SURFACE MAIL · THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE RETURNED & SERVICES LEAGUE WA BRANCH (INCORPORATED) PATRON: THE GOVERNOR OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA HIS EXCELLENCY MAJOR GENERAL MICHAEL JEFFERY AO. MC WINTER, 1994 OUR PATRON, THE GOVERNOR OF WESTERN AUS"{RALIA HIS EXCELLENCY MAJOR GENERAL MICHAEL JEFFERY A.O., M.C. \ Commonwealth Department of Veter~ns' Affairs C-an we help y_Ou? You could be eligible for benefits if • you are a veteran • a widow, wife or dependent child of a veteran, or • your spouse, parent or guardian is, or was, a veteran, or member of the Australian Defence or Peacekeeping forces. • you have completed qualifying peacetime service in the case of Defence Service Homes benefits. Veterans' benefits, include: • Pensions and allowances • Health-care benefits • Counselling services • Pharmaceutical benefits • Defence Service Homes - housing loan subsidy - homeowners' insurance • Funeral benefits • Commemoration FIND OUT WHETHER YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR BENEFITS BY CONTACTING THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS ON 425 8222 / Country Callers Free Line: 008 113304 : ~--- Remember .... "We're only a 'phone call away" Veterans' · Affairs Cares \ .LISTENING POST: Contents Page PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE 3 Publishers Returned&" Services League W.A. Brunch (Incorporated) THE STATE GOVERNOR 7 Aniac House G.P.O. Box CJ28, 28 St. Georges Terrace Penh,W.A. 6001 VALE: PERCY PEARSON 9 Penh. W.A. 6000 Tel: 325 9799 l"nx: 325 7432 WAR VETERANS' HOME Fl.iND 9 FOUNDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE 11 VIETNAM VETERANS' AFFAIRS 19 VETERANS' AFFAIRS 31 DEFENCEISSUES 37 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 39 LOST TRAILS 43 Editorial Editor/Chairman: BOOK REVIEWS 47 Mrs Pat Balfe Deputy: Mr Jbhn Surridge REUNIONS 49 Committee: Mrs B. Clinton, Mrs. J. Dowson, SUB-BRANCH NEWS 51 Messrs J. Babbage, P. White, T. Lloyd, R. Mercer Co-opted Members WOMEN'S AUXILIARY 67 Messrs E. Hinchliffe, L.J. Owens LAST POST 69 Sub-Editor Mrs Pat Elphinstone UNIT ASSOCIATIONS 71 Advertisers Westmlian Publishers, 263 Stirling Highway, Claremont, W.A. 6010 Tel: 383 4966 · Deadlines Typesetting/Composing for Listening Post Contributions Action Press, 31 January for Autumn Edition I0 I Catherine Street, 30 April for Winter Edition Morley, W.A. 6062 31 July for Spring Edition Tel: 276 5266 31 October for Summer Edition Printer If possible submissions should be typed, doubled spaced. Swanweb, Photographs can be black and white or colour glo.~sy. 102 Bannister Road, Canning Vale, W.A. 6155 Jllis is your journal and contributions are welcome. Tel: 455 3788 Post to: Listening. Post BSL. ·G.P.O. Box C128 60~)1 Opinion expressed by contributors In articles and reproduced articles are :Perth the Individual oplnons of such contributors or the authors of such reprOduced articles (as the cese may be) and rrot necessarily those of the COVER: RSL. · HIS EXCBLI.,BNCY Reproduction of articles (or extracts) contained In Ustenlng Post Is MAJOR GBNBRAL MICHABL IIJ.FFBRY, AO, MC, · welcomed provided the source Is acknowledged. GOVERNOR OF WESTBRN"AUSTRAUA Uatenlng Poet- Wlnt~r 1994 - Page 1 \ Where else would you go if you felt "We wanfflie ~ "like a· coffee . family·to remember · .but .. ~~ .our lives, :not · . our deau1s.. ~L" · SM~ . RT STR.EET MALL '• . 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In response to many' ~uests for a copy of th'e State I'rt;'ident'~ ~prOduced · Australia has beeri affected Anzac Day Address, it is below. sometime. or another by con­ On this ~~ each year, we gather. to recall the sacri­ flicts between nations, and it fices and ~ ~ men and women; have endured is tiffie once more· to remind as a result of 5e!"1Ce .to our country in all conflicts that those unsettled members of have followed smce that day at Gallipoli on ·25 April our 'Family' that nobody 1915. ·wants peace more than those In .t!Us ,).Uf,, 1994; the 'Year of the Family', with so who nave experienced. the manY, ~es ,m the. WQrld . ~uffe~ becatise of wanton horrors of war. However, conflicts wtthm -thetr own countries, it is paramount peace is something that has to th~t we reflect on those members of our Australian be earned - peace at any price ~amily' who unselfishly left ~ur shores to lay down their is not: acceptable. This is why, lives for us, so ,that we may live, work and play in a safe on Anzac Day, it is important for all members of .the and secure envtronrnent. 