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Angeles City Sub Branch

Philippines

www.rslangelescity.com

‘Lest We Forget’

Clubhouse: Ponderosa Hotel

President

Vice Presidents

Secretary

Treasurer

Editor

James Curtis-Smith Rob Cairns Bob Barnes Dallas Drake Vivian Hart Larry Smith

Email address’:

president@rslangelescity.com

secretary@rslangelescity.com

treasurer@rslangelescity.com

editor@rslangelescity.com

NEWSLETTER # 50 ** MAY 2011

(Coming to you from sub-tropical Brisbane, Australia)

PRESIDENTS REPORT – May 2011 Since my last report, the Sub Branch held its ANZAC Day Remembrance Service at Clark War Cemetery and followed by traditional activity at the Swagman Hotel. Again it was a very well attended day and the service at the cemetery was again meaningful. I wish to thank those members of the various US service organizations for their attendance and support. Again the Swagman put on a great day and the estimated 110 who attended were well looked after. To those members who did so much in the running of the day the thanks of us all. Our Sub Branch children’s medical missions for the next 6 months are to be held every second month and a review as to whether we return to monthly made at that time. On the 30th April the Sub Branch was requested by the College of Nursing at Holy Angel University (HAU) to assist their teaching staff in the conduct

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of their medical mission for the indigenous people of the Philippines (the Aeta) at Sitio Babo. About 10 members attended (which was all that was needed), and the Sub Branch provided free medicines as prescribed by the doctors who examined both adults and children of that settlement. The Aeta are wonderful people who are quite shy and very well mannered. It was a wonderful experience to work alongside the staff of HAU who provide us with nurses required for our own missions, and strengthened very much our ongoing relationship with them. Our next Children’s Medical Mission will be on June 4, and we will require the full support of our members and wives, girl friends etc on that day. More details to be provided on the web site. Once again I request our members to give us your assistance for the conduct of our raffles on Friday night at Emotions and Saturday night at Phillies. There is now only a few who turn up and it is these raffles that provide the core funding of our medical missions. The raffles only take a couple of hours of your time and makes a great difference to the work load of those three or four of us only who now attend. Not many “working bees” I know of held in bars !! JAMES E CURTIS-SMITH President

NOTICE OF EXTRAORDINARY MEETING

In accordance with a resolution of the Committee arising out of a motion put and carried at the March

General Meeting of members, an Extraordinary General Meeting of the members of the Sub Branch

will take place at 2.00pm on Tuesday 17th May 2011 at the Clubroom at Ponderosa Hotel and

immediately before the regular monthly General Meeting of members, scheduled for 2.30pm..

The purpose of the meeting is to consider and debate an amendment to the current by law of the

Club empowering the Executive of the Club to advance to any financial member of the Club an

emergency loan of up to Php30,000.00. The proposed amendment is to the amount of such loan

which in the opinion of the movers of the motion to the Committee should be left to the discretion of

the Executive without any restriction on amount.

JAMES E. CURTIS-SMITH President 4th May 2011

ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS

We give a warm welcome to the following new members: Peter Anderson (Mabalacat, PI) * Colin Wilson (A/C) * Gerrit Buurman (A/C) * Robert Glover (NSW) * John Hughes (Taranaki NZ)

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Analyn Gravoso (A/C) * Jeffrey Quinn (NT Aust) * Larry Berkhardt (A/C) * Ian Maher (A/C) * John Collyer (Rooty Hill NSW) * Gary Naylor (Carlton VIC) * Welcome back to: Roger Carrodus (VIC) *

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We will be doing another order for RSL Barongs. For any member who has missed out previously should

contact Secretary Dallas Drake with their size. This can be ascertained by looking at your RSL shirt and advise

what size best fits you. An example of sizes is:

44 = M

48 = L

52 = XL

56 = XXL

60 = XXXL

NB: Any member who does not know what a Barong is, it is a Filipino designed shirt that is not tucked into the

pants. They are open necked, long or short sleeved and can be made in a variety of materials from a sheer to

standard cotton type usually with an embossed design. Look at our website and peruse our pictures taken at the

last ANZAC Day commemorative service. Our Barongs are coloured blue with the RSL icon badge above the

left breast pocket. They look very natty.

