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From – Theo Harris - NMBVA (Malaya
& Borneo) -
theoh@iprimus.com.au
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Well,
I’m Back in Perth after my little trip to Geelong.
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A great
time and welcome was given to me by the folks in Geelong (Victoria).
The Victorian RSL Sub/branches (I’ve
seen for myself) are good and strong, and with their “pokies”
are rich beyond our wildest little WA dreams, and can do many good
things (despite the bad publicity
the pokies get over here in WA), I am now not so strongly
against the pokie idea because it gives each individual sub branch
set-up enough financial backing to be able to stand independently, on
its own feet and not have to grovel and beg like we have to in WA. They
certainly do have the support of the local public around them. And the
“pollys” over there really do have to pay attention when their RSL
speaks.
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I have attached some
photos taken at the Geelong, RSL wreath laying service (9am), they
didn’t hold a “dawn” service this year at 6am they opted for a
“pre-dawn” service at 4am, far to early for me and I couldn’t ask my
hosts to get up that early to take me (many
of the locals also who had attended the dawn services for many years,
were very disappointed – their local newspapers and talk back radio had
a lot to say about it). At 10 am I joined the march with the
Malaya and Borneo Vets thanks to David Hughes (NMBVA
State President, Victoria) we marched (or
staggered in my case with my walking stick) through the City
of Greater Geelong on our way to Johnstone Park (11.30am), where the
main Anzac Commemoration service was held, the service was conducted by
H.K Shell, the Geelong
S/B RSL President and Olive Clemens-Palmer, the Geelong S/B RSL Senior
Vice President, and Mayor of the City of Greater Geelong, Cr
Shane Dowling, the service included a very good Honour Guard Squad
dressed in WW1 uniforms who fired a salute their WW1 Lee Enfield 303’s
and a twenty-five pounder artillery piece which was also fired in salute
during the Ceremony.
In all, a very good show was put on and well appreciated by the large
attendance of the general public of Geelong including the members of our
family over there. I’m really quite proud! And, I was in it. After
the commemoration service in Johnstone Park we were all invited (with
family – Son & Daughter in law) to join them all for the
occasion at a venue called “Cats” in Geelong where we had a lovely lunch
with our extended NMBVA family a very good chat and we also had a go at
the pokies (first time ever!)
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