Formed 10

th June 1989

PATRON: BRIGADIER J.J. SHELTON DSO MC

NOTEWORTHY NEWS

NEWSLETTER OF THE AUSTRALIAN ARMY BAND CORPS ASSOCIATION INC.Website: www.aabcassociation.com.au

Christmas Edition 2010 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President – Pat (Sammy) Steer Ph: (08) 8463 1340 (H) 0418 717 174 (M) E-mail: free.beer@bigpond.com

Vice President – Ivan Cocking Ph: (07) 3801 2239 (H) 0416 207 940 (M) E-Mail: ivan@planetfunk.com.au Secretary – Kevin Noon CSM 9 Dennis Place Jerrabomberra NSW 2619 Ph: (02) 6299 9954 (H) 0414 313 566 (M) E-MAIL: knoon@netspace.net.au Treasurer - Jim Harper BEM PO Box 2143 Seaford VIC 3198 Ph: 03 9776 9172 E-Mail: shadhar@bigpond.net.au

Committee Members:

Peter Guest - 0438 428 866

Bill Honter BEM - 08 9593 2868

Neville Lloyd - 03 9789 2979

Bob Keatch - 0407 477 879

Grahame Johnson - 08 8364 7232

CHAPLAIN: LTCOL DENNIS J HILLS Retd Ph: 0417423363 (M) E-mail: denrose@mac.com

STATE REPRESENTATIVES:

VICTORIA: Neville Lloyd Ph: 03 9789 2979

NEW SOUTH WALES: Kevin Noon Ph: 02 6299 9954

SOUTH QUEENSLAND: John Franklin Ph: (mob): 0407 312 035 Email: johnfranklin@dodo.com.au

NORTH QUEENSLAND: Scotty Laycock Ph: 07 7757 7550

TASMANIA: Colleen Harbod Ph: 03 6224 0256

SOUTH AUSTRALIA: Pat Steer Ph: 08 8371 1422 Grahame Johnson Ph: 08 8364 7232

NORTHERN TERRITORY: Geoff Carter CSM Ph: 08 8932 3632

WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Bill Honter BEM Ph: 08 9593 2868

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY: Ron Bennett Ph: 02 6294 5061

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Schedule of Membership Fees

The Schedule of Fees for Full Members and Associate Members as at 1 May 2006 is shown in the following table:

Fee Amount

Entrance fee $15

Annual subscription fee $25

Note: Members joining on or after 1 January pay the entrance fee and 50% of the annual subscription fee for that year. The membership year is 1 July to 30 June.

LAST POST

We pause a moment to remember those friends and former associates who have passed away and to appreciate their

service and contribution to military music

Les Wright

Clive Cooper

“OLD SOLDIERS NEVER DIE - THEY SIMPLY FADE AWAY!”

NOTEWORTHY 2011 DEADLINES

ANZAC EDITION 18th March

AABC BIRTHDAY EDITION 1st July CHRISTMAS EDITION 1st November All NOTEWORTHY NEWS contributions to Stuart Colhoun via email: sepmc@iprimus.com.au Or Stuart Colhoun 5 Hammond Circuit HOPETOUN PARK VIC 3340 The editor reserves the right to accept or reject any article submitted. Items published may be altered for economy of space and other reasons.

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A short Note………. Welcome to the final edition of Noteworthy News for 2010. I hope you find something of interest and enjoyment. A feature of this edition is a report and images of the Poem Unveiling at the Soldier Musician Memorial at the Defence Force School of Music on 11th November 2010. Many thanks to Pat Steer, and LT COL Gordon Lambie for forwarding these. In preparation for the next AGM Kev Noon has submitted an update on the planning for the reunion in Wagga Wagga in October 2011. This is showing signs of being very well attended. Any future updates will be added to the Association website. As a new online tool for Association members, Ralph Newman has created an online forum. For those not familiar with online forums they allow forum members to ‘post’ online using the forum any queries, anecdotes or opinions. Forums are ‘moderated’, meaning that if you post the wrong thing it will be removed and your membership revoked. Ralph has been very patient in waiting for me to further develop the forum and to add information about it on the Association website. I hope to be able to do this soon so please watch the AABCA website for any updates. At the request of RAN Band Association Secretary, Ralph Daines, I have added an invitation for any AABCA members who may wish to accompany the RAN Veterans Band to Singapore to perform on ANZAC Day 2011. The Navy Band Association has performed publicly as a band on previous occasions. As a suggestion, the possibility of an AABCA Veterans Band being formed and performing publicly could be discussed at the next AGM. Food for thought! Best wishes for the Christmas season.

Stuart Colhoun

From the President

The Year So Far:-

AGM in Darwin, Corps Birthday in Adelaide and the Unveiling of the Poems in Melbourne. Ali and I seem to be getting about a bit. I have included some photos of the Birthday Luncheon held in Adelaide ‘on the day’ which was well attended with only about 6 apologies due to involvement in the Strathalbyn Band Festival being held on the same afternoon. The Band Festival in Strathalbyn is held over two consecutive weekends in August every year and involves ten bands each Sunday playing for about 35-40 minutes on stage in

the local town hall. It is very well attended with the Town Hall full from 10.30 each day

with brass band, concert band and wind ensemble enthusiasts staying till about 4.30pm. (The number of ex-army musos involved is quite surprising). Army Museum:- It was rumoured that the Army Museum in Bandiana was to be closed to the public in the near future so Neville Lloyd called in to make some inquiries while he and Pam were there last week. Here is his e-mail: Dear Pat, Paid a visit to the Army Museum and spoke with a couple of the volunteers, one a 7th Class Grad, the other told me he made the

scarlets for the Kapooka Band. Neither had heard of the museum closing to the public but said it was not an impossibility. Also noted a few empty display cabinets. Was with interest I saw some band photos with names and faces I knew. The name Stan White we saw stamped on some music we had in 3RAR. There was an article in a Melbourne paper

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some time ago about him playing bugle at

RSL funerals around Melbourne at his own expense. Also a young Pte Norm Philpot. The chap to contact about the museum is Captain Phil Craig, his card attached, Regards, Neville. My thanks to Neville for his assistance and his actions reflect to wonderful attitude of all

committee members. It seems that there is nothing every one of them will stop at to ‘make it happen’ whatever the job is. So, I am pushing ahead with the proposed AABC Association display by contacting Phil Craig and getting the ball rolling. (I will keep you posted in future newsletters). Finances:- I have included a short summary of what we are up for in regard to immediate expenses for the Association. This has come about by some unexpected and essential expenses for the installation of the poems as well as the

updated costs of the ‘Minstrel boy’ statues. (The original statues cost the Association around $80.00 each but as we had to have new casts made because the original

company went out of business, costs have escalated). The Association is not on the bones of its’ bum by any means but it does need a cash injection. So, in that regard the Committee is

asking every member of the Association for a personal ‘gift’ towards the offsetting of extra expenses incurred. Costs are: Plaques & poles $2,112.00 Wreath 50.00 Afternoon tea 380.00

Total $2,542.00 Add to this the Minstrel Boy Statuettes: $1,669.80. Personal ‘Gifts’:-

A personal ‘gift’ is a monetary ‘gift’ to the Association at a level you are comfortable with. If you are comfortable with a ‘gift’ of $500.00 that is good and if you are

comfortable with a ‘gift’ of $50.00 or $5.00 then that is also good. (Every ‘gift’ is ‘good’). Each and every member of the Committee

has made their own personal ‘gifts’ and I am now asking the Association membership

to make theirs. Please send your personal ‘gift’ to Shad along with any outstanding fees. Thank you. 2011 Re-Union/AGM:- The Re-Union/AGM at Wagga is in the very capable hands of Kev Noon, Peter Guest and a group of brilliant men & women from Wagga and surrounding districts. (That should do something for their morale). Their past successes will be reflected in the Wagga Re-Union and with the added ‘clout’ of Mark Bornholt this one will be a ‘ripper’. Start making your holiday arrangements around Oct 22nd, 23rd& 24th next year and make sure you are in Wagga for this one. Noteworthy:- Our excellent Newsletter needs more ‘articles of interest’ from our members. We should not leave this to just two or three regulars. It is OUR Newsletter and WE should help make it as interesting as possible. If you feel you have something which should be read by our membership, photos to be seen or anything of interest please send it/them to Stu. The Last Bit:- It was unfortunate that Don Jarrett and Ivan Cocking could not make it to the Unveiling as I for one was looking forward to seeing them both there. However, when the health of a loved one or your own comes to the fore then that must take precedent. (They are both fine but at the time it was not as good as it could have been). I am in constant touch with Ken ‘Pancho’ Hussell and I ask as many of our

Association members as possible to stay in

touch with your mates. It is good for them and it is good for you. Keep pumping out those crotchets & quavers and make some BIG SOUNDS. With kind regards, Pat (Sammy) Steer President

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Index

Last Post Page 2 From the President Page 3 Treasurer’s report Page 5 New members Page 6 Director of Music report Page 6 RAN Band Association Page 7 Poem unveiling Page 8 2011 Reunion/AGM Page 11 News from the west Page 13 RMC Band report Page 15 Information sought Page 16 1954 Band Boys Intake Page 17 What would you have done Page 18 Mt Martha / Balcombe area use Page 19 The Butchers Page 20 Buddha Page 21 In-jokes, origins & accordions Page 22 Bob Hore Page 24 When you have to go… Page 25 Musical memories Page 28 Papua New Guinea Page 29 From the past Page 29

From the Treasurer

URGENT It has happened again, someone has made an online payment but forgot to include their name. The deposit was made on the 11th Oct 2010. It was transferred from the Commonwealth Bank.

