RAR QLD Noticeboard

The Royal Australian Regiment Association social media.

RIP: 54135 CORPORAL BRIAN EDWARD PRINGLE, 2RAR, SASR, 1RAR
Brian "Shakey" Pringle initially was a mortar man in 2RAR Malaya he then transferred to the SAS and after that to 1RAR in Vietnam

GUEST BOOK FEEDBACK: New to this and just Surfed in. Bloody good site lads. The memory bank is not real good these days, but thought I recognized some names. See you in Townsville in Jul 2012.
Rod Hooper 2RAR RAEME Jul 1969 -Jul 1971
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REUNION: '2RAR ANZAC BATTALIONS VIETNAM 1967-68, 1970-71'
From the jungles and paddies of Vietnam 1967-68 & 1970-71 to a Super-Reunion in Townsville 25-29 July 2012.
2RARA WEBSITE - UPDATED

SILENT SOLDIER FIGURINES FOR SALE
Mrs Liz Church, widow of Dave Church [12 Pl D Coy 3 RAR 67/68] wishes to sell a collection of 11 x "Silent Soldier" figurines and one slightly larger one. Liz wishes to sell them as a set and offers them at $1100.00 the lot. If genuinely interested please contact Liz, via "Dutchy" Lensing, dutchyle@bigpond.net.au who will pass on.

ANZAC CENTENARY MOTIF ('BRANDING') - STATEMENT FROM THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN REGIMENT CORPORATION
You will be aware of the criticism related to this matter reported in the press late last week, and more recently the Minister of Veterans Affairs' comments released today. The Corporation's Chairman and National President Michael von Berg has released the following statement on the Subject. Read the document here

"WHEREVER YOU ARE" (MILITARY WIVES WITH GARETH MALONE) OFFICIAL VIDEO
"This video is taken from a British series where Gareth Malone takes a group of people and turns them into a choir. This time he's taken a group of military wives, whose husbands are deployed in Afghanistan, and turned them into a choir. Gareth looks about 16yrs old but is actually in his mid-30s and a Choir master for the London Symphony Orchestra, among other things. The song is based on excerpts from letters written by the couples whilst apart and this is the beautiful result. The sentiment expressed in this song are relevant to all military families.

Click image to view online

'Duty First: 60 Years of the Royal Australian Regiment, 1948 - 2008.'
Caption: '3RAR during Exercise Talisman Sabre in 2005'

UNREST IN THE RANKS AS RETIRED TROOPS SLIDE INTO POVERTY
So the politicians have seen fit to grant themselves another pay rise. No, sorry, the Federal Remuneration Tribunal has granted them a pay rise and they have accepted its ruling. Changing the legislation to say no is apparently not an option.
by Peter Criss, a retired RAAF air vice-marshal

GUEST BOOK FEEDBACK: Wow! first time I have seen this site and it is great and lots of familiar names passing through. Thanks to all concerned.
Murray Martin (Vietnam 66/67). Leave a message here

THERE WILL BE WOMEN IN FOXHOLES
The warrior caste has been opened to females but rearguard actions still remain, writes Deborah Snow. ''I was one of the first women to do the job I did in the army and it was very tough … I was called things like ho, front bum, whore, slut, useless sheila and the word starting with 'c' that I don't say. There were times when I was threatened with physical violence.''
The Sydney Morning Herald

JUST A FAIR GO! SITUATION REPORT No 9: I was going to issue an end of year SITREP, but decided that that would be looking backwards, and be somewhat negative. We need to look to the future and 2012 will be a crucial year for our fight for "A FAIR GO' campaign. I am now convinced that OPERATION "LETTER RAID" was a great success. Many of you will have received a response from one or more politicians, albeit some of these from the politicians' staff. The point is however that the Politicians did receive our letters.
Neil Weekes
JUST A FAIR GO!

DO YOU KNOW THIS WAR HERO'S FAMILY?
The Parliamentary Secretary for Defence, Senator David Feeney, today called on RSLs, historians and ex-servicemen and women to come forward if they know the next-of-kin of 12 brave Australian servicemen who died in World War II prisoner of war camps.

MEET 12 DANGEROUS SNAKES THAT ALL CALL QUEENSLAND HOME
Queensland has 88 land snakes, and some of them are considered capable of killing humans

SURVIVAL RATES RISING FOR MOST CANCERS IN AUSTRALIA
Cancer death rates are falling in Australia even as incidences rise of lung cancer in women and prostate cancer in men, according to research published today in the Asia-Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology.
... Professor Olver said the far greater incidence of cancer than a subsequent death rate was good news, as it showed "increasing success in cancer control. This can be both due to better treatments but also early detection of those cancers with population screening programs; breast, cervix and bowel cancer. The participation rates for cervix and breast cancer which have proven successful in reducing cancer deaths are still lower than the ideal. The bowel screening program has the lowest participation rate of all but that is because it really only consists of sporadic testing of three age groups and this highlights that it should be a priority for Government to complete this program and drive the bowel cancer death rates down further."

LONG TAN TO AFGHANISTAN DOCUMENTARY LAUNCHED
The Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, Warren Snowdon, has welcomed the release of a new documentary Long Tan to Afghanistan, to be launched at Gallipoli Barracks in Brisbane (26 Nov) tomorrow. The documentary is a powerful, insightful journey into the lives of the soldiers of Delta Company 6RAR ahead of their deployment to the Mentoring Taskforce in Afghanistan, their families at home and the heart-wrenching impact of war. The documentary makes comparisons between the battle of Long Tan in 1966 and contemporary warfare in Afghanistan, through the eyes of veterans, young soldiers, and the families who support our troops from back home. Mr Snowdon said Long Tan to Afghanistan gives Australians an insight into the motivations and emotions felt by our Australian Defence Force members in the lead up to deployment to Afghanistan.

