Some of us have booked for Coffs ( Nights 20 and 21 Aug 24 ) .
The best way is to book directly with Pacific Bay Resort ( pacificbayresort.com.au ) Use your credit card and you can cancel up to 48 Hours prior to your booking .
There is no transfer of money until you arrive.This method will ensure you have the flexibility we all need at this stage in our lives!
Can you please keep me in the loop when you book . It is a pay as you go event but hopefully we will have a group dinner both nights so we will need numbers to allow the hotel to set up .
As you may remember we are planning a Class Gathering in Coffs Harbour (www.pacificbayresort.com.au) in 2025 but we feel the need to do another recce to confirm last years recce ( you can never do enough planning!).
Therefore, some of us are planning to go to Coffs this year. The idea of this note is to say that if anyone else is interested, please feel free to join us in Coffs Harbour, arriving Tuesday 20th Aug and departing sometime on or after thursday 22nd August 2024. Consider it a recce ‘en force’. Wives/partners are very much welcomed and encouraged as are your tents, caravans, fishing rods, golf clubs and walking shoes.
How different would this be to the one in 2025? Not too sure on the answer to that as the over-arching theme for both is one of relaxation and minimal formality. Depending on the number who indicate possible attendance we’ll at least reserve a space in the dining room/on the terrace.
Please let me know your thoughts and potential attendance.
About 20 classmates have sent through positive messages or spoken one on one about the desirability of a gathering in 2025. The level of interest is very encouraging and even though 2025 may seem to be a long way off, it is only half of the wait for the ‘normal’ 5 year reunion.
So in a nod to our ageing selves, we are biting the bullet and planning for a Class Gathering in August 2025 at Coffs Harbour. Its on!!!
A recce is planned for 20-22 November 2023, with John Elphinston, Jon Mander-Jones, Murray Smith (a Coffs local) and me. We plan to stay at The Pacific Bay Resort to look over the place. As well, we will view other venues, check out caravan parks and other places of interest.
If any of you are passing through Coffs Harbour at that time, we will be on our mobiles and would love to see you. I am sure you will see a picture or two of us hard at work and we will report back.
Happy to take on any feedback and wish us well for a fruitful recee. 🤣
A few of us attended Paddy Ryan’s long running lunch at Victoria Barracks in Sydney last Friday. An excellent event as always and added to by a dinner at the instigation of John McNamara on behalf of the out of towners. Thanks to Peter Martyn for organising the dinner venue.
In the photo . . . Paddy Ryan, Peter Martyn, Peter Jenke, Peter McCann, Duncan McInnes, Dave Goggin, Pat Cullinan, John McNamara, Steve Despoges, John Black, John Elphinston, Rod Allan, John Hands, Don Muirhead.
Hi Elph, Hope you are well ? List of major issues: • 2009 kidney tumor . Half of left kidney taken out by key hole surgery( there are issues with this procedure); • 2011 Whipple OP to remove pancreatic tumor. Note . Only alive because of CT scans after kidney OP picked up issue early; . 2011 Whipple scare hernia – fixed; • 2017 Groin hernia – fixed; • 2018 Heart Attack – 1 stent inserted; • 2018 Type 3C Diabetes diagnosis ( from Whipple OP); • 2019 two separate stomach bleeding issues ( 6 x sacks of blood transfused) Result of taking aspirin after heart attack. • Gastroscopy & Colonoscopy every year since . Happy to talk to anyone about issues. Advice to all , have regular checks and take action ASAP. Regards Gerry
A few of us were chatting at the last catch-up in Brisbane, about the possibility of having a class get-together ahead of the suggested plan to gather in NZ in December 2027. My thought was that, at this stage of our life journey, a 5 year gap between class gatherings is too large and I agreed to run an idea up the flag pole. So here it is!
I suggest that we gather in two years from now in August 2025 (two and a half years from our 50th)
This could be anywhere but as a suggestion, I propose Coffs Harbour. Coffs is half way between Sydney and Brisbane, it has an airport, better weather than many other places where classmates live, particularly in the winter months. Coffs is also a relaxed sort of a place and would fit nicely with the concept of a relaxed, informal catch up of like-minded souls.
I have attached a link to Pacific Bay Resort, a possible venue at Coffs; but others may have a better location and/or better venue in mind.
Details will develop as we gather momentum but we don’t have to stick to weekends at this stage of life so we could gather on a Tuesday and finish on the Thursday for example. Individuals may want to link in a weekend either side. Maybe we do a Long Lunch instead of a dinner, or both. This venue has a golf course as well which may be of interest to some classmates.
I’m prepared to organise the event with a bit of support on the admin side. The basis for the event – low key, everyone is welcome, relaxed and informal gathering. A few side events could be arranged and I’ll look for interested parties to help co-ordinate them.
Please let me know the level of interest by either leaving a reply in the window below, or by sending an email to rmcclassof1972@gmail.com
At the reunion in December, a number of classmates put their names down to receive a copy of their cadet record.
I can confirm from the Army Museum at Duntroon, that anyone who wishes to receive a copy of their records must apply using the procedure which can be seen by going to Anecdotes menu and scrolling down to the link under Your Cadet Record.
I also forgot to acknowledge Jim Campbell’s (Class of ’71) diligence in following this up – many thanks Jim.
Some of us may have an inclination to have a look at our cadet records. Defence now has a procedure to enable that to happen and a summary unofficial document has been put together by WO1 Peter Brown from the Army Museum Duntroon.
The document can be viewed on the website by going to the Anecdotes menu and scrolling down to the Your Cadet Record paragraph.
Please note that if you have previously asked for your records, say at the reunion last year, you will need to complete the procedure from scratch.
This does not appear to be a fully fledged, official Defence procedure so please don’t try and pick holes in the procedure itself. Instead, give it a go and let your classmates know how you got on.
RMC Class of 1972 