November RSL Monthly Newsletter

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Angeles City Sub Branch Philippines www.rslangelescity.com ‘Lest We Forget’ President Vice Presidents Secretary Treasurer

James Curtis-Smith Rob Cairns Vivien Hart Dallas Drake Bob Young

Editor

Larry Smith

Email address’:

Clubhouse: Ponderosa Hotel president@rslangelescity.com

secretary@rslangelescity.com treasurer@rslangelescity.com

editor@rslangelescity.com

NEWSLETTER # 44 ** NOVEMBER 2010 PRESIDENTS REPORT – November 2010 Already November and 2010 has gone so quickly. Seems to me that the older you get the quicker the year passes.

Remembrance Day was observed by this Sub Branch with a number of our members attending the service organized

by Subic Sub Branch at the Hellships Memorial and a larger number joining with the Angeles City VFW at the Clark War Cemetery here in Angeles City. Both services were meaningful and give us a reminder again to remember those so many Australians and their allies who have made the ultimate sacrifice in giving their lives so that we can enjoy the peace and freedoms that we enjoy. (Report and pictures in December newsletter ED ) The Australia Day Fiesta planning is well advanced and the sub-committee responsible for the planning has been working hard to put things in place. The 2011 Australia Day T-shirts are now on sale and by the beginning of December, tickets for the Giant Raffle will be on sale.

With Christmas just around the corner, and with the thanks to the organizational skills of Dallas Drake our Secretary, Lions Christmas Cakes have arrived from Australia and are now on sale. Very hard to get a traditional fruit cake as we know them here in the Philippines and I am sure that they will be snapped up quickly.

Our November Children’s Medical Mission held at EPZA Resettlement area went extremely well and it was great to see so many new faces from amongst our members attending and assisting in the dispensing of the medicines

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prescribed. 1757 children each received free medicines. Our next mission will be on Saturday 4 December and I will confirm the location on the web page shortly.

Finally, and on behalf of the Sub Branch, I extend our condolences to the family of the late Shaun Leong who died on the 3rd November at Subic. Shaun was a past secretary of this Sub Branch.

JAMES E. CURTIS-SMITH President Some of the volunteer medical staff ↓ who assisted in the medical mission and an idea of the crowd waiting to be checked over by the doctors →

NEW MEMBERS We welcome the following new members : Peter Tucker (NSW) * Graham Crispin (WA) * Andrew Johnson (WA) * Location codes: NSW* WA* = Australia *

What is happening in December Charity Raffles Now at PHILLIES SPORTS & GRILL at 6.00 pm Saturdays AND Friday 6.00pm.Weekly Draw at Emotions Nite Club

Ponderosa 12.30 Australia Day Fiesta & Sub Branch Committee Meetings and then to STAR GATE, Pinocchios, Silly Hat, Big Hits.

Tuesday 14th December Ponderosa 1.30 and then Honey KO's , Happy Rock, T&A, Just My Luck, Foxy.

Tuesday 21st.December Ponderosa Hotel 10.00 am BLOGS and Internet Stuff !! FREE Assistance, Monthly General Meeting 2.00 pm. Followed by: PRESIDENTS DRINKS all afternoon

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December 25 CHRISTMAS DAY Dinner at Clarkton 3.00pm (BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL)

Tuesday 28th December 1.30 Social Tuesday Ponderosa, Emotions & TOC.

December 30, 31& 1st Jan. Annual New Year Dreamland Resort Family Break (Bookings Essential)

IF YOU HAVENT GOT YOUR CHRISTMAS CAKE YET ????

CHRISTMAS CAKES ARE NOW AVAILABLE

THE FAMOUS LIONS CHRISTMAS CAKES FROM AUSTRALIA ARE NOW HERE and ON SALE AT THE CLUB ROOMS, EMOTIONS BAR, ERUPTION BAR, BRASS KNOB & STAMPEDE. (More distribution places wanted, please contact Dallas)

P500.00 for the Rich Fruit Cake (50% fruit) 1KG size and

2011 AUSTRALIAN DAY FIESTA SHIRTS have arrived. Now on Sale at Ponderosa.

A great turn-out There certainly was some interest from members on the day we had organized to get blood typing done on the 23rd of October.

Some 60 members turned up to allow hospital staff from the ANGELES UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION

take blood samples for inclusion into the National Red Cross Register. The whole exercise was to make members aware of their blood grouping which may eventually save their or someone else’s life.

