RAAF ASSOCIATION VICTORIAraafavic.org.au/1454/images/ATC-AAFCNewsletter201706.pdf · CCPL Nathan...

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ATC/AAFC Newsletter June 2017

RAAF ASSOCIATION VICTORIA

ATC/AAFC BRANCH ABN 96 091 342 304

OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER Issue No 64 June 2017

President’s Message

Hello to all members and I hope you’re managing to keep warm as Winter starts to sneak up on us.

I’m very pleased to be able to open with well-deserved congratulations to two of our members, those being Don Bergman on his being awarded the OAM, and Jan Williams, designated “Local Hero” of Badaginnie.

Further details can be found elsewhere in this newsletter and “Well done” to both Don and Jan.

Congratulations are also due to John MacDonald who has also recently qualified for and received his RA-Aus Pilot’s Certificate and Passenger Endorsement.

On the subject of awards, one which came as a complete surprise was our Branch being announced as the winners of the Fred Cowell Trophy for our efforts during the 2016-2017 period. Afterwards during lunch, Fred’s daughter, Frances Lester, who presented the trophy, supplied me with a very short brief on her father’s association with the R.A.A.F. and rather than repeat it here, it can be found in the “Winter” issue of the Air Force Association’s “CONTACT” magazine in our Branch Report.

Office Holders

President Laurie Bell

Vice President Peter Wilson

Secretary Hugh Tank

Treasurer Tony Synhur

Delegate John MacDonald

Branch AAFC Liaison Officer

WGCDR (AAFC) Shaun Young

Newsletter Editor Ian Cohn

Please send your contributions to [email protected]

Or Box 486, Mt Beauty, VIC, 3699

Deadline for next issue - 23July17

Welfare

Branch Welfare Officers Hugh Tank on 03 9877 3424

and Peter Wilson

If you are aware of any member who is unwell please contact Hugh or Peter.


President’s Message (continued) Regarding our recent Branch A.G.M……………(and I take this opportunity to thank those members who attended at Box Hill R.S.L. on the 22nd of April)’ no doubt many of you are wondering what the outcome was with regards to the Election of Office Bearers? Then wonder no more, as you’re stuck with the same team again:-

Elected Positions

President: Laurie Bell. Vice President: Peter Wilson. Secretary: Hugh Tank.

Treasurer: Tony Synhur. Branch Delegate: John MacDonald.

AAFC Branch Liaison Officer: WGCDR (AAFC) Shaun Young. O.C. 4 Wing.

Appointed Positions.

Welfare Officers: Hugh Tank and Peter Wilson. Newsletter Editor: Ian Cohn.

Archives: Laurie Bell. Returning Officer: Graeme Smith.

Last, but by no means the least, further congratulations are due to WGCDR (AAFC) Shaun Young, O.C. of 4 Wing, his Staff and all cadets on the Annual Parade conducted at Point Cook on the 21st of March. The standard of drill, dress and conduct were all qualities of which 4 Wing as a whole can be extremely proud. Congratulations to all of those Staff, Squadrons and cadets who were recipients as Winners and/or of Awards presented on the day.

Complete results can be found in this newsletter

Kindest regards to everyone,

Laurie Bell.

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RAAFA News

News from the AFA (Victoria Branch) Board of Management Meeting 02 May 2017

1. The memo of understanding that AFA (Vic) has with the Australian Air Force Cadets (AAFC) has been revised; AFA provides occasional Air Force-specific assistance and some minor financial support to 4 Wing AAFC. The AAFC is an important avenue of sourcing Air Force recruits with many current and former senior airmen and women having their interest kindled through the cadets.

2. Max McGregor is compiling a Schedule of Events that will appear on the website. Max will be contacting branches in the near future to encourage branches to add details of their events into the Schedule. This way, there will be a schedule that will identify the activities being carried out by branches Victoria-wide.

3. President Carl Schiller is developing a Welfare policy to clarify the Welfare function within AFA (Vic). When the policy is established, Carl will be seeking a meeting with branch Welfare Officers to explain the policy and explain how crucial the duties of the network of Welfare Officers are to AFA members’ well-being.

4. The Care Parcel program is about to start up again – Di Hoopert and John McCrystal will once again be leading the team of packers. Last year’s Care Parcel program received lots of appreciative comment from the deployed recipients. Whilst the program is now a national program, Victoria continues to lead this initiative.

