4 Field Regiment (SVN) 'Old Boys' Newsletter - February 2018 Edition

4 From Gabby Hayes (our ‘Treasurer’). Mate bank totals valid today as follows: Term deposit $5901.46 - becomes due again on 3 Oct 2018, and Everyday $1119.64. No change since last statement. Don't get wet at the headland (inhouse joke). Gabby. Ed. I had a call from Gabby the other day about all the old records he has been keeping over the years. They go back some 20 plus years so I told him to bin the lot and only keep the previous years statements etc. We have very little movement in balances as we no longer chase subs and the only change is interest and a bit Gabby puts in himself to keep our account current. As we are not a registered organisation, we don’t have to comply with any auditing or welfare spending regulations. Our only reporting is to you the old boys and the message we are getting at the moment is to continue as is. Appreciate any feedback and see the note from Punta below. If we ever decide to disband, we can either pass on our funds to 4 th Regiment Regimental funds or an appropriate charity. Pete. From Denis Pfundt . Hi all. Best wishes for the festive season. Has any thought been given to perhaps donating some or all of that term deposit fund to a worthy charitable cause? On the face of it we're never going to need it, and if ever funds were required, I'm sure we could all come up with another "fitty." each to replenish the pot. Punta. Ed. Thanks Punta. Yes we (well, a few of us who got together one ANZAC Day) have discussed the future of our funds etc. At this stage we will continue to roll things over and see what the future brings. Pete. From Barry and Lynne Ward . Merry Christmas. Wishing you all the best and a Happy New Year 2018. Barry & Lynne From another Bill Smith . Hi Peter, although we have not met, we do have an affinity of sorts. I fully understand how you must ponder when there is a lack of response to your welcome notes. I have a similar problem in estimating how many of my classmates from Dec 1953 appreciate receiving a monthly 4-page Newsletter! It’s OK, they confirm every so often that they look forward to it. Hence this letter from one of the originals. Marching in from 102 Lt Bay RAA in Holsworthy as a keen but disgruntled senior Lt to fill the appointment as a Tp Comd in the new 103 Bty RAA in an emerging 4th Fd Regt RAA in Wacol in mid-June 1969 should have been easy - but it wasn’t. The very conservative newly appointed CO, Lt Col Jack Studdert, dismissed my extensive five years experience as a field gunner and pointed to my high grading on an AA Regimental Officers Gunnery Course with one year employment as an Australian Trials Officer in a UK Joint Services Trials unit in Salisbury/Woomera for Thunderbird and Bloodhound trials as clear evidence that I needed to repeat the field version of the 3 month Regimental Officers Gunnery Course before I could take my Troop to Malaya! While at the S of A earning an elusive “A” pass, in my absence I was replaced in 103rd Bty by Captain Peter Badcoe RAA (later to be our revered Maj Peter Badcoe VC, R Aust Inf). Thus my unnecessary trip to the school earned me a loss in gaining early operational experience, an unexpected transfer to Adjt 5 Fd Regt at Kelvin Grove/ Ipswich, a further two years wait and need to again qualify to attend the Royal Military College of Science in Shrivenham UK -combined with a career- long a distaste for field gunnery politics. However, I never lost the pride in joining 4th Field Regiment or the young officers that I was privileged to introduce into the wonderful world of Artillery. I speak with affection of the then recently commissioned 2Lts Barry Campton and Pat Marshall-McCormack, colleagues Phil Burns and others. They created the spirit that following generations may have identified as the genesis of 4th Fd Regt. Throughout my extensive career I met a number of, and served with, former 4th Field gunners and NCOs (some promoted to commissioned rank) and would agree with that sort of rating. I maintained close contact