MEDICAL CENTRE

Organiser Lindsay Drury of Southern Cross Hotel Manila undertaken to arrange another blood typing

the has for day

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sometime in the new year. We will keep you posted.

We would like to thank the management of Big Hits for allowing their premises to be the venue for this exercise.

Picture above. Organiser Lindsay Drury makes sure Harley gets the proper treatment when it was his turn at the finger pricking table.

COLOSTOMY BAGS Colostomy Bags is generally not a subject that mates get to discuss when they are having a few beers together, however there are many thousands of people though-out the world who rely on a colostomy bag in their everyday lives.

So what is a colostomy bag??? Here is a brief medical definition: Colostomy bag: A removable, disposable bag that attaches to the exterior opening of a (colostomy stoma) to permit sanitary collection and disposal of bodily wastes. So there it is.

In Australia, I would suggest that these bags would be free to users through a general hospital, but what about Filipino’s. In a country where not too many things are free of charge, where would they access their required colostomy bags.

Visit Website

I am in contact with a fellow on the Gold Coast who, other than being a Snr VP of the Gold Coast District RSL, he is also National Secretary of Australia Council of Stoma Associations. (ACSA). His association has heard disturbing stories that some colostomy bag users in SE Asian countries have been resorting to using plastic shopping bags taped to their bodies as they cannot afford a proper bag. This man’s name is Norm Kelly.

Norm has asked me if I could find people who are in the category above with the view of providing those people with FREE bags. The emphasis is FREE TO THE USER. His association will provide the bags and freight costs to the end user.

I am doing investigations here in Davao City Mindanao and I am asking our members and readers of this newsletter to make similar enquiries. I suggest that people who would benefit from free bags would be those who have had a stoma procedure done in a government hospital. It is not envisioned that a major shareholder in San Miguel Corporation would be considered a beneficiary to free bags.

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Norm would be most happy if anyone could assist him and his organisation in locating a distribution point for FREE bags to needy colostomy bag users. Usually this would be someone in the medical profession who has access to the medical knowledge and the people with the need.

If you could provide some assistance, run if through me (editor) at tassie47@gmail.com and I will pass it onto Norm.

Clarification A lot of our non Australian members reading this newsletter probably think that the editor (that’s me) is a shocking speller. But that is not the case. I was schooled in the Queens English (we do that in Australia) and we spell words a little different than those in Nth America. For example: Travel has one L however an extension like ‘travelling’ has two L’s. Proper Queens English spells jail as ‘gaol’ which seems stupid to me and the American version of ‘jail’ is being accepted more in Australia and indeed around the world. We spell ‘litre, metre’ the French way, (both words being French) but we do spell ‘meter’ as in an instrument. Conversely a thing made of rubber and goes on the wheel of your car is spelt ‘tyre’ but if you are working hard you may ‘tire’ and get ‘tired’.

So there you go, I am catering to the largest group of members, that being Australians, we are an Australian organization, so others, please accept our spelling and don’t think the editor is dumb. Ed OUR BLOG SITE IS UP AND RUNNING WELL It appears that our BLOG SITE is has shown a fair bit of interest with our members. If you have signed up to be notified of new BLOGS, then you would have been receiving emails to that effect. By the amount of emails I have been getting, there appears to be a good interest in the site. So we encourage all to participate in this new means of communications. Go to: http://acrsl1.wordpress.com/ Ed CONGRATULATION ON NEW ARRIVAL President Jim Curtis-Smith, on behalf of our members, wishes to congratulate member Lindsay Drury and his partner on the arrival of their new son, Benjamin Lindsay DRURY, who came into this world on 3 November 2010.

Benjamin weighed in at 7 lbs 1 oz. A very welcome new member to the Drury clan.

QUEENSLAND STATE CONCESSIONS TO ENTITLED VARIOUS CARD HOLDERS

For any of our members and readers who are Queensland based, find out what concessions are available to you by looking at the list located at: http://www.communityservices.qld.gov.au/community/concessions/ Once you have read it, I suggest you plonk it into you ‘favourites list’ for future reference.

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DISCLAIMER The Angeles City Sub-Branch of the R&SLA, the Committee and the Editor take no responsibilities for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies contained in this newsletter. Nor do they accept any liability for loss or damage suffered directly or indirectly for use of information contained in this newsletter. Nor do they warrant that articles or opinions published in this newsletter are necessarily the opinions held by the Sub-branch, the Committee or the Editor.