5. Tony Pilli advises that books in the library at the AFA office are available for borrowing. He will be advising the appropriate borrowing procedures in the near future, and asks anyone who has borrowed books in the past and has forgotten to return them, to please return them as soon as possible.


AAFC News

4 Wing Annual Parade and Competitions - 20 May 2017

Congratulations to the following Cadets, Staff and SQN Teams

1st Drill competition 401SQN Surrey Hills. 2nd Drill competition 402SQN Watsonia.

Best Cadet in charge of a drill team CCPL Eloise Lee 401SQN Surrey Hills. Most Proficient Cadet in Aerial Activities LCDT Trent Bucker 405SQN Sunshine. 4 Wing Cadet of the Year 2017 is CWOFF Sam Chu 401SQN Surrey Hills. Most Efficient Squadron in Cadet Activities 405SQN Sunshine. 1st Aviation 401SQN Surrey Hills. 2nd Aviation 406SQN Frankston. 1st Fieldcraft 415SQN South Yarra. 2nd Fieldcraft 403SQN Beaconsfield. CCPL Nathan Martina 430 SQN Kyneton was awarded his Cadet Pilot Wings having qualified for his Recreational Pilots Licence. CUO Dale Perkins 429 SQN Queenscliff was awarded his Cadet Pilot Wings having qualified as a "C" Certificate Glider Pilot.


4 Wing Annual Parade and Competitions - 20 May 2017 (Continued)

The following cadets who have achieved first solo either in Powered or Glider flying received their First Solo Brevet; CSGT Brett McBain 402 SQN Watsonia CFSGT Jamie Lowden 403 SQN Beaconsfield CCPL Edward Healy 403 SQN Beaconsfield LCDT Trent Buckner 405 SQN Sunshine CSGT Kyle Du Plessis 406 SQN Frankston LCDT Laura Roberts 412 SQN Albury CWOFF Simon Dale 425 SQN Ballarat

Photo Credits above - Bob Ganaway

Australian Honours and Awards - Staff

The 2nd Clasp to the Australian Cadet Forces Service Medal for 25 years dedicated service was presented to FLTLT (AAFC) Danny Salmon OAM from 412SQN and HQ 4WG.

The Australian Cadet Forces Service Medal for 15 years dedicated service was presented to FLTLT (AAFC) Luke Meilak the Flight Commander of 4 Logistics Flight. The Australian Cadet Forces Service Medal for 15 years dedicated service was presented to FSGT (AAFC) Viatcheslav (Vlad) Boiko from 404 SQN Point Cook.

The Air Commodore A. J. Pappin CVO AM - 4 Wing AAFC Patrons Award for selflessness and sustained effort to the benefit of our cadets was presented to; SQNLDR (AAFC) John Gibbs HQ 4 Wing; and FLTLT (AAFC) Danny Salmon OAM HQ 4 Wing and 412SQN.

Officer Commanding Commendation to FLGOFF (AAFC) Sarah Gulam 407/416SQN.


Vale Peter Isaacson Extracted from Wikipedia

Former State Commandant of the Victorian Squadron Air Training Corps, Wing Commander (Ret) Peter Stuart Isaacson AM DFC AFC DFM passed away on 07 April 2017. He was 96 years.

http://www.abc.net.au/radio/sydney/programs/breakfast/peter-isaacson-flew-a-bomber-plane-under-the-sydney-harbour-brid/8433442

Peter Isaacson

Peter Stuart Isaacson, AM, DFC, AFC, DFM (31 July 1920 – 7 April 2017) was an Australian publisher and decorated military pilot.

Peter Isaacson grew up in Melbourne. He joined the RAAF in 1940. Following his stint in Bomber Command, he became well known in Australia for his tours in the Avro Lancaster Q-for-Queenie to promote the sale of war loans and, in particular, for flying his plane under the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1943. He transferred to the RAAF Reserve

after the war, retiring as a Wing Commander in 1969. From 1956 he served as a Trustee, Chairman, and finally Life Governor of the Victorian Shrine of Remembrance. In 1991 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his publishing and community work.

Peter Isaacson was born in London on 31 July 1920. His parents moved to Australia with him when he was six years old.

