventually captured by the Russians and Charles became a Russian POW.

After the war Charles was honoured by the people of Turkey when he was bestowed the Order of Medjidie 4th Class (A Military and Knightly Order of the Ottoman Empire) and the Badge of the Order of Osmaneth (this was the second highest Order in the Ottoman Empire awarded to military leaders for outstanding service). He wore them and his Turkish medal proudly. He became known to the Turkish people as ‘Plevna Ryan- a hero’.

Charles returned home to Melbourne in 1878 and became a successful doctor. He also enlisted as a Captain in the Volunteer Medical Service. He married and they had two children, a boy, Rupert, and a girl, Ethel.

In 1880 he tended the wounded bush-ranger, Ned Kelly but he died of his wounds. Charles was the official doctor to declare Ned Kelly dead!

How ironic was it that Charles answered the call and volunteered to go to war in 1914? He was 61 years old and was appointed the head doctor of the 1st Division of the A.I.F. when they sailed for Egypt.

Charles, and the ANZAC’S, landed at Gallipoli on the 25th April 1915. Charles now faced an enemy who, 40 years earlier, had been his friends! The Turkish commander, Mustafa Kemal, halted the ANZAC’S attempt to take control of the high ground. Both sides ‘dug in’ and built trenches.

Mustafa Kemal called up 42,000 reinforcements to launch an attack to drive the invaders back to the beaches and the ferocious battles saw more than 3,000 Turks killed and 10,000 injured. The ANZAC’s lost thousands in April and May A great many from both sides fell in ‘No Man’s Land’.

On the 24th May 1915 at 7.30am, a ‘Cease Fire’ was agreed so that both sides could collect their dead and wounded comrades. One could not imagine the task of seeing soldiers, friend and foe, moving around in ‘No Man’s Land’, and seeing stretcher bearers carrying their wounded and burying their dead. Charles was among them, giving orders and directing his medics. He only carried his wooden box camera (photos were forbidden) to record what he was witnessing.

He wore a Pith helmet and was dressed in his uniform with his Ottoman medals attached.

When some of the enemy noticed his medals and ribbons, they thought he had stolen them off Turkish bodies. He heard mutterings from some of them to the point that he boomed out in his rough Turkish accent…”These medals aren’t stolen from anyone. They were pinned on my chest because I fought for Turkey in the ‘Battle of ‘93’ (the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-78 was named the Battle of ’93 after its date in the Islamic calendar). I am Charles “Plevna” Ryan. How dare you accuse me of stealing medals”. The soldiers close by, both friend and foe, had stopped what they were doing and were dumfounded as a Turkish soldier asked…”Are you Charles Ryan? Are you the man who fought beside our Osman Pasha”? Charles replied that he was…….(Cont. to next page) 26

(Cont. from previous Page) Turkish officers came forward and embraced Charles. A Turkish soldier yelled out “Plevna Ryan is here” and a cheer went up from all around. Some Aussies remarked that “Charlie Ryan has made some new mates”!

This was the first time the Turks learned they were fighting Australians and not British.

The conflict started again at 4.45pm when a Turkish sniper fired a shot.

Shortly after this ‘cease-fire’ Charles contracted a severe case of dysentery and was evacuated, in July, from Gallipoli to London. He had contracted typhoid but eventually he recovered. Charles was Knighted by the King in 1916 and was appointed Head doctor of the Australian Army until the Armistice in 1918. He returned to Australia in May 1919

MAJGEN Sir Charles Snodgrass Ryan KBE, CB, CMG, VD, passed away on 23rd October 1926 at 73 years of age. He died at sea. near Adelaide. He was returning home from Europe on the ship “Otranto”. He is buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery.

Charles’s story actually left a legacy of peace between Turkey and Australia.

In 2015, two Turkish school teachers, Celal Yildirim and Hatice Unlu Solmus, from TED (Turkish Education Organisation) Mersin College, organised a school project titled “Two Trenches One Letter Project” The project encouraged students from Australia and Turkey to meet and learn the history of ANZAC from each other’s point of view. Pupils at Thornton (NSW) Public School embraced the Project and exchanged a series of personal letters to unknown ancestors to express feelings of events which occurred over 100 years ago!

NB: The Turkish commander, Mustafa Kemal, witnessed the ‘cease-fire’ at Gallipoli on May 24 1915. He became President of Turkey in 1923 and accepted the title of “Ataturk” (father of the Turks) in 1934. It was he who started the TED and it was he who inspired the words which are inscribed on the wall on the Gallipoli Peninsula:- “Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives, you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side, here in this country of ours. You, the mothers who sent their sons from faraway countries, wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are now at peace’ After having lost their lives on this land, they have become our sons as well”. ———————————- REFLECTIONS OF AN AMERICAN. ARMY DOCTOR (With kind thanks from member Bill Laidlaw) I am a doctor specializing in the Emergency Departments of the only two military Level One-Trauma Centres, where both are in San Antonio , TX .

We care for civilian emergencies as well as military personnel. San Antonio has the largest military retiree population in the world living here. As a military doctor, I work long hours and the pay is less than glamorous. One tends to become jaded by the long hours, lack of sleep, food, family contact and the endless parade of human suffering passing before you. The arrival of another ambulance does not mean more pay, only more work. Most often, it is a victim from a motor vehicle crash. Often it is a person of dubious character who has been shot or stabbed. With our large military retiree population, it is often a nursing home patient. Even with my enlisted service and minimal combat experience in Panama,

I have caught myself groaning when the ambulance brings in yet another sick, elderly person from one of the local retirement centres that cater to military retirees. I had not stopped to think of what the citizens of this age group represented.

