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RAAF Radschool Association - Vol 1 Page 2 |
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The Reunion.
This little magazine has come about as a result of the (for now) unsuccessful attempt to organise a reunion of people who, at some part in their lives, spent time at the “RAAF’s School of Radio” - at RAAF Base Laverton.
For most of us, Laverton was the time where we realised that a Corporal DI was not the highest rank in the Air Force (we all thought that was the case when we were at Edinburgh); when we (I’m speaking only for the blokes here) wore our uniforms whenever we went into “Town” because we were absolutely certain they were dead set “chick magnets”; when we found out that you could leave the base on a week night; and it was when we found out that the Air Force was filled with some really great people.
None of us had a clue what the Air Force
was really all about back then, and we probably
5¢ a glass night in the ASCO canteen. Mar/67 (Any chance of these coming back?)
Most of us were young, and impressionable, and we all learned to live together and to work together and to depend on each other like a family. We borrowed all sorts of things from each other so often that sometimes we forgot who owned what, but no-one cared too much.
And those of us who were on the old Mech/Tech courses got to go through Laverton twice. After we graduated as real live Rad Mechs, we were split up and sent out into the real Air Force for a short period, completely and utterly useless to everybody. During that hiatus period between Mech and Tech, we learned important things like how to “crackle black” a radio cabinet, how to clean the wire on a wire recorder, how to change the mouth pads on a carbon microphone, how to test a 6BM5 - all important radio type work, and then it was time to head back to Laverton to “do your Techs”.
This time though it was different. By now most of us had actually touched or worked on an aeroplane, or at least had been to a base where there were some. This time we had a better understanding of what the Air Force was all about. Old friendships from mech days were rekindled, stories were swapped, lies told. Some of us loved it, others didn’t. We got down to it again.
And then it was all over. We were trained Radio Technicians (still completely useless to everybody) but it felt good. We’d gone from ACR to AC, and now we were real live LAC’s. Some of us were groundies, some were air techs. Some people became telsops, others telegs, and off we went to our new postings as proud as punch - and life went on. But that was years ago.
Alan O’Connor and John Mathwin, relaxing after a hard day’s work?? Jan/67
A couple of us were talking some months back about the old days, and we were wondering where everyone ended up. Some stayed in, most got out, some stayed in the trade, other didn’t. We felt it was well past time we all got together again. We started to circulate the notion of a re-union, and quite a few responded favourably. We sent out letters, had the idea advertised in newspapers, Sam Houliston (19Appy 1965/67) kindly set up a Web page for us, (ozhomepage.com/raafapp/radschool_reunion.htm) (have a look) and we got 70 interested names. Not enough to go ahead - yet.
So we’ve put the idea of a re-union on
ice for the moment, instead, we’ve decided to try and form an
association of old Radschoolers. We’ve made this open to anyone
(both men
If you’re still interested in a reunion, and wish to join an association to promote it, please send us the information requested on page 7, along with a cheque or money order for $10 made out to “Radschool Association”. (If you’ve previously sent stamps - discount the $10 by $1.35). This will cover our costs with the news-letters, postage, phone calls etc. A fee-free non-profit association bank a/c has been opened at the Bank Of Qld in Brisbane in the name of “Radschool Association”.
A PSA in Geelong, Jan/66 Col Price, Peter Kensett and self.
Initially John Broughton and myself (Trevor Benneworth) will be (hon) secretary and president of the association, but later we’ll call for volunteers. Please send your details again, even though you’ve sent them previously, and don’t tear the page out of this booklet, photo copy it or write your details on a blank piece of paper please as we’d like someone else to be able to read it. And, PLEASE, PLEASE, pass this around to as many people as you can - the more the merrier.
We intend to publish a quarterly newsletter, and in order to do that we need your input. We need your stories about the good (and bad) times you had at Laverton, we need letters from you, we need copies of your photos (they’ll be returned), we need anything and everything of interest, so please send it to us. All your material will be scanned, catalogued and sent back to you. (Please attach a self addressed envelope.)
This edition contains photos from my collection, however as you can see, a lot of them are in poor condition - unfortunately. We look forward to seeing yours.
The newsletter will contain items of general interest, lots of photos (we hope), and should be a vehicle for you to contact some of your old mates - mates that in some cases you haven’t heard from in years. We intend to have a letters page, (let us know what you’re doing now) a “remember when” page and of course a “where are they now” page. If you want to know the whereabouts of someone, send us a photo and a bit of information and we’ll publish it - someone will know where they are. (Fingers crossed on this one - no estranged wives/husbands please).
We’ll also call for ideas for the reunion, where to have it, (we like the idea of having it at Laverton), when to have it, and naturally we’ll call for volunteers to help make it a success. We’ll want to know what you want to do at the reunion. Some people will want heaps of activity, others will be content to sit and talk, others will be happy to just sit around a bar (suit you BJM??). To make it a success we’ll need to know.
We’ll also get caps and t-shirts made for you to keep as a memento, but more on the reunion in later issues, let’s get the association going first.
Please get behind it, tell others about it, and one day - soon we hope - we can all get together again, perhaps on a regular basis, maybe once every 3 years or so, to renew old friendships, and tell a few lies, have a social drink, find out what each of us has done since getting out - and remember.
We intend to improve this newsletter and to make it something you will look forward to receiving, however, we can’t do that without your help. Send in your contributions, especially your photos, we want to hear from you, and don’t forget a self addressed envelope if you want the material back.
Below - 41 RTC break-up party, held at the Altona Hotel, 18th August, 1967.
The following list includes names of people who have contacted us previously, and who expressed interest in the re-union. Check it, and if you know someone who isn’t on the list, and who should be, let us or them know. The next edition will print names of financial members of the association. Lets hope that list is longer......... We’ll give it a go until Christmas, if it doesn’t take off by then all moneys will be refunded, and we’ll wind it up.
Stand by your beds!
Trevor Benneworth
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didn’t care much. We
saw the occasional Canberra and Sabre, and a few DC3’s, and of
course heaps of Winjeels, but none of us ever got close to one.
Tarmacs were things you just didn’t go anywhere near. They were
strictly “out of bounds”. Our days were spent in the class room and
our nights and week-ends were spent in the ASCO canteen. We were
well fed, had good living quarters, money, some of us had just
bought our first car, but most of all we made very good, and in some
cases, life long friends during that time at Laverton. 
and
women) who went through Laverton either as a trainee or as an
instructor and hopefully it’ll eventually generate sufficient
interest to enable the re-union to get off the ground.