On 8 December 1940, the nineteen-year-old Isaacson enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force. After completing his training in Australia and Canada, he was posted to the United Kingdom and joined No. 460 Squadron RAAF, as a Sergeant pilot. Operating Vickers Wellington medium bombers, No. 460 Squadron had been raised under provisions of the Empire Air Training Scheme and was one of a number of nominally Australian formations taking part in RAF Bomber Command's strategic air campaign against Germany. The squadron commenced operations in March 1942 and participated in 1,000-bomber raids against Cologne, Essen and Bremen in May and June. It converted to Avro Lancaster heavy bombers in October. Isaacson was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal on 6 November 1942 for "many successful night attacks on the enemy" with No. 460 Squadron. The following month his Lancaster was damaged by a Junkers Ju 88 night fighter after a raid on Munich.

Commissioned as a Pilot Officer, Isaacson was subsequently posted to No. 156 Squadron RAF. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on 30 March 1943 for his actions during a raid on Berlin. His citation, promulgated in the London Gazette, read:

One night in March 1943, this officer was detailed for an attack on Berlin. Following the attack and while still over the target area, his aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire and severely damaged. The mid-upper turret frame was twisted, the perspex and 2 engine cowlings blown off, the aileron controls damaged and the aircraft forced down to 4,000 feet. On the return journey the aircraft was driven off the route and held in a cone of searchlights for 15 minutes; during this time a further loss of height down to 900 feet occurred. In the face of this perilous situation Pilot Officer Issacson, showing coolness, resolution and skilful airmanship, succeeded in flying his aircraft back to base. This officer is an outstanding captain of aircraft who has a fine record of many successful operational sorties.

Isaacson completed forty-five sorties with Bomber Command, when the likelihood of surviving an operational tour of thirty missions was never more than 50% and, at times, much less. Promoted to acting Flight Lieutenant, he was chosen in May 1943 to captain Lancaster Q-for-Queenie on a landmark flight from England to Australia across the Pacific Ocean, and then from Melbourne to New Zealand and back, non-stop in both directions. He was awarded the Air Force Cross on 27 August 1943 for this mission, the citation noting that it was "the first occasion on which an aircraft has flown to Australia by


this route and the direct flights between Melbourne and New Zealand are the first of their kind". The Lancaster was brought to Australia so that it could serve as a template for local production of the type, but this never took place and it was instead used for exhibition flights to encourage purchase of war bonds. On 22 October 1943 Isaacson flew Q-for-Queenie under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, flouting a 1931 regulation that prohibited such activity; the Lancaster remains the largest aircraft to have been flown under the bridge. Isaacson gave his crew no warning of what he was about to do and when asked later why he did it, replied "Because it was there". It was, however, reported at the time that he undertook the stunt to support the war loan effort for which he and his crew were actively fundraising.

Lancaster Q-for-Queenie flies under Sydney Harbour Bridge, 22 October 1943

Notwithstanding the publicity the escapade generated for war loans, Isaacson recalled that when he landed at Mascot afterwards:[

I was threatened with a court martial. Two authorities wanted to court martial me: Eastern Area in which the crime was committed and Southern Command to which I was attached at the time. I was told later there was a great fight among the bureaucrats of each of these commands as to which would court martial me. Apparently they could not agree on which should be the prosecutor and the idea either lapsed – or maybe is still being pursued by the successors to each of these commands!

In December 1943, following his promotional tour with his crew in Q-for-Queenie, he settled down to instructional work at an operational training unit before undertaking a further tour in the Lancaster commencing in March 1944.

His wartime commission was terminated on 21 February 1946 and he transferred to the RAAF Reserve. He was state commandant of the Victorian Squadron of the Air Training Corps from 1950, and commandant of No. 21 (City of Melbourne) Squadron from 1961, before retiring in 1969 with the rank of Wing Commander.

He also served as an honorary aide-de-camp to Queen Elizabeth II from 1963 to 1965. He was a Life Governor of the Victorian Shrine of Remembrance, having previously served as a Trustee from 1956 to 2000, and Chairman from 1983 to 2000.


Honours

Two of our members were recognised for their community service on Australia Day this year.

Don Bergman

Member Don Bergman (OAM) was recognised for his conspicuous community service over many years.

His citation was as follows:-

MEDAL (OAM) OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA IN THE GENERAL DIVISION Australia Day 2017

Captain Donald Beresford BERGMAN RFD ED (Retd)

For service to veterans and their families, and to the community.

Service includes:

Volunteer Weekly Shrine Guide, Shrine of Remembrance, since 2004 and ANZAC Day Marshal, since 1985.