There is still a large number of members still not financial. If payments are not received

soon we may have to revert back to black and white printing

of the Newsletter.

Without your subscription the Association cannot function so PLEASE insure that you pay your subs ASAP.

Jim Harper

(Scrooge McShad)

Pay your subs online

Police Credit Co-op

BSB: 704230

Acc. No. 100112721

Ref: YOUR NAME.

NO NAME NO CREDIT!!

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Greeting from Director of Music – Army

Dear Association Members, Sorry I missed getting a few words to Stu for the August addition of “Noteworthy”. I was overseas and missed the deadline. My trip was of interest though. We haven’t quite achieved final approval as yet but I’m about 90% certain that the AABC will be sending a band to Switzerland in July 2011 to participate in the Basel Tattoo. The Tattoo is regarded as the European equivalent of Edinburgh and the invitation to participate was first extended nearly a year ago. I met the Producer again at the Edinburgh Tattoo in Sydney in February this year (he is also the Artistic Director of the famed Top Secret Drum Corps) and so began the formal process of getting us there. I won’t go into the many hurdles placed before me trying to get invitation accepted but all does look quite positive. I attended the tattoo this year and was most impressed with the particularly high production values and efficient administration. Association members may recall a band visiting Paris in 1967 (I think) for a street march but, as far as I know, an Australian Army Band has not performed concerts or marching displays in Europe before. It is an exciting opportunity and, at this stage, I’m looking at a band of about 70 taking part. The overseas trip is scheduled to occur immediately after a huge concert here in Canberra being presented as a highlight of the RMC Centenary Celebrations. The concert is entitled Leadership on Fire and will be held on the parade ground at the College with the audience seated on the parade ground and the band performing on a stage built out from the main steps in front of the flag station. The concert is scheduled for Sat 25 Jun 11 should members wish to plan a visit to Canberra around that time. I certainly enjoyed the reunion in Darwin and again thank Geoff Carter for his amazing coordination effort. I was able to provide an update on the restructure paper during the AGM. I’m now gathering comment on the current draft from the Corps officers with the intention of presenting the paper to AHQ in November. In basic terms the paper seeks to retain a band presence in all current locations. The make-up of the bands will be different though with a shift towards smaller entertainment units and away from traditional concert/military band instrumentation.

The President and Members of the Australian Army Band Corps Association extend a very warm welcome to the following members who have recently

joined, or returned to the Association:

Ralph Newman – RMC Band

Brian Baker – 1 RTB Band

Lyndon Jackson – 1 RTB Band, RMC Band, AABM, AABB, RAAOC

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Since Darwin the Corps has fare welled WO1 Ian Thompson, the Corps RSM, who is retiring once he completes a period of long service leave. He has served for almost 40 years, an outstanding contribution. DFSM hosted an informal farewell as he departed on leave, he will be formally fare welled during the Corps Conference next year. That conference will be of interest to Association members as, after advice from the Honorary Colonel, we’ve decided to link the conference with the association reunion. Consequently all current senior Corps members will gather in Wagga Wagga in October prior to joining Association members for the fellowship of the reunion. I’m hoping that this plan will strengthen links between past and current Corps personnel and allow us to forge a close relationship at all levels. Many of our officers and musicians are to take up new postings in January next year but I’d like to mention one in particular. We have managed to gain one position every 3 years for an officer to attend the Command and Staff College course at Weston. Course qualification will allow the attending officer to become competitive for senior officer appointments beyond current Corps limitations which is wonderful for greater Corps credibility within the wider Army. Major Craig Johnson has been selected to be the inaugural attendee, I’m sure Association members join me in wishing him the very best as he faces new and quite different challenges during the 12 month course. Best wishes to all for a happy festive season. Cheers, Mac Ian McLean, AM, CSC Lieutenant Colonel Directorate of Music-Army

Royal Australian Navy Band Association Singapore ANZAC Day 2011

The Navy Band Association is providing musical support for the Dawn Service at Kranji Singapore next year having also done so this year. An invitation is extended to any member of the Australian Army Band Corps Association who would like to join us. The trip will be from 18th April to 26th April 2011 and will include 2 concerts and 2 school ANZAC services as well as Kranji. Any member interested can contact Ralph Daines, Secretary RANBA on 02 4389 2576 or 0405 380751, xranband@bigpond.net.au and he will give you all the details. Age is no barrier, as this year ages ranged from 56 to 83 and it is all seated playing. Ralph Daines Secretary RAN Band Association 60 Aloha Drive Chittaway Bay NSW Australia 2261 Phone; 02 4304 1118 Mobile; 0405 380 751

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Poem Unveiling 11 November 2010 Defence Force School of Music

AABC Association President - Pat Steer

The poems, ‘Not Real Soldiers’ and ‘Unsung Heroes’, written by John Seagg and Bill Charlton respectively, were unveiled at the site of the Soldier Musicians Memorial on Thursday the 11th November at the Defence Force School of Music, Simpson Barracks, in front of an audience which included our Patron, Brigadier Jim Shelton, Honorary Colonel, Brigadier Mark Bornholt, the DOM, LT COL Ian MacLean and the OC/CI of the DFSM, LT COL Gordon Lambie. There were a couple of ex-DOMs as well as about eighteen other Association members and their wives/partners. Our other ‘special guest,’ Dawn Wahlin was there with her daughter, as well as part of the Army Band Melbourne along with an excellent young bugler and a piper. (I think I would have been just a bit on edge having to play the bugle calls in front of that audience ‘on that day’ as part of my trade test) MUSN Curtis Wilcox from Penguin in Tasmania did an excellent

job. What a wonderful day it was. I was the Master of Ceremonies and Brigadier Jim Shelton gave a very moving address covering the silliness of using army musicians as stretcher bearers in conflicts of the past. Padre Dennis Hills led the audience through the Prayers and Dedication, John and Bill then unveiled their poems. Jim Harper recited the ‘Ode’ and LT COL Ian MacLean and I laid wreaths on behalf of the Corps & Association. A very stirring rendition of ‘The Minstrel Boy’ was played by the Band under the baton of LT Nigel Davy as we all moved off for afternoon tea and photos. (Gordon was kind enough to open the bar for a couple of hours and at those prices we could have stayed all night as described by Bill in another of his poems which was read at afternoon tea). My special thanks for making it all happen go to Kevin Noon, Gordon Lambie and Jim ‘Shad’ Harper.

Brigadier J.J. Shelton DSO MC

Pat Steer

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WO2 Andrew Iverson Bill and John

MUSN Curtis Wilcox

Bill Charlton John Seagg

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Bill Charlton joined the Army in 1962 and spent the first night of his Army career at Watsonia. After recruit training he was posted to 1RAR and served in South Vietnam in 1965-66. Bills first son was born 2 weeks after he landed in SVN. Bill left the Army in 1968 and worked in the mines around Newcastle. After many years Bills wife, Robyn, encouraged him to begin writing poems using the lines and snippets he had written and which she had collected over the years. Bill had never before had the motivation to complete them. Bill realised that he could gain relief by writing about his experiences and immortalising his fallen mates in poetry. Bill has written hundreds of poems and songs since 1968 with many of them being published. Bill has donated his books of poetry to the fund raising campaign for the AABC memorial, the sale of which raised a significant amount. His poems have appeared in most veteran & association newsletters in Australia and they are regularly read at

memorial services on the important days in the Veteran’s calendar. At one stage Bill was writing about 5-6 poems a day and happened to mention to one of his old army mates that he felt as if he only had a short time to live and that he was being afforded the opportunity to complete all of his work. His very knowledgeable mate looked him in the eye and said, “Bill, write slowly”.

