Steve Jones has passed on that Greg’s son James has indicated that there will be a wake after the service at the golf club at Duntroon. And as Greg is to be cremated (hence the Requiem Mass in the chapel) there will not be a follow on burial. There may be a ceremony to inter or distribute his ashes in the future but there is no plan as yet and it may well be a family-only event.

A number of members of the Class of 1972 have indicated that they are unable to attend Greg’s Requiem Mass on Friday, but asked that their condolences be passed on. I plan to place a list of these with the Condolences Book (the usual practice). If you are unable to attend and would like to be included on that list (irrespective of other sympathy you might send) please let me know.

Published in The Canberra Times today – see http://tributes.canberratimes.com.au/obituaries/canberratimes-au/obituary.aspx?n=greg-thomas&pid=189363721&fhid=14094

No news to report yet, but thought I’d share a couple of photos from our early days together.

From an Adelaide local newspaper

Australian Rules – 2nd Eighteen 1970

Although visits to Trish and the family are not recommended at the moment, unless of course you have a close relationship with them, written condolences are appropriate.

My understanding is that the four children’s names are Melissa, Ainslie, James and Simon. If I’ve got that wrong, please let me and everyone know immediately! (It might be worthwhile holding off for a day or so just in case).

The address is 11 Vasey Crescent, Campbell, ACT, 2612.

Steve Jones has passed on the following message:

“Today I visited Trish Thomas in her home in Campbell. Trish is in shock from the passing of Greg on Friday afternoon and is finding that she is not up to taking calls at the present time. She has her four children (all adults of course) at home with her at the moment with her eldest daughter having come home from Germany and two from interstate. She also has her siblings coming from Adelaide, so she is well cared for and supported.

The family is yet to set a day for the funeral. As you know it takes some time to complete formalities, especially when the death is unexpected. It would seem that the funeral, when it takes place, will be here in Canberra, probably at RMC. I am in contact with Greg’s son James, so as soon as there is more information I will pass it on. I appreciate that some people may wish to attend from interstate and require as much planning time as possible.

I have passed on the sympathy of the group to Trish and told her that there have been a number of direct expressions of sympathy. She is thankful for the thoughts.

We will keep you informed through this means.”

Please pass this message on to any classmates who may be out of the loop, and let them know that further information will be posted as it is received..

More sad news has just come in that LTGEN (Red) General H. J. Coates passed away on Monday 11 June. His funeral will be on 12 July at the RMC Chapel, Duntroon.

This date has been chosen to allow family and friends from overseas to attend.

A biography is at this link: COATES, John. This was drafted while I was still serving with AAHU and is based on his own unpublished autobiography, as well as an official bio and his Service Records. It should not, however, represented as an ‘official’ biography. There will no doubt be some differences/divergences in views on what is written here.

I have been advised that Greg Thomas passed suddenly away on Friday 15 June, after suffering a heart attack. As yet I have no other details – will post them here once they become available.

RIP Classmate.

Congratulations to Jeff Brock on being appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia in today’s QB Honours List.

The last two anecdotes (I think!) by Ross Eastgate have been posted. Thanks to Ross for making these available, and to Pete Teys who dug up a couple I was missing.

See them at this link

And this was in the latest edition of The Duntroon Society Newsletter, which you can see in full at this link

Syd Hodges’ Century

Associate Professor Sydney Hodges, Fellow of The Duntroon Society and also the Elder of the Society, celebrated his 100th birthday on 3 February 2018 at a luncheon party hosted by his family at the Canberra Southern Cross Yacht Club.

Congratulatory letters from the Queen, the Governor-General and the Prime Minister were read out. The Governor-General’s letter held special personal significance since Staff Cadet Cosgrove (1968) had been a pupil of Syd’s at Duntroon more than 40 years ago.

Syd was in fine shape and addressed the gathering briefly after the lunch. Former RMC cadets Ray (R.A.) Sunderland (1953), Ron (R.S.C.) Morris (1956) and John (J.E.) Bullen (1958) were among the audience of about 40 guests, some of whom had come from overseas. Sadly, Garth (J.G.) Hughes (1956) had died two months earlier or he would have been present too. Garth and Ron had together written the fine article on Syd which was published in Newsletter 2/2015.

Also among the guests was the lively Elaine Bryan, widow of Professor Ridley Bryan. Rid Bryan and Syd Hodges had joined RMC staff in the 1930s and 1940s respectively, serving for several decades as professional colleagues and good friends.