The Royal United Services Institute of Victoria, Inc. Promoting National Security and Defence A constituent body of The Royal United Services Institute of Australia Patron: The Honourable Linda Dessau AM Governor of Victoria President: Major General (retd) Mike O’Brien CSC Secretary: Lieutenant Colonel (retd) Bob Hart RFD Victoria Barracks Phone: (03) 9282 5918 B Block 256-310 St Kilda Road www.rusivic.org.au Southbank, Victoria 3006 Email: [email protected] ABN 46 648 764 477 RUSI VIC NEWSLETTER Volume 15 Issue 3 – September 2016 Editor: Bob Hart ISSN 1446 – 452 The RAAF completes a fuel transfer with the air refuelling boom from a RAAF KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) to a US Air Force (USAF) F-35A Joint Strike Fighter at Edwards Air Force Base in California. (Commonwealth of Australia/Department of Defence) October Speaker Major General David J. McLachlan AO (Retd) State President, Victorian RSL The Returned Services League – 100 Years On Website: www.rusi.org.au email address: [email protected] 2 Royal United Services Institute of Victoria Incorporated September Newsletter RUSI VIC Council 2016 President Contents: Major General (retd) Mike O’Brien CSC 3 From the President Immediate Past President 4 From the Secretary / Geelong Branch Notes Commander Warren Kemp RFD RANR (Retd) Vice Patrons 5 Special Interest Groups Captain Stephen Bowater OAM, RAN Neil Graham Major General David Coghlan AM 6 Obituary – Major General Jim Hughes Vice Presidents Air Commodore Mike Rawlinson RAAF (Retd) 7-8 Opinion: Agility and Adaptability Brigadier Ian Lillie AM, CSC Mike Rawlinson Lieutenant Commander Roger Buxton CD, RCN Book Reviews: 9 The Australian Imperial Force, Councillors by Jean Bou, Peter Dennis, Paul Dalgleish Major General Ian Freer CB, CBE Reviewer Neville Taylor Lieutenant Commander Jim Eldridge RFD, RD RAN (Retd) Lieutenant Colonel (retd) Neville Taylor RFD 10 Charles Bean by Ross Coulthart Captain Martin Holme Reviewer Marcus Fielding Captain Peter Wickham RAN (Retd) The Fair Dinkums by Glenn McFarlane Brigadier Neil Graham AM Reviewer Roger Buxton Geelong Branch Representative 11 Monica’s War by John P. McMahon Lieutenant Commander Jim Eldridge RFD, RD RAN Reviewer Neville Taylor You’ll be Sorry! by Ann Howard Service Representatives Reviewer Neville Taylor RAAF: Wing Commander John Fisher, RAAFR 12 Dodging the Devil by George Martindale Secretary Reviewer Neville Taylor Lieutenant Colonel (retd) Bob Hart RFD Australia 1943: The Liberation of New Guinea Peter Dean (ed), Reviewer Roger Buxton Treasurer 13 Defending Country by Noah Riseman and Lieutenant Colonel (retd) Ian George OAM, RFD, ED Richard Trembath, Reviewer Neville Taylor SIMMO by Michael J Malone and Peter D Lutley, Honorary Librarian Reviewer Neville Taylor Flight Lieutenant Brian Surtees, RAF 14 Library Notes Cyberlinks RUSI AUST www.rusi.org.au RUSI Whitehall www.rusi.org Dept of Defence defence.gov.au Aust Strategic Policy Institute www.aspi.org.au Australia Defence Association www.ada.asn.au RAAF Assoc ‘Williams Foundation www.williamsfoundation.org.au Defence Reserves Association www.dra.org.au Defence Force Welfare Association www.dfwa.org.au Opinions expressed in the RUSI VIC Newsletter are those Military History and Heritage Victoria www.mhhv.org.au of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Department of Veteran’s Affairs www.dva.gov.au Institute. Shrine of Remembrance www.shrine.org.au 3 From The President: Our New Home - ‘B’ Block Victoria Barracks Melbourne Major General Mike O’Brien CSC ‘B’ Block was originally the Guard House for the South Gate on St Kilda Road. 1862 Constructed as a guard house with cells Late 19th Century – converted to an ammunition store 1910-12 Altered to Chemical Adviser’s Laboratory which tested and monitored the manufacture of explosives 1916-22 Central Research Laboratory of the Commonwealth Government Arsenal Later, Defence Regional Library, Printing Section and Barracks Officer’s staff 1997 Completely refurbished, houses the VBM Heritage display. Office of the Corps of Guides. 2016 Office and Library of the During this month our national body, now re-titled Royal Royal United Services Institute of Victoria United Services Institute for Defence and Strategic Studies- Australia (RUSIDSS) Limited, will have its first Annual General Meeting at Victoria Barracks, Melbourne. The name follows the British example. There is an independent Board and the members of the company are the constituent RUSI bodies in each state and the ACT. I will be our representative at the AGM. My view is that we will see little change in our relationship with the national body. The Department of Defence will continue to support the Institute with accommodation and some other services, but is tightening the conditions for direct financial subsidies. RUSIDSS will continue to represent us in negotiations with the Department. In the last few weeks we have lost one of our most valued