John Seagg signed up in 1963 and served in New Guinea as a Rifleman in 1 RAR with Kevin ‘Dasher’ Wheatley VC. John joined 1 RAR Band as a side drummer in 1964 and went to South Vietnam in 1965-66 as a stretcher bearer/medic with 7 Platoon, Charlie Company. In 1967 John graduated to glockenspiel in 5 RAR Band and also married Bev. Not a bad combination. After a trip to Singapore with the AAB-Singapore in 1971, John was then posted to RMC Band in 1974. John travelled to England with the Australian Army Band in 1977 for the Royal Tournament at Earls Court, and retired from the Army as a Corporal in 1985. John claims he was not much of a ‘kit’ player but he felt he could hold his own on bell lyre and xylophone. His duets with Keith ‘Phantom’ Walker were legendary. John’s poem was put to the music of the AABC regimental march “The Minstrel Boy” at a concert held in the Canberra Theatre, marking the 50th Anniversary of RMC Band.

An extract from a letter sent to John by Tom Wahlin after he had read John’s poem: “It has been 32 years or so since we lost Merv and Chris, but they will always remain in my memory. Your poem means a lot to me and I’m sure there would be many other people who served in the various positions in the Regiment, who would feel the same way. Thank you for putting our feelings into words”. - Tom Wahlin.

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2011 AABC Association Reunion WAGGA WAGGA NSW 21 – 23 October 2011

Kevin Noon

Already initial planning has taken place for the 2011 Association Reunion to be held in Wagga Wagga, NSW on Friday 21 to Sunday 23 October 2011 (inclusive). Peter Guest and I visited Wagga Wagga in late October to form a committee, inspect a range of appropriate accommodation and have discussions with the current Music Director, Major Jeff Cocks, regarding support from the band and to carry out a reconnaissance of suitable venues for reunion events. As we have been made aware that as the current Music Director is being posted to Brisbane in 2011 and Major Peter Thomas is his replacement, there is a need to include Peter Thomas in all our future planning and correspondence. When we visited Wagga, we experience a high volume of visitors to the area. This was further confirmed by the Visitor Centre who advised that most of the larger motels were booked out at that time. For that reason we were advised to book a suitable motel to ensure that the majority of our members would be accommodated for the reunion dates. We found that the Country Comfort Motel was by far the best and best priced with a much reduced rate for the accommodation. The motel is situated on the corner of Morgan and Tarcutta Streets, just two blocks from the main street of the city. The motel has over 200 rooms and has parking for caravans and large mobile homes. The rate offered to the Association is $105.00 per night per room (usually $147.00) and just $15.00 for a full breakfast. This room rate is exceptionally good value and rates favourably with other accommodation and the local caravan park. The motel has a bar that remains open until midnight. In addition we have been offered rooms at the motel for our Meet and Greet following a Civic Reception on Friday night and the Association Dinner at no extra cost, with the big plus of keeping most events within easy walking distance of the motel. Therefore we encourage members to take advantage of this excellent offer made by the motel and because we need to confirm numbers for the Motel, we will include the accommodation in the Registration Form to be released in early February/March 2011. At present we can only provide a draft itinerary for the weekend with some surprises that I won’t divulge at this time. Friday 21 Oct 11 Association Golf - Wagga City Club Course 11.30am - Reception 12.00noon - Light Luncheon (is still being investigated) 12.30pm - Hit Off (1st and 9th Hole) Note: There are only 12 x carts available, so booking on the Registration Form is essential. AABK Street March / Civic Reception (afternoon/early evening) Following a meeting with the Mayor of Wagga and the OC and 21C AABK recently, it was proposed that this march ‘may’ be with Association members who would march behind the band as a formed body. This may also become a smaller version of the band Exercising Their Right of Freedom to the City. The purpose of the street march is to acknowledge the contribution made by past and present members of AABK to the city of Wagga, which includes most of the Association members and is to advertise the free public concert to be presented in the Victory Memorial Gardens the next afternoon. It is likely that the march would finish in the gardens next to the Council Chambers where it is proposed (by the Mayor) that a Civic Reception be given by the Mayor. The wet weather plan option is inside the chambers itself. As the Civic reception may not go all that long, we have also

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arranged a ‘Meet and Greet’ function to be held at the Motel, with a light buffet dinner or supper provided. We will provide more details as they come to hand. Saturday 22 Oct 11 AABC Association AGM (AABK) 8.30am – Meeting commences with a break at 9.30am to watch the Saturday morning March Out Parade where the Corps Honorary Colonel, Brigadier Mark Bornholt has been invited to review the parade 9.30am – Ladies are transported to Junee (venue TBA) and the surrounding region (TBA) with a light lunch provided (TBC). Note: Unfortunately the Defence Force can no longer provide a coach/bus for our needs, so civil hire is the only alternative for travel requirements, so cost will depend on those interested in this activity. 11.30/12.00am – Meeting concludes 12.30pm – BBQ lunch or a Light Cold Buffet provided at the Motel (TBC) AABK Free Public Recital in the Victory Memorial Gardens (opposite Council Chambers) 2.30pm – 4.00pm - Concert commences AABC Association Annual Dinner – Grand Ballroom 7.00pm for 7.30pm AABK have been requested to support the Dinner with a small ensemble Sunday 23 Oct 11 Guggenheimer / BBQ Lunch at the Jim Shelton Band Centre - Kapooka 9.30am – Assemble 10.00am – Guggenheimer 11.30am – BBQ Luncheon Note: Timings for the visit to Kapooka Military Area are to be kept reasonably strict as tight security is in place, plus there may be some members that need to catch the XPT train which departs Wagga for Sydney at 1.10pm and to Melbourne at 1.50pm. The following information is to provide you with approximate costs, which to assist with your personal planning for the entire weekend. APPROXIMATE COSTINGS Motel Accommodation $105.00 - per night per room $15.00 – Breakfast per person per day Friday Golf Green Fees - $25.00 Cart - $35.00 Meet and Greet No cost for the proposed Civic Reception. If there is an additional Meet and Greet held at the Motel – $18.50 per head (liquor at own cost) Saturday BBQ Lunch (at the Motel following the AGM held at Kapooka) $20.00 per head Ladies Visit to Junee and the Surrounding Region $45.00 per head (this includes lunch and bus hire – but we are still negotiating this cost). This figure could change depending on the numbers wishing to participate, depending on the type of transport used for the ladies on this tour. AABC Association Dinner (3 x course w/tea/coffee, but as yet does not include drinks/wine)

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$48.00 per head Note: The original quote for dinner was for $42.50 per head, but we’ve added the extra amount to cover the band members and VIP Guests, who have been invited to dine with us. Sunday BBQ Lunch – Kapooka The cost for the BBQ and drinks are yet to be determined by the Band who are organising the function. As mentioned above, we will be producing a Reunion Registration Form in late February/early March for the members to complete and return to Mario Vidal (our financial committee member). The form should have most final costings noted. Because we have the lead time, we may be able to offer members the opportunity to pay by installments. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Honorary Colonel, Brigadier Mark Bornholt for his support and assistance dealing with our concerns regarding the security at Kapooka and arranging for the possible use of the Sergeants Mess for the Association Dinner. Unfortunately due to numbers that will most probably exceed the Sergeants Mess quota we cannot take up the offer of the Dinner being held there on Saturday evening. There is a need to confirm much of the reunion agenda as soon as possible and have decided to hold most of the activities in the Wagga City precinct, except for the AGM and Sunday Guggenheimer / BBQ, which is being held at the Band Room at Kapooka. A special thank you goes out to Major Jeff Cocks, OC / Music Director AABK, who has gone out of his way to meet with the Mayor of Wagga and to assist with the planning of this reunion. We encourage all members to consider attending the reunion in 2011 at Wagga Wagga, which I’m sure most of our members would have served there at one time during your career. It promises to be something to remember. I hope to see you there! Regards Kevin Noon Secretary AABC Association

News from the west Brian Underwood is now back in good health with a couple of stents inserted after he suffered a heart attack recently. He is back to playing tennis and maintaining his busy lifestyle with commitments to the City Of Perth Brass Band, the Silver Threads Band (soon to tour Tassy) and all other teaching and performing projects as well as Volley Ball and Tennis. Clive Cooper (ex Western Command Band Trombone) died peacefully in Albany at the age of 74 on 21/10/10 after a long illness that had him fairly incapacitated for a number of years. Bob Keatch

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AABC Birthday celebrations Perth 2010

We had a good turn up at Army Band Perth complex on 31st July 2010, for the Band Corps 42nd Birthday celebration, on a beautiful sunny day. This was Bill Honter’s 10th organised event with numbers around 70 attending. Traditional cutting of the cake with the Commanding Officer’s sword, group photo and the singing of the Minstrel Boy – in 4 part harmony- were the usual highlights. The double sponge birthday cake was made and decorated in AABC colours by Marie Honter. For at least 10 years now, Marie has been making the table centrepieces, with a military band theme and in the Corps colours. Bill and Marie put in a lot of thought, time and effort to ensure this event is a smooth and very enjoyable occasion.