I saw the movie ‘Saving Private Ryan.' I was touched deeply. Not so much by the carnage, but by the sacrifices of so many. I was touched most by the scene of the elderly survivor at the graveside, asking his wife if he'd been a good man. I realized that I had seen these same men and women coming through my Emergency Dept. and had not realized what magnificent sacrifices they had made.

The things they did for me and everyone else that has lived on this planet since the end of that conflict are priceless.

Situation permitting, I now try to ask my patients about their experiences. They would never bring up the subject without my inquiry. I have been privileged to hear an amazing array of experiences, recounted in the brief minutes allowed in an Emergency Dept. encounter.

These experiences have revealed the incredible individuals I have had the honour of serving in a medical capacity, many on their last admission to the hospital. (Cont. on next Page) 27

….(Cont from previous Page) There was a frail, elderly woman who reassured my young enlisted medic, trying to start an IV line in her arm. She remained calm and poised, despite her illness and the multiple needle-sticks into her fragile veins. She was what we call a 'hard stick. As the medic made another attempt, I noticed a number tattooed across her forearm. I touched it with one finger and looked into her eyes. She simply said, ' Auschwitz .' Many of later generations would have loudly and openly berated the young medic in his many attempts. How different was the response from this person who'd seen unspeakable suffering? Also, there was this long-retired Colonel, who as a young officer had parachuted from his burning plane over a Pacific Island held by the Japanese. Now an octogenarian, he had a minor cut on his head from a fall at his home where he lived alone. His CT scan and suturing had been delayed until after midnight by the usual parade of high priority ambulance patients. Still spry for his age, he asked to use the phone to call a taxi, to take him home, then he realized his ambulance had brought him without his wallet. He asked if he could use the phone to make a long-distance call to his daughter who lived 7 miles away. With great pride we told him that he could not, as he'd done enough for his country and the least we could do was get him a taxi home, even if we had to pay for it ourselves.

My only regret was that my shift wouldn't end for several hours, and I couldn't drive him myself.

I was there the night M/Sgt Roy Benavidez came through the Emergency Dept. for the last time. He was very sick. I was not the doctor taking care of him, but I walked to his bedside and took his hand. I said nothing. He was so sick, he didn't know I was there. I'd read his Congressional Medal of Honour citation and wanted to shake his hand. He died a few days later.

Then there was a gentleman who served with Merrill's Marauders, another was the survivor of the Bataan Death March, another was the survivor of Omaha Beach. I held the hand of a 101-year-old World War I veteran and spoke to a former POW held in frozen North Korea, the former Special Forces medic - now with non-operable liver cancer, the former Viet Nam Corps Commander. I may still groan when yet another ambulance comes in, but now I am much more aware of what an honour it is to serve these particular men and women.

I have seen a Congress who would turn their back on these individuals who've sacrificed so much to protect our liberty. I see later generations that seem to be totally engrossed in abusing these same liberties, won with such sacrifice. It has become my personal endeavor to make the nurses and young enlisted medics aware of these amazing individuals when I encounter them in our Emergency Dept. Their response to these particular citizens has made me think that perhaps all is not lost in the next generation.

My experiences have solidified my belief that we are losing an incredible generation, and this nation knows not what it is losing. Our uncaring government and ungrateful civilian populace should all take note. We should all remember that we must earn this. ‘If it weren't for the United States Military, there'd be NO United States of America!

And now as you have finished reading this, our Congress, who enjoy their free medical care, are in the process of charging these people for their medical care and at the same time possibly reducing their retirement pay. A typical political "Thank you" for their Service!

# As a kid I watched the Wizard Of OZ and could not understand how a person could talk if they didn’t have a brain! Then I got “Facebook”.

# As I was getting into bed she said:: “you’re drunk”! I said “How do you know”? She replied “You’re in the wrong house”!

# I’m having people over later to stare at their phones, if you want to come by.

28

MESSAGES FROM MEMBERS Keveral TURNBULL enjoyed reading our Christmas and ANZAC Day Newsletters and rang me to tell me a little more info about what I had printed about him.

In his younger years he attended Marrickville Technical School and was very keen to join their school cadets. He has fond memories of the camps at Walgrove where he was taught to shoot a rifle. It was a ‘Martini Henry’ single shot rifle and they were allowed to keep their rifle at home. Later on, they changed to the .303 Lee Enfield rifle (without the bolt of course) so they could keep it cleaned and oiled!

In 1948 he joined the CMF in the St George Regt (MG Bn). They wore white pugarees and white belts and rode in Bren Gun Carriers! The HQ was in Arncliffe and “C” Company was in Hurstville. Originally everyone had tan boots. He remembers when everyone had to blacken over the tan to make the boots black!

When there was unrest in our region (Malayan Emergency and then the Korean war) he was going to join the army but all his family and uncles etc were all navy people and his dad more or less insisted that he join the navy if he was going to enlist.

He enlisted in the Navy for 6 years (1950’56) and completed his basic training at Flinders Naval Depot, HMAS Cerberus, in Victoria. He served on the HMAS Arunta and was an electrical mechanic. At the end of his term in the Navy he ‘missed’ the army environment and joined the CMF with 2 Div Sigs (“J” Troop). His specialty was cinema work, but he had a yearning to be a medic.