WHAT’S ON IN JUNE

Charity Raffles Now at PHILLIES SPORTS & GRILL at 6.00 pm Saturdays

AND Friday 6.00pm.Weekly Draw at Emotions Nite Club

ATTENTION MEMBERS. COME ALONG AND HELP AT THE RAFFLES AS WELL AS THE

MEDICAL MISSION 4TH JUNE. SEE OUR WEB SITE FOR LOCATION

JUNE 7TH

* 1.30 pm Committee Meeting Ponderosa: 3.30 Social Tuesday SUNSHINE

JUNE 14TH

* 1.30 pm Social Tuesday Ponderosa* 3.30 pm PINOCCHIO'S

JUNE 21ST

* 2.00 pm MONTHLY General Meeting* 3.30 pm Social Tuesday FIESTA GARDENS

JUNE 28TH

* 1.30 pm Social Tuesday Ponderosa* 3.30 FOXYS

ANZAC DAY REPORT

AS EXPECTED, our commemorative service held at the Clark Cemetery on 25th April went

off very well. We were like other places, including Australia where ANZAC Day clashed with

the dates for Easter this year. However we had a great turnout and the after service

refreshments and activities at the Swagman Narra Resort after was very well attended.

Some pictures of the day are show at the end of this newsletter.

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Greg Cuke, our member in Dumaguete who advised us that a group of Aussies there have been celebrating ANZAC Day in that city (we notified our members of this in April newsletter) advises that they also had a very successful day. He reports that around 40 people attended their venue The Roadhouse and below are some pictures. Greg sent along many pictures but space constraints restricted me to only three pictures. Pic 1 shows the Roadhouse owner.

WANTED URGENTLY * WANTED URGENTLY * WANTED URGENTLY

Due to several of our members moving back to Australia in the recent past, and the death of one of our most fervent volunteer’s , we find ourselves in vital need of some more volunteers to assist the group who run our charity raffles and man the venues for our barangay medical missions. Therefore we are calling for members to step forward and donate some of their time to assist us running these activities to maintain the cash flow into our CHARITY ACCOUNT to perform our charity events. They include the barangay medical missions, wheelchair and nebulizer donations to name a few.

OVER TO YOU, MEMBERS

Monday, 25 April 2011 Speech MINISTER SNOWDON’S ANZAC DAY LONE PINE ADDRESS Fellow Australians, veterans, visitors from around the world, distinguished guests and particularly those in uniform. The Lone Pine memorial where we are gathered today is Australia’s memorial to the missing. Almost half of the Australians killed at Gallipoli - over four thousand men - have no known grave. The wall behind me lists the names of those men. Seven hundred of our New Zealand brothers, who fought with us in the battles of August 1915, are also commemorated here. It is a solemn reminder of the great cost of war, for two small nations from across the globe fighting on Turkish soil. And what a cost it was. The four day battle of Lone Pine saw more than 2000 Australian casualties with more than 6900 Turkish losses. Those losses sustained for the Anzacs to gain ground of little tactical value.

5 Ultimately the sacrifice, the suffering, the losses were futile. My grand father's brother, Thomas Ernest Snowdon, was one of the Anzacs here. He was a member of the 8th Infantry Battalion, which landed at Gallipoli as day was breaking on the 25th of April, 1915. They were involved in what became known as the 'Battle of the Landing'---the period of fighting that lasted from the first day until early May. They were also engaged here at the attack on Lone Pine. During the fighting on 7th August, Tom’s mates were holed up in an underground tunnel, camouflaged by bushes. Tom was standing on the ladder at the opening to the tunnel, watching the 3rd wave of Anzacs advancing into Lone Pine as three large calibre Turkish shells exploded. The first two landed nearby. The third shell landed right on target. His mates were buried, with only three pulled alive from the rubble. Tom suffered a head wound, burst ear drum and a few broken ribs. He was evacuated to Egypt, where he recovered and returned to Gallipoli in October, as the campaign here was coming to an end. It is hard to imagine the intensity of the fight, or the brutality and devastation of those few days in early August. Wave after wave of men were sent ‘over the top’ in broad daylight to charge enemy trenches less than one hundred metres away. Thousands went to their death. Pompey Elliott, the commander of the Seventh Battalion at Lone Pine wrote of the battlefield: When anyone speaks to you of the glory of war, picture to yourself a narrow line of trenches two and sometimes three deep with bodies mangled and torn beyond descriptions… "Live amongst this for days… This is war and such is glory – Whatever the novelists may say"