CAN YOU HEAR AUSTRALIA'S HEROES MARCHING? - AUSTRALIAN ARMY TRIBUTE
A short tribute to the soldiers of the Australian Army, past and present. The opening text is taken from the poem 'In Flanders Fields' by John McCrae. The text at the end of the video is taken from the poem 'For the Fallen' by Laurence Binyon. Music: 'Can you hear Australia's heroes marching?' By Peter Barnes

AUSSIE SMART RIFLE ANCILLARIES DISPLAYED AT AUSA
Thales showed an Australian plug-and-play rifle system at the AUSA expo in Washington last month. ADM

REPORT ON THE REVIEW INTO THE TREATMENT OF WOMEN AT THE AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE ACADEMY
By Elizabeth Broderick Sex Discrimination Commissioner Australian Human Rights Commission

A MESSAGE FROM ONE OF OUR WOUNDED WARRIORS IN GERMANY, CPL LUCAS BOY'E
Thanks to everyone that has been passing on their best wishes for me and also which I extended to the other six Australians I am with. At this point in time as I write this letter all seven Aussies are still in Germany, and are doing well. We are all overwhelmed with the support coming from everyone back home and are very appreciative.
Thanks again.
CPL L.W. Boy'e

REST IN PEACE: MICK BERRIGAN: THE LAST VIETNAM VICTIM, 7RAR
He landed in Vietnam in April 1967 and took a hit in November ahead of an attack on a Viet Cong camp 1km east of Nui Toc Tien. Australian guns were called in to soften up the camp and five of the six shells hit. The other exploded against a tree 50m from Pte Berrigan and shrapnel from it tore through his skull and his brain.

AUSTRALIAN MARINES TO FLEX MUSCLES
AUSTRALIA'S first batch of dedicated amphibious soldiers or "marines" will be ready to sail off to war when the navy's new landing ship enters service early next year. More than 1000 infantry troops from the Townsville-based 3rd Brigade are being trained in amphibious operations and up to 350 will be at sea permanently from 2014 when two massive 27,000 tonne landing helicopter dock ships (LHDs) are due to enter service as part of a new era of "power projection". The former Royal Navy 16,000 tonne Bay Class landing ship Largs Bay, purchased by Australia for $100 million to become HMAS Choules, is the first of the three new vessels to arrive and will be ready for low-level amphibious operations next year.
The battalion will be broken into three combat teams of about 350 troops each. One team will be at sea virtually full-time, one will be in lead-up training and the third will be resting.

AFGHANISTAN: A REVEALING ARMY REPORT
I've just finished reading Colonel Peter Connolly's account of his time in command of the ADF's Second Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force in Uruzgan between May and December 2009. 'Counterinsurgency in Uruzgan 2009' reads a lot like an edited post-operation report and its great to see an Australian Army officer writing about his combat experience for a public audience. The report is put out by the Land Warfare Studies Centre within Army, whose mandate is to 'raise the level of professional and intellectual debate within the Army'. By James Brown

NO SIGN IN FOR DIGGERS AT NSW RSL CLUBS
WAR veterans will be able to enter RSL clubs in NSW without having to sign in at the front counter.

DENTS IN THE SOUL
DVD dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Frightening and overwhelming traumatic experiences can have a strong impact on your mind and emotions.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is an anxiety disorder and is one of a range of psychological reactions you can have to a traumatic incident. PTSD can be distressing with negative consequences for your health and wellbeing.
It can affect anyone, but there is help available. Read more

We Were Soldiers Once … The Decline of the Royal Australian Infantry Corps? This provocative article questions the use of the Infantry Corps in the current high-tempo period of deployments, asking if the Infantry is being used to its full potential. The author claims (in 2008) to represent the views of frustrated Royal Australian Infantry members who feel that they are not being employed to their full potential in current operations. Read the complete article: Australian Army Journal Vol 5 No.1 Autumn 2008 pg. 39

DEFENCE HONOURS AND AWARDS APPEALS TRIBUNAL: INQUIRY INTO RECOGNITION FOR MEMBERS OF RIFLE COMPANY BUTTERWORTH FOR SERVICE IN MALAYSIA BETWEEN 1970 AND 1989
In conclusion and in light of its findings the Tribunal makes the following recommendations: Recommendation 1: No change should be made to the medallic entitlements which currently attach to service with Rifle Company Butterworth in the period 1970 to 1989; and Recommendation 2: No change should be made to the medallic entitlements which currently attach to service with any other unit of the ADF at Butterworth in the period 1970 to 1989 or since 1989. Professor Dennis Pearce AO. 18th February 2011

BUDGET 2011-12 DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS: HTML PDF

BLOG: BATTLE OF LONG TAN
Jack Kirby – An Unsung Hero of the Battle of Long Tan

2/4RAR 1973-1995 40TH ANNIVERSARY CENTRED ON 15 AUGUST 2013, TOWNSVILLE, QLD.

RIFLEMANS' LUNCH: FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH - MOOLOOLABA SURF CLUB
POC: Kevin Lynch 0416 275 504

DIGGERS LUNCH: LAST FRIDAY EACH MONTH - GAYTHORNE RSL
POC: Ken Cullen (07) 3289 4052

SLIDESHOWS/PHOTOGRAPHS