A
Letter from Down-Under
The National
Malaya & Borneo Veterans Association Australia Inc. has its National
Headquarters in Canberra, the National Capital of Australia. Branches are
established within each State plus the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).
Members in the Northern Territory are attached to the South Australia (SA)
Branch. Within these Branches there are Sub Branches in the States of
Victoria (Vic), New South Wales (NSW), Queensland (Qld) and Tasmania (Tas). Our
current National membership is roughly 1000 in round figures.
Members are
very active in the various States where Memorial Services are conducted and new
plaques are being added to monuments to ensure our campaigns are remembered. The
ACT Branch coordinates the annual National Sandakan Remembrance Ceremony on the
29th of May every year. On this date in 2005 a new Sandakan Memorial will be
unveiled and dedicated in the grounds of the spectacular Australian War
Memorial. The AWM is a must see on any visit to Australia.
In Victoria
the NMBVAA Branch have worked hard to have a memorial park established in the
City of Geelong and this is the focus of their memorial celebrations.
A new
Memorial to the Australian Ex-Prisoners of War was opened on 6th of February
2004 in the old gold mining city of Ballarat. This memorial lists the names of
all POWs from all conflicts in which Australia has been involved. It is a very
impressive memorial to those who suffered and perished in this environment.
Again well worth a visit when in Australia.
Complementing
the Ex-POW memorial is a memorial stone to all those who perished on the POW
ship the Montevideo Maru. Tragically, this ship was sunk by an American
submarine USS Sturgeon while it was moving POWs from The Philippines to
Hainan. The vessel was targeted as a supply ship and eventually sunk with the
loss of 1056 lives. Most of these were Australian POWs.
While
Australia is obviously the best country in the world and you will all want to
come and visit us, there are also many Aussies who wish to experience the sights
and culture of overseas countries. Perhaps we, as a group of like minded people,
should look at developing closer ties between our Associations through making
contact with members in the different lands.
As a means
of getting this started I am offering to be the initial interface for the many
visitors to Australia. I will ensure that visitors are provided with an NMBVAA
contact person in the States/Territories being visited and, where possible help
make your visit to our wonderful country more rewarding.
I am sure
our colleagues in the UK, USA, South Africa and New Zealand can come up with a
similar reciprocal arrangement for visitors to their countries.
The
involvement should, in my opinion, be as a point of contact rather than a host
scenario. If individuals wish to offer enhanced support to visitors so much the
better.
I can be
contacted by email on davenpor@pcug.org.au
or by normal post to the Association address:
| We in the UK think Ian's idea is a good one and have taken it on board. Our initial contact can be through Fred Burden, UK National Membership Secretary and his wife Annie who runs our website. NMBVA UK Website address: www.nmbva.co.uk or email fredburden@hotmail.com |