In the days that followed the attack on the 6th of August Lone Pine was besieged by the sight and smells of death. Bodies were lying everywhere, in places piled

on top of one another. As one soldier wrote: "Right beside me, within a space of fifteen feet I can count fourteen of our boy’s stone dead... Men and boys who yesterday were full of joy and life, now lying there, cold-cold-dead- their eyes glassy, their faces sallow and covered with dust, soulless-gone- somebody's son, Somebody’s boy--now merely a thing. Thank God their loved ones cannot see them now" His was a shocking picture of the horror and inhumanity of the campaign on the Peninsula. It was bloody and relentless. Many of those Anzacs who survived the eight month long campaign here at Gallipoli were only to perish later on the Western Front. For them Gallipoli had only been the beginning. They travelled to a new theatre, to fight a different foe. And there to suffer enormous casualties and loss of life from among their numbers. Today we recall the great bravery, the sheer determination and the

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6 tragic sacrifice of these great Australian sons. The Battle of Lone Pine was fought bravely by all involved. The Anzacs held this place against great odds. But our young nations would come to realise that that this brief victory was too costly, too devastating. We pause at this time for reflection and for remembrance. We honour those courageous young diggers, those heroes. And we learn from them. The service and sacrifice of those that have gone before have helped us better understand the conditions and effects of battle so that we might better look after our people that we put in harm’s way. Today, our forces wherever they are across the globe, carry with them the Anzac spirit so proudly displayed on these bloodied battlefields. They serve and fight for us in the hope of making this world a better place. For those who fought so bravely here at Lone Pine and to all those who have worn our uniform over the last century... In so many places, in so many battles... Including those who now proudly wear it. We salute you. We thank you for your service, for your determination; for your courage; for you commitment and for your sacrifice. And we celebrate the loyalty, the love you have for one another. And our hearts cry for those who have fallen. We forever honour their memory, and proudly pay tribute to their sacrifice. Lest we forget.

Minister for Veterans' Affairs Subscription List Tuesday, 10 May 2011 VA030 GOVERNMENT CONTINUES COMMITMENT TO VETERAN COMMUNITY The Gillard Government has maintained its commitment to Australian veterans and their families in the 2011-12 Budget, and provided $60.7 million in new initiatives. This includes $30.1 million for a Veterans’ Pharmaceutical Reimbursement Scheme and $3.4 million to better meet the needs of our troops through an overhaul of the rehabilitation and compensation claims process. A new $27.2 million Prisoner of War (POW) Recognition Supplement will provide former POWs with an extra $500 per fortnight in recognition of their special service and sacrifice. Finding room in a responsible Budget for new initiatives reflects the Government’s commitment to continued support for more than 360,000 veterans and their families.

Veterans’ Pharmaceutical Reimbursement Scheme The $30.1 million Veterans’ Pharmaceutical Reimbursement Scheme will assist around 70,000 veterans with out-of-pocket costs for medications, and delivers on an election commitment to introduce a fair solution that provides veterans with war or war-like service relief from pharmaceutical costs. Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Warren Snowdon, said many veterans have complex health needs arising from or compounded by their war service and face increasing costs from the medications they need.

7 “This is a positive outcome for many veterans who have additional costs from the pharmaceutical co-payments not covered under existing entitlements to veterans,” he said. Veterans who have qualifying service and are in receipt of a disability pension (or equivalent under other Department of Veterans’ Affairs administered entitlements) will receive this additional support towards their health care needs. The Scheme will be effective from 1 January 2012, with the first reimbursements to be made in early 2013. For eligible veterans, the reimbursements will cover the gap between the pharmaceutical allowance component of the Pension Supplement and the pharmaceutical safety net. New initiative to overhaul rehabilitation and compensation claims process “Under a new $3.4 million initiative, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs will begin a major overhaul of the rehabilitation and compensation claims process to better meet the needs of our troops who are injured or adversely affected as a result of their service,” Mr Snowdon said. The Gillard Government is committed to ensuring this process is improved, especially for our personnel currently serving overseas. Over time the claims process has been criticised for being complex, unwieldy and slow, and it’s clear that veterans require a more modern and sustainable support system. This initiative will help identify changes required to streamline rehabilitation and compensation processes, and will provide a simpler experience for clients, their advocates and the broader veteran community, to better meet their needs.

