OF THE GODS RASIGS Association, PO Box 881, Kent Town. South Australia. 5071. March 2016 Web site address www.rasigs.com Disclaimer: The views expressed in articles in the “Messenger” are those of the writers/contributors and not necessarily those of the “Committee” or “General Membership” of the Royal Australian Signal Association (SA) Inc. RASigs Association Contact List Position Name Contact Details Email address Patron David Mathews N/A N/A President Sally Napper 0418 835 049 [email protected] Vice President Vacant Secretary Michael Napper 0401 523 814 [email protected] Treasurer Rudi Dancis N/A [email protected] Lionel Mathews Brian Melville N/A [email protected] Award Membership Dean Hudson 0418637268 [email protected] Editor Messenger Gerry Giebel 0417 849 960 [email protected] Historian Andrew Graves 0423 020 234 N/A Committee David Bolton N/A N/A Member 144th Sig Sqn. Rep WO2 Ruth N/A [email protected] Rountree Past President Bruce Long N/A [email protected] Web/IT Paul Arthur N/A [email protected] Web/IT Colin Tresidder N/A N/A Web site www.rasigs.com N/A N/A From The President’s Desk Greetings to all for 2016. The Committee commenced the year with a BBQ for 144 Sig Sqn personnel on Sunday 31 January 2016. The function was well attended by the Unit and it was a great opportunity to promote our Association. The AGM was held on Sunday 7 February 2016; thank you to those who attended; your ongoing support is greatly appreciated. We were honoured to have our Patron, David Matthews present. To the Committee for 2016, thank you for coming on board again, I look forward to working with you all. No nominations were received for Vice President; to-date the position as not been filled. C. Tresidder joins our Committee as IT Specialist. D. Bolton also joined the Committee. Thank you to both. On behalf of your Association, I wish to welcome all the new members. The weekend, 12-14 February, 2016, I attended the 65th WRAAC Reunion in Canberra. Over 300 ladies made the journey. Friday night, prior to the Meet & Greet at Anzac Hall – Australian War Memorial, we attended the Last Post Ceremony in honour of Sister Mary Eleanor McGlade - WW2 - Associated with Armidale, NSW. Saturday night, we had our 65th Anniversary Dinner at the QT Hotel. Sunday, we visited Duntroon; an opportunity to be photographed in front of the Gates from WRAAC School, Mosman, NSW. Lunch was served at the Duntroon Golf Club. Great weekend!! Anzac Biscuit Tin this year will be dedicated to the 65th WRAAC Anniversary. The Strathmore Hotel, North Terrace, Adelaide has been booked for the Anzac Day Lunch from 12.30pm; numbers are required one week prior to the event. I look forward to see you all. The 50th Anniversary of 144 Sig Sqn Celebration/Corps Dinner will be held on Saturday 27 August 2016. Please save the date. National RASIGS Reunion – Healesville, Victoria – 9 to 14 November 2016 – details on RASIGS website. Registration due now. Well that’s enough from me for now; I look forward to your company sometime throughout the year. Regards Sally Napper Membership Members ----Please Note A recent examination of the Membership records indicates that several members have not paid their subscription for this year (2016). At the recent AGM it was passed that the Membership fee be reduced by 50%, ie, it is now $10 which is less than 20 cents a week. To ensure continuation of your Membership, you should pay your subscription by no later than 30 April. Failure to do so will see your Membership lapse and your name removed from that record. So I urge you to forward your payment by either of the following methods, please: * PayPal and accessed through the website www.rasigs.com * Direct to Commonwealth Bank, Salisbury Branch. Account Name: Royal Australian Signals Association South Australia BSB: 065 122 Account Number: 00904932 or * cheque/money order attached to this application. Welcome to the following members, Damon Curnow, Mark Tetlow, Ali Hudson and Colin Tresidder. 144 Sig Squadron BBQ 144 Signal Squadron held its first parade for 2016 on the 31st January, the days event concluded with some of the RASigs Association committee members cooking a BBQ for the squadron. OC144 Sig Squadron, Major Searles addressed the group during the meal indicating the importance of the unit to support the Association and how association members were always willing to swap stories with them Brian Melville did a small presentation on how the association supports the unit with BBQ’s and various awards including the Lionel Mathews award etc. The feedback for the BBQ was very positive; the result being was that we gained four (4) new members. Annual General Meeting and 2015 Audit If any financial member would like a copy of the Minutes of the Annual General Meeting, held at 144 Signal Squadron, Keswick Barracks on the 7 February 2016 or the 2015 Audit, please contact the President Sally Napper, contact details above. Dairy Dates 50th Anniversary of 144 Sig Sqn 144 Sig Squadron will be celebrating its 50th Birthday Dinner on the 27th August 2016, venue and timing TBA, watch this space for further updates. 