Volunteer ANZAC Day Marshal, Victorian Branch, Returned and Services League of Australia, since 2001 and Member and volunteer, Noble Park Sub-Branch.

Treasurer, 2 Commando Association, 1988-1991.

Volunteer Prop Maker, BATS Theatre Company (Berwick Amateur Theatre Company), since 1995 and has constructed props for school productions for Cranbourne Secondary College.

Don Bergman’s Member Profile was covered in our April 2016 edition.

Jan Williams

Member Jan Williams was recognised for her community work and was nominated as a “Local Hero” at the Australia Day function at Baddaginnie.


CHRISTMAS GRACE December 2016

by Steve Box

Tis the season to be jolly, by golly! And we gather together in spite of the weather As we mingle here we pray we do not suffer From verbal ------------------ dialogue

Your providence has brought us through another various year Now we are here to wish each other A Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year

Some of us have experienced lots of strife My philosophy of life I share with Brian "Always look on the bright side of life"

Now Lord, we ask you to bless the food upon our dishes As you blessed the loaves and fishes And at the wedding things were not going fine You fixed it by turning the water into wine And that was devine.

Amen

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Events - 2017 Friday, June 2nd Branch Luncheon, Box Hill RSL

Sunday, July 2nd Reserve Forces Day March & Service at the Shrine.

Friday, July 7th Branch Luncheon, Box Hill RSL

Friday, August 4th Branch Luncheon, Box Hill RSL

Friday, September 1st Branch Luncheon, Box Hill RSL

Friday, October 6th Branch Luncheon, Box Hill RSL

Saturday, October 14th Branch General Meeting, Upton room, Box Hill RSL

Friday, November 3rd Branch Luncheon, Box Hill RSL

Sunday, November 19th 1100 hrs Combined Service of the RAAF Association’s Annual Pilgrimage to Point Cook & the RAAF Nashos’ Memorial Day

Sunday, December 17th CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON Upton Room Box Hill RSL.

Please note :- Dates and times to be confirmed. Please transfer these dates into your diary.


April Meeting 2017

May Meeting 2017

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AAFC/AIRTC Historical Items

Please send in any of your old ATC/AAFC photographs with a small explanation of the circumstances. A picture is worth a thousand words.

Heard of the Air Training Corps/AAFC Memorabilia Collection? Located at Benalla Aviation Museum at Benalla Airport in Victoria, this display is highly recommenced for a group visit.

See more at www.benallaaviationmuseum.org.au/

1951 Flying Scholarship Cadets

Wing Commander Peter Isaacson with

CWOFF S. Tayler, CWOFF, CWOFF R. Rogers, CWOFF J. Murray, CdtSGT F. Smith, CdtFSGT McGrath, and CWOFF S. Watson.

From Doug Williams


AAFC/AIRTC Historical Items (continued)

Last Edition’s Picture from the Past

Former VICAIRTC Cadet, Paul Shearer, submitted this picture.

David Crickmore responded: -

The photo is of AVM Wrigley presenting "wings" to members of Victorian Squadron Air Training Corps at the Annual Parade accompanied by Neil Spurrell-not sure of the date.

Editor’s Comment:- Thanks for that Dave.

Paul Shearer identifies the people as (far left) Flight Lieutenant Neil Spurrell, and behind the Cadet rank, Wing Commander Barry Videon and Flight Lieutenant Ian Cohn at far right.

Cadets are Glynn?, ?, Vacovic(dec), Nicol, ? , Paul Shearer, Beccia, Brewster, ?.

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Member Profile This is your opportunity to tell us about your career or the story of other notable members in the ATC/AirTC/AAFC/RAAF as a Cadet and/or Staff member. Send us a one or two page story about your illustrious progress, preferably with pictures. Send it by email text or as an attachment in .txt or .doc file format to [email protected] or mail it to the Editor. Any print pictures received will be scanned and the originals returned to the owner.

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Internet Links of Interest

Encyclopedia Astronautica

http://www.astronautix.com/index.html

Current position of the International Space Station - http://iss.astroviewer.net/ Melbourne ISS sightings - https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/sightings/view.cfm?country=Australia&region=Victoria&city=Melbourne#.WJKsAn8XvaQ

RAAFA ATC/AAFC Branch page raafavic.org.au/branch-information/atc-aafc/

Air Force News - www.airforce.gov.au/News/Air-Force-Newspaper

Australian Air Cadets Alumni Network www.aircadetsalumni.org.au Friends of the RAAF Museum www.friendsraafmuseum.org.au/


Youtube Video Review

How fast do things change?

