“RED RAT” NEWSLETTER May 2019

HQ1ATF ASSOCIATION REUNION Canberra: 29 October - 02 November 2020

Capital Country Holiday Park 47 Bidges Road, SUTTON NSW 2620 Ph:(02) 6230 3433

Email: bookings@capitalcountryholidaypark.com.au Web: www.capitalcountryholidaypark.com.au

Hello to all members.

This issue of the RED RAT is your introduction to our 2020 Reunion. The reunion will take place from Thursday 29 October to Monday 2 November 2020 at the Capital Country Holiday Park. We searched all five similar Parks in the Canberra area and our choice ably represents the requirements of our members (judging from comments after each of the last four reunions).

“Capital Country Holiday Park is one of the ACT's leading holiday parks, set on 40 picturesque acres and just 15 minutes to all of Canberra’s attractions and venues. It provides a safe, spacious environment and an extensive range of indoor and outdoor activities.

With a wide range of cabins available the Holiday Park has something to suit everyone’s needs from Lakefront Villas, Bungalows, Rosella Villas, Park Villas, Park Cabins, Drive through & Grass caravan sites.”

Similar to our 2018 reunion at Phillip Island, there is ample free time to enjoy the company of your comrades, whilst still seeing what the Canberra region has to offer. Our Commemoration Dinner will be held on Saturday 31 October 2020 at the Museum of Australian Democracy (Old Parliament House) where the original decision was made to reintroduce conscription and also to send us to Vietnam.

Our (informal) Farewell Dinner will be held at the CCHP on Sunday 1 November, hopefully again with entertainment by Mel and Kel (Carmel Chayne who entertained us at Luscombe Bowl in the late ‘60’s).

Robert (Groucho) Allen’s second poem (The Vietnam Pit) is featured within these pages (he served two tours of duty in SVN – Sept-Dec 1969 and Sept 1970-Sept 1971).

Regards

John Verhelst (President, Reunion Committee and RED RAT Editor)

ANZAC DAY REPORTSMelbourne: by Ian Palfery.Keeping up the tradition, HQ 1 ATF marched in Melbourne as usual this year. With an even earlier start time (we had to "step off" at 0900 hrs!) we had around the same number of marchers as last year and, as we seem to do each year, welcomed a couple of newcomers from interstate who marched with us, including our own Woody from WA again. The weather was kind but the consensus was the crowd was down on previous years, perhaps a combination of the earlier start time plus being the week of the end of school holidays and Easter. Once again we had plenty of assistance from Melbourne High School cadets as our banner bearers for which we are grateful. Afterwards we reconvened for lunch and a few drinks (plus the usual tall tales & true!) with family and friends at our now traditional post-March pub.

Sydney. By John VerhelstSimilar to the Melbourne event, crowds were somewhat down. About 16 of us marched off at 1040 hours, after AATTV, second in the Vietnam contingent, and then some of us were off to the East Sydney Pub with families and friends for post March stories, lunch and a few drinks. My apologies in that I said “Bligh Street,” and it should have been “Phillip Street” for the start of our March. Next year I’ll know better.

.

VALEColonel Donald David WEIR (CBE)

SVN Service: November 1970 – October 1971

Passed away on 10 February 2019.

In mid 1970 Don was promoted to Colonel and appointed as the Deputy Commander 1st Australian Task Force in Nui Dat, Vietnam where I had the pleasure once again to admire

his cool leadership and guidance. This time it was in an active service role. In recognition of his distinguished service in Vietnam he was promoted to the rank of Commander in the

Order of the British Empire (CBE). (extract from website: http://www.artilleryhistory.org/gunners_past_and_present/obituaries/obituaries_w/

weir_donald_david.html )

Gould, Cyril Donald (Don)SVN Service: July 1968 – July 1969

Passed away in South Australia on February 18, 2019. Loving husband of Jenny. Father of Warren; Michelle and David.

LEST WE FORGET

OPEN ARMS VETERANS & FAMILIES COUNCELLING The Veterans Line 24 hours a day across Australia for crisis support and free and confidential counselling. Phone 1800 011 046.

PENSION TYPES AND RATES. For updates and DVA services, see websites below:

www.dva.gov.au/pensions_and_compensation/pensions_and_rates/Pages/index.aspx

www.dva.gov.au/contact_us/dva_offices/Pages/index.aspx#

A REQUEST FROM EDDIE TRICKERDoes any member have any information about the Veteran who is listed in the Ryerson Index as follows:

214189, Sergeant Ernest Edward PALMER, born: 01-Nov-1922; "died 31-Oct-2011" HQ 1ATF

This fellow is currently listed in our on-line mortality listings with a Date of Death: Unknown. Eddie’s comments about the entry are below.

This entry NOT changed in the Roll . Possible entry in Ryerson Index on 10 Jan 2019, by Eddie Tricker shows “PALMER, Ernest Edward – Funeral Notice – 31OCT2011 – Death – 89 years”

Eddie is wondering if any of our HQ1ATF Association members are able to confirm the death of Sergeant Ernest Edward PALMER is as listed in the Ryerson Index?

A NOTE AND REQUEST FROM JOHN MYSZKA“I was made aware of your organisation by an email from Brian Loscombe.

I have self published eight books on Australian and Israeli Military vehicles. The most recent book was M113A1 FOV 1972-2013. The images in this book were provided by 70 ex and current serving members of the Army.