'Family' of Australians to remember the sacrifices paid Since that day in 19i5, many Australians have con­ by our men and women on the seas, on-the land and tinued to carry·on the tradition of protecting the in the air. Australian 'Family' from hostile f~rces. Consequently, Australia is a nation made up of many different races, hundreds of thousands of Austrahan men and ·women creeds and poli~cal dogma, but first and fqremost we have paid dearly. for us. We must remember that many must remember we are ihe Australian 'Family'. We draw families left behind in Australia have also paid the sacri­ strength and vitality from the people who come from fice of losing a loving member of their family. Therefore aifferent countries and cultures, and we welcome the Anzac Day has now become an important part .of our contributions they can make in developing and enrich­ history, and we recall the· sacrifices of the past by the ing the Australian nation, but let us not forget that they members of our Australian 'Fapilly' on this Australian must fit into the Australian ·'Family' .society and not try National Day, of Commemoration. · to create mini-cultural enclaves within our Australian There are many memorials throughout our commu­ 'Family' culture. · nity with the names inscribed of those Australian Let all members of this Australian 'Family' then be 'Family' members who lost their lives from World War I proud but tolerant; friendly but independent; united ri_ght through all subsequent troubled times until today. but respectful of others ·points of view; resourceful and These names will continue to remind those who follow productive in an ever-increasing competitive world, but of the suffering the traumas of war can bring to not importantly they should look forward to the future, only the fantilies of Australia but to all other families in clearly with the past in mind, and recall the tradition of the world. how our predessesors left our shores to serve in, other We are continuaJly reminded that Australia is a young countries and far away-places so that the Australian country; this may be so compared to other countries in 'Families' left behind would be safe and secure. this world, but what we must not forget are the past sac­ I urge all of you, members of the Australian 'Family', rifices that have been paid by our 'Family' members to continue to serve our country as. those Australians before us who helped in developing our traditions, our did before us. Work for your community so that the democratic system and progress within the modem spirit of Anzac will contiQ.Ue to enhance the lifestyle world to give our younger family members a better and freedom for whicb· our forebtars fought. future, free with security, peace and strength. The older citizens must be p repared to assist .the We continue to remind people that we should not younger members of our 'Family when requested, be take things for granted or change our life style "just for tolerant of their impatience and watch that they do not the sake of it". Our· past history must be remembered, become complacent on vital issues,such as·oui past her­ traditiona/ ·reserved and our derp.ocratic way of life itage and traditions, and instruct them of their responsi­ encourage· to prosper and develop as an example to bilities in our. ,society. They must be taught that, before others. We must be prepared to defend out way of life they are entitled to any rights, they have to earn them by from many forms of intrusions. There are people wtthm carrying our their responsibilities and be accountable our 'Family' .