Hence his transfer to 5 Field Ambulance. It was here he met his mentor, the late doctor, Capt. Morrie Sainsbury. Morrie was a doctor with 5 Field Ambulance and when he went to the 7th Field Artillery Regt as their MO he told Keveral they were in need of a RAP Sgt. Keveral learned a lot from Capt Sainsbury and was most saddened to read of his death in one of our magazines. He would have liked to be present at his funeral.

A fond memory that Keveral recalled was when he was with Capt. Sainsbury and Kev was driving a 4-berth army Landrover ambulance. They were in convoy on their way to Tianjara (west of the Princes Highway in the Yerriyong National Park in the southern part of NSW). Capt Sainsbury decided they would stay the night at the Naval depot HMAS Albatross (known as “Alcatraz”) before they re-joined the unit next day!

When I was speaking to Kev recently, I told him we have a member Barry Sainsbury (no relation to Morrie) and Keveral said his dentist was a Sainsbury in Marrickville who also had a brother who was a dentist. Kev always thought it was amusing that his dentist lived at 230 (“tooth hurtie”) Marrickville Road in Marrickville. I immediately rang our member, Barry Sainsbury, who informed me that the dentist on Marrickville Road was his dad! His dad’s brother owned the dental practice on Illawarra Road.

Keveral’s health is not too good of late and he is thankful his son, Ken, looks after him. (Thank you Kev, it is good to read a little of your service. I hope when you read this you are ok. You are in good hands with your son) ————————————- Marguerite MAXWELL passes on her good wishes to all in our Association. She recently sent me a treasured ‘keep-sake’. It was a book of poems titled “The Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels” written by Sapper Bert Beros. I will endeavor to place one of these poems in our quarterly magazines. Marguerite is 95 years young, lives in her own home and is in good health (with the ‘ups and downs’). She enjoys her garden and has ‘home help’ and also enjoys some ‘shopping outings’. She was sorting through her old books and thought it was rather sad that some of the younger members of her family would get no pleasure from reading them because its all now on their “finger machines” and they will probably never enjoy the pleasure of ‘turning pages’!

Some of the poems she read brought back flooding memories of the war years. When her late husband, Noel, came home in 1946, our daughter, Penny, was nearly two years of age and must have wondered who this strange man was—hugging and kissing her mother! Marguerite, at the time, was reading the poem; “To My Little Daughter” “Away form home and loved ones, between us deep blue water. Each day my thoughts go home to you, my little darling daughter. But I must fight to keep you free, and all that I hold dear, yet how I long to see you now—just in your second year. Your eyes are like Australian sky, your hair like ripened wheat. I’d like to hear your merry tongue, its girlish sound so sweet. May din of war stay far from you, God guard you night and day, and save my little girlie for the daddy whose away.” (this was written in Koitaki, PNG to a wounded digger, from Sydney, in hospital. Bert Beros.)

Marguerite loves her poems from “Banjo” Paterson, Henry Lawson and C.J.Dennis (which she came across in in an “Op” shop in Mandurah in WA in 1956 and paid one shilling for it. “What magic is between the pages” she wrote!) (Cont. on next page) 29

(Cont. from previous page) She had a few of her trees ‘lopped’ and was amazed at how high the trees opposite her place had grown in a couple of years! She has a white gum tree in her yard since she came there in 1960 and it has been cut back a few times over the years, mainly because of the power lines!

Marguerite said the area of Koongamia was once all virgin bush and covered in bush flowers and Christmas trees ‘till about 1955. She said the word “Koongamia” is Aboriginal for “Home on the side of the Hill”. The Darling Ranges run through above us and Greenmount Hill (a landmark) is ‘our side of the hill’. She said a couple of months back she was “fortunate enough to see the three main planets rising— especially Venus—and just a few days previous to this—a Full Moon! What a sight.”

Marguerite included a hand-written with another poem which I think is titled “The Chance to know another Better”. The note read….”These are the things that war can give a man—the chance to know another better than you ever could in peace—war can prepare a friendship, and mature it with care. From its first growth it cannot be undone, what though the passing years to cycles run. War’s jarring conflicts only closer bind, the bonds of friendship made with human kind. Great cities may with shells be compressed round and nations rock and crumble to the ground. But when between two men, war’s friendships grows, each for the other, harbouring to sustain, gives his strength with all his might and main. Each by the other, equally inspired, adapts his life as most of it is required. There is no need that each cannot supply by simple comradeship of being nigh. Each is a lantern for the other’s sight, that has the power to light the blackest night. Each, for the other, his last mouthful halves, nor one, nor the other, knowing that he starves—Each for the other, wakes that one may sleep, a vigil, each for each, they both will keep. Each of the other, takes his small affairs as subject for the granting of his prayers. These are the things that war can give a man the chance to know another better than you ever could in peace.” (Thank you so much, Marguerite, for all your letters and the Bert Beros book of poems-”The Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels”, we will treasure this. I hope when you are reading our magazine, you are in good spirits.) ————————————- Don MELVILLE enjoys reading all the news in our magazines. He lives in Leeton (NSW) and wrote his appreciation for the “Vale” article of the sad news of the passing of Gavin Driscoll because he knows Gavin’s brother (Des), who also lives in Leeton..

Don asked if I could post the articles to Des for his keeping. (which I did)

Don wrote how dry the area is and it is still in drought conditions even though some worthwhile falls occurred in other parts of the State!

In a subsequent letter I received in late May he thanked us for posting the two copies. Don attended the ANZAC Day Dawn service with his three grandsons and later went to Griffith to march in their main march. He wrote that the marchers were down this year mainly because the cadets from Yanco Agricultural High School were on holidays. Don said the civilian crowd was still very good

He proudly wears his father’s #ANZAC COMMEMORATIVE MEDALLION and wrote that quite a number of people who were wearing medals had no idea what they were for! They said the medals belonged to their dad (or granddad).