We are all getting older and some members are no longer with us and we acknowledged their passing. A band of regular helpers provide the tasty salads and desserts, and professionally cook the meat on a BBQ. All of this is supported by the current OC Captain Daniel Riek, CPL Dave Baker and MUSN Anita Parker. Some 14 Reserve Band members were present and mixed in. At $10.00 per person to cover catering costs, this is a great annual event.

Bob Keatch

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Royal Military College Band Matthew O’Keeffe

“The enthusiastic applause and standing ovation at the concert’s end demonstrated the great affection

Canberran’s feel for the Duntroon Band” Jennifer Gall - Canberra Times

Although it is often said the only constant is change, and probably no more so than in Canberra, the dramatic change in political landscape has seen no impact on tempo here! I have decided to not dwell on the “business as usual” topics of government representation and senior officer functions, but rather focus on some of the fresher ways we are doing business in the Band of the Royal Military College. Our main focus for the first half of the year was to better enable the small teams within the Band to create a unity of sound with the express purpose of recording a CD for the Royal Military College Centenary in 2011. Making the band “recordable”, in addition to “live capable” had been on the Command Philosophy since 2006 so it was with a zest we approached this element of a professional musician’s output. Activities ranging from simple tone building exercises, presentations from section leaders on the timbre and attack idiosyncrasies of their respective instruments, and PT sessions focussed on building the team performance under physical stress all contributed towards our preparedness for the task. A perfect way to market test our development in this area came in April via the return of the RMC Band to ABC Classic FM’s “Sunday Live”. It had been well over a decade since we were offered this possibility, a rare honour in this very ‘orchestral’ town for a Military Band to take one of only four concerts. This was an opportunity to present a program of Concert Band music in the stunning acoustic of the refurbished Llewellyn Hall at the ANU. It was a wonderful chance to play some substantial repertoire with the intended ambiance and was enjoyed equally by both the musicians on stage and the audience. Amongst many highlights, a standout of the performance was the simple stillness as the final note of Schindler’s List died away, leaving no one in the audience willing to be first to break the silence. Significantly, the Band was invited to perform “Sunday Live” again in April 2011. Due to the poor state of the RMC Band’s facilities the Band went to Sydney mid-year to record. The project was broken down into big band, marching band, concert band and rock/dance band, reducing the time impact and allowing genre specific focus. Over 40 tracks were laid down with the assistance of engineers SGT Pete Bell and MUSN Andy Fiddes and the overall performance of the Band, due to the preparation done throughout the year, made this an enjoyable and painless process. The time in Sydney, both in preparation for and while there, saw the Band become a much closer team. A lasting legacy of the project. One of the more high-profile events of the year was the annual Legacy benefit concert, re-branded as The Big Band Sound. Following a review of previous years, the decision was made to not to feature a civilian guest artist, instead focussing on the talents and versatility of our own musicians while incorporating the return of some “old school” styled musical and comedy routines. Amongst the high-level military personnel in the audience was Brigadier Damian Cantwell, Director General Army Operations, who cited not being aware of the wide-ranging styles of music and showmanship that the Band was required to perform. He wrote he was proud to see “many of the tenets expected of an Australian soldier: every soldier mentally prepared; everyday an opportunity to learn; every task an opportunity for initiative; every challenge an opportunity for teamwork and every threat an opportunity for courage”. He mentioned that while the threat experienced by musicians may not be a traditional military threat, to overcome the stresses involved in performing in front of a live audience clearly requires a significant degree of courage and initiative.

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Judging by the audience’s overwhelming response the concert was a great success, with significantly more money being raised for Canberra Legacy than ever before. Contributing factors to this success were new image and marketing strategies, the name change to better reflect a musical performance, no “semi-known” guest artist, the return of the perennial Canberra favourite, LTCOL Ian McLean, for a conducting cameo and the introduction of indoor fireworks for the finale. Next year for the Centenary of the Royal Military College the key event will be the Leadership on Fire concert; a Royal Performance. Rumours abound of the potential for a visit by HRH Queen Elizabeth II, so we are beginning to shine our boots and buttons in anticipation of what will be another big year.

Information sought

Dear Sir This is one of two messages I am sending to addresses I found on your web site. I am hoping you can help me with the following matter. My late uncle Joseph Cowan served in the Australian Army. I know very little of his life in Australia. His date of birth was 11/10/1921, his army number was 51349 and he was a bandsman in Western Command of A.R.A. Band. I am attaching a photo Joe sent to his mother. He had written on the front "Western Command of A.R.A. Band, Nov 1950". On the back he had written "Esplanade 1950, playing after the trooping of the Colours of the 10th Light Horse to 10th R.A.M.I". On the back of another snap of five soldiers he has written "En Route to Japan H.M.S. Woo Sang". I have five or six snaps which I would be more than happy to share with any interested parties.All I have found in Australian Records is he was in Korea 31/03/1954 to 16/03/1955 with 1st Battalion Royal Australian Regiment. I am hoping you may be able to advise me on how I may further my search for "uncle Joe". Thanking you in anticipation, Robert Scott spitfirebobby@yahoo.com

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1954 Bandboys Intake (Royal Tour) Ted Mc Cauley

Dear Editor, On looking for something at home I found this photograph of the Royal Tour Class of 1954-56. It has quite a few errors which today I can’t explain. Firstly, three members in the photo are members of the fourth intake (Coronation Class) in the persons of Jim Harper, Blackie Anderson and Ron Southwick. That means this photo was taken in or about November 1954, mainly for the Coronation Class being present and also being in summer dress. For the life of me I cannot explain why Barry Kenny is not in the photo. Barry stayed behind at the School of Music for further training as he changed from trombone to tuba. The boys of the day sighed a relief when SGT Swift took his trombone off him. Barry became a very accomplished tuba player and it was with sadness that he died as a result of a car accident. Some of the members in this photo have passed to the Grand Band Hall above. Vale John Murphy, Happy Tyrell, Paddy Creavey, Frank Bates and Cedric Halton. There were others who did not graduate as musicians as they went to other corps of the service in the names of Simpson, Creavey and Longstaff. As a point of interest no one has heard from, or has any knowledge of Wally Robbins, Peachey Graham or Peter McBain.

Top Row (L-R) Bob Taylor, John Murphy, Blackie Anderson, Ted McCauley, Wally Robbins, Happy Tyrell, Paddy Creavey

Middle Row (L-R) Frank Bates, Kevin Gilbert, Tom Gration, Morrie Longstaff, Peachey Graham, Cedric Halton, Ray Brookes

Front Row (L-R) ? Simpson, Peter McBain, SGT Sugars, SGT Gadd, Ron Southwick, Jim Harper

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I was a member of the final intake of Band Boys, who after three months of training, were changed over to the Army Apprentice School. We and future intakes were called Apprentice Musicians. The 6th intake (Moomba Class) were enlisted as Band Boys, but on arriving at Balcombe took on the rank of Apprentice Musician. My life now in retirement is by serving Freemasonry, of which I belong to several Masonic Orders, of these I am currently the Right Excellent Companion, Second Grand Principal of the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Queensland. I am also the Grand Herald of all orders, playing the fanfares on trumpet to announce the arrival of all heads of orders. In conclusion may I say how great it is to see LTCOL Ian Mclean as the head of the corps. I remember as an instructor at the School of Music, I saw young Macca playing his xylophone and as I approached I said “Play me the scale of D minor.” Away he went at a rate of knots and I said “That was brilliant but why did you play it twice?” He said “The first time was melodic minor and the second time was harmonic minor”. Deafening silence, then I said “I knew that, just checking to see if you knew that!” Ted Mc Cauley

What would you have done?... Don Jarrett

As a Captain Music Director I was given a standard request, via Victoria Barracks, to have 3 or 4 trumpeters attend the National Greyhound race meeting at Batman Avenue, Melbourne, on a date in September 1976. Phone contact proved this to be ‘an order’ and not a request. I put it to the brass section for 3 or 4 volunteers as this particular Saturday fell at the end of a leave break, and with work starting on the Monday I considered this to be a reasonable request. I was right, I had 3 trumpeters volunteer to attend the Band room at 6pm. The race track was next door to the Band room so a quick rehearsal of a standard race trumpet call (everybody knows), walk 100 metres, play the call then back to the Band room and home. No food or money involved, easy.

On the night I went into the Band room, along with Corporal Dennis Gillies (now deceased). 6pm went by, then 6.30 and we were due to play at 7pm. So, as my heading says “what would you have done?”, still with no one else in sight, I went to a corporal’s locker for a jacket and cap. I donned my blues trousers and boots and grabbed a trumpet and banner. Dennis said “OK Boss, best we have a run through and get it done.” That is what we did. I especially asked the photographer not to show our faces, and as he knew me he understood why. The result is in the photo. At 9am the following Monday the Director of Music was on the phone to me. I wasn’t given the sack over this incident however I am positive it contributed to my eventual demise. I still wonder how he found out about it. What would you have done?

