NEWSLETTER of the AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION VICTORIA ABN 96 091 342 304 SUMMER 2017 Volume 72, Issue 4 AVM Brent Espeland AM, 1940 –2017 President’s Message Dear Colleagues In my opinion, 2017 has been a great year for the Division and heralds a promising 2018. We have established new branches, the latest the B24 Liberator Branch, and more are likely to be created within the next few months. We have enjoyed several very successful fellowship events host- ed by the Division and held another memorable Annual Pilgrimage to the AFC Memorial at Point Cook. Last month, Christine and I travelled to Tetbury, UK to unveil an Australi- an Flying Corps plaque donated by the AFA National to commemorate the Corps’ presence in Tetbury during the Great War and to acknowledge the wonderful relationship they enjoyed with the Tetbury townspeople. We Inside this issue: were accompanied by Maureen and John Capp from Australia. John’s fa- 3 ther served in the Australian Flying Corps and was a WWII veteran. The ‘Gallantry Spent’ painting wins people of Tetbury were very impressed by the Association’s generosity and Writing and Art Competition our efforts to travel to the UK for the occasion. Special Award Eulogy to AVM Brent Espeland 4 AM I was pleased to present the Division’s Sir Edmund Herring Award to Jen- nifer Spencer for her oil painting ‘Gallantry Spent’ at the Repatriation Hos- Bendigo Branch pital’s Story Writing and Art Competition prize presentation ceremony. I Air Force Association Vietnam 5 was among others on the SWAC Committee who judged the exhibitions Veterans Bursary Recipient Joins and was immediately impressed by the painting that depicted Australian Scottish Chamber Orchestra Light Horsemen riding in the desert. Sadly, the Story Writing and Art 6 Competition will end at the end of 2018 after operating 56 years. It seems Bendigo Branch fewer artisans are taking interest in the event despite it being adequately Ballarat Branch supported by DVA and sponsored by a range of Ex-Service Organisations ATC/AAFC Branch 7 including our Division. 2017 Annual Pilgrimage to the AFC 8 Tetbury—Remembering the Aus- 9 Our new website is operational. The integrated database component will be tralian Flying Corps a century completed before Christmas. The site will provide a range of functionali- onwards. ties that will improve membership administration including the opportunity 2017 Christmas function at RAAFA 10 for members to pay their subscriptions online and amend their personal de- My flight in Liberator A72-176 tails. I held a Branch Presidents’ Meeting to update the branches on web- 11 site development and to announce the establishment of a Communications Royal Air Force 12 Team to manage our Division’s communication, especially the social me- Catalina Branch dia. There was an appeal to the branches, which I extend to you, to submit RAAFA Engineers Branch 13 your human-interest stories or other newsworthy items to the Team who will upload them on the most appropriate site or include them in Contact. Contact Editorial Dates 14 It’s a great opportunity to share your knowledge and experiences. Vales 14 Vietnam Veterans Branch 14 Peter Colliver, our Division Honorary Treasurer, and I visited the Associa- 2017 Merz Lecture: Remember- 15 tion’s Western Australia Division in early October to view its Retirement ing the RAAF Phantom F4E AFA (Vic) Volunteers Despatch 16 RAAF ASSOCIATION VIC DIV, 24 Camberwell Road, East Hawthorn 3123 Tel: (03) 9813 705 Care Parcel to deployed Air 4600 Facsimile: (03) 9813 4966 Email: [email protected] Force personnel for Christmas Editor T.A Pilli News and Age Care facilities. We remain highly impressed by the operation which commenced from an idea back ‘Gallantry Spent’ painting in the early 1970’s. Following years of prudent man- wins Writing and Art agement, cooperation and team effort the organisation has become one of the most successful of its type in Competition Special Award Australia and has been awarded several times for the standard of its quality care. I have floated the idea of the Victorian Division moving towards this field of An oil painting depicting Australian Light veteran and wider community care and received posi- Horsemen riding in the desert has been tive responses. Clearly, this development would be a awarded the AFA (Victoria) Story Writing major step for us requiring investigation and consulta- and Art Competition prize for 2017. tion with all members prior to any decision-making. AFA (Victoria) President Carl Schiller presented You’ll hear more about this matter from me. the Division’s Sir Edmund Herring Memorial Prize to Jennifer Spencer for her ‘Gallantry Rumours spread fast. I was appointed on November Spent’ oil painting. The Special Awards prize 22nd the Association’s National President by the Na- was given in