Don said he attended the Griffith service because it was 100 years ago that his dad returned to settle in Griffith # The ANZAC Commemorative Medallion was issued in 1967. If you are a descendant of an ANZAC Soldier and have never applied for one. Please apply. Contact Alan Curry OAM (0427824646) for further info. (Thank you Don, for your letters and words. I hope when you read this some good rains have fallen in the area.) ——————————- Ken HELSBY enjoys reading our quarterly magazines and he passes them on. He was recently working on Palm Island (east of Townsville, Qld) which is an isolated Aboriginal community. He is a Clinical Educator and the team he was working with had to deal with many health problems due to recent heavy flooding. They treated numerous wounds and skin infections that required intravenous medications with stays in the hospital. Ken said it has broadened his knowledge on tropical medication. (Well done, Ken, and the team you work with. The locals on Palm Island are fortunate to have people like you helping them. We are grateful for what you all do.) ————————- Mick CARLSON Passes on his good wishes to all his friends in our Association. He kindly sent this photo taken of him beside the Beresfield (Newcastle) RSL Sub Branch monument.

He organises the ANZAC Day Parade for his Sub Branch and takes his place in the march. Mick said the March went well and was very well attended by a large crowd. (Thank you Michael. You do a good job for your Sub Branch. I hope this finds you in good spirits) ——————————— (Cont. on next page) 30

(Cont. from previous page) John DAVIES asked to be remembered to his friends in our Association and enjoys reading all the news. He sends me some very interesting emails, most of which I share with my small contact group. He recently remembered some past serving members like Alan Emery (was a Pom in the Queen’s Guard) and would be remembered by our member, Peter (Tommo) Thompson. There were also Trevor and Bill Lewis, Paul Cohan. John said LTCOL Ian Dawson was the CO when he was in the unit in the mid 1960’s. John wondered what has become of Harry Munday and all the others. (Thank you John, for your emails. I know your treatment is ongoing and my prayers are with you and Moira. I hope when you read this you are in a good place) —————————- Greg BROWN kindly sent me this ‘cutting’ from newspaper called “The Bathurst Free Press and Mining Journal” (NSW 1851-1904), it was on page 2 and dated 8 December 1894. A Chinese Strike.— A wire from Moree shews that even the bland Chinaman can turn the tables. A peculiar difficulty arose at Warrah Station a few days ago, the main cause of the trouble being the actual refusal of Chinamen to work. The owner of the station has been shearing with Chinamen, and last week he put on three Europeans, in order to get the work done quickly. Soon after the men began work, the Chinamen, who could speak English well, and were old hands at shearing, ceased work and informed the station holder that unless he discharged the three white men, they would not continue. The Chinaman thereupon struck work, and the station owner was compelled to discharge the three men. The Chinamen afterwards resumed. Now there’s a ‘turn-up’ if ever there was! Fancy the Chinese shearers going on strike because three white men wanted to work with them! The reason I placed Greg’s ‘clipping’ in here was that it ties in with his story in our last Issue where he made mention of a distant relative who was a Chinaman and he worked on this Warrah sheep station! (Thank you Greg. I hope when you read this all is good.) ————————— Dr. James ROCHE OAM sends his good wishes to all his friends in our Association. He kindly sent us two items. The photo on the left and a postcard. The postcard was written from Gallipoli, dated 12 October 1915.

It was sent by Mr A.Baldwin to James’s aunt, Leonore Roche. They must have played tennis together before the war because he wrote…”This is a photo of some of our fellows going ashore at Colombo for a trip around. We have been at the front for a couple of months now and I am doing well and in good health. So far have not had a disagreement with a Turkish bullet and I am duly thankful. I wouldn’t mind a game of tennis now. Regards to all, Yours Truly”… James’s aunt’s address at that time was 52 Doncaster Avenue, Kensington , Sydney, NSW.

James donated these two items to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. (Thank you James for sharing your email with us. I hope that you and Mary are both well.) —————————- James Hoolan is one of our Life members and resides in the US in Williamsburg, Virginia. We have been corresponding for over 30 years and enjoy exchanging our views on a great many subjects. Jim and I were both in the shipping industry and he recently wrote about the immense changes that have, and are, occurring in various industries. Automation and Artificial Intelligence are beginning to make a big impact on people’s lives and livelihoods.

He said that many years ago when he and his wife, Gia, were in Japan they travelled on the bullet train from Tokyo to Osaka, The train was ’remote controlled’ (with two operators in case of an emergency and since its inception there has been no accidents). He said you have no sense of speed, as a passenger, but if you are standing at a station.it passes on the far side. All you hear is an approaching enormous roar, from about a mile away, and whoosh, it passes like a blur and the noise is ear-blasting!

James said the trucking industry is huge in the US and there is a shortage of long-range truck drivers, both male and female drivers, although they are well paid. It is mainly due to the long absences from their families. He said the industry is planning to promote control long haul trucks to begin operating in the next 5 to 10 years!