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A list of military use of the Mt Martha / Balcombe area Neville Lloyd

At a recent meeting of the Balcombe Gates Project Committee a list of Military use of the Mt Martha/Balcombe was handed out, it is surprising that this history dates back to 1886. Note the ASM is partially in the wrong era, I am told steps have been taken to correct this.

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The Butchers Ern Trotter

When given a CD as a gift by a person unfamiliar with my ‘taste’ in music, I tend to sceptically consider it to be an ‘off load’, but was pleasantly surprised to receive a ‘quality’ recording of a NSW youth wind ensemble, well worth including in any military band aficionados library. It was titled ‘WILD NIGHTS’ and performed by the 66 members of the North West Wind Ensemble, sponsored by the Castle Hill RSL and conducted by JAMES BRICE. This band was formed by SQLDR MICHAEL BUTCHER OAM in 2003. Many of our older members will remember Mick from his Army days, and consider his story interesting and well worth recording. The ‘family patriarch’ MUSN BOB BUTCHER Sr, was a member of the Band of the Royal Norfolk Regiment who served in Egypt, India and China between the two World Wars, and after discharge joined the Nottingham Police Force, where he also played in the band. During this period, he and Mrs Butcher raised a family of 3 boys and a girl. Coming from a musical family, two of the boys chose to follow suit and it was Mike (the second son) who commenced formal training on ‘boy service’ in the Royal Marines School of Music, Deal, however, training was interrupted when the family decided to immigrate to Australia after WW2. The family settled in Perth where father turned his hand to building boats. In the meanwhile Mike enlisted in the Western Command Band where it was soon discovered he had a rare talent as a musician and teacher. At the time, the Army School of Music was in its infancy and in need of instructors, so Mike was ’shipped off ’ to Balcombe, appointed instructor and promoted Sergeant at the age of 19 yrs. Many Band-boys and adult students will recall his ability as a trombone player and be amazed at his performance on the ‘cornet trombone’. At the end of his army engagement, Mike enlisted in the RAAF Central Band during which he was selected to attend the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall as a student Bandmaster, where he passed with distinction and resumed his career in Australia as a commissioned RAAF Band officer. His first task was to raise the RAAF Air Command Band, Richmond, NSW. His next move was to accept the appointment of Music Director of the NSW Police Military Band where he took the band to musical excellence and standard of professionalism equal with its ‘armed service’ peers. All tenures were substantial, but, after the retirement of SQLDR MITCHELL, Mike returned to the RAAF Central Band, Laverton and was appointed Director of Music, RAAF. After retirement, he returned to Sydney where he became involved with the development of young musicians. BOB Jr had several interesting jobs before his own army band commitment commenced. Prior to leaving ‘the Old Dart’ he was employed as a ‘bargee’ on England’s inland water-ways, and after arrival in Australia, he became a steam locomotive fireman in the WA Railways. On enlistment, he was posted to the RAE Band, Casula, and from there he was posted to the Kapooka Band. It was during this period, he attended the School of Music and qualified up to the rank of Sgt. Bob’s next posting was to Southern Command Band as the Deputy Bandmaster, an appointment he retained until discharged. LEN, the youngest brother, took another ‘tack’. With an interest in telecommunications, it lead him into the R Aust Sigs, where he saw active service during the confrontation in Borneo and completed two tours of duty in Vietnam. A considerable period of his service was with the SAS. Len’s terminal posting was a WO1 Instructor at the School of Signals. I believe anyone reading this ‘potted history’ of the BUTCHER family, will agree that for the best part of the 20th Century, the preservation of ‘the realm’ was in safe hands. This has been a long preamble to the promotion of a CD, but thought the BUTCHER’S story was both interesting and readable. . . . . . And now on to purpose of this ‘critique’. Usually, a youth band’s repertoire consists of items such as Belphegor, The Teddy Bear’s Picnic, Sussex by the Sea

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and The Repasz Band so it came as a complete surprise to note that the CD program performed by the North West Wind Ensemble was a mixture of traditional and contemporary compositions, played in a manner that took me back to the ’halcyon days’ of Southern Command Band conducted by COL FISCHER, BARRY BIGNELL and PETER JACKSON.

The first item presented was the Shostakovich ‘Festive Overture’ followed by an original composition by GREG BUTCHER (Mikes son) titled ‘Land of Perpetual Ice’, a descriptive Suite in 5 parts celebrating Shackleton’s exploration of the Antarctic. This item was chosen as the National ‘A’ Grade Concert Band test piece in 2007. The NWWE won this Championship. The third item is the GRAINGER arrangement of ‘The Londonderry Air’ which was dedicated to his friend and mentor, EDWARD GREIG. The fourth item was a rhythmic item from the pen of PHILLIP SPARKE, and is followed by a second item from GRAINGER titled ’The Lads of Wamphray’, based on lilting Scottish themes. Five infectious traditional ‘Yiddish Dances’ by ADAM GORB follow and the program concludes with ‘Wild Nights’ by FRANK TICKELI. Playing time is 77.33 minutes of thoroughly enjoyable listening. JAMES BRICE B Ed, majored in music education, conducting and instrumental performance at the Melbourne University. He studied conducting with LTCOL BARRY BIGNELL (graduate App Musn 19 Class) and taught at a private school till he moved to Sydney to fill the eupho/trombone vacancy in the RAAF Air Command Band Richmond. In 2005 James was appointed Musical Director of the NWWE and has taken them to repeated success in Concert Band contests. Those of our members who may wish to purchase this fine recording may order ‘on line’ at <nwwe.org.au>. The cost is $25 which includes postage. I thoroughly recommend its acquisition to our members.

Buddha George De Lacey

In the early ‘60s, 3RAR was based at Enoggera. The band was part of Administration Company, which included the cooks, drivers, medics, clerks, mechanics and specialists from RAE and RAEME who kept the Battalion in good fighting order. Admin Coy living quarters was a series of two storied wooden four-to-a-room barracks. Bed spaces were allocated as needed with only general attention being placed on proximity to people of one’s own profession or trade. To its credit, Admin Coy looked as far as it could to compatibility of temperament of personnel sharing rooms and tried to match like with like where possible.

My room-mate was Buddha Miles. Buddha was a good natured fellow of Torres Strait Island’s origin, always happy to share an observation of the silliness of those in charge, and would give you the shirt off his back if you were in trouble. That’s not to say that he was an easy mark, and he had a good pair of fists that he would use, rarely but effectively, if he observed someone being unfairly treated by another in the barracks. As a teenager just out of the Apprentice School, I understood what a great ally Buddha could be, and we became firm friends.

Buddha had a house at Fingal Head near Tweed Heads, where his wife and family lived. It was only after I had visited his family that I understood why Buddha and his wife chose to maintain this rather inconvenient arrangement. The house was a comfortable high set fibro bungalow favoured by the Housing Commission of the time, located in surrounds that could only be described as idyllic. The proximity to the Tweed River on one side and the rocky headland facing the Pacific Ocean on the other made the place an angler’s paradise, and for a keen fisherman this place was just perfect. It was a great place for kids to grow up in, with good schools nearby. Importantly, there was a large contingent of expat Islanders living there and this eased the problems Buddha’s family would have faced had they lived in married quarters at Enoggera.

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I had just bought my first car, and was always happy to have someone with which to share a driving adventure or two. On long weekends, where our time off coincided, Buddha and I would head down to Fingal, where I would happily put in a weekend fishing and enjoying the bright lights of the Gold Coast while Buddha tended to family matters. There were those who thought Buddha was taking advantage of my callow generosity on these weekends. I disagreed, for a few reasons. I enjoyed the company of Buddha and his family and I enjoyed the fishing trips too. Importantly though was the fact that was that Buddha drove an Army Land Rover!

I have on a number of occasions written of bush exercises where it seemed to me that bandsmen were seen as beasts of burden for the “real” soldiers of the battalion. Exercises at Tin Can Bay, Hastings Point, etc were generally carried out in the rainy season and the camps were tick and leach infested and uncomfortable. The only shelter we had was made by stringing two or more ponchos together into a “hoochie”, a device of dubious use in cold wet situations. A much better solution for those with the ability to do so was to befriend a driver. If you were smart, you could smuggle a beach rod and a decent folding stretcher into the vehicle, making for a much more pleasant bush excursion.

Exercises to the Hastings Point training area were made particularly pleasant in this way. When he was not duty driver, Buddha had a motive to drive the Land Rover the short distance from the bush camp to his home at Fingal, and it was not much of a stretch for me to go as far as the surf beach at Cabarita with him, for a few hours fishing followed by an hour or two at the newly established pub there, from where he would pick me up on the way back. Of course, we had to be back in camp before final inspection and last post, but that gave us a good 4 or 5 hours away from the camp. An added bonus was the ability to throw my camp bed into the back of the Landrover – a particularly pleasant alternative to trying to sleep in the over-crowded hoochie during the inevitable rainy night. On some more fortunate occasions, the catch made a nice change from warmed up bully beef for breakfast.

