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News and Reunions!

Djinnang Reunion.

In May 1975 a few Members met at Col Mallet's home, and the Djinnang Association was born. Meetings were carried out at several houses over the next few years until numbers became too big, so different venues were found to cater for the numbers as they increased to what they are today.

The members that met for the first time were Col Mallet, Eddie Cunningham, Ric Montague, Dave Roe and Ron Bellert.

In the year 2020 the Assoc will be holding its 45th Reunion, so put the 30th May 2020 aside and help celebrate this special 0ccasion. Now is the time for all those lost souls who haven’t shown for a few years to make the effort to turn up for this occasion.

50 Years of the P3.

The RAAF advise:- “As part of our initial planning and survey of interest we were looking at holding the 50 Years of P-3 Orion functions in mid-November. However due to operational requirements we have adjusted the dates and it will now be the weekend 30 Nov – 01 Dec 2018. These dates are confirmed and planning is about to begin shortly to make them happen.”

“The Formal Dinner will be held in rooms at the Adelaide Convention Centre. The venue selected has a seating capacity of more than 1 200 persons. The functions will be a formal affair with much memorabilia on display in a pre-dinner drinks/break-out area. Formalities will be kept to a minimum with the focus of the evening on recognising the significant achievements of the P-3 Orion and the members behind her success.”

You can see further info HERE and book tickets HERE.

The Diggers' Requiem - Australian Premiere.

The Diggers’ Requiem is a major new Australian work and a concert not to be missed. The Australian Premiere is a significant event to commemorate the end of World War One, 100 years on. The Requiem was jointly commissioned by the Australian War Memorial (AWM) and the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA), produced and directed by Chris Latham and will be performed at Llewellyn Hall by a large orchestra and choir. The concert will be recorded and broadcast by ABC FM.

It will be held on Sunday 6th October, 2018.    7.30pm to 9.30pm at the Llewellyn Hall - ANU School of Music, William Herbert Place, Canberra, ACT.  (map)

In an astonishing piece of musical teamwork, The Requiem has been composed by seven contemporary Australian composers working with Chris Latham on existing and new pieces. Composers Nigel Westlake, Elena Kats-Chernin, Richard Mills, Graeme Koehne, Ross Edwards, Andrew Schultz and Christopher Latham have all written movements.

Diggers’ Requiem premiere in France in May 2018.

The concert will be performed by the newly formed Australian War Memorial Orchestra and Choir with the Band of the Royal Military College, Duntroon as well as 28 young artists selected from across Australia with French or German ancestry or WWI family connections. Seven Australian and international soloists will also perform.

The sad and cathartic March of the Death of Saul by Handel is traditionally performed at the military funeral of Commonwealth soldiers, and will open the work, followed by the Lament of the Somme, by the recently discovered Frederick Septimus Kelly, who died at Beaumon-Hamel in 1916. This lament, which evokes the Battle of Pozières, near Albert, was written just two weeks before his death.

Elena Kats-Chernin, who finished writing her piece last year, will evoke the battle of Bullecourt in the Pas-de-Calais. Alex Lithgow who wrote the stirring Victoria March, which was played by the Australian Army as it marched into Bapaume in 1917, has his work incorporated into Nigel Westlake’s The Glass Soldier, a piece for trumpet and orchestra. A lone piper plays a lament in the last movement, and 62,000 bells, layered and patterned, will commemorate the 62,000 Australians who died in WWI.

The Diggers' Requiem is made possible in part by the generosity of many government and corporate supporters, however, we still need your help to make up a significant shortfall and make the concert a reality. We have set up a fundraising campaign with the Australian Cultural Fund, and we invite you to become part of this important project by making a tax deductible donation.

Any amount is appreciated, however our target is high and we would appreciate you giving whatever you can. Donations can be anonymous, however if you choose to give your name you will be acknowledged in our program and on our website as a valued contributor to the project. Click here to donate securely and easily. We thank you for your support of this nationally important project. Please stay in touch by signing up to our newsletter and liking our Facebook page.

For ticket info click HERE and to read more about the event click HERE.

A 79-year-old retired Radtech from Launceston is having a drink in the Meadows Hotel when a gorgeous girl enters and sits down just a few seats away. The girl is so attractive that he just can't take his eyes off her. After a short while, the girl notices him staring, and approaches him.

Before the old Radtech has time to apologize, the girl looks him deep in the eyes and says to him in a sultry tone: "I'll do anything you'd like. Anything you can imagine in your wildest dreams, it doesn't matter how extreme or unusual it is, I'm game. I want $100, and there's one other condition." Completely stunned by the sudden turn of events, the old bloke asks her what her condition is. She said, "You have to tell me what you want me to do in just three words." The old bloke takes a moment to consider the offer from the beautiful woman. He whips out his wallet and puts $100 dollars in her hand. He then looks her square in the eyes, and says slowly and clearly: "Paint my house."

(Our needs change as we get older, and we tend to look for bargains)

Digger Hat Jewellery.