Planning and investigation, including a pilot project, will commence this year and conclude in early 2012. The 2011-12 Budget also delivers funding already committed by the Australian Government, including: · More than $8 million per year in additional funding for the Australian War Memorial; and · $3.3 million for the establishment of a world-first education centre in Washington DC honouring Vietnam veterans, delivering on a 2010 Labor election commitment.

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And to be fair, here is the Opposition Spokesman’s response to the Ministers message

Senator the Hon. Michael Ronaldson Liberal Senator for Victoria Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader of the Opposition on the Centenary of ANZAC M E D I A R E L E A S E Wednesday, 11 May 2011 BUDGET 2011: Veterans paying the price for Labor's reckless spending. No new money for commemoration in the lead up to the ANZAC Centenary adds further disappointment to this year's Veterans' Affairs budget. Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Senator the Hon. Michael Ronaldson said cost blow-outs and cutbacks to grassroots veterans' assistance characterise a disappointing Veterans' Affairs budget from Labor. " Australia's veterans, and their families, will feel the burden of Labor's reckless spending", Senator Ronaldson said.

8 "This Budget will not address cost of living pressures facing Australia's veterans, especially those DFRDB and DFRB superannuants who rely on inferior indexation of their superannuation pensions." "Labor's 2011-12 Budget for veterans is a major let down. Commemoration and grass-roots advocacy are all suffering from Wayne Swan's political pursuit of a Budget surplus that will not be delivered.

"Veterans and their families struggling with the cost of living have every right to feel let down by this Budget", Senator Ronaldson said. Still no funding for the Centenary of ANZAC". Labor has failed to commit any funding for commemoration for the ANZAC Centenary." "Despite Labor's hand-picked ANZAC Centenary Commission only six weeks ago calling on the Government to support projects now in time for the Centenary in 2015, there is no new money to begin this process." "Projects such as the ANZAC interpretive Centre in Albany remain in jeopardy because the Gillard Labor Government has not committed any funds to begin construction of this significant

project." "This centre cannot be built overnight. Labor must commit funds soon or this project will not be ready in time for the November 2014 deadline." "Whilst the Government cannot find funds for commemoration in Australia, it will spend $3.3 million on an Vietnam War education centre in the United States. Surely, if money for commemoration is so tight, it is better spent in Australia than overseas?"

Advocacy funding slashed"$8 million has been slashed in grass roots veterans' advocacy funding", Senator Ronaldson said. "In 2007, Labor promised to increase funding to ex-service organisation’s by $8 million, but in this year's Budget it will take this money away."

"Labor's decision to cut funding to this vital area has the potential to jeopardise the implementation of recommendations from the Advocacy Funding Review released earlier this year. "Moreover, younger veterans making claims for assistance, and veterans in regional areas will particularly suffer from these cutbacks." "Ex-Service Organisation’s (ESO’s) regularly tell me they need more, not less, funding to enable them to reach out to more veterans, especially younger ones. Their claims are regularly more complex, too. Pharmaceutical scheme cost blow-out Labor's much maligned Pharmaceutical Reimbursement Scheme nearly faltered at the first hurdle. "Labor's 2010 election policy committed $18.2 million to reimburse the cost of pharmaceuticals for those veterans with Qualifying Service who receive a disability pension", Senator Ronaldson said. "However, Labor's scheme will now cost $30.1 million. Despite the $12 million cost blow-out, 1,500 of our most disabled veterans will still be excluded, as will war widows and orphans." "Labor must justify this enormous cost blow out."

9 "Labor's complex scheme of reimbursement will not come into effect fully until 2013 and will not provide immediate financial relief to veterans or their families. Labor has not ruled out changes to the pharmaceutical co-contribution, which may still push costs even higher." Australian War Memorial, The Coalition is disappointed that only $1.7 million of the $25 million required has been committed to the redevelopment of the World War One galleries at the Australian War Memorial. "The Coalition announced $25 million for this work in February, yet the Gillard Labor Government will instead conduct a $1.7 million 'feasibility' study into this work. "However, there is no funding to ensure that the findings of this feasibility study can be implemented in time for the ANZAC Centenary in 2015." "After being dragged kicking and screaming into addressing the crippling financial situation at the Australian War Memorial, the Coalition welcomes the additional $8 million per year in operational revenue at the Memorial." Other measures. The Coalition welcomes the $500 per fortnight payment to Australia 's ex Prisoners of War. "This unexpected benefit to Australia's remaining ex-POWs will provide them with greater financial security", Senator Ronaldson said. "This measure builds on the Coalition's one-off ex-gratia payments paid in 2001, 2003 and 2007 of $25,000 to ex-POWs who were interred by the Japanese, North Koreans and Germans and Italians (respectively) during World War Two." "The Government must also explain its decision to remove access to the relatively more generous Temporary Incapacity Allowance in favour of the cheaper Loss of Earnings Allowance for veterans hospitalised as a result of their war or defence caused injuries", Senator Ronaldson said. ______________________________ Robert Hardie Adviser