Buddha was a great friend during my period in 3RAR. Unfortunately, I lost contact with him in my various postings. I often think about him and wonder about his family. I am sure they did well, he was that type of fellow.

In-jokes, Origins, and Accordions George De Lacey

Gumlu became something of an in-joke with my intake at the Army Apprentice School and it persisted for a long time after we had graduated. GD.

In 1959 at Balcombe, an enquiry as to one’s origins was always a good conversation starter. If the response was sufficiently interesting to the enquirer, a long discussion could ensue, and this was generally a good thing. If one hailed from, say, Gippsland, a conversation about the beauty of the area might follow. A response involving Perth might elicit a discussion about a long lost relative who lived there. Adelaide, Beenleigh, Forbes, Mudgee, Maitland… all common enough place names, and good for at least a few minutes worth of conversation time. If you said that you come from Gumlu though, you were likely to be met with a blank stare, followed by a question like: “Where the bloody hell is that?” If you explained that it was almost exactly halfway between Guthalungra and Bobawaba, the enquirer was likely to walk away, shaking his head and mumbling something about bloody Queenslanders and their silly jokes.

In the 1950’s, the Bruce Highway in North Queensland was little more than a winding bush track. There were no bridges, let alone bitumen pavements, and communities were heavily reliant upon the railway for both supply and transport. Towns would become pretty well isolated for long periods during the wet season and the railway was their only link with other places. The limited range of steam driven locomotives and heavily trafficked single main lines meant that rail sidings were needed at regular intervals between the towns to allow trains to stop for water and fuel and to wait in safety for other trains travelling in the opposite direction.

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Some of these sidings grew in importance as the surrounding area developed and other communities sprang up around them. There were about ten sidings in the eighty or so miles between Home Hill and Bowen. The three largest were Bobawaba, a cattle stop; Gumlu which serviced the tomato farms along Molongle Creek; and Guthalungra, a track maintenance depot. Gumlu consisted of a general store selling everything from butter to bricks; a primary school; the railway station with two adjacent homesteads for the station masters and their families; and a dance hall adjoining the store. Rail Motors from Townsville and Bowen crossed at Gumlu three times per week and brought fresh bread and meat, newspapers and the mail. The rail motors arrived at midday, and this was a time for socialising as the farmers all turned up to collect their supplies.

During the winter, growing and harvesting tomatoes kept the farming families busy. The siding was also busy as trucks from the farms loaded cases of fruit onto rail wagons that would carry them to the markets in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. There was little thought of recreation until the weather became too hot for farming, and work stopped for a few months.

During the summer slack period, the people took advantage of the leisure time, and would attend dances and other functions at Home Hill and Bowen, using the Rail Motor as transport because the roads were generally washed out. About once per month during summer, the young people would organise a bush dance at Gumlu. These were always well attended, with numbers bolstered by people from the larger towns who would stay overnight as guests of the farmers.

The Gumlu dance hall was typical of its type. It was fully enclosed on one end; the other three sides had half walls at balustrade height. It served as a temporary storage shed for the adjoining general store, and always needed to be cleaned out before it could be used for its intended purpose. This generally resulted in a frenzy of activity. The old upright would be dragged out from under cover, and the local guy with a good ear would tune it. Mrs Day would then practice her parts for the interludes. The floor would be swept and then scrubbed. After a day or two of drying out it would be hand polished (no electricity) and Pops flakes scattered over it. This was the signal for the kids from the school to spend their afternoons sliding along the floor until it was perfect for dancing.

Ted Green, a farmer of Irish background, and his little accordion were the stars of the show. Ted had a strong left hand, knew a lot of tunes, and was capable of playing solo all night. Whilst his accuracy in consistently hitting the right note was questionable, his sense of rhythm was spot on and quite acceptable to the somewhat critical dancers. As we all know, there is an irrational racial hatred that is directed at the accordion. Well, I can state that memories of the association of this noble instrument with that the bush dances at Gumlu are profound. Fox-Trot, Pride of Erin, Progressive Barn Dance, Military Two Step... as the night wore on, Ted’s little accordion took on the stature of an orchestra.

At around midnight, Ted would tire, reality would set in and the dancers would all set out for home. As the only teenager in my family, and therefore the only one interested in attending the dances, I generally rode home on my bike, drove the truck, or rode one of our horses depending on the current state of readiness of available transport.

Wealthy farmers generally owned a two or three year old Holden, but most of the remainder could afford only one vehicle, and the criterion for ownership was the number of cases of tomatoes it could carry to the siding. We started with a 1932 Chev sedan converted to a ute, followed by 1928 Huppmobile converted again into a ute which was followed in turn by a 1936 Chev 6 truck. We looked with envy at the modern vehicles during our desperate endeavours to keep these old crocks going. Heaven knows what they would fetch on the antique market today though.

Farms along Molongle Creek ranged in prosperity depending on their position on the flood plain. Ours was at the very end of the arable belt, and consequently it was a battle to survive, let alone enjoy the niceties of life. There was no electricity, and even if there was, I doubt whether the authorities would have allowed our shack to be wired. The house had a dirt floor, corrugated iron walls and roof nailed to a wired together bush timber frame. To say that our living conditions were

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substandard would be to understate the position. Despite this though, members of our large family still often talk about good times there, and there were a lot of those.

When I turned 15, after two years there, it was decided that it would be better if I found a job in one of the larger towns, so I left Gumlu. After another year or so, I found myself on a train bound for Balcombe.

Time has passed, and my family’s ties with Gumlu have long been broken. A lot of people that I knew in the Army now live in North Queensland. Most of them know Gumlu, and some go fishing at Molongle Creek. In 1959 though, Gumlu was so remote from Balcombe that it might as well have been on the moon. I often smile at the memory of the looks of disbelief on the faces of people then who enquired after my origin and who now know that I spoke nothing but the truth in response.

Bob Hore Bruce Jurss

I first met Bob at Singleton approximately July or August 1966. He hadn’t long returned from 12 months in Vietnam with 1 RAR. The 1 RAR Band was disbanded and Bob, along with other members such as Ted Bromfield, Les Tait, Ted Harley, Clive Scragg, Bill Quirk, Bob Novice and Marty Robbins, were posted to the RAA Band at Singleton. I am not sure of several names I have written and apologize if I have missed or added one or more, as many would come and go over a short period of time. I had been at Singleton for four months prior. The Band ‘singlies’ lived in a 16 man hut with four bandies in each cubicle. Most married band members lived in the hut next door. Bob moved into the cubicle opposite me. Each mans small area consisted of a single bed, a metal locker, a ‘percy’ desk, a chair and a metal trunk under the bed. That was my home for three years although we were often away. Bob was a Bombadier/Corporal and in those days at Singleton there was a big gap between a corporal and a digger. Bob was always strict but fair. He would often come home from the staff boozer after 2200hrs. The lights were usually out when he arrived home and Bob was a stickler for being considerate to the diggers, so he would never turn a light on. Everyone would hear him coming as he bumped his way along the lockers to his bed space. He would then attempt to unlock his locker. This was done by sitting on the bed, lighting matches and then try to fit the key to the lock. He would use up to half a box of matches, was rarely successful and would fall asleep on his bed. However, he was always one of the first up before 0600hrs. Not long after 3RTB was established it also trained Infantry Corps soldiers. I remember one of the times the Band was the enemy. We were placed in the bush close to camp in small groups and the Trainees had to find and capture us. Bob, myself, and one other (just arrived 17 year old Bandie, ex adult trainee who turned out to be one of Bob’s favourites) made up one group. We had bandannas tied around our heads and we each had old 303’s with 10 rounds of blank ammunition. We had to show ourselves and fire several shots so they could see and hear we were the enemy. I remember the other bloke with us put small pebbles in his rifle and tried to shoot a rabbit. I also remember thinking that Bob being a big bloke didn’t appear too fit, so we would be soon caught and our day over. Anyway, when a section of trainees appeared we jumped up and fired. While they appeared to be in shock Bob yelled “They’re not %@#!%# catching me” and ran behind a yama with the other bloke and I at his heels, but we couldn’t catch him. I never out ran him all day and we were all completely stuffed at days end, and no rabbits. One day Bob was inspecting the morning Band Parade, which was always a thorough inspection, including every gaiter buckle. All Duty NCO’s had to do this. This particular day I was the worst dressed and felt his wrath in my face. The next day I thought I was dressed exactly the same. He told me my dress was much improved and handed me my first stripe, then informed me I would be taking the extra drill parade on the company parade ground at 1630 that afternoon.