104 Sig Sqn 104 Sig Sqn 28 - 30 May 2016 Sat –Mon 50th Anniversary Twin Town Services Club Full details at: http://2016.au104.org 50th Anniversary of Long Tan 50th Anniversary of Long Tan Reunion 15th to 23nd Aug 2016 – Saigon, Vietnam. See details at: http://www.buddhas-place.com/avietnam_2016_1admin.html National Reunion, Healesville Yarra Valley Vic 9th to 14 November 2016 For further details on reunion, please see the end of this Messenger. **ANZAC Day** Well ANZAC Day is around the corner and once again the Anzac Day Lunch has been book for members as per last year, 40 seats have been booked at the Strathmore Hotel, North Terrace, Adelaide for 12:30, numbers are required one week prior to the event (18th April 2016), please contact the president if attending, contact details above. Details for the Order of March have not been confirmed by the RSL as to our line up positions, RSL have advised that that final details will not be available before the 1st April as the RSL intend on publishing an 8-page booklet for Anzac Day. Our tentative position should be Group 7 (Royal Australian Signals Corps (Vietnam) and Group 12 (Royal Australian Corps of Signals). Please check your paper for up to date details, as these positions are still subject to change. Gas Proof Box For Carrier Pigeons: German Army, 8th August 1918 Heavy wooden gas-proof carrying box, with 35mm thick sides, mounted on two wooden runners, to take up to four birds. The box is lined throughout with zinc plated steel. There is an outward opening inner mesh door reinforced with soldered vertical bars (one bar is missing) behind an outward opening wooden door with bevelled edges for a close airproof fit. The door is lined with steel plated zinc and edged with thick felt. It is secured by a swivelling metal peg. The front of the door is marked in white paint 'GERMAN GAS PROOF PIGEON BOX From 5TH AUS - DIV SIGNAL COY 8/8/18'. It also bears a stamped aluminium manufacturer's plate, attached with four small tacks, which reads, 'VORM. L. VON BREMEN & Co KIEL/ Hanseatische Apparatebau-Gesellschaft'. Each short side has two field grey painted gas respirator canisters screwed through the depth of the side. They bear dates for December 1917, April and May 1918. A black painted metal carrying handle is screwed into each side between each pair of canisters. In addition to the carry handles there is a canvas shoulder strap running along the length of the box, attached with three screws above each of the upper canisters. The entire long side of the back of the box bears a khaki canvas pouch with a flap secured by two leather straps and buckles. The pouch contains a wooden frame with an inner edge of thick felt that can be secured of the door of the box by means of four wing nuts (one nut is missing). Attached to the centre of the frame, between the wood and felt, is a rubberised fabric pouch with two arm pieces to fit the operator's arms. A metal rimmed clear celluloid 'window' is set into the centre of the fabric. Once the frame is fitted over the door of the box the operator can catch the pigeon and attach a message while both are protected from gas attack. British and German forces used carrier pigeons in significant numbers during the war to send important messages and communications. Where traditional methods of communications often failed, carrier pigeons were silent, efficient and reliable. Carrier pigeons used by the German army were targeted and captured, in order to intercept vital military messages, and break down enemy communication. The development of a gas proof box for storage and care of the pigeons - such a vital part of the communications network at the time - was a necessary development once gas had become an established weapon of the First World War. The pigeons were a significant asset on both sides. Gas boxes, like this one, were designed to protect carrier pigeons during gas attacks in the trenches. This German army gas proof pigeon box was captured by 5th Australian Division Signal Company on the 8th August 1918. HMAS AE2 (Courtesy Australia War Memorial) The AE2, the Royal Australian Navy's second submarine, was built in the United Kingdom and commissioned there on 28 February 1914 After commissioning, AE2 accompanied by AE1, sailed to Australia crewed jointly by British and Australian sailors, arriving at Sydney in May 1914.