Looking at the Future

The editor came across this interesting YouTube Video last month. It is a striking discussion about the likely rapid changes that will happen in the next decades. Particularly striking is the opening sequence showing how rapidly the car displaced the horse and buggy during the early 1900s.

The first picture shows a New York street in 1900 showing about a thousand horses and one car. The next picture of the same street in 1913 shows about a thousand cars and one horse.

The author predicts similar disruptions will occur as electric cars displace fossil fuel powered cars over the next few decades.

Fifteen years ago did you own a mobile phone?

Tony Seba's Clean Disruption Keynote presentation at the Swedbank Nordic Energy Summit in Oslo, Norway, March 17th, 2016.

The keynote, based on the book 'Clean Disruption of Energy and Transportation' assert that four technology categories will disrupt energy and transportation by:

1- Batteries / Energy Storage

2- Electric Vehicles

3- Self-Driving Vehicles

4- Solar Energy

The outcome of the Clean Disruption is that by 2030 • All new vehicles will be electric. • All new vehicles will be autonomous (self-driving). • Oil will be obsolete • Coal, natural gas and nuclear will be obsolete • 80+ per cent of parking spaces will be obsolete. • Individual car ownership will be obsolete. • All new energy will be provided by solar (and wind)

Clean Disruption is a technology disruption. Just like digital cameras disrupted film and the web disrupted publishing, Clean Disruption is inevitable and it will be swift.

Why Energy & Transportation will be Obsolete by 2030 www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxryv2XrnqM

More info at: http://tonyseba.com

And an article from “The Age”

The end of petrol cars could be just eight years away

http://www.theage.com.au/comment/the-end-of-petrol-cars-could-be-just-eight-years-away-20170515-gw50m3.html


Book Review -

Charles Pratt of Belmont Common A Life in the Air

Geelong’s Pioneer Aviator, Aerial Photographer and Flying Instructor Review by John Baxter

This large book is a delightful treasure trove of early Australian aeronautica. It covers the life of New Zealander Charles Pratt and to a slightly lesser extent his brothers. Charles Pratt served with the New Zealand Army at Gallipoli and then joined the Royal Flying Corps whilst back in Egypt. En route home to New Zealand after the Great War with four war-surplus aeroplanes, he stopped off in Melbourne and that’s where it all started.

This 280 page hardcover book with laminated pictorial boards and dustjacket contains 207 b&w photos covering Pratt, Geelong’s involvement with flying (and wonderfully illustrated with many of Pratt’s own photos, supplemented with others from the State L:ibrary and the John Hopton Collection) and his later role with Australian National Airways. All the photos are on glossy stock so they have

excellent reproduction.

The storyline is taken largely from both Charles Pratt’s log books and his personal diary. It’s highly readable and entertaining as well as quite informative about flying in Australia in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, in particular. Self published by Kevin O’Reilly (author of ‘In Just Five Years – a history of the RAAF Station at Nhill in WWII), this is a valued book covering an often overlooked period in Australian aviation as this is the sort of unpublished occurrences that don’t appear to be particularly of great interest or news worthy today. Like Kevin’s previous book(s), it once again fills in a gap in usually unknown Australian history.

There are ten chapters covering a period from 1919 to 1968. It’s a very professional publication and well worthwhile if you’ve an interest in this era of Australian aviation, especially around Geelong in the 1920s. I believe this is a wonderful book for any aviation enthusiast at a very competitive price. It is available from Hyland’s Bookshop in Melbourne [email protected] or 03 9654 7448 for about $60. ISBN 9780646962023.

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RAAF ASSOCIATION VICTORIA

ATC/AAFC BRANCH

ATTENTION - ALL ADULT MEMBERS of the

AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE CADETS

The AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION (Victorian Division) would welcome you as a member of our Branch. As part of this proud Association with its long standing record of Service, the

ATC/AAFC Branch membership consists of former ATC, AirTC and former and currently serving members of the AAFC. Associate memberships are available for partners.

For membership enquiries, please contact: Laurie Bell – Branch President

43 Stenhouse Av, Brooklyn, 3012 Vic. 03 9314 6223 or 0412 505 887

[email protected]

Hugh Tank – Branch Secretary

11 Paulette Court , Blackburn South, 3130, Victoria.

General Enquiries The Air Force Association:

03 9813 4600 [email protected]

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