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Over the years I have been involved with many guards of honour, including some where most band members were unavailable. The very first of these was at Singleton. It was probably on a weekend the Band wasn’t working as the married members had gone home to Sydney for the weekend, and several ‘singlies’ had leave passes (compulsory) and were out of the area. A runner came to the lines and told us the Band had to be at the Guard Room immediately. Bob was the senior rank there and quickly organized us. It was a bit of a mad rush to get dressed into ‘battle dress’ (ceremonial), run to the Band room and march quickly (a fair distance) to the Guard Room to form up behind the Guard. It was the first time I had seen more in the Guard than in the Band, and also the first time I had done a job with no Bandmaster or Drum Major. There were five in the front rank and two (Bob directing us on bass drum) in the rear rank. I can still remember thinking “What is a tenor horn doing in the front rank?”. I think it was Bob Novice (being the only cornet) in the rear rank with Bob Hore. Was it ‘Scipio’ for the salute and ‘Early one morning’ for the inspection? I’m not sure. The (inspecting) officer, his aide and the host (officer) inspected the Guard and Band, and then moved off. The Guard fell out to the Guard Room and Bob fell the Band out. He looked at each one of us with that little grin he has and said ‘Well done’. At the time we all thought we had done something amazing and Bob’s two words of praise (coming from him) really meant something to us. Bob’s favourite place in town was the Imperial Hotel and I believe that is where he first met Sylvia, as she worked there. Many a good night was had by many Bandies at the ‘Impy’ over the years, and years later at their home in Singleton Heights. There are so many memories one can’t put into words.

When you have to go…. Bruce Jurss

I have a reputation as a ‘waffler’, especially after 20 minutes at the pub. My Army peers say that the standard of conversation rapidly deteriorates when I’m around. This happened in an era which really wasn’t that long ago. Men were paid more than women for doing the same job, also those in the Army. It was very hard for a single soldier to get permission to live out. They didn’t have to pay to live in and married soldiers received more pay to compensate for living out. Many wives and families would live in cities or towns (some in other states), far from the barracks as married quarters were scarce. Single female soldiers had to be back in barracks by 11.00pm on a week night and by 1.00am on weekends. (6.00am weekdays and weekends for males) The voting age was 21 and in civvy street in Queensland (not sure of other states) women were not allowed in a public bar. I remember well a female friend who when turning 21 (then the drinking age in Queensland) chained herself to the public bar and it took two big policemen several hours to cut her free and take her away. From more than one experience when a bloke was caught underage in a pub, the policeman (of many names) would drag you out by the neck and give you a big kick up the backside. I was born in Townsville and age and shifted to Halifax 6 months later. The population of Townsville was around 30,000 (now 185,000) but that didn’t include the 30,000 plus USA servicemen that were based there. Halifax had a population of 800 with most men being involved with seasonal work in the sugar industry, which was hard yakka. The average family lived in a tin house (corrugated iron) with tin windows held open by a stick, wood stove, ice chest etc. Many men and some women were also veterans from one or both World Wars and the Korean War. These people had a big effect on my life. Some lived with horrendous wounds, with body parts and/or limbs missing, but had returned to the cane fields and sugar mills to work.

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Coming from a strict family upbringing, strict discipline at school, several years with the ATC and Army Cadets, having many veterans as friends, fishing buddies and work mates may have helped me adjust to Army life. Some had advised me to become a cook or to join the band. So, off to Kapooka via train taking two nights and one day from Ingham to Brisbane (2nd class sitter), 24 hours at Ashgrove sleeping on pallyasses (we filled with straw) in large tents. Getting chucked out of 3 pubs for being underage, propeller plane (Constellation?) to Sydney and bus to 1 RTB Kapooka (Wagga Wagga). I have never travelled by train since, except on duty (including a band tour by train) and I avoid buses/coaches like the plague. Some 1,150 recruits had arrived at Kapooka earlier that day and were housed in new 3 story brick buildings and also housed in huts similar to those at Enoggera, Holsworthy and Balcombe, at that time. After our gear was issued and the welcome speeches and STD lectures were over another mob of us (D & E Coy) were marched past these buildings at night to Silver City. Silver City was a group of small tin hangar shaped huts with gaps in the walls and floors which the wind would easily blow through. The huts were on a hill distant from the main accommodation and facilities area of Kapooka and would be our home for 10 weeks. That first night there were 65 in our platoon. During the time were there nine from the platoon were discharged and we numbered 56 when we marched out. Our platoon was part of E Coy and I think we were the last E Coy to march out from 1 RTB as 3 RTB Singleton was to open. We marched into Silver City at 2300hrs and all crashed shortly after. At 0530 next morning an angry man (a SGT) was standing over me yelling “Get yar guts ouside, yar got 3 seconds”. We did PT at 0530 every morning wearing long khaki Army shorts, white singlet and white sandshoes. It was my first real experience of being very cold and I got my first nickname ‘Vita Budgie’ during the very first session. After PT we had to shower and were allowed to go to the toilet. Going to the showers you were allowed to wear an Army towel, had to wear sandshoes and carry your toilet bag. The showers and shaving basins were in a large tin shed with only one inside wall between the basins and the showers. The queue was long and once inside you shaved or showered side by side and when showering could either look at the wall or the row of blokes showering on the other side, or the blokes either side. This came as a bit of a surprise but I got through it without dropping the soap. The toilet used by E Coy was in another tin shed with no outer doors, no inside doors, no inside walls or partitions of any kind. There were five toilets on one side and four on the other (no lids). Again, the queue was long and when I finally got inside I had a quick look around and just walked straight through and out the other side. Back at my hut the other guys were preparing to get dressed. This was another eye opener for me. I had never seen a bloke powder, spray or splash on themselves what I thought was perfume. I was concerned about the type of blokes I had been put in with. My father (a cane cutter) would go through the serious and time consuming ritual of shaving and using Vaseline in his hair once a month when he went to the Buffaloes, and I had only had my first shave at Ashgrove 24 hours earlier. I still had the wounds to prove it. I was used to Solvol and Sunlight soap and this was my first experience of people using more up market gear. Several days later I just had to go to the toilet and this time chose to do so at night and fully dressed. The queue hadn’t got any shorter. When I finally found a spare toilet I noticed the blokes sitting very close on either side of me were reading in the dark. I could see the outline of the people on the other side and the person straight across was smoking. I found a newspaper on the floor and also pretended to read. Nothing seemed to bother me after that! Everything had to be done in 3 seconds or at most 3 minutes. Before daylight the Sergeant would be yelling “Get yar guts outside, yar got 3 seconds”, or later if in a queue or in the toilet or shower, he would be yelling “Get yar guts outside, yar got 3 minutes”. This meant you had to get back to the hut and on parade, dressed, in 3 minutes for whatever was to come, such as drill or weapons lessons or range practice etc. We had our issued rifles with us (bolts in the Q Store) most of the time. During Mess, PT or showering the rifle would be locked in a very narrow one door locker

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beside your bed. My first rifle was 611538, but that is the only rifle number of many that I can remember. I did get best OMC (Owen) shot in my platoon but years later I still couldn’t shoot straight with a SLR unsupported. Sometimes I would have to fire over 120 rounds before I could qualify, ending the day with a sore shoulder and swollen cheek. Thank goodness for the Steyr. After the first 5 weeks we had 4 days off. We were to have weekend leave after that but someone had a fight in town so we had a closed camp for the remainder of our time there. We spent one day travelling in polys by bus to Canberra and spent a short time at Parliament House and the remainder of the day at the War Memorial. I made it t the boozer once, a long walk in the dark across yamas. The queues were very long and once you got to the bar you had to buy what you wanted to drink for the night as time would be up by the time you made it back to the bar. The beer was terrible. It was my first legal drink as the age in Queensland was still 21. The last week was spent mostly on the parade ground and maintaining the area. I had put down as my first choice to be a truck driver (Service Corps) but was told I would be going to 3 RAR at Woodside, S.A. Also that week the platoon was paraded and asked if anyone was interested in joining a band. I put my hand up and went to see the Bandmaster of the Engineers Band who got me to play a tenor horn while reading from a small tutor. My own trumpet (Chinese Melody Maker) was locked away waiting to go to Woodside. It took a while to get the pitch of the tenor horn as I had never played one, but had been playing from the same tutor for the past 11 years. He was impressed with my sight reading! There were 1400 of us who marched out and I can still remember the crunch of the leather soled boots , especially the halt in the Advance in review order. It takes a fair while for that many soldiers to do a march out parade from form up to march off. I didn’t realise at the time that in the near future this was to be one of my main jobs with Recruits and Infantry Corps Trainees marching out at Singleton every 3 months. At Singleton the actual march out parade was always good for recruits and band. We would call it the last rehearsal and there was always a good crowds of recruit’s families and locals. For ten days the Band would do platoon, company and battalion rehearsals. Using a drum corps for some rehearsals would come years later. It was the many rehearsals especially after lunch and in slow time, that would knock the recruits and the Band around. At times it really was flogging a dead horse. Travelling in many very mixed groups by train, 18 of us (all strangers) from Kapooka and Puckapunyal, met at Melbourne station to go to Balcombe in two mini buses, arriving at night. We were to live in what was known as the Married Quarters with 3 to a room. Many trials were to follow but Balcombe was paradise compared to Kapooka. Our trunks had gone before us. All I had was the polyesters I was wearing and a toilet bag which contained a safety razor, toothbrush and a bar of soap. I didn’t know my gear had gone to South Australia and had to wait 8 days for its arrival. Before I finish with Silver City I was to return to Kapooka several times including once with 1 RAR Band in 1988 to do a march out parade for one small platoon while 1 RTB Band was away. A friend and I walked across the yamas and he photographed what was left of Silver City. The huts were long gone but I easily found where my hut used to be. The toilet building was still there, now having thick canvas outer doors, and was used for gas mask training. The toilets were gone but you could still see the nine marks on the floor covering the holes where they used to be. I can still see the glow of the face of that bloke smoking in the dark. The Boy from Halifax, Nth Qld.

