ATC/AAFC Newsletter December 2018 Page 1

AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION VICTORIA

ATC/AAFC BRANCH ABN 96 091 342 304

OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER Issue No 73

December 2018

President’s Message

Hello everyone.

Vale: It is with sadness that this

message opens with an

acknowledgement of the sad news of

the recent passing of one of our

longstanding and respected members,

Tony Pilli.

Tony was a regular attendee at our

monthly luncheons and in the past

had served as a member of the Board

and most recently had been assisting

as cataloguer on the Association’s

vast library collection.

A “Celebration of Life” service was hosted by the Association

and was a most informative and fitting tribute to his many

achievements, those of the past as well as those which he had in

progress but unfortunately will now remain unfinished.

Our Sincere condolences to the family.

The Association’s “WW1 Armistice Commemoration Service”

held at Point Cook on Sunday the 4th

of November was a

memorable occasion and the many comments received both after

the Service and since have all been complimentary to say the

least.

Special thanks to the cadets of 4 Wing AAFC who once again

came to the fore and helped out on the day under the guidance of

Wing WOFF (AAFC) Matthew Cane. I thank them all for their

participation and further co-operation following the Service.

Office Holders

President Laurie Bell

Vice President Peter Wilson

Secretary Hugh Tank

Treasurer Tony Synhur

Delegate John MacDonald

Newsletter Editor Ian Cohn

Please send your contributions to scsiac@bigpond.com

or Box 486, Mt Beauty, VIC, 3699

Deadline for next issue – 23Jan19

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.

ATC/AAFC Newsletter December 2018 Page 2

President’s Message – continued from page 1 This entailed an additional favour of which they weren’t previously aware and as a result, I wouldn’t be

surprised if some sort of new World Record was set for the minimum time taken in the gathering up and

stacking of 500 chairs. Thanks to Elliott Sawyer, Musical Director of the Werribee Concert Band and

the musicians who performed during the reception in the Officers’ Mess and during the Service and

vocalist, Harrison Sawyer for his excellent renditions.

Thanks also to Les Kenfield, Piper from the Rats of Tobruk Memorial Pipes and Drums for the lament,

“Flowers of the Forest” and also Sean Rankin, Bugler, both of whom have assisted us on similar past

occasions.

The 4 Wing AAFC Annual Parade held on the 7th

of October was a great success and quite a spectacle

with no fewer than 1000 cadets on parade. Congratulations to all.

On the 10th

of November, I was afforded the pleasure of attending the Dining-In Night of 408 Squadron,

Ringwood East at the Ringwood R.S.L. and my thanks to PLTOFF (AAFC) Nicole Kelly and the cadets

for their welcome and a most enjoyable night.

In closing, on behalf of our Branch, our very best wishes to everyone for a safe and very Merry

Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Best wishes to all,

Laurie.

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AAFC News

4 Wing Annual Parade – Sunday 7 October 2018

4Wing Annual Awards – 2018

Cadet of the Year 2018 CWOFF Timothy Miles 401SQN

Most Efficient Squadron of the Year 2018 401SQN Surrey Hills

Warrant Officer(AAFC) R. Bolton OAM – 4 Wing AAFC Most Proficient Instructor of Cadets 2018

SGT(AAFC) Daniel Morris

4 Wing AAFC Safety Initiative Award 2018 426SQN – Traralgon

ATC/AAFC Newsletter December 2018 Page 3

4 Wing AAFC Most Proficient Cadet in Aerial Activities 2018 CSGT Ayendra Goonesekera 405SQN

Crickmore Cup – Winner 419SQN Runner Up 427SQN

Best NCO in Charge of a Drill Team CSGT Nikita Kurian Anna

Medals

FLTLT(AAFC) John Gibbs – Federation Star

WOFF Don Kenny – Federation Star

FSGT(AAFC) Dave Stephens – 4th

Clasp

FLTLT(AAFC) Wayne Bass – 1st Clasp

FSGT(AAFC) Kelly Broekstra – 15 Year Medal

OC Commendations

CUO Khanna – 408SQN

CUO Goulding – 402SQN

Air Commodore A.J Pappin CVO AM – 4 Wing AAFC Patrons Award 2018

WOFF(AAFC) Stuart Tompsett

4Wing PATRON OF THE YEAR AWARD

4 Wing Patron of the Year - awarded for selfless and sustained

effort to the betterment of the cadets over many years.

CO 422SQN - WOFF(AAFC) Stuart Tompsett attends

multiple wing level camps and promotion detachments, assists

the 4WG HQ when required, and travels endless kilometres

week in week out to ensure the cadets of Horsham are well

served and supported.

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From the 4 Wing Facebook page

4WG Australian Air Force Cadets - November 25 at 1:49 PM ·

// THANK YOU 904SQN //

Over the last three years 4 Wing cadets have enjoyed the many opportunities to fly with 904SQN

(Previously 400SQN) in the two Piper Warriors owned by 4 Wing. During this time hundreds of cadets

have participated in CAE flights (Cadet Aviation Experience Flights).

