4 Field Regiment (SVN) 'Old Boys' Newsletter - December 2022 Edition

Second to None – The story of the 102 nd Field Battery Royal Australian Artillery at Fire Support Patrol Base Coral in Vietnam. Many of you who wanted to buy a copy of Scrubber’s new book about Coral were disappointed to find that the first edition had sold out. Well the good news is that a second print-run should be available with the next week or two. Copies can be purchased for $30 each (which includes postage). As before, just transfer $30 per copy to account IF & ER Ahearn, BSB 082902 A/C No. 516330852. Please enter your surname and the word “Book(s)” in the reference field. Then email Ian at Ifahearn45@gmail.com to give him your postal address. Anyone who has already ordered and paid for a book will receive their order in due course, and they don’t need to take any action. Best regards to you all, Trevor Bryant. From Ron Hall (106 Bty Second Tour) Peter, Thanks so much for the funeral notices for all our mates. It has prompted me to try and contact 4 guys from our early days in Townsville. So if you have an email address that would be great. 1. Bluey Hamilton, when we first moved to Townsville in 1968/9 think he transferred to the MPs 2. George Stevenson, we were in Wacol together and travelled with the guns to Townsville on the train, then returned to Wacol to pick up our belongings and drive back to Townsville in late 1968 from memory. 3. Don Anderson 106 driver in Townsville and Vietnam. 4. Dave Larter, we drank beer together everywhere in Townsville. I lost touch with everyone for years in the regiment, as on arrival home in Sydney on the freedom bird I had effectively Corps transferred to RA Sigs. So I went on leave then straight to Watsonia for Corp training and technical training. That technical training set me on an incredible career in electronics and computing engineering for the rest of my life…. A whole other story spending my life either working with DOD or Customs. Never ever forgot my roots as a gunner and F.O. Sig. (Can you imagine me working with all the young single women in RA Sigs, ended up marrying one of them and living happily ever after). (Ron continues). Peter, Fantastic. Thanks for passing my email address on mate, you can certainly publish my email address no problem. There were a small number of us 106 guys that somehow managed to stay in touch over the years. I still enjoy their friendship to this day. It is so sad to see all our old gunners move on. After I got out, I worked with STC Data Systems in Sydney for a year then they asked me to move to their Canberra office, worked there for 2 or 3 years then was offered a job with Sperry, which I jumped at. Peter, I live in Canberra, same house we brought with the War Service loan back in the 70’s, worked as a civilian with Navy for 10 years managing their message switch in Russel Offices, then DOD in multiple sites in Canberra, managed the Security Innovation Centre at the University of Canberra then finally over to Customs in Border Protection Command as their systems engineer on a project called AMIS, where once delivered I retired probably 10 years ago. Stay safe. Regards Ron. (We were able to put Ron in touch with Dave Larter and George Stevenson. Anyone who wants Ron’s email address, just give me a shout)