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Radschool Newsletter |
Vol 11 Page 2 |
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Unfortunately, this little column is appearing all too often. Last issue we asked if any one knew the where-abouts of another bloody good bloke—Laurie Phibbs. Pete DeJonge was first on the phone with the bad news that Laurie had passed away some time ago, but he didn’t know the cause and shortly afterwards we heard from John Elliott and then Ted McEvoy who both confirmed the bad news. Laurie was living in Dubbo (NSW) when he died, and Ted and a few other blokes from 38 went to his funeral.
More details later.
Sadly, we also heard from Peter Roberts, ex 41 RMT, who told us of the passing of ex 19Appy brat Trevor Lee. Trevor died of cancer of the liver. Two and a half years ago he had an eye removed due to cancer the cause of which was put down to the glare from continual work on tarmacs in tropical areas. He leaves behind wife Betina and three children, Jacob (Army Lieutenant), Jonathon and Anne-Maree. Once again, it’s not fair. See Here.
Our sincerest condolences go to their families.
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The RAM.
We’ve got a mild, though inexpensive, new look. From this issue we’re going to go with the blue cover and we’ve also decided to call it the Radschool Association Magazine (from now on it’s the RAM) as it’s really no longer a newsletter. We hope to make it bigger and better over the next year or so, as funds permit, and we hope to make it into something that will be a focal point for all our members. We recently heard from Col Price (see page 14) and he suggested that it was a vehicle that kept us all together—we hope so. We can still do with lots more of your input though, so, if you’ve got any stories, photos, etc, please get them in to us as we can definitely use them.
Ex Radschool instructor Frank Alley (left) with Ray Tame, John Butler and Trevor Benneworth at “The Drinking Establishment” in Brisbane earlier this year. Frank is now the Director of Studies at Holmes Colleges in Shanghai in China, and was back in Aust on a few days leave.
Currently, we don’t ask for any additional funding from ‘members’, it’s a once only fee of $10, which some blokes don’t want to pay, and this covers the cost of mailing, paper, envelopes, printing etc, but we don’t know how long we can keep that up. Everything is done for “mates’ rates” and we only pay for the absolute necessities like stamps and envelopes. There’s a bloke, who used to park his car in OC’s duck ponds who does our printing for free, and Sam maintains a web site for us—also for free. We’ve got enough funds to last until the next reunion, but after that we might have to look at a regular membership fee. If you’ve got any ideas, or want to comment on anything, please get back to us.
Plans for our next reunion are well underway, and we hope to put on a weekend that all will remember, and if you can walk afterwards, well, it’s not our fault,
If electricity comes from electrons…...does that mean that morality comes from morons?
We’ve already had some suggestions for the Saturday night, a lot won’t fit where we were told to put them, but we received one we think we should adopt. Next year those coming to the dinner will have to come in fancy dress. They reckon that when people dress up they tend to let their hair down a bit more and party just that little bit harder (it’s true) so we’ve decided to make it a theme night, that is you’ve got to come dressed as some famous military hero or as a fearless crime fighter. This doesn’t mean you come dressed in your old battle jacket, or your ‘ralls, or your 1A’s, it means you get dressed as Attila the Hun, or Julius Caesar or Darth Vader, Adolf Hitler, or Cleopatra, Wonder Woman or even Jane Marple—doesn’t matter as long as in what you get dressed has a famous military or fearless crime fighter theme.
At the Airmans’ Mess at Amberley in March 2000, sharing a meal, possibly in the same spots they used to sit many years ago are:
L-R: Ron Anstiss, Stew Skerman and Geoff Mayhew.
If you look closely you'll see that Geoff is onto his desert before Ron has even started his mains. We hear that’s the way it used to be …….always waiting for Ron.
The theme can, of course, be as broad as you like. There’s heaps of heroes from which to choose—so get the thinking gear in motion, and start planning. There’ll be a prize for the best bloke’s get up, and also a prize for the best blokette’s get up. Don’t know who the judge will be yet, but we’ll find someone who can be easily, cheaply and thoroughly bribed. Neither do we know what the night will cost, but it will be about $50 per head, which will cover the dinner and drinks and a couple of other surprises we’ll have on the night. More on it next issue.
The reunion will start on Anzac Day, 2003. 25 April next year is a Friday, so it will be a Friday long week end. We’ve got stuff planned for the 3 days which will commence with the march through Brisbane on the Friday morning (see page 10). We hope to march under the Radschool Banner which John Broughton made for us last year. We’ve booked the remaining area at City Rowers, a night club in the City, so after the march everyone, along with non marchers and partners of marchers, can head down to the nite club for some socialising. About 150 people (blokes and blokettes) from both 9 and 35 Squadrons have been meeting at City Rowers after the march for some years, and we’ve been in touch with John Webster who arranges these things, and we’ve agreed to share the Club with them. It costs $10 to get in which includes walk around nibblies, but you buy your own drinks at normal prices. Those that wish to hook on in can do so, and those that just want a quiety can drink to their own pace.
About 95% of all conflicts in the world are as a direct result of people trying to enforce peace, or trying to promote the word of God. Ain’t it a funny old world….
A lot of people want to go out to Amberley again, and there’s sure to be some that didn’t make it last time, so that’s on again. Alan Goulding, who took us around last year, has snatched it and is now a mister and works in Brisbane, but we spoke with Ron Davis who has taken on the PR job at Amberley, and Ron is willing to work with us and arrange a tour. Similar to last year, as the tour will be conducted from about 10.30am to about 3.00pm on a Saturday, most of the base will be shut down.
L-R: Wayne and Suzy Smith, Terry and Glenda Houston and Kev and Bernadette Stapleton at the last reunion dinner.
You won’t get to clamber all over the F111’s or the other stuff they’ve got out there, but you’ll do a tour of the base in the bus and get into the maintenance sections and the museum and you’ll see what they fix and how they fix it these days. You’ll also get a meal in the Airman’s Mess and a beer or two at the Snake Pit. We don’t know what it will cost yet, it will depend on the numbers and the size of the bus, but it should be about $20 per head, same as last year. That’ll cover the bus, meal in the mess and a few in the Snake Pit.
The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement.
After Saturday night’s dinner, we reckon the best thing to cure all the sick heads would be a good old Sunday morning Aussie breakfast with lots of snags, eggs, bacon, toast, hash browns and tomatoes and washed down with orange juice and a draft or two of Champers and perhaps a beer or two for the stayers. We’ll book a section of New Farm park which, for those not familiar with Brisbane, is right on the river, and a great spot for a barby. There’s plenty of shade, tables and seats, and it will be a good way of winding up the week-end. It will be an informal affair, come and go as you please, and we’ll work out a “one price covers all” cost which we will firm up later. At this stage, we reckon it will cost about $15 each which will cover the food and drink, the hire of the marquee, bar-b-q, esky, plates, cutlery, coffee, urn etc.
We’ve included a “Yes I think I’m in it” form with this edition. We ask that you fill it in and get it back to us in the next month or so, but by the end of September if possible. This is not binding, but will give us an indication of what to plan (size of bus, equipment etc) and allow us to firm up costs, so if you think you can come to the reunion, please fill it in. We’ve indicated what we think it will cost, but we’ll firm that up early next year and get another “Yes I’m in it” out to you, but more on that next issue. If you wish, you can also email us your preferences instead of posting it—there’s a coupon on our web site www.eastcoastcool.com/radschool. It’s getting close—start planning, more next issue.
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There are two theories on how to successfully argue with a woman. Neither one works!! |
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