Recent email from Steve Jones:

I Recently I hosted Norm Goldspink (95 years old) and Colin Fischer (91 years old) to watch the video of the 2022 RMC Graduation Parade. I had lined Norm up to attend the parade but he decided that he was not up to it a couple of days beforehand, which was disappointing but understandable. So I decided to get him to my house to watch it. I also invited Colin Fischer (my father-in-law) who was the Bandmaster at our Graduation but was not at RMC at the same time as Norm. Colin was posted there in June 1972 and of course Norm left at the end of 1971.

They enjoyed the parade. They commented on the fact that the graduates all carried swords. Colin commented that he thought the tempo was too high, which he said made it hard to march to the music. Norm is not impressed with dressing – now done by marching as against “shuffling” in our day. They both commented that it was a very good spectacle, which is what it was all about really. We all recognised that the cadets on parade had nowhere near the amount of drill practice that we had, given the short course by comparison and the emphasis now on more general military training in all classes.

While Colin and Norm didn’t work together in our time, they did know each other from earlier days when Colin, as a Warrant Officer Bandmaster at the then Southern Command Band, had provided musicians to the RMC Band and he had stayed in the Sergeants Mess at Duntroon. Of course they also dealt with each other when Norm returned to Duntroon and Colin was still the Bandmaster.

All in all it was a good two hour experience enjoyed by the three of us.

Royal Military College – Duntroon, Australian Army | Canberra ACT | Facebook     posts, RMC Graduation Parade  vimeo

Above is the link to the parade video.”

As an aside, Norm was at at Jim Molan’s funeral. He came into the Protestant side and sat down. It was great to see that a couple from the class of 1971 came and got him and presumably took him to the Catholic side where the Service was conducted as a mark of respect.

The Sydney crew gathered in Sydney today for our quarterly chat at the class ordained watering hole, Club York. Apart from many others celebrating Paddy’s day it was also the day that John McNamara chose to visit the big smoke. No better reason to get together.
This year we welcome the Sydney members of the class of 68 who reside in NSW.

L to R
Front: Allan,  Duncan, Paddy, Peter
Rear: David Taylor 68, Peter Lawrence 68/69, Gerry, Don, Bert Flynn 68, John Mac, Rowen, Dave, Steve, Peter. Not in photo John (Blue) Gallagher 68

Although it wasn’t intended the wallpaper in the background makes it appear as though we are in a bunker spinning warries.

(Editor’s Note: That would never happen, would it?)

L-R:  Kym, Darryl, Geoff, Warwick, Bill, Pat, Brenda Elliott, Marina Houston, Garry, Eric, Peter

It was a very good turn out for lunch on Thursday. Around this table were Graham Huggins, John McNamara, John and Jacqui Black, Helen Teys, Murray and Judy Smith, Gail Huggins, Barb Callan and Peter Teys.

On the other table were Phil and Chris Newman, Kevin and Jan Loughrey, Jon Mander-Jones, Maurie Meecham and Rod Wallace. A very good turn out even after a couple of late cancellations.

So good to see some cross border migration for lunch with Jan and Kevin Loughrey up from Ballina but also a first time for Murray and Judy Smith up here from Coffs Harbour – good effort indeed!

The next catch up is planned for May on the Gold Coast at a venue of John Black’s choosing. So any Mexicans and other assorted travellers from down south, plan accordingly and join us.

Memo to all – get the cameras out earlier in the lunch next time!

Cheers

A class lunch is planned for 1230 on Monday 27 February at the Duxton (Macpherson St, O’Connor)

Spouses/partners most welcome as are any interstate mates who might be in town. Please let Kym MacMillan know if you are attending.

Please pencil it into your calendars, and he’ll send out a reminder and a request for numbers the week before.

Jon Mander-Jones made a connection with Chris Bishop in Adelaide over Christmas. Jon noted that ‘He is still the lovely bloke we all knew.’

The SEQ/Northern NSW team enjoyed lunch with David and Trish at The Ship Inn on 7th September. Great to catch up David and Trish…

A few of us enjoyed a catch-up with Denis on Friday at The Ship Inn. Good lunch and many memories shared…

Message from Maurie Meecham,

David and Trish Cran are passing through Brisbane so I thought it would be a good opportunity for our next lunch. Mac is away that week so I will coord the day.

David is on the organising committee for the Reunion in December so it will be a good opportunity to ask him any questions and to provide feedback on what is already published. 

In view of the success of the last lunch at The Ship Inn (Southbank), we will meet there again at 12:30hrs on Wednesday 7th September. Meals and drinks are ordered individually over the bar and I will organise an area for us to sit together as we did last time.

Hope you all can make it. 

Please RSVP to my email, not the website, by the end of the month so I can estimate numbers.

Maurie

Maurie Meecham

Mob: 0418 761 944

Email: mauriemeecham@gmail.com