6 Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Mailing List

Saturday, 23 October 2010 VA055 th

COMMEMORATING THE 60 ANNIVERSARY OF THE KOREAN WAR The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Warren Snowdon, today acknowledged the contribution of more than 17,000 Australians who served in the Korean War in the 1950s. th

A service was held at the Australian National Korean War Memorial, Canberra to commemorate the 60 anniversary of the Korean War and Australia’s participation in operations in Korea as part of a United Nations force.

The commemorative service was attended by the Governor-General, Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC, current Defence Force chiefs, veterans and their families.

Australian men and women came to the aid of the South Visit Website Korean people at a time when our nation was still in shock from the Second World War,” Mr Snowdon said.

“Soldiers, sailors, airmen and nurses endured extreme conditions in their efforts to over-turn a determined opponent, forging another chapter in Australia’s military history of honour, mateship and courage.

“Today was an opportunity to pay tribute to the 300 Australians killed and 44 missing in action and remember the families and loved ones they left behind.”

Many of those killed in action are buried at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Pusan, Korea, which has undergone a $75,000 restoration this year funded by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs’ Overseas PrivatelyConstructed Memorials Restoration Program.

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs has also released a new edition of the book Out in the Cold – Australia's involvement in the Korean War 1950–53 to coincide with commemorations and highlight the service of Australians in the conflict. th

These are part of a range of activities being undertaken by the Australian Government to mark the 60 anniversary of the start of the Korean War. The Korean War commenced on 25 June 1950 and the first Australians, airmen of the RAAF’s 77 Squadron, began combat operations in Korea on 2 July. For more information on Australia’s involvement in the Korean War visit the Australian War Memorial website (http://www.awm.gov.au/atwar/korea.asp).

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FUZZY WUZZY ANGELS DAY COMMEMORATED AT KOKODA The significant contribution of Papua New Guinean “Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels” during the Second World War has been acknowledged today in Kokoda at a medallion ceremony.

The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Warren Snowdon was represented at the ceremony by Australian High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, His Excellency Ian Kemish AM, who presented commemorative medallions to six recipients.

Mr Snowdon said Australians will be forever indebted to the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels.

“They provided invaluable assistance to Australians during the Second World War—carrying supplies, contributing to the building of bases, airfields and other wartime infrastructure and most notably, evacuating the sick and wounded through

7 some of the most hostile terrain ever encountered in modern warfare,” Mr Snowdon said.

Visit Website

Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels’ Day was established in 2009 and Mr Snowdon said this year’s inaugural ceremony provides an opportunity to mark the involvement of a special group of people who continue to be respected and honoured.

The medallion ceremony was held on 3 November because the date is significant for Australians and Papua New Guineans alike.

“November the 3rd marks the day on which the Australian flag was raised above a newly reoccupied Kokoda village after months of fighting along the track which bears the village’s name.

“The Kokoda campaign began when Australians of the 39th Militia Battalion and members of the Pacific Islands Regiment encountered Japanese troops near Awala on 23 July 1942. For the next three months the Australians conducted a fighting withdrawal to their last line of defence on Imita Ridge near Port Moresby.

“At this point the Australians, now bolstered with reinforcements, rallied and after a number of fierce engagements they were able to push the Japanese back along the track. Kokoda was recaptured on 2 November and the following day on 3 November 1942, the Australian flag was raised above the village at a service to symbolise the turning of the tide in Papua,” Mr Snowdon said.

The commemorative medallion was announced in April last year and features the image of a blinded and barefoot Private George Whittington being helped along by Raphael Oimbari. The image came from a photograph taken on Christmas Day 1942 near Buna on the PNG north coast.

Medallions are available to surviving Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels and the widows of Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels, and the Australian Government is still seeking to ensure all surviving Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels are honoured. For more information contact the Department of Veterans’ Affairs on 02 6289 6136.

SOME GOOD NEWS FOR T&PI PENSIONERS IN SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND

TransLink is developing a free travel pass for TPI holders in South East QLD      

It will allow free travel across all modes – rail, bus and ferry The pass will supersede the current warrant system for Citytrain travel, but will not replace the intrastate travel warrant system The pass will initially be a flash pass that holders will show staff on entry to service and this will be replaced with a free fare smart card over time Passes will have a photo of the card holder on the pass.

Applications will be available from the TransLink website to post in with a suitable pass port photo.

It is expected that the pass will be available at the end of 2010.