I am now conducting research at the AWM for a book on the early years of service of the M113A1 FOV

I was hoping you could place a request in the next edition of RED RAT for any images of Australian armoured vehicles used in South Vietnam.”

Here is a link to the information on MB7: http://www.mheaust.com.au/MHE/Books/Milbrief7.htm

THE VIETNAM PITBy Robert (Groucho) Allen: December 1999

I feel real down this morning: I’m in a shitMy mind keeps dropping in that Vietnam pitBut try as I might, I can’t find a wayTo claw myself out of the mud, blood and clay

I climb half way up, then I start to slideBack down to the bottom on my backside

My mind keeps seeing all of those facesFaces of men killed in awful places

I’m seeing bodies lying all aroundWith their life blood pouring out onto the groundI still see the booby traps and the minesI can tell you all, I don’t feel really fine

I look up and see the rim of this pitAnd wonder how I can get out of itMaybe if I think of the mates I have gotBecause their friendships to me mean quite a lot

Now I see three hands reaching for meThose hands belong to my mates Ken, Bear and BeaThey grab me and pull me out over the brimThey hold me till they know I’ll no longer fall in

After they set me back onto my feetAnd my heart resumes it’s normal beatI feel even better, no longer in a shitAll because my three mates pulled me out of that pit

SOME LIGHT HUMOUR FROM PETER BOORMANAre we the ones with Dementia? – REALLY!

ONEI was checking out at the local Woolworths with just a few items and the lady behind me put her things on the belt close to mine. I picked up one of those dividers that they keep by the cash register and placed it between our things so they wouldn't get mixed. After the girl had scanned all of my items, she picked up the divider, looking it all over for the bar code so she could scan it.

Not finding the bar code, she said to me, 'Do you know how much this is?'

I said to her 'I've changed my mind; I don't think I'll buy that today.'

She said 'OK,' and I paid her for the things and quietly left.

She had no clue to what had just happened.

(But the older lady behind me had a big smirk on her face as I left).

TWOA woman at work was seen putting a credit card into her DVD drive and pulling it out very quickly.

When I inquired as to what she was doing, she said she was shopping on the Internet and they kept asking for a credit card number, so she was using the ATM thingy.

(Keep shuddering---there's more!)

THREEI recently saw a distraught young lady weeping beside her car.

'Do you need some help?' I asked.

She replied, 'I knew I should have replaced the battery to this remote door un-locker. Now, I can't get into my car. Do you think they (pointing to a distant convenience store) would have a battery to fit this?'

Hmm, I don't know. Do you have an alarm, too?' I asked.

'No, just this remote thingy,' she answered, handing it and the car keys to me.

As I took the key and manually unlocked the door, I replied, 'Why don't you drive over there and check about the batteries. It's quite a long walk....'

FOURSeveral years ago, we had an Intern who was none too swift. One day she was typing and turned to a secretary and said, 'I'm almost out of typing paper. Now, what do I do?' 'Just use paper from the photocopier', the secretary told her. With that, the intern took her last remaining blank piece of paper, put it on the photocopier and proceeded to make 25-blank copies.

Perks of being over 70 and heading towards 80!1. Kidnappers are not very interested in you.2. In a hostage situation you are likely to be released first.3. No one expects you to run--anywhere.4. People call at 8 PM   and ask, "Did I wake you?"5. People no longer view you as a hypochondriac.6. There is nothing left to learn the hard way.7. Things you buy now won't wear out.8. You can eat supper at 5 PM .9. You can live without sex but not your glasses.10. Your supply of brain cells is finally down to manageable size.11. You can't remember who sent you this list.12. And you notice these are all in Big Print for your convenience.

MEMBERSHIP 2019-2020Membership fees for members who did not attend the Phillip Island reunion in November 2018 are asked to pay the membership fee for 2019/20 being $40 and to please deposit into the Association’s account or send us a cheque. Those members with email addresses will receive their quarterly RED RAT electronically. The RED RAT printing and mailing costs us. From now, unfortunately, the mailed version will only be sent to financial members in order to save a few dollars

Cheque made payable to HQ1ATF ASSOCIATION and post to PO Box 685, MERIMBULA NSW 2548 OR (preferably) EFT to BSB: 082697 HQ1ATF Association Account No. 188667746 NAB (Please reference your name)

Meet the Reunion Committee for 2019-2020President : John Verhelst (also RED RAT Editor) PO Box 685, Merimbula, 25480437 212 121 jeverhelst@gmail.com

Secretary: Brian Harper OAM 25 Charles St South, Sth Launceston, 7249

0417 074 616 vvaabchoam@gmail.com

Vice President: Bob Sutton 19 Correa Place, Inverloch, 39960400 825 386 bobhelen1969@gmail.com

Treasurer: Dr Helen Lange (wife of John V) 0412 089 224 helen@jhconsult.com.au

Committee SA: Graeme PulfordPO Box 174, Clare, SA 54530418 422 183rosemaryandgraeme@bigpond.com

VIC: Ian Palfery 11 Dunsterville Street, Sandringham, 31910404 040 343 palfery@iinet.net.au

NSW: Norm Austin PO Box 389, Moss Vale 2577 normanbaustin@yahoo.com.au 0427 854 141

WA: Rob Hepburn 140 Holland Street, Wembley, 6041Heppy1946@yahoo.com.au0408 096 971

QLD: Don Aldous OAM 4 Prunus Place, Caloundra, 45510417 766 628heather.aldous47@gmail.com

Webmaster: John Eller jnjeller@bigpond.com