This weekend the final flights, supported by our Piper Warrior Aircraft have been completed for cadets

from 410SQN, 422SQN, 411SQN, 425SQN and 430SQN.

The 4 Wing Pipers will be flown to Bathurst this week to support the powered flying component of the

National Aviation Competition and lastly they will support an EFTS training weekend before we say

goodbye to our faithful work horses ahead of the delivery of the new Diamond aircraft capability in the

new year.

The last three years in 4WG aviation have been massive and would not

have happened without the significant hard work of our staff at 904SQN.

On behalf of the cadets and staff of 4WG and our supporters we would

like to thank our amazing team of Pilots, Admin staff, Ground Crews,

Maintenance support and training staff all lead by SQNLDR(AAFC)

Scott Wiggins - we thank you for your passion and vision to make this

project the success it has been.

ATC/AAFC Newsletter December 2018 Page 4

We would also like to thank WGCDR(AAFC) Stephen Pepper - who drove this project from the

beginning with the initial purchasing and has been a massive support to this project throughout the past

three years - your commitment to this project has been tireless but we thank you for your endless support.

Finally we would like to thank National Headquarters AAFC and Cadet Branch - Air Force for their

support and encouragement of this Aviation Capability in 4WG.

We are certain that all of our cadets in 4WG have gained so much in Aviation over the last three years -

and now very much look forward to the future of Aviation in the AAFC in 2019 and beyond.

420 Benalla Rural City Squadron November 16 at 12:27 PM ·

Cadets from 420 SQN continued to support Remembrance Day when they attended services at

Wangaratta. Again another group of our cadets who took part in both a historical and history making

event.

________________________________________________________________________

October 2018 Meeting

ATC/AAFC Newsletter December 2018 Page 5

November 2018 Meeting

At the November meeting we welcomed guest Geoff Le Couteur, who was a Cadet with 24 Flight

Ballarat, seen in the left hand picture with John MacDonald.

Member News

Members Doug and Jan Williams have moved their residence from Badaginnie to Benalla. Your

Editor and Susie recently called in on their way from Melbourne to Mt Beauty.

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Branch Events

2018

Sunday, December 16th…… Branch Christmas Luncheon, Upton Room, Box Hill RSL.

2019

Friday, February 1st Branch Luncheon, Box Hill RSL.

Friday, March 1st Branch Luncheon, Box Hill RSL.

Friday, April 5th Branch Luncheon, Box Hill RSL.

Saturday, April 13th Branch AGM, Upton Room, Box Hill RSL.

Friday, May 3rd Branch Luncheon, Box Hill RSL.

Friday, June 7th Branch Luncheon, Box Hill RSL.

Friday, July 5th Branch Luncheon, Box Hill Rsl.

Friday, August 2nd Branch Luncheon, Box Hill RSL.

Friday, September 6th Branch Luncheon, Box Hill RSL.

Friday, October 4th Branch Luncheon, Box Hill RSL.

Sunday, October 6th *** 4 Wing, AAFC Annual Parade, Point Cook.

Friday, November 1st Branch Luncheon, Box Hill RSL.

Sunday, November 10th *** AFA’s Annual Pilgrimage & RAAF Nashos’ Memorial Day, Point Cook.

Friday, December 6th Branch Luncheon, Box Hill RSL.

Sunday, December 15th Branch Christmas Luncheon, Upton Room, Box Hill RSL.

*** Denotes dates subject to confirmation in due course.

ATC/AAFC Newsletter December 2018 Page 6

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 recommended for a group visit.

See more at www.benallaaviationmuseum.org.au/

Who, Why, What, Where, When?

Dick Reid’s Proficiency Certificate

ATC/AAFC Newsletter December 2018 Page 7

Books South Pacific Air War Volume 2 - The Struggle for Moresby

March-April 1942

Review by John Baxter

Usually when you start a book series you can be left with one of two choices – 1) it’s a good series

and you really want to collect the remainder because of the subject matter and/or the information and

style of writing within; or 2) it’s not a bad book but do you really want to continue and collect the

remainder simply because you purchased book 1?

Happily, this one falls into the first category simply because its topical, it deals with Australian

military history, its informative, its very well-illustrated and well written. It’s also easily readable

despite the depth of data presented so well that the reader is never overwhelmed by this wealth of

information. It’s objective in its approach and covers both sides of the antagonists in detail

reminiscent of Christopher Shores, Brian Cull and the like. It’s not always a simple matter to

provide such information and detail and yet make it easily readable. Well, authors Michael

Claringbould and Peter Ingman have done just that.