THE PASSING OF ANOTHER ERA

CLAUDE Stanley Choules, the last known combat veteran of World War I, and Australia's oldest man at

110, has died in Perth.

His daughter Daphne Edinger told The Associated Press that British-born Mr Choules - nicknamed "Chuckles"

by comrades - died in a nursing home

today 5th May 2011. He was 110.

Mr Choules joined the British navy as a

teenager and served on the battleship

HMS Revenge, from which he watched

the 1918 surrender of the German High

Seas Fleet.

The last surviving WWI veteran

Claude Choules, who died aged 110,

and a picture of him in uniform at age

17.

He later migrated to Australia and served in the military for more than 40 years. According to the Order of the First World War, a group that tracks veterans, Mr Choules and another Briton, Florence Green, were the last known surviving service members from the conflict. Ms Green served as a waitress in the Women's Royal Air Force. Mr Choules celebrated his 110th birthday with family and friends in Perth in March.

10 He was the last known male survivor of more than 70 million military personnel during WWI, after American veteran Frank Buckles passed away in March also aged 110. Born in England in 1901, Mr Choules served with Britain's Royal Navy onboard the HMS Impregnable in 1916 at the age of 15. The only other surviving WWI veteran is believed to be Britain's Florence Green, who served with the Royal Air Force in a non-combat role and is now aged 110. Mr Choules joined the battleship HMS Revenge in 1917 and witnessed the surrender of the German Fleet near Firth of Forth in Scotland in 1918. Mr Choules moved to Fremantle where he was seconded to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in 1926. He was a commissioning crew member of the HMAS Canberra and served with her until 1931 when he discharged from the RAN before rejoining as a torpedo and anti-submarine instructor in 1932. As the acting torpedo officer at Fremantle in WWII, Mr Choules disposed of the first German mine to wash up on Australian soil during WWII, near Esperance, on WA's south coast. He was also tasked with destroying harbour and oil storage tanks at the Fremantle port in case of a Japanese invasion. Mr Choules remained in the RAN after WWII, spending his final working years at the Naval Dockyard Police and joining the crayfishing industry, at Safety Bay, south of Perth. Mr Choules released his autobiography in 2009 titled The Last of the Last, depicting his childhood and move to Australia, as well as his times at war. He and his wife, who passed away at the age of 98, had two daughters and a son. Mr Choules also had 13 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. On his birthday his son, Adrian, told AAP his father was not excited about the attention he received as the last surviving war combat veteran. "He's a celebrity ... but that's only because everyone else has died," he said. "He served in two wars but he hated war. He just saw it as a job."

War veterans recall Coral Sea battle in Australian Marine Conservation

Society's documentary

Andrew MacDonald From: The Courier-Mail May

03, 2011 7:03PM

CLOSE RANGE: May 4 marks the 69th anniversary of the

Battle of the Coral Sea.

IT IS credited as the naval battle which turned the tide of WWII in the Pacific and prevented the Japanese sea-borne invasion of Port Moresby. On May 4, 69 years ago, for three days off Australia's north-east coast, the Australian and US navies orchestrated what was to be the first Japanese defeat in a major operation during the conflict – the Battle of the Coral Sea. As part of its Protect our Coral Sea campaign, Australian Marine Conservation Society has produced a new documentary in commemoration of the victory.

The documentary focuses on the recollections of Coral Sea veterans Tommy Simms and Ted Simpson and features commentary from naval historian Dr David Stevens. "Looking back I don't think I have done anything ever any more important than the Coral Sea Battle,''Mr Simms said during the documentary. ``It makes me very proud. I get a very satisfied little feeling inside me, enough to keep me alive 'til I die."