Jim made comment on President Trump’s “Wall”. He said President Truman enacted the “Bracero Program” in 1951 (Bracero is Mexican for ‘Manual Labour) and allowed Mexicans to work in the US, mainly in agriculture, for periods between one and ten months but ever since the program was repealed in 1964 the number of ‘Illegals’ entering the US is, in Jim’s understanding, between 11 Million and 50 Million? Something had to be done to try and stop this. (Thank you James, for your letters and emails. I hope when you read this it finds you and Gia in good health) 31 ITEMS OF INTEREST (1) BOOKS, MAGAZINES, ETC (With kind thanks from our Govt, Army Newspaper and members/friends) (a) Reveille (RSL NSW) Mar ’19 (Courtesy, Alan Curry OAM) (b) Tobruk House News Apr ’19 (courtesy, Graham Gibson) (c) Royal Australian Historical Society Newsletter Jan, Mar, Apr19 (courtesy Email friend) (d) Battle for Australia Newsletter Mar ’19 (e) Contact Newsletter No: 87 & 93 (courtesy, Barry Perigo) (f) The National Serviceman April ’19 (courtesy Ron Brown OAM) ————————————- (2) ELECTRIC VEHICLES—A NEW ERA? In 1998, China’s sales of 2-wheeled electric vehicles (EV’s) and annual sales of bicycles and scooters was 56,000. Ten years later (2008) it produced 21 million! In the automobile market, in 2009, China surpassed the United States with a record 13.9 million vehicles sold in the country, compared with 10.43 million sold in the US.

The Chinese government, in the last decade, has provided $60 billion to the automobile industry with the aim of creating a world-leading industry which will produce jobs and exports, also to reduce urban pollution and decrease its dependence on oil. Its goal is to have 5 million battery-electric and plug-in hybrid EV’s on the road by 2020! AND to produce one million such vehicles annually. China has become the world’s biggest supporter of EV’s.

It is forcing automakers from Detroit to Yokohama and from Seoul to Stuttgart to look at what is happening or risk being left behind in the world’s largest car market. In 2018 more EV’s were sold in China than the rest of the world combined!

The “Down Side” of EV’s is their range of distance achievable, battery re-charging stations and time taken to re-charge. (One complaint came from a buyer of a Nio ES8 (a seven-seater SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle)) who had paid $71,700 for his EV and he went on a long trip. Despite being assured the vehicle had a range of 335 klms, he had only travelled 180 klms when the range meter showed 50 klms left in the charge. He had only driven on the Freeway at 100 kph or just over. He re-charged his car once and anxiously monitored his range meter constantly. Towards the end of his journey he shut off the AC and the audio system to preserve his power. He has since sold his EV and bought a Lexus NX 300h gasoline/electric SUV.)

All EV’s can sometimes fall short of advertised ranges. Conditions vary regarding Freeway driving and hilly terrain, as well as hot and cold weather conditions. At present, EV’s have shorter driving ranges than gasoline vehicles, they are more expensive and they take a long time to re-charge. China is aggressively pursuing the adaption of EV’s but the challenge is in matching the gasoline vehicles in cost and ease of use! ————————————- (3) AUSTRALIA’S POPULATION GROWTH On current trends, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) expects the Australian population to reach 30 million people from between 2029 and 2033. ————————————- (4) “GIFT OF LIFE GARDEN” A Gift of Life garden (one of three) has been established in the National Arboretum in Canberra. It is to acknowledge those people affected by organ and tissue donation and transplantation. The Garden provides secluded and beautiful places for quiet reflection and appreciation, while also celebrating the generosity and healing that are part of each organ and tissue donation story.

More than 10,000 Australians have received a life-saving transplant through the generosity of 3,464 deceased organ donors, since the National program was introduced in 2009. There are currently 1,400 Australians on transplant ‘waiting lists’ and a further 11,000 people on dialysis.

Registering “on line” is quick and easy. It takes one minute and your Medicare Number. There is a Contact Number– Nick Way 0419.835.449. ————————————- (5) 70th ANNIVERSARY OF THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN REGIMENT (RAR) I forgot to mention in our CHRISTMAS Issue 2018 that the 21st November 2018 marked the milestone of the 70th Anniversary of the RAR.

Its proud history goes back to 1948 when three Regular Infantry Battalions were ‘raised’ for service in Japan after WW 2. Today there are seven RAR Battalions which are based in Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin and Townsville.

The RAR have been deployed on many operations including the Korean War, the Malayan Emergency, the Vietnam War, Somalia, Rwanda, East Timor, Solomon Islands, Iraq and Afghanistan. (Cont. on next page) 32

