Courier March 2016 - 2/2 Commando Association of Australia - Courier March 2016.pdf · Surviving...
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1 Courier 2/2 Commando Association of Australia Doublereds.org.au President Peter Epps, Secretary Colleen Thornton-Ward, Editor Ed Willis ___________________________________________________________________________ MARCH 2016 ___________________________________________________________________________ 2/2 66TH ANNUAL COMMEMORATION SERVICE Joan Karmelita addressing those attending the Commemoration Service with a member of the Naval Cadet catafalque party in the background A small but committed group of family members, friends and other interested members of the community gathered for the Annual Commemoration Service at Lovekin Drive Kings Park, at 3pm, Sunday 15 November 2015. HMAS Kuru, an RAN ship of the ‘Timor Taxi Service’ that supplied the 2/2 on Timor The service proceeded without the SAS providing the catafalque party for the first time in many years due to other commitments on the day. A team of young Naval cadets from Training Ship Marmion proved to be very suitable replacements. In his comments at the service, Association President, Peter Epps explained that the 2/2 ‘… would not have survived on Timor as long as they did without the vital help of the RAN bringing in supplies, ammo, medicines and evacuating the wounded’. Peter said ‘we were very proud and honoured to have the cadets at our Commemoration Service’. Peter also referred to the Association’s move into the generation of funds through donations and generous bequests to support community development projects in Timor-Leste. Joan Karmelita, the daughter of 2/2 veteran Charlie Sadler provided an appropriately reflective address. John Denman read the names of the fallen. Surviving 2/2 veteran Keith Hayes laid a wreath. GENEROUS GIFT HELPS TIMOR-LESTE STUDENTS In 2013 visiting Timorese veterans clearly indicated to Association members that school toilet construction was their top priority for aid in their country. As a result, the Association provided a $6,500 grant enabling the construction of two new toilet blocks at schools in the Fatu-Bessi area as a starting project in cooperation with the Melville Friends of Hatolia (see ‘Toilet block gift’, Courier October 2015) 1 . Photos have recently been received showing progress with their construction. The photos were taken by Snr Graciano, the headmaster of 1 Doublereds.org.au/couriers/
Transcript of Courier March 2016 - 2/2 Commando Association of Australia - Courier March 2016.pdf · Surviving...
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Courier 2/2 Commando Association of Australia
Doublereds.org.au
PresidentPeterEpps,SecretaryColleenThornton-Ward,EditorEdWillis___________________________________________________________________________
MARCH2016___________________________________________________________________________
2/266THANNUALCOMMEMORATIONSERVICE
JoanKarmelitaaddressingthoseattendingthe
CommemorationServicewithamemberoftheNavalCadetcatafalquepartyinthebackground
A small but committed group of familymembers, friends and other interestedmembers of the community gathered for theAnnual Commemoration Service at LovekinDriveKingsPark,at3pm,Sunday15November2015.
HMASKuru,anRANshipofthe‘TimorTaxiService’that
suppliedthe2/2onTimor
The service proceeded without the SASprovidingthecatafalquepartyforthefirsttimeinmanyyearsduetoothercommitmentsontheday. A team of young Naval cadets fromTraining Ship Marmion proved to be verysuitablereplacements.
In his comments at the service, AssociationPresident,PeterEppsexplainedthat the2/2 ‘…
would not have survived on Timor as long asthey did without the vital help of the RANbringing in supplies, ammo, medicines andevacuating thewounded’. Peter said ‘wewereveryproudandhonouredtohavethecadetsatourCommemorationService’.
Peter also referred to the Association’s moveinto thegenerationof funds throughdonationsand generous bequests to support communitydevelopmentprojectsinTimor-Leste.
Joan Karmelita, the daughter of 2/2 veteranCharlie Sadler provided an appropriatelyreflective address. John Denman read thenamesofthefallen.Surviving2/2veteranKeithHayeslaidawreath.
GENEROUSGIFTHELPSTIMOR-LESTESTUDENTS
In 2013 visiting Timorese veterans clearlyindicated to Association members that schooltoiletconstructionwastheirtoppriority foraidin their country. As a result, the Associationprovided a $6,500 grant enabling theconstructionoftwonewtoiletblocksatschoolsin the Fatu-Bessi area as a starting project incooperationwiththeMelvilleFriendsofHatolia(see‘Toiletblockgift’,CourierOctober2015)1.
Photos have recently been received showingprogress with their construction. The photosweretakenbySnrGraciano,theheadmasterof
1Doublereds.org.au/couriers/
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the Fatu-Bessi schools, who organised andsupervisedthebuildingofthetoilets.
Itisverydifficulttogetto,oroutoftheHatoliadistrictbyroadduringthewetseasonbecausethe
roadsbecomeessentiallyimpassableevenina4-wheeldrivevehicle.TheBuburiatoiletblockiscomplete(seephoto)andinuse,andtheoneatLebumeoisabout70%done.Workontheunfinishedtoiletswillresumeonceweatherconditionsimprove.
Association President Peter Epps commented:‘As can be seen from the photos our donationhasbeenputtoverygooduse.Theassociationshouldbeproudthatithashelpedimprovethequality of living standards of numerous schoolchildrenintheFatu-Bessiarea’.
Additional toilet construction, water supplyprovision and professional development forteachersinareaswherethe2/2campaignedareother projects under consideration for fundingbytheAssociation.
ANZACDAY2016
AnzacDay,Perth2016EventMap(Source:RSLWA)
rslwahq.org.au/commemoration/anzac-day.aspx
Membersof theAssociation, familyand friendscanparticipate in thisyear’sAnzacDayParade.Noel Strickland will carry the unit flag on theday.
TherewillbesomekeychangesthisyearfortheParadethroughPerththatwillstartat9amnot9.30am and will travel along a different route.The commemorative service will be held at
Langley Park (not the Supreme Court Gardens)asinpreviousyears.
Detailsof themusterpointwillbepublished inthe‘WestAustralian’intheleaduptotheday.
Afterthemarch:AnzacDay1949nexttoNewspaper
House
STRONGMEMBERSHIPGROWTHThemembership of the Association has grownfromhavingsevenmemberstoacurrent62inayear. Memberships will be valid until 30 Juneand members are invited to renew theirmembership for the 2016-2017 year throughthe membership page on the DoubleredswebsiteafterMay1(Doublereds.org.au).
PROVIDINGCONTENTFORTHEWEBSITEFamilies and friendsare welcome toprovide content tobe linked to theinformation aboutparticularsoldiersonthe nominal roll onthe Doublereds website.
Ideallywewouldlike
theretobesomewordsand pictures aboutevery 2/2 unitmemberlisted on the nominalroll.
Toupdateanysoldier'sdetails,pleaseloginontheDoubleredswebsiteandgettouchwithusthroughtheforumsonthatsite.(Doublereds.org.au/forums).
JackDenman(WX12123),fromhisrecordonthe
nominalroll