The Vietnam Veterans Association, Sunshine Coast Sub-Branch has made available some great little trinkets in the form of key rings, lapel badges, ear-rings and pendants, all made from pre-decimal currency.

You can see their brochure HERE.

These make a great little keep-sake or a gift and your buying one or more helps the VVAA Sunshine Coast.

They are very inexpensive, see below (cost includes postage to an Australian address):

These are definitely worth having and you’ll be helping the Vietnam Vets on the Sunshine Coast. To order, send an email to vvaasc@bigpond.net.au outlining what you want, include your name, phone number and postal address, then send your payment to the account below:  Don’t forget to put your name on the bank transfer.

BSB 034-198.   A/C # 237008

Round Australia Cruise.

Dan Nebauer, an old Sumpie who had a tour of Vietnam with 35Sqn (Wallaby Airlines) from June 1967 to June 1968, now runs his own travel agency business – Travel Managers. Dan has negotiated with P&O Cruises to obtain a discount for Wallaby Airlines people, both old and current, who would like the holiday of a life time. He’s offering a 28 night round Australia cruise on the Sea Princess visiting Brisbane, Alotau in PNG, back to Cairns, then Darwin, Broome, Fremantle, Margaret River, Albany, Adelaide, Hobart, Burnie, Melbourne then Sydney.

Cruise starts on the 3^rd October next year (2019), a wonderful opportunity.

For more details see HERE and if you’d like a look over the recently renovated Sea Princess, click HERE.

Ghost Story

This story happened a while ago in Dublin and even though it sounds like an Alfred Hitchcock tale, they tell us it’s true.

John Bradford, a Dublin University student, was on the side of the road hitch-hiking on a very dark night and in the midst of a big storm. The night was rolling on and no car went by. The storm was so strong he could hardly see a few feet ahead of him.  

Suddenly, he saw a car slowly coming towards him and stopped. John, desperate for shelter and without thinking about it, got into the car and closed the door only to realise there was nobody behind the wheel and the engine wasn't running.

The car started moving slowly. John looked at the road ahead and saw a curve approaching. Scared, he started to pray, begging for his life. Then, just before the car hit the curve, a hand appeared out of nowhere through the window, and turned the wheel. John, paralysed with terror, watched as the hand came through the window, but never touched or harmed him. 

Shortly thereafter, John saw the lights of a pub appear down the road, so, gathering strength, he jumped out of the car and ran to it... Wet and out of breath, he rushed inside and started telling everybody about the horrible experience he had just had.

A silence enveloped the pub when everybody realised he was crying and wasn't drunk. Suddenly, the door opened and two other people walked in from the dark and stormy night. They, like John, were also soaked and out of breath. Looking around, and seeing John Bradford sobbing at the bar, one said to the other...

‘Look Paddy .... there's that fooking idiot that got in the car while we were pushing it!'

ACT – Active Body Conditioning

If you live in the ACT, or close to, and you’re a Dept of Vet Affairs Client and you could use some TLC, you should contact Sheree at VIDA Wellness and Rehabilitation on 02 9630 9181.

VIDA Wellness and Rehabilitation have clinics at Gungahlin, Dickson, Charnwood and Narrabundah and can help you with a whole range of conditions. Some of these include PTSD, back pain, arthritis, cancer, joint pains, osteoporosis, obesity, and chronic pain.

If you’ve had a joint replaced (shoulder, hip, knee etc) conditioned exercise is the best treatment, you owe it to yourself to use their services.

VIDA have qualified and experienced Exercise Physiologists who are expert at helping you get rid of these chronic ailments.

If you have a Gold Card or in a lot of cases a White Card, you could be entitled to treatment at VIDA with the expenses picked up by DVA. Your first move should be to contact Sheree and discuss your situation with her. A few months into a one on one treatment schedule could see you leaping tall buildings again.

Don’t put it off – do it now!

2018 East Sale Reunion.

The 2018 East Sale Reunion will be held in South Australia, details below:

2018 East Sale Reunion

Adelaide

Venue:   Vine Inn Barossa

Nuriootpa  SA  5352

www.vineinn.com.au/dining-vine-inn-barossa/

Friday 19^th October  to  Sunday 21^st October 2018

Friday 19^th October.

Meet, Greet and Welcome on Friday afternoon / evening for those

who arrive on Friday. To be held at Vine Inn. Finger food at 7pm. Drinks at own expense

Saturday 20^th October.

• Daytime Activities: Take a Wine Tour??? Look around local area.???? Up to individual.

• Reunion Dinner Saturday night Venue 7pm. Main gathering at Vine Inn. 

• (Please let us know if you would require a la carte??? Or set menu ????   or special Meals????    We must know by end August).

• Drinks at Own expense.

Sunday 21^st October.

Farewell Breakfast Sunday morning at the Venue TBA.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Ian Shaughnessy    Email:  bprince1@internode.on.net

Mob: 0429 094 274