Riverton RSL Club 153 High Road, Willetton - Telephone 9354 2197

Patron Hon Mike Nahan MLA, Member for Riverton

Special Bumper April/May Edition Please note: I will be away so the next newsletter will be done in early June. If you

have any information you would like included, please email Lyn Mitchell at rivertonrslwamedia@gmail.com

ANZAC Day Dawn Service The Riverton RSL held its annual Dawn Service with a huge crowd of people – young and old attending. It is estimated more than 2000 people came along to pay their respects to those who lost their lives in the service of Australia and to remember those who continue to serve our nation.

President Bill Collidge addresses the Dawn Service.

The Catafalque Party, made up of members of

the 509 Army Cadet Unit based at Lynwood Senior High School, on guard at the Riverton RSL

Memorial at the Dawn Service.

RIVERTON RSL

CLUB

News Update

25 April 2017

Lynwood SHS students with their wreath.

The Riverton RSL Memorial and Wreaths.

The Riverton RSL’s ANZAC Day also included hosting more than 100 Scouts from the Canning Sea Scout and 1st Riverton Scouts groups as well as a community concert put on by the Mucky Duck Bush Band and Two-Up being played in the car park. These activities could not have been possible without the assistance of our fantastic committee, bar staff Karl, Fran, Tash, Leonie and Phil, and Michael Truran and his team who handled all the audio set up for the big day. No doubt there are many others who helped in big and small ways and we really do appreciate your assistance.

Traditional Gunfire Breakfast The Riverton RSL is especially appreciative of the assistance provided by club members to put on the traditional Gunfire Breakfast that followed the Dawn Service. A very special thank you to the helpers who cooked and served all the food for the Gunfire Breakfast. Many of them started cooking at 4am to cater for the numbers of people attending. We sincerely appreciate the help of Vance Bond, Brendan Perkins, Bruce Greenwood, Gary Foley, Harry Wilson, Dale and Julie Skimmings, Ray Lawrence, Michael Truran, Louise and Scott Gorman, Navajan Das, Kay Collins and her grand-daughter and the many others too numerous to name.

Some of the huge crowd at the Breakfast.

Brendan Perkins and some of his team cooking up a storm on the barbecues set up in the rear carpark.

Helpers serving the many people who attended the

Gunfire Breakfast.

ANZAC Day Dinner 2017 The Riverton RSL's ANZAC Dinner is always very popular and this year's event was no different. More than 50 people joined President Bill Collidge to honour ANZAC Day, the fallen and those who continue to serve.

The members of the 51 ACU Swan Regiment Pipes and Drums welcomed guests as they arrived at the event and then entertained everyone at the dinner.

The highlight of the evening was the official unveiling of the wonderful 3D painting of The Man in the Mud undertaken by the Club's Padre, Dr Anthony French.

The Padre had seen a copy of the Australian War Memorial’s diorama and was so moved by it that he decided to paint his version of the scene and donate it to the Club. It is a wonderful piece of art that the Riverton RSL is justifiably proud of.

At the dinner, the delicious catered meal was served by the young members of the 509 ACU unit based at Lynwood Senior High School. The cadets are a popular feature of our Club dinners and do a fantastic job serving meals and clearing tables. The dinner was very successful and provided a fitting opportunity for camaraderie and reflection in lead up to ANZAC Day. We will remember them.

Club Padre Tony French with his framed painting of

The Man in the Mud.

ANZAC Day Collections Thank you to everyone who donated to the Riverton RSL's ANZAC Day collections at Southlands and Riverton Shopping Centres for veteran’s welfare.

A very special thank you to Bill and Leonie Collidge, Vance Bond and Patricia Woodrow, Ron and Lyn Mitchell, Mr and Mrs Scott, Tony Thatcher, Ron Brown, Jarrod Patullo and our Patron Mike Nahan MLA who manned our stands.

Bollywood Night #2 7pm Saturday 13 May, cost $15 per person strictly limited to 80 people only.

Riverton RSL Quiz Night 7pm for a 7.30pm start, Saturday 24 June, tickets $10 per person and tables of 6 or 8. Fun family night with Quiz Master Dean Wallace. Bring your own nibbles and drinks are available at the bar. Phone 9354 2197 to book for these events or add your name and the number of people attending to the listings pinned up at the bar.

The Australian War Animal Memorial Organisation (AWAMO) is a not-for-profit organisation set up to honour and acknowledge the service that animals have provided to our service personnel, whether they be Horses, Donkeys, Pigeons, Mules, Camels or Military Working and Explosive Detector Dogs.

Linda Scott, a Riverton RSL member, is the Western Australian Ambassador for the Australian War Animal Memorial Organisation. The AWAMO’s symbol is the purple poppy which is designed not to replace the red poppy but to be worn alongside, in the same way that the animal and handler worked – side by side.

In Australia, most of the Memorials for AWAMO are predominately in Queensland, however the first WA Memorial will be unveiled at ANZAC Cottage in Mt Hawthorn on Sunday 10th September 2017. On the 21st July 2017, the AWAMO will be unveiling a memorial at Pozieres in France. The British Forces will be sending over a horse which will be proudly wearing a horse blanket covered in purple knitted and crocheted poppies made in Australia. They are also providing 20 Military Working Dogs with Handlers and Pigeons will be released when the memorial is unveiled. Dr Brendon Nelson from the Australian War Memorial will be in attendance along with Dr Harry Cooper. Nigel Allsopp President of AWAMO will be unveiling the memorial with the Mayor of Pozieres.

The memorial is before the official Australian Memorial in Pozieres, so we are hoping that visitors to the Australian Memorial will stop at the AWAMO memorial and sit on the benches where they will have a good view of both memorials and reflect. Whilst AWAMO has only had a WA presence for a very short period of time, we are hoping that with the unveiling of the memorial at Anzac Cottage in September that our profile will be lifted and members of the community will be more aware of valuable contributions that animals have provided to our service personnel. You can support us by crocheting or knitting purple poppies for the horse rug for the unveiling of the Memorial in France in July.

A box has been placed on the desk on the left-hand side as you enter the Riverton RSL with wool supplied and a pattern that shows how to make the poppies. However, please feel free to use your own wool if you prefer. Please return your completed poppies to the box in the RSL and they will be forwarded to France to be sewn on the horse rug.

For further details, contact: Linda Scott AWAMO Ambassador for WA plscott@ozemail.com.au Telephone - 0413 416 524