11 Dr Stevens said the battle should be remembered as a key moment in Australian history. ``It deserves to be remembered by everyone because in reality it should be up there with Gallipoli and Kokoda," he said.

RSL SUPPORTING ESTABLISHMENTS

Our Sub Branch is very grateful for the support we receive from our supporting

establishments. Some are able to give more than others but all are appreciated.

Following is a list of those establishments. They are not in any order of precedence.

Smile Make Over (dental), Southern Cross Shuttle, Bunny Burger, Thai Baht,

Emotions, Touch of Class, Eruptions, Stampede, Cherry’s, Dr. Holms, Brass Knob, Coyote Ugly, Bare Assets, Sunshine, Paradise Bar, Golden Garter, Honky Tonk, The

International Sports & Gaming Bar, Lollipop, Kokomo Group, Honey Ko’s*, Garfields,

Roy’s Pub, Eager Beavers, Honey Pot, Stargate, Roadies*, Shooters, Body Shop, 68 We owe U one, Silly Hat, Cold Drop, Foxy’s, Happy Rock, Treasure Island, Matrix

Braun, Wobbly Boot*, Strawberry Fields, Miss Magic, Kashmir Indian Restaurant, Rhapsody, LaBamba, Phillies, Just My Luck, T & A Bar.

HOTELS & RESORTS: Ponderosa Hotel, Swagman Narra, Fiesta Gardens, Wild

Orchid Angeles, Wild Orchid Subic, Orchid Inn, Anchorage Inn, Niggi Niggi 2 (Boracay), House of Rose (Palawan), Campbell’s Resort (Puerto Galera), Blue Rock

(Baloy), Arizona Resort (Barrio Barreto), Dreamland Resort Hotel (Subic), Sheavan’s Resort (Baloy), Affinity Condo Resort, Bali Hai Resort (La Union), Rama Resort

(Zambales), Coconut Grove Beach Resort (La Union), Southern Cross Hotel Manila, Coyote Ugly Hotel Inn. The Gani Hotel, Walk-About Hotel.

* denotes No Discount to members, however they are SUPPORTERS of RSL Functions.

SOMETHING NEW TO LOOK FORWARD TO……

Secretary Dallas, in co-ordination with some computer savvy members is putting together a PPS slide presentation showing hundreds of our sub- branch photographs and the activities that we get up to.

It is in development stage at this time. It should prove to be a great viewing. It will be able to be viewed via our web site.

When it is up and running and bugs have been ironed out, members will be advised via this newsletter and our blog site. For a first look, go to: https://cid-5c285d07d683efa0.office.live.com/view.aspx/RSL%20Slide%20Show%20Presentation%202011.

ppsx?Bsrc=Docmail&Bpub=SDX.Docs I am looking forward to the rest of it. Ed

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CANUNGRA WAR MEMORIAL (a continuing series)

The small country town of Canungra, about 70 km south of Brisbane and in the Gold Coast hinterland in South East Queensland has a proud war history. Canungra was a dairy farming

and timber getting area when first settled. Most of the town’s houses were built for the timber getters. Canungra’s image changed in 1941 when the Japanese war started and Australia was threatened with invasion. Soldiers that were in the Middle East and Europe fighting that war were returned to Australia to be retrained in jungle warfare. The Army chose Canungra as their Jungle Training Centre because of the jungle and hilly likeness to where soldiers were to be fighting in New Guinea. The centre closed down briefly after the war but the Army saw the camp as potential for training soldiers in the then volatile SE Asia regions. The Jungle Training Centre (JTC) was the major training area for troops going to Vietnam. All soldiers from Lieutenant Colonel down to Private were required to do a three week training course at JTC prior to movement to Vietnam. This camp provided vital income to the township. Soldiers from the camp provided catafalque sentries

and soldiers swelled the ranks of the marching parade on ANZAC Days. Canungra’s memorial is etched with the nominal roll of the locals who enlisted in the major wars.

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The editor has to comment here. In early 1992, I was a Warrant Officer on a major exercise in the Northern Territory. One day I was driving out of Larrakeyah Barracks in Darwin when I spotted this LTCOL hitch-hiking. I pulled up and asked “where are you going Sir”. “I’m trying to get to (I think) the Atrium Hotel Sar-Major”. Well this is your lucky day sir, I can make a detour past there and drop you off”. “Call me Peter” he insisted. “Only if you call me Larry” I replied. “Done” was his answer. That was Peter Schuman.