members, Major General Jim Hughes. An obituary appears elsewhere in this Newsletter. His memory will be On 15 September - Chief of Navy, commemorated (in part) by the donation made in his Vice Admiral Tim Barrett speaks on memory of his books to our Library. Several of the The Navy: A National Enterprise volumes, including some he annotated, are unique in Australian libraries. Our move to B Block in the Barracks is complete and I thank those who provided the help we needed. Though Bequests we hope for improved access conditions, at present the same rules apply as with H Block - 24 hours’ notice to Royal United Services Institute of Victoria security through our Secretary. You will need to bring photo ID such as a driver’s license. I would encourage all The Royal United Services Institute of Victoria was established in members to visit us in this new location. 1890. It seeks to promote informed debate on, and improve public awareness and understanding of defence and national security. We have had several generous donations to the Library, The Institute maintains a specialist library to assist in this, as well also noted elsewhere. We have applied for a grant from as scheduling regular lectures and visits of interest. The costs of the National Library of Australia to assess the significance doing so, however are becoming burdensome and are exacerbated of our collection. I am confident that it will be classed as by an ageing and declining membership. a collection of national importance. To allow us to continue to provide services to members and the community into the future, you could greatly assist us by Mike O’Brien remembering the Institute in your will. Should you desire assistance in adding an appropriate codicil to your will, please contact the Secretary at [email protected]. If you have added a bequest to your will, it would be of assistance to be advised of it (not the specific amount) in case we need to communicate with you or your executors. 4 From the Secretary: Navy Week Dates Lieutenant Colonel Bob 19 October Seminar Shrine Theatrette Hart RFD 23 October (Sunday) HMAS Cerberus Open Day The big thing in the last three 21-23 October HMAS Adelaide visit to Melbourne Details months has been the move but of ship open to visitors not known. The Navy League will it has been covered very well host a lunch for the Captain on 21 October. Contact John elsewhere in this edition so I Wilkins on 9842 4256 to book. will not dwell on it. Suffice to say the library and office are 16 October (Sunday) Seafarers Memorial Service in the both up and running. The phone presence of Chief of Navy at St Paul's Cathedral at 1030. numbers remain the same. For reserved seating contact Captain Alan Knott on Access is still by calling ahead. The intent to enable 5250 6148. better access has been passed to the security assessment lot who are looking at how this can best be achieved. So business as usual until notified of any further change. What else? Well, just the usual boring Secretary stuff. If you feel like dropping in to see the place or buy some of our excess books, just call me for an appointment. We now have a kitchen with our own coffee machine so at least you can get a cup of coffee. Just a reminder. Please DO NOT email on the old [email protected]. That email will not be available. Please use [email protected]. Our August speaker MAJGEN John Frewen takes questions on Australia’s Military Strategic Commitments Bob Hart _________________________________________ Programme Dates Geelong Branch Notes: 27 October AGM and Lunchtime Address at Defence Plaza The Geelong Branch commenced activity for the Major General David McLaughlin AO new year on Monday 15 August with our customary President Victorian RSL Dinner Meeting. Our President, Mr Jon Metrikas, ‘The RSL – 100 Years on’ was the Guest Speaker. This was held at the ‘new’ location of Hibernia Hall, 150 Yarra Street, Geelong 18 November Lunchtime Address at Defence Plaza to where we have moved following the closure of Friday Air Marshal Leo Davies AO, CSC Berkeley Lodge in late June. Chief of Air Force The RAAF in the 2020s The programme for the remainder of 2016 has been finalised and the next function is the traditional 5 December At Home, B Block, Victoria Barracks ‘Ladies Night’ which is to be held on Monday 19 Monday September with the Guest of Honour, Ms Lisa Heywood who will talk on the subject of the ‘Open Vale Heart International’. We record with deep regret the passing of: Major General Jim Hughes (Obituary page 6) Following on we have the remainder scheduled:- Lieutenant Keith Nicol RAN Brigadier John Dean 17 October CAPT Rodney Cocks John Ryan 21 November MAJGEN Mike O’Brien CSC, President RUSI Victoria New Members 12 December Christmas Dinner Since our last issue we welcome the following new All the above Dinner Meetings commence from 1830 members: followed by Dinner served at 1905; cost per head is $ 35 with drinks available at ‘bar prices’.