4 Field Regiment (SVN) 'Old Boys' Newsletter - May 2013 Edition

1 4 TH FIELD REGIMENT (SVN) ASSOCIATION AKA 4TH FIELD REGT OLD BOYS NEWSLETTER NO 22 – MAY 2013 Correspondence to: Peter Bruce, 7 River Oaks Drive, Kendall NSW 2439 Email: pjbruce8@bigpond.net.au Tele: 02 6559 4413 Mobile: 0419 349 317 G’day to one and all, ANZAC Day throughout Australia seems to get bigger and better. Must be something happening! Did you see the figures for those attending Dawn Services – 45,000 in Melbourne and 50,000 in Perth? Amazing but it does show the respect Australians have for all veterans from all eras. A few of us got together here in Laurieton (more on that later) and one of the things discussed was what direction do we take with our association. One proposal was ‘get as many together as possible and spend all our funds on one last party’. However we have decided to keep going as is for the time being as none of us are getting younger and there may be a time when we can really look back at our time together and gain some inspiration from each other. So, we have decided to put out one newsletter per year for the time being and see how it goes. If anyone has any ideas on our future then please put pen to paper. Gabby Hayes is still looking after our funds but has moved and is in temporary digs at the moment so delete any past address you have for him. Currently we have $2502.44 in the kitty plus a term deposit of $5000.00 which matures in October. We will probably roll that over again unless someone has any other suggestions. Apart from printing costs for this, and postage etc, we don’t have too many other outgoings. I look forward to hearing of any proposals for either our old boys association or the funds we hold. While on the subject of ANZAC Day, would anyone like to propose a venue for 2014? I know a lot of the gun batteries move their reunions around the country and it is a way of involving many of our mates who for whatever reason, can’t travel too much. I also tend to agree with Gabby (see below) that many of our members associate more with sub units (ie the batteries) rather than the unit (4 Fd Regt). If you have any thoughts on the matter, send them to me and we can kick the idea around via emails etc. I received an email last August regarding Chris Sutcliffe. Many were helpful in tracking him down including Swifty who found out he is living in a caravan somewhere in the north of WA. Anyone ever come across him? I have collected a few photos over the years of our time in SVN but am always on the lookout for more. I would really appreciate any ‘people’ photos if you would like to send them to me. One day I will put them all together and share with one and all. I’ve got more than enough photos of guns, Baria theatre and tents etc so only people photos – with names if you can. From Gabby Hayes I went into town for ANZAC day and was very disappointed – the banner (4 Fd) turned up but no one to march behind it. I don’t know who made the arrangements if anyone did. It appears that I was the only one there. I ended up with the A Bty contingent. I feel that that is the way it’s going. Everyone relates more to the sub unit these days rather than the Regt. On the whole a good day with strong turnouts for 101, A and 105. Kev Browning was there – don’t know who he was with probably 131. Gabby