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VC CORNER

Percival Eric Gratwick VC

WX 10426 Private Percival Eric GRATWICK

2/48th Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF

Night 25th-26th October 1942, at Miteiriya Ridge, Egypt

During the attack on Trig 29 at Miteiriya. Ridge on the night of 25th-26th

October, 1942, the Company to which Private Gratwick belonged, met with

severe opposition from strong enemy positions which delayed capture of the

Company's objective and caused a considerable number of casualties.

Private Gratwick's Platoon was directed at these strong positions but its

advance was stopped by intense enemy fire at short range. Withering fire of

all kinds killed the platoon commander, the platoon sergeant and many

other ranks and reduced the total strength of the Platoon to seven. Private

Gratwick grasped the seriousness of the situation and acting on his own

initiative, with utter disregard for his own safety at a time when the

remainder of the Platoon were pinned down, charged the nearest post and

completely destroyed the enemy with hand grenades, killing amongst others

a complete mortar crew. As soon as this task was completed, and again

under heavy machine-gun fire, he charged the second post with rifle and

bayonet. It was from this post that the heaviest fire had been directed. He

inflicted further casualties, and was within striking distance of his objective,

when he was killed by a burst of machine-gun fire. By his brave and

determined action, which completely unnerved the enemy, and by his

successful reduction of the enemy's strength, Private Gratwick's Company was able to move forward and mop up its objective. Private

Gratwick's unselfish courage, his gallant and determined efforts against the heaviest opposition, changed a doubtful situation into the

successful capture of his Company's final objective.

[London Gazette: 28th January, 1943]

Percival Erie GRATWICK was born on 19th October, 1902 at Katanning (Western Australia). He is buried in the War Cemetery at El

Alamein.

www.beyondtheblackstump.com

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A LITTLE BIT OF AUSTRALIANA

They were funny looking buildings, that were once a way of life,

If you couldn't sprint the distance, then you really were in strife.

They were nailed, they were wired, but were mostly falling down,

There was one in every yard, in every house, in every town.

They were given many names, some were even funny,

But to most of us, we knew them as the outhouse or the dunny.

I've seen some of them all gussied up, with painted doors and all,

But it really made no difference, they were just a port of call.

Now my old man would take a bet, he'd lay an even pound,

That you wouldn't make the dunny with them turkeys hangin' round.

They had so many uses, these buildings out the back,"

You could even hide from mother, so you wouldn't get the strap.

That's why we had good cricketers, never mind the bumps,

We used the pathway for the wicket and the dunny door for stumps.

Now my old man would sit for hours, the smell would rot your socks,

He read the daily back to front in that good old thunderbox

THE AUSSIE DUNNY

And if by chance that nature called sometime

through the night,

You always sent the dog in first, for there was no

flamin' light.

And the dunny seemed to be the place where

crawlies liked to hide,

But never ever showed themselves until you sat

inside.

There was no such thing as Sorbent, no tissues there

at all,

Just squares of well read newspaper, a hangin' on

the wall.

If you had some friendly neighbours, as neighbours

sometimes are,

You could sit and chat to them, if you left the door

ajar.

When suddenly you got the urge, and down the

track you fled,

Then of course the magpies were there to peck you

on your head.

Then the time there was a wet, the rain it never

stopped,

If you had an urgent call, you ran between the

drops.

The dunny man came once a week, to these

buildings out the back,

And he would leave an extra can, if you left for him

a zac.

For those of you who've no idea what I mean by a

zac,

Then you're too young to have ever had, a dunny

out the back.

(A zac was a sixpence coin before decimal currency

came into Australia in 1966)

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Here are some pictures taken at the commemoration of ANZAC Day 2011 both at the Clark memorial Cemetery and later at the Swagman Resort.

DISCLAIMER

The Angeles City Sub-Branch of the R&SLA, the Committee and the Editor take no responsibilities for any errors,

omissions or inaccuracies contained in this newsletter. Nor do they accept any liability for loss or damage suffered

directly or indirectly for use of information contained in this newsletter. Nor do they warrant that articles or opinions

published in this newsletter are necessarily the opinions held by the Sub-branch, the Committee or the Editor “The price of liberty is eternal vigilance”