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MUSICAL MEMORIES - INCORPORATING MUSO’S MAILBAG By ERN TROTTER QGM

Old friend, BILL SHEEHAN rang with greetings and in true form, before our conversation concluded, he made erudite observations and caustic comment of those at the helm of the ’ship of state’. Unfortunately, Bill is not ’travelling too well’ at the moment, his activities being restricted by the recent fracture of his pelvis. He remains irascible, but some of his rapid responses lacked the ‘polished invective’ which usually highlights the strength of his convictions. Sometimes referred to as ‘der Fuhrer’, Bill’s observations have always carried the ‘ring of truth’ . . . . . Where would we be without his interesting reflections?’ He will turn 88 on the 20 Dec 10. His phone number is (02) 4681-9112. Why not give him a call and remind him that we appreciate his continued presence? Since my last correspondence, I have achieved a ‘major milestone’ in life’s journey by attaining my 80th birthday. . . . . . .‘BIG DEAL!’ Cognizant of personal excesses including the consumption of 4 large bottles of beer and 40 cigarettes per day; in a moment of ‘reason’, I concluded that I was heading for an early grave, so at age 50, I beat the ‘demons’ confronting me, the consequence of which, I have survived to become an octogenarian. . . . . . So that really makes it a ‘Big Deal!’ Any 80 year old with a caring family, may expect some form of celebration and mine was no exception. The venue for this event was ‘The Village Green’, a large pub on Springvale Rd, Mulgrave, commonly referred to as ‘the Trough’, due to its popular smorgasbord ‘cuisine’. Many relative and friends with whom one had lost contact over the years gathered to help celebrate the occasion, but most surprising was the presence of ‘Old Comrades’ from my Army days, 1951-76, and these were the ‘icing on the cake’. I was aware that TOM GILLIGAN, of Adelaide, a special Bandsman friend from recruit training days at Puckapunyal in 1951 - ‘and beyond‘, would be present, but the most un-expected guest was KEVIN KLEIN from Bundaberg, Qld, who was in Melbourne to attend a ‘Brass Symposium’ in support of his ‘budding paragon trombonist’ grandson ASHLEY CARTER (a member of the RAA Band Brisbane). Equally as welcome was STAN HOLLAND and BOB BUTCHER. All ‘bandies’ except Bob were accompanied by their wives Beverly, Judy and Lyn. It was a wonderful occasion, that ‘flashed’ pass too quickly and several days later, snippets of conversations are still being recalled with fond memories of yesteryear. Many cards were received, one of which came from CLAUDE HALE (through his wife Audrey) in Adelaide. And I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the senders for their greetings and felicitations. . . . . . and on that happy note . . . . . HOO-ROO! . . . . . . Ern T. 9 Nash St, Springvale, Vic 3171. Ph (03) 9546-5798. Email: erntro@yahoo.com.au POSTSCRIPT: To all our members and friends. A Merry Christmas and Happy Hogmanay, and . . . . . . ‘lang may your lum reek!’ Ern T.

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Papua New Guinea By Musician Justin Kennedy

On the 28th of July, I had the privilege of travelling with the Australian Federation Guard to Papua New Guinea, to perform The Last Post for a ceremony held at the Popondetta War Memorial. The purpose of the ceremony was to present medals to the remaining Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels who assisted and escorted injured Australian troops down the Kokoda Trail during World War II. After 3 hours and a near crash landing aboard Air Niugini, we arrived in Port Moresby. We were greeted by awesome tropical weather (a nice change from the cold Melbourne winter), and a local group of musicians dressed in their tribal clothing. After making it through customs, we piled into a van, locked the doors, and were whisked off to our hotel. The hotel itself was fenced off and armed with security guards, due to the high rate of crime throughout the country. At 4am on the 29th, we boarded the plane to Popendetta for the ceremony. However, the flight was delayed because somehow the toilets on the plane were locked so we couldn’t leave… (it didn’t make any sense to me either?!?!) When the toilets were finally unlocked, the plane was able to take off. The landing was just as interesting, with the landing strip seemingly a small tarmac in the middle of a large field. Upon arrival at the Popondetta War Memorial, the sun was shining, and it was extremely humid. Here, I performed the greatest Last Post of my life. Thankfully, everyone survived the heat and made it through the ceremony still standing. After the ceremony we met a few of the locals and were treated to a ceremonial dance (I even got a pen pal out of it!). Once the local kids had stripped most of the ‘shiny things’ off our uniforms we got changed and headed back to Port Moresby. The following day we went to see the Bowana War Graves just outside of Port Moresby, located at the end of the Kokoda trail. It is truly an amazing site, but really dreadful at the same time. There are so many graves there that have no names at all. I feel really honoured to have gone on this trip, but would be happy to never fly with Air Niugini again!

From the Past

22.5 Class graduation

Back Row, Norm Brewer, Chris Morris, Ralph Newman

Front row, "Perry" Mason, Brent Parry, Ian McLean, Ian Milne

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4MD Band members at the time of the Australian Army Band Corps 6th birthday

AABC Birthday Luncheon – Adelaide 2010

(Members in no particular order) David McCormack, Ian Stone, John Strickland, "Paddy" Coulter, Derek Holland, Bruce Mcdonald, Steve Williams, Ron Williams, Geoff Whitman, Rick McKay, Jack Robertson, Eric Anderson, Frank Carga, Scott Gourlay, Max taylor, Bob Chaimberland, Ken Anderson, Alf Head, Bob Carnes, Wally Williams, Claude Hale, Graham Lloyd, Stuart Collins, David Brookes, Maurie Brown, Barry Angas, Des Pinson, Bob Sims, Rodney Sandercock, John Vale, Bob Johnson, Greg Rush, Ron Leonard, John Hooper

Max Taylor, Geoff Whitman

Margie Whitman, Allison Steer, Helen Taylor & Betty McSween

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Poem Unveiling – DFSM November 2010

Editor – Stuart Colhoun

The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the contributors and do not reflect the official position of the AABC Association Incorporated, unless otherwise stated. The Editor reserves the right to decide on the publication of any article or item for any edition of Noteworthy.

Phone: 03 5367 8351 E-Mail: sepmc@iprimus.com.au Mail to: 5 Hammond Circuit HOPETOUN PARK VIC 3340

Brigadier J.J. Shelton and Bill Honter MUSN Curtis Wilcox, SGT Ben Fixter, MUSN Cameron Howlett

Pat Steer and Brigadier Mark Bornholt Pat Steer and Allison Steer

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APPENDIX 1

APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP OF THE AUSTRALIAN ARMY BAND CORPS ASSOCIATION INC.

I, (name)…………………………………………….…, of (address)…………………………………………………………….…………….............. desire to become a member of the Australian Army Band Corps Association Inc. Phone (Bus): ………………..…. Phone (AH): …………………… Mobile: …………..…..…… Email: ……………………………………………………………... Fax: ……………………… Date of Birth: ………………………Spouse/Partner Name: ……………..………………………. . Service No: ……………………. Bands/units served in and dates: ………….……………...….. ………………………………………………………………………………………….………............. In the event of my admission as a member, I agree to be bound by the rules of the Association for the time being in force. ………………………….. ……………………. Signature of Applicant Date I, (name) ………………………………………….., a member of the Association, nominate the applicant, who is personally known to me, for membership of the Association. …………………………. ……………………. Signature of Proposer Date I, (name) ………………………………………….., a member of the Association, second the nomination of the applicant, who is personally known to me, for membership of the Association. ………………………….. ……………………. Signature of Seconder Date Forward completed application to: Mr Kevin Noon

Hon Secretary AABC Association Inc. 9 Dennis Place JERRABOMBERRA NSW 2619

Office Use: Committee Notified: Date Ratified: Details in Register: Category: Entrance Fee Paid: Annual Subscription Paid: Receipt:

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