4 Field Regiment (SVN) 'Old Boys' Newsletter - June 2010

12 Since Anzac Batesy has taken his boat up to the Abrolhos Islands, off Geraldton, along with two of his business partners and Moe. They spent a couple of weeks up there and from all reports had a ball, diving every day and catching plenty of crayfish. Ron says the two days they dived on the wreck of the Batavia were the highlight. Alge and Wendy Sukys are heading to England in August to trek from one side of the country to the other. Wendy has a few reservations about the trek but Spooks is confident she'll enjoy it. A lot of the guys will remember Wendy from the Townsville RSL, where she was a barmaid. Ron and Cheryl Fritchley are holidaying in Broome at the moment before heading down to Exmouth where they usually catch up with Dave and Theresa Drabble who take their boat there for a few months every year. Wendy and I are travelling north to warmer weather next week and hope to catch up with the Fritchleys in Broome early August, on our way back from Kununurra, then the Drabbles in Exmouth in September. One time we will have to head over your way and catch up again. Regards, Darryl. PS. Hadn't noticed how many of the guys were sporting grey beards till you pointed it out, might as well grow it where you can I suppose! Mick Long’s thoughts on their trip to Perth After a couple of very pleasant days at Margaret River and driving up the coastline towards Perth, Mick Long and Lance Grimstone arose in the early hours on Anzac Day to take a brisk walk up to Kings Park for what turned out to be a memorable dawn service. They had not experienced an Anzac Dawn Service with such breathtaking views as the sun came up behind the Memorial. There were many thousands of people sharing this with them. Later the boys eventually met up with Moe Armstrong, Ron Bates, Dave Drabble, Darryl Cooper, HK Smith, Rick Liddelow, Ian Jonno Johnson, Ron Fritchley, Col Munford, Elge Sukys and Chris Dunkley for the march and then were joined by the better halves at a hotel in town where we shared many happy memories and many drinks. A good day was had by all. On Monday, Ron and Sue Bates very generously arranged for quite a number of us to join them on ‘The Club’, their fantastic boat, on a trip to Rottnest Island where we were moored off the island and enjoyed yet more drinks and delicious nibblies. We all then disembarked via the tender which took us to the island itself and we all enjoyed lunch together… more drinks! A very enjoyable day with some wonderful friends. The reunion came to an end on the Tuesday after a fabulous BBQ lunch at Dave Drabbles’ and in the evening another delicious BBQ at Moe and Arda Armstrong’s, where George and Mary Allingame joined us. It was an honour to be in the company of such wonderful people and we sincerely thank them for their very generous hospitality.