This 232 page volume continues the struggle for New Guinea, leading up to the Battle of the Coral

Sea and covers the air war to secure the way for the invasion of Port Moresby. It introduces the

famous Tainan Air Wing (whose probably most recalled member was Japanese air ace Saburo Sakai)

but prior to their arrival covers the No 4 Kokutai (Imperial Japanese Navy air group) and its exploits

from Lae to Port Moresby and the forces committed against it.

Pictorial content is excellent with 22 colour cgi, 10 colour three-views, 63 colour profiles, 7 colour

maps and 78 b&w photos (of which I’d only seen seven before). I was impressed with the cgi in the

first volume – this one’s content is even better! And it’s always refreshing to view photos never

presented previously and have full and informative captions. I recall a certain book on the Regia

ATC/AAFC Newsletter December 2018 Page 8

Aeronautica with photo captions saying simply ‘An Italian fighter getting airborne in the desert’. No

identification of aircraft type, pilot, squadron, date nor site location! That’s not acceptable. Not a

problem with this series!

There are five appendices – Aircraft Losses and Fatalities (Allied and Japanese); Arrivals of US

aircraft into Australia by sea; aircraft three-views and specifications; Allied aircraft profiles; and

Japanese Army and Navy aircraft profiles. Finally, there are ‘sources and acknowledgments’ and an

index.

This is a very desirable book to acquire if you have any interest in aviation history to our immediate

north in World War Two. I found these first two books enthralling and look forward to the third

volume, perhaps later next year.

It is certainly a great book for any WWII aviation enthusiast at a competitive price. It is available

from Hyland’s Bookshop in Melbourne hylandsbookshop@gmail.com or 03 9654 7448 or from

Avonmore Books in Kent Town, South Australia www.avonmorebooks.com.au or

shop@avonmorebooks.com.au for rrp of $45.

Many thanks to Peter Ingman of Avonmore Books for the review copy. ISBN 9780994588975

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Humour

ATC/AAFC Newsletter December 2018 Page 9

Member Story – John Gibbs

From John Murphy

He did 40 years! I could have got him off with 15.

Let me first state my bias. John Gibbs is a friend. I know some of us

have odd friends, and I am no exception, just ask John Sedunary!

Anyway to the point.

Gough Whitlam tried to eliminate the army, navy and air force cadets

from society after the 1972 election but cadets are made of sterner

stuff and the air force lot created the Air Training Corps Corporation

to bring the ATC back from the dead.

In keeping with their task they established themselves at Tobin

Brothers Funeral Directors at North Melbourne. “Gibbsy” joined the

group and in 1976 the Air Force Act was amended to create the Air

Training Corps as an organisation for whom the RAAF had

responsibility, without making it a part of the RAAF. At this stage

Gibbs was an AC (aircraftsman that is, not Air Commodore).

Anyway he got into everything, what’s new about that, and in 1979 he was involved with logistics and

clothing. Dave Crickmore saw something in our overactive friend and told him during a camp at East

Sale in 1979 that was to become an officer and he was not getting a choice.

He was then posted to 2 Flight at Preston, probably much to the chagrin of Peter Wilson and that was

followed by a posting to Ringwood to re-establish 8 Flight which had a history going back to 1942 at

Geelong. By this stage he was the proud owner of an FC Holden which suited his personality right

down to the vacuum operated windscreen wipers which worked rather erratically.

From there he had various postings to HQ in the old North Melbourne days and later at Point Cook

where he took on jobs as bivouacs office, SO Training in its various name changes, back to the now 408

Sqn, a stint at Dandenong back to Ringwood, back to HQ, onto 401 Sqn, back to HQ all apparently

without drawing breath.

One of the aspects of his service with which he can justifiably be proud was his commitment to youth

training. He put his employment in what was the Apprenticeship Commission, to work with AAFC

Australian HQ to get the training done by AAFC recognised in TAFE and many staff achieved

certificate 4 qualifications as a result of his hard work. Gibbsy was recently awarded his 40 year gong

which he celebrated with a glass of sparkling mineral water.

It’s been a busy 40 years. But that’s what we do in the cadet forces and John is an outstanding example

of that. Time for ‘congratulations’ and a transmogrification of mineral water into VB. By the way does

anyone recognise this picture?

ATC/AAFC Newsletter December 2018 Page 10

Internet Links of Interest

RAAFA ATC/AAFC Branch page

raafavic.org.au/content/758/branch-atc-aafc

National Servicemen’s Association -

www.nashos.org.au/

Air Force News

www.defence.gov.au/Publications/NewsPapers/RAAF/Default.asp

New Diamond DA40 Powered aircraft for AAFC –

http://www.aafc.org.au/news/2018/10/aafc-welcome-first-powered-aircraft-

fleet-2019-5935/

Build your own vertical Sundial – https://newmexicosundial.com

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AIR FORCE 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

laurieandadel@gmail.com

Hugh Tank – Branch Secretary

11 Paulette Court , Blackburn South,

3130, Victoria.

03 9877 3424

General Enquiries

The Air Force Association:

03 9813 4600

office@raafavic.org.au