(Cont. from previous page) The occasion was marked by a Ceremonial Parade at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. ——————————————— (6) RORTING OUR COUNTRY’S WELFARE PAYMENTS More than 70 people a day are being caught rorting on our Welfare system! One big example is claiming to be single in order to qualify for a higher welfare Centrelink payment. Last year a 76 year old female was sentenced to nearly three years jail behind bars for falsely claiming over $287,000 in Welfare benefits. She claimed she was single but in fact was in a relationship with a man who was a millionaire! ————————————- (7) NATIONAL SERVICE: After WW 2 in August 1945, Australia had two National Service legislations passed. The first one was begun in 1951 and lasted until 1959. The government, at that time, thought it was very necessary, due to world unrest with the looming Korean War and Suez Canal crisis. All young men who turned 18 years of age, from 1951, were required to register for National Service and this saw about 228,000 males serve in 52 intakes all over the country, until this scheme ended in 1959. 1951-1959 SCHEME The NAVY trained about 7,000 in various bases around the country, such as HMAS Penguin (Sydney), HMAS Cerberus at Flinders Bay Naval Depot on Westernport Bay (Victoria), HMAS Lonsdale Melbourne) and HMAS Leeuwin (near Perth). The ARMY trained about 198,000 in ten NS Training Battalions, such as 11 NSTB at Wacol (Queensland), Sydney had 12 NSTB at Singleton and Holsworthy, 13 NSTB at Ingleburn, 19 NSTB at Old Holsworthy & Holsworthy. Victoria had 14 NSTB, 15 NSTB and 20 NSTB at Puckapunyal and Watsonia, South Australia had 16 NSTB at Woodside, Western Australia had 17 NSTB at Swanbourne and Tasmania had 18 NSTB at Brighton. The AIRFORCE trained about 23,000 and allocated the trainees to all the major airbases and depots around Australia, In Queensland they were sent to Garbutt, Toowoomba and Oakey Downs, Amberley and Archerfield. In NSW they were sent to Bankstown, Forest Hill, Rathmines, Richmond, Schofield, Williamtown and Uranquinty. In Canberra they were sent to Fairbairn. In Victoria they were sent to Ballarat, East Sale, Fragnall, Laverton, Point Cook and Tottenham. Trainees from South Australia and Tasmania were also sent to Laverton. 1965-1972 SCHEME In November 1964 the Australian Government passed the National Service Act 1964. This required all 20 year old males, if selected, to serve in the army for two years of full time continuous service (reduced to 18 months in 1971) to be followed by three years in the Reserves. The Act was amended in 1965 to provide that conscripts could be obliged to serve overseas.

In March 1966 the government announced that National Servicemen would be sent to Vietnam to fight in units of the Australian Regular Army. Between 1965 and 1972 over 800,000 men were registered for National Service. About 63,000 were conscripted and more than 15,000 served in Vietnam.

Registration was compulsory and the process of selection was by a Birthday Ballot. Two ballots were conducted each year and consisted of several dates in selected months. Those young men whose birth date corresponded with the selected day in the selected month, were called up to serve. E.G. Birthdates drawn on the first NS ballot on the 10th March 1965 were men born in the period between 1 January 1945 and 30 June 1945. January had 16 days selected, February 17 days, March 19 days, April 16 days, May 13 days and June 15 days. If your birthday fell on the selected day, you were subjected to medical etc tests and when passed fit you were basic trained and then allocated to a unit.

From 1965-1972, 15,381 young men served in Vietnam. 200 were killed and 1,279 wounded. The NS Scheme was abolished on 5th December 1972 by a newly elected government. National Servicemen have served Vietnam, Malaysia, Borneo and Papua New Guinea. ———————————- (8) POLLUTION OF EARTH’S OCEANS: 70% of earth’s surface is covered by oceans. The largest is the Pacific which covers about 30%. The deepest part, measuring 11 Klms, is the Mariana Trench…….(Cont. on next page) 33

(Cont. from previous page) The longest mountain range is found under water and stretches over 56,000 Klms. About 70% of the oxygen we breathe is produced by the oceans and the sea is home to the largest living structure—The Great Barrier Reef measuring about 2,600 Klms and can be seen from the moon. There are more artefacts and remnants of history in the ocean than in all the world’s museums combined!

The majority of waste we produce eventually reaches the oceans, whether intentionally or not. Waste comes from littering, sewage, ocean mining, oil spills, agricultural runoff, toxic chemicals, air pollutants and maritime transportation. SOME FACTS: # Plastics are the most common element found in the ocean. # Eight billion Kgs of plastic trash winds up in our oceans EVERY year! # The five most common items found in coastal clean-ups around the world are all single-use plastics; plastic cigarette butts, food wrappers, beverage bottles, bottle caps, straws and drink stirrers. # It is estimated there are 25 trillion pieces of plastic debris in the ocean and of this about 244 million kgs float on the surface and some four billion plastic microfibres per square klm litter the deep sea! # There is an island of garbage, the size of Texas (696,241 Sq Klms) covering 1.3 million sq klms inside the Pacific Ocean. # Ocean pollution kills more than one million sea birds, per year! Over 100,000 marine animals, per year, die from plastic entanglement and ingestion. # Decomposition of Styrofoam takes 80 years, aluminium takes 200 years and plastics take 400 years. # China and Indonesia, combined, are the world’s biggest contributors of plastic pollution in the oceans. They account for one third of the total ocean pollution.

Nutrient pollution, a form of water pollution, refers to contamination of excessive inputs of nutrients. Sources of nutrient pollution include surface run-off from farm fields and pastures, discharges from septic tanks and feed lots and emissions from combustion. Chemicals found in polluted waters; such as pesticides, lead and other heavy metals can contaminate water supplies and food chains through the marine life affected. Bacteria in the food chain may cause mercury exposure which in turn can cause Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer's, and Heart Disease. ——————————————— (9) SHEEP-SHEARING RECORD BROKEN: Mr Lou Brown, a 31 year old, New Zealand born shearer, broke a 16 year record when he sheared 497 merino ewes in eight hours. (a sheep every 1.04 minutes). The adjudicating judges came from NZ and Qld and are members of the Sheep Shearing Records Society. The rules are strict because each ewe shorn must carry a fleece that weighs, on average, 3.4 kgs and the shearer must not exceed 18 strokes of the hand-piece. A large crowd, in late April, watched the record-breaking attempt in a dusty shearing shed at Rockliffe Farm, near Kojonup (250 klms south of Perth). (no relation to Greg but see also Greg Brown’s “Messages from Members”) —————————————— (10) DRIVERLESS TRUCKS & TRAINS: Driverless trucks are already operating in Western Australia. The mining giant, Rio Tinto, has 69 driverless trucks operating over its three big mining leases situated in Yandicoogina, Nammuldi and Hope Down 4. They operate 24/7 for 365 days a year with no driver. This is saving 500 work hours per year—No toilet or lunch breaks are needed! Other big mine owners are now trialling this new method.

