4 Field Regiment (SVN) 'Old Boys' Newsletter - May 2017 Edition

2 The ceremony will take place at 1100 hours and 106 Battery First Tour members are invited to join 7RAR for lunch at the Bells Hotel, 157 Moray Street, South Melbourne after the ceremony. You must let Ben (0429 880 027 or creswickben20@gmail.com) or John Godfrey (0418 670 857 or jpg197@bigpond.net.au ) know if you are attending the lunch for obvious reasons. David John Holmes Davey died back in March at his home in Canberra. His funeral was held on the 12 th of April and was a fitting send off to “Egg on Legs”. Bdr David John HOLMES born 2 August 1942, enlisted in the British Army as a boy soldier in December 1957. He served in the Royal Artillery with the British Army on the Rhine, Hong Kong and Borneo. In July 1969, he transferred and enlisted in the Royal Australian Artillery and served with 107 Battery in Townsville, Vietnam and again in Townsville as Operator Command Post Field Bdr then as FO Assistant to Warren Feakes as call sign 12 Alpha. He was known as 'Egg'. After posting from 107 Battery he served as a sergeant instructor at the School of Artillery North Head, HQ I Brigade Enoggera, then as WO2 instructor at the School of Artillery and at PE&E Port Wakefield. Taking his discharge in June 1990, he lived a secluded life on a cattle property at Bollards Lagoon in SA, some 35 kms from Cameron's Corner, the junction of NSW, Qld, and SA boarders. In 2011, his health deteriorated and he moved to Canberra for constant medical treatment, becoming considerably worse over recent times, although this death on 11 March 2017 was a surprise, even for those close to Dave. The RAA was everything to Dave and he was a life member of the 107 Battery (Black Sheep) Association. Davey was a good friend of Gary Jones, Chris Reid (ex 106) and myself. We went on many fishing trips together and told too many lies but had some wonderful times together. The three of us went down to Canberra for Davey’s funeral. Warren Feakes did the eulogy and passed on condolences from many old mates who had contacted Warren. Al Green also shared some stories of Davey as part of the Green family. Davey had been actively involved with the sporting clubs that Al and Joyce’s son David had been involved with and many of them were there to say their good byes to Davey Holmes. (Thanks to Hilton Lenard and 107 Battery Association for some of the information on Davey) Alan Teichmann We had a death of a 106 Field Battery 1967/68 Veteran, Alfred (Alan) Teichmann,. Alan was a National Serviceman and served on Charlie Howitzer as a gun number. Alan was a physical fitness fanatic having a huge statue, and he loved to try to outdo the US Gunners by lifting their 175mm shells while doing Guard Duty at the 1/83rd Heavy Battalion unit. Alan revelled in his time with 106 Battery and in the last few years he persisted even while suffering from Parkinson's Disease in joining 106 Veterans at the ANZAC DAY and Vietnam Veteran's Day parades to the Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance using his walking frame. Alan's funeral was attended by 7 Victorian 106 Battery Veterans and Neville Clark MC OAM spoke about Alan's time with the Battery during the service. Alan leaves his much beloved wife 'Stella' sadly in a nursing home suffering from Dementia. Stella's daughter Rosie and her Husband Simon Ingram organized Alan’s funeral, Simon comes from a Navy Family, his father is John Ingram OAM an ex-Navy Commander who served in the Sydney delivering men and stores to Vung Tau. Later John Captained the Melbourne and rescued 99 Vietnamese Boat people who were at the point of dying as their