recognition of Jennifer’s tional Council following the passing of our National outstanding painting depicting Australian Light President AVM Brent Espeland, AM (Retd). I am Horsemen riding in the desert. very honoured to take up the role and look forward to The Veteran Community Story Writing & Art the many challenges ahead. I worked for Brent Es- Prize Presentation was held in the Acacia Room, peland when he was Air Officer Commanding Train- Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital on Friday, 24 ing Command and greatly admired him for his steady November. Carl was accompanied by fellow and calm leadership. He was always very respectful Board Member Di Hoopert and Barbara Stallard, and genuinely took interest in people. Brent was a the Division’s Office Manager. gentleman and I am privileged to follow in his foot- ‘Gallantry Spent’ was purchased by a Vietnam steps. Veteran who donated the painting to the hospital I will be working closely with the Board to identify to hang in a public place. and appoint your next President, and we anticipate an The Story Writing and Art Competition has been announcement will be made early in the New Year. running for 56 years, starting off as an The Festive Season is a special time to spend with our occupational therapy activity for returned service family and friends. I love Christmas at home with my personnel. During this wife, children and grandchildren. Whether you are time it has received spending time at home or elsewhere, I hope you have strong support from a great Christmas and New Year, and please – stay Department of Veteran safe. Affairs and a raft of God Bless sponsors, including the Air Force Association. Carl Schiller Regretfully, due to a decreasing number of OFFICE CHRISTMAS CLOSURE entries over the past number of years, the RAAFA OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED competition will close at FROM; the end of 2018. nd Jennifer Spencer is 22 DECEMBER 2017 presented with the Sir TO Edmund Herring Memorial Prize by AFA 17TH JANUARY 2018. President, Carl Schiller. coalition had failed to last. Eulogy to AVM Brent Espeland As a measure of the success to which his AM, background efforts positively contributed, ADSO now comprises some 17 member organizations. 1940 –2017 An even more significant indicator of the By progress that has been made is the joint response Peter Colliver, to the Federal Minister for Veterans Affairs, National which Brent signed, two weeks ago, on behalf of Secretary, Air Force ADSO, together with the National President of Association the RSL – the first such joint response I can recall in my thirteen years of involvement at the national level. Brent had a real knack for focussing on the essential elements of a situation or debate. He Brent assumed could lead by the nose, if he had to, but he the National presidency at pivotal stage in the preferred to persuade, to nudge or cajole to Association’s evolution. The transition from our achieve the desired outcome. The right outcome, World War II cohort had been completed, and a was better than a fast outcome. strategic plan had been framed. He had a tremendous capacity for work, and gave Implementation, however, was frustrated and his all to every task he undertook, and to every stalled. There was a vision for one Association, position he accepted. Weeks after his operation but we remained tribal and territorial. Some even in May, he travelled to Melbourne, after a feared that an effective national body would medical procedure in the morning to chair a somehow diminish the role of the State Divisions meeting of our National Council. Brent proved to be the oil that smoothed our path In August he joined our strategic planning and the glue that has held us to it session by Skype from his hospital room. His insightful contributions helped us to re-shape our He believed that in addition to having the best-led, plan and our vision for the future. best-trained, best-equipped military in the world, Australia should have the best cared for, best- He may not have been large in stature, but he treated, best-respected veterans in the world. leaves big shoes to fill. He had a passionate belief that, though not Air Our lasting tribute to him will be to give Force, the Association is a creature of Air Force substance to his vision. and an integral part of the Air Force family, and of the broader Defence community, and that it has a role to play in advancing and preserving the RAAFA representatives, interests of serving and former Air Force and ADF members, and providing support not elsewhere available. His ability to handle delicate situations, was demonstrated early in his presidency, when faced with a couple of issues he dealt with them in such a way that the protagonists were able to accept the outcome, even though it wasn’t precisely what they had hoped for.