Driverless trains have started in Sydney (27 May 2019 at 11am) at a cost of over seven billion dollars and many years of planning. The 36 Klms journey starts at Chatswood with stops at North Ryde, Macquarie Park, Macquarie Uni, Epping, Cherrybrook, Castle Hill, Hills Showground, Norwest, Glenwood, Kellyville, Rouse Hill and last stop is Tallawong. The train travels about 100klms per hour.

Battle for Australia Their committee is looking for people to tell their Service story! Will you help them? Have you joined them yet? (Please contact Alan Curry (0427824646) so that I may pass your details to their committee)

I ate a salad for breakfast. Mostly croutons and tomatoes. Really just one big, round crouton covered with tomato sauce. And cheese. FINE, it was a pizza. I ate a pizza. 34

2019 FUND-RAISER We are continuing with our $1 Raffle sales with half the money raised staying with our Association and the other half being offered as prizes at our Annual ‘Mixed’ Luncheon. The only money we obtain is mainly from you, our very generous members. Some comes from our paid Ads but it is hard work trying to get an organisation to pay for an Ad in our magazine. We are very thankful to the three RSL Sub Branches who place their Ads with us. ALL MONIES received are acknowledged in every magazine with our sincere thanks.

A thief broke into my house last night. He was searching for money so I woke up and searched with him!

WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN OUR ASSOCIATION? Did you serve in 5 Field Ambulance? Do you have friend in our Association and would like to become one of us? We look forward to signing up the remainder of our 5 CSSB Health Company (which once was 5 Fd Amb). Please contact Alan (0427824646) for your Application Form. LATE SUBSCRIBERS A gentle ‘reminder’ to our members who pay yearly ($15). We very much rely on your subs to keep our magazine in circulation. When you read this and if you are not sure if you have paid your $15 would you kindly phone or email me and I will let you know if you are ’up to date’ with your subs. With our kind thanks, Alan Curry (0427824646, (02) 4982.2189 or email:- [email protected]

A Proud Supporter of 5 Field Ambulance Assn. 35

5 CSSB HEALTH COMPANY “UPDATE” 5 Health Coy Combat Medical Attendant - NSW Ambulance placement by PTE Nadia VARDE Clinical experience is vital to the role of a Combat Medical Attendant to allow for development and maintenance of clinical skills and patient care. This was recognised by Intensive Care Paramedic CPL Vaughn who over the last week of April 2019 arranged placements with NSW Ambulance for 5 Health Coy Medics.

During the course of the placements, several 5 Health Coy Medics attended and assisted in the management of various incidents within the Western Sydney Region. Under the guidance of CPL Vaughn, the Medics were able to implement treatment procedures which have frequently been taught and practiced predominately in simulation settings. On the road, the Medics were exposed to clinical management of cardiac arrests, drug overdoses, motor vehicle accidents, and care of ill patients. In the hospital setting the Medics were also placed as observers within the trauma management unit, this allowed for an understanding of the complexities and workings of a trauma resuscitation bay. As a Combat Medical Attendant, this type of experience is invaluable to the development of clinical skills. I have gained so much from just one placement and hope that further opportunities such as this will arise in the near future. We are very grateful to CPL Vaughn who arranged the placements, and to the staff at NSW Ambulance who very were welcoming and accommodating.

(5 Health Coy CMA LCPL Vu in AMCU with CPL Vaughn in his civilian uniform on right of picture. # Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of overcoming it. (Helen Keller) ——————————- # Never tell your problems to anyone, because 20% don’t care and the other 80% are glad you have them! ————————— # Every day we are given stones. But what do we build? Is it a bridge or is it a wall? ————————— (Thank you Nadia, Rhys and Au (for the photos). I am aware that the OC, MAJ Glen Sissons, is having family health problems at this time and will send me a “Health Coy Report” when able. Our prayers are with him and his family)

POEM “NEVER THERE” (courtesy-author, Tomas Hamilton March 2019) WHEN THE GOVERNMENT DEPLOYS YOU TO PERFORM SOME DODGY TASK YOU CALL IT “SECRET SQUIRREL” IN OTHER WORDS, “DON’T ASK” YOU FULFILL YOUR DUTY AND DO IT WITH SOME FLAIR BUT DON’T TELL IT TO THE BUREAUCRATS THEY’LL SAY YOU WERE NEVER THERE

WHEN YOU WERE IN SOME TROPIC CESSPIT WITHOUT SUPPORT OR FLAG YOU NEVER TELL THAT STORY ‘CAUSE YOU ARE NOT THE TYPE TO BRAG AND THE MUD, THE RAIN AND MOSSIES ARE ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU SWEAR BUT DON’T TELL IT TO THE BUREAUCRATS THEY’LL SAY YOU WERE NEVER THERE

WHEN YOU ARE HUDDLED IN A SUBMARINE ON SOME HARBOUR FLOOR AND THE SLIGHTEST INDISCRETION CAN LEAD TO ALL OUT WAR WITH YOUR FINGER ON THE BUTTON AND A SOFTLY WHISPERED PRAYER BUT DON’T TELL IT TO THE BUREAUCRATS THEY’LL SAY YOU WERE NEVER THERE

WHEN YOU ARE ON AN URGENT MEDIVAC FROM A PLACE YOU SHOULD NOT BE WHERE ONE STRAY SHOT CAN BRING YOU DOWN AND EXTRACT ITS’ DEADLY FEE SO YOU PUSH THE MORTAL LIMITS AS FAR AS YOU CAN DARE BUT DON’T TELL IT TO THE BUREAUCRATS THEY’LL SAY YOU WERE NEVER THERE

WHEN THE TASK FORCE ARRIVES AT LAST WITH CHEERS FROM THE OPPRESSED, THE STREETS NOW THEIR PARADE GROUND UNIFORMS CLEAN AND PRESSED YOU HAD BEEN OUT THERE FOR WEEKS BUT NO ONE SEEMED TO CARE BUT DON’T TELL IT TO THE BUREACRATS THEY’LL SAY YOU WERE NEV- ER THERE

WHEN THE DRAMAS ARE ALL OVER AND YOU HAVE THAT WELL EARNED REST IT IS THEN THAT DUTY CALLS YOU FOR JUST ONE FINAL TEST AND YOU ARE TEMPTED TO RESPOND WITH JUST A SUBTLE SNEER “THANK YOU FOR REMEMBERING ME BUT I’M SORRY I’M NOT HERE”

POEM “THE SERGEANT MAJOR” RIP. WINDSOR DAVIES, BATTERY SERGEANT MAJOR WILLIAMS (TV’s “IT AIN’T HALF HOT MUM”.) HIS WHOLE LIFE LAY BEFORE HIM, WITH FAMILY AND ARMY MATES ,BUT SADLY LONG BEFORE HIS TIME, HE ARRIVED AT THE PEARLY GATES SO HE ASKED ST PETER, “I ONLY HAVE ONE FEAR ---BEFORE I TAKE ONE STEP INSIDE, DO THEY HAVE SERGEANT MAJORS HERE?”

ST PETER REPLIED.” WELL YES, WE DO, BUT WE MAKE THEM TOE THE LINE YOU HAVE NO CAUSE FOR WORRY, EVERYTHING WILL WORK OUT FINE THEY CAN BE A NUISANCE, THE WAY THEY RANT AND RAGE THAT IS WHY IN THIS PLACE, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN CAGE

YOU’LL FIND NO BARBER SHOPS UP HERE, NO SHORT BACK AND SIDES WE DON’T HAVE RULES OR ORDERS, JUST A FEW ROUGH GUIDES NO ONE HERE WILL YELL AT YOU, OR STAND YOU TO ATTENTION AND THERE IS NO SUCH THING, AS CB OR DETENTION

ALL YOUR MEALS ARE SERVED ON TIME. NO NEEDLE PARADES AT ALL THEY CALL THIS PLACE PARADISE, SO YOU JUST HAVE A BALL YOU ARE ALWAYS FREE, TO DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO AND ONE POINT TO REMEMBER, YOU’LL NEVER HAVE TO QUEUE”

THE LAD SEEMED A BIT CONFUSED, IT WAS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE “ARE YOU SURE SERGEANT MAJORS ARE LOCKED AWAY, JUST LIKE SOME ARMY ZOO? THEY MADE MY SHORT LIFE HELL ON EARTH AND I HAVE LITTLE DOUBT THEY’LL ALL BE SEEKING VENGEANCE, IF SOMEONE LETS THEM OUT”

THEN HE HEARD A DISTANT THUNDER, BOOMING WITHOUT AFFECTION THERE WERE POOR SOULS FLEEING, IN EACH AND EVERY DIRECTION HE SPIED A FAR OFF FIGURE AND IT CAUSED HIM GREAT ALARM SPITTING FIRE AND FURY, WITH A PACE STICK UNDER HIS ARM

THE YOUNGSTER CRIED.” I’M OUTTA HERE, THERE IS ONE THING YOU CAN’T HIDE I KNOW THAT RANK ANYWHERE, I THOUGHT YOU WERE ON MY SIDE”. ST PETER SAID.” MY CHILD YOU’RE WRONG AND I WILL MAKE A WAGER THAT IMPOSTER IS GOD HIMSELF, HE JUST THINKS HE’S A SERGEANT MAJOR”. TOMAS HAMILTON 20 FEB 2019 36 ACTIVITY SHEET (Please advise your choice/s. Any item ordered includes postage) Please find enclosed my Subs for 2019 ($15) (cover from January to December) or LIFE

MEMBERSHIP ($100) or Donation (See my details below). I would like to pay for ____$1 Raffle Ticket/s in our Yearly Fund-Raiser for 2019. I will/will not be in attendance at our ANNUAL (informal) ‘Mixed’ Luncheon at the Paddo RSL Club on Saturday 30th NOVEMBER (from NOON-3pm). There will be _____people in my group. I understand any payment at the Luncheon will be at my expense.

Please post me a “Surplus” Newsletter @ $7 each. (If available) Please send me____”Special Edition” 2015 Centenary Calendar/s @ $7 each.

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$20 ea. (The 50th also includes a brief history of the 2/5th Australian Field Ambulance) Please send me____ RAAMC Centenary “Coin and Token” set/s @ $30 each. Please send me a RAAMC coat/jacket Lapel Pin for $15.

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(Please make any Cheques/Money Orders etc payable to:- “5 Field Ambulance Association” and post to either:- Alan Curry OAM (Hon Sec) 35/1a Gordon Cl., ANNA BAY NSW 2316 OR Brian Tams (Hon Treas.), 453/1 Scaysbrook Dve., KINCUMBER NSW 2251—All acknowledgements will be in our next issue.

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