There is still a lot of detail to be worked out at the moment, and TransLink Marketing is currently designing the pass and application form etc.

I suggest T&PI pensioners in SE QLD make their own enquiries to Translink or visit their website: www.translink.com.au (later on) about an application form and get your passport style photo’s ready. Ed

8 AUSTRALIAN DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN’S AFFAIRS (DVA) NOW ON TWITTER

DVA

has finally caught up with technology. They can now be accessed by TWITTER. You can read the latest news from them, and I understand can leave comments as well (but don’t go overboard with them). Here is their invite:

We are on Twitter – follow us twitter.com/DVAAus provides you with the latest news and information from the Australian Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA).

If you do not know what Twitter is, see www.twitter.com – it is an active social networking site. It's about short, sharp updates called tweets, in the style of an SMS message – 140 characters or less.

If you are already a 'tweeter', follow us. If you're keen to take a look before signing up to Twitter, check us out at www.twitter.com/DVAAus (copy and paste this URL into your browser).

November 27, 2010 THIS IS THE LAST REMINDER ABOUT GETTING YOURSELF UP TO LA UNION AND JOIN IN THE FUN AT BALI HAI RESORT, PARINGAO, BAUANG, LA UNION ***** **** ***** ***** STOP PRESS It has just been announced that Angeles City Sub Branch has also gone to TWITTER as another means of communicating to our members. Go to : http://twitter.com/rslacity# *****

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A PROPOSAL FOR MEMBERS (from Secretary Dallas) I will be proposing that this SUB BRANCH will obtain a Safety Deposit Box at our China Bank where each member who wishes can place a sealed envelope containing all relevant information about his estate and accounts.

Only to be opened after death.

There are 3 Signatures for the account (any two) President, Treasurer and Secretary.

I will further propose that two Executors be Treasurer and Secretary and The President as Administrator.

We should also note some of us hold RSL Property within our households that should be noted in our wills.

Bequeathing to the Sub Branch within a will would also be a option especially for single guys who would not be leaving behind a partner.

This is in conjunction with the article on next page. At this stage, a proposal only.

9 DEFENCE WIDOWS SUPPORT GROUP – ACT JULY 2010

WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR PARTNER WHEN YOU DIE? Ninth Edition – July 2010

IF YOU HAVE READ THIS ARTICLE BEFORE, HAVE YOU ACTED ON IT?

The ACT Defence Widows' Support Group (DWSG) provides support to Defence widows and widowers, particularly the newly bereaved.

The Group contacts them after the funeral of their partner. Experience has shown that the same problems seem to surface repeatedly and that forward planning would help relieve some of the burden and distress to your partner when death occurs.

ARRANGEMENTS PUT IN PLACE NOW WILL SAVE YOUR PARTNER GRIEF AND EFFORT WHEN THE TIME COMES. SOME ISSUES YOU SHOULD CONSIDER FINANCIAL MATTERS For all financial matters seek advice from your bank/s or financial institutions. Banks require notification of a death as soon as possible. We have heard stories of banks freezing joint accounts on the death of a signatory. If you have a joint account, you will be wise to check its status with the bank. It is advisable for both partners to have an account IN THEIR OWN NAME so there will be no problem in organising payment of benefits into the other account.

There is also a demonstrated need for each partner to have their own credit card. The death of the major cardholder means that the additional cardholders are not recognized, leaving the surviving partner without access to credit facilities and no established credit history. You should check the status of all your credit cards Some bank loans may be written off if an insurance fee has been paid. Discuss with the bank if it is wise to keep any loans rather than pay them off as your partner may find it difficult to raise a new loan at a later date.

You should also check who has access to any bank security boxes.

WILLS, POWER OF ATTORNEY & ENDURING POWER OF ATTORNEY Every adult over the age of eighteen should have a current Will and a completed Power of Attorney/Enduring Power of Attorney. Both should be kept in a secure place, the location of which is known to your partner and at least one executor.

Both should be updated on a regular basis for example, on renewal of your driving licence. Each State has different regulations.

Remember that your Power of Attorney may be needed by your partner at any time eg, if you are incapacitdated due to even temporary medical care. Having Power of Attorney means that your partner can pay bills, give instructions about your medical treatment and attend to your affairs, if you are unable to do so.

There is also a trend towards drawing up an” End of Life Care Plan” which should be kept with these documents.

FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS AND MEMORIALS Each partner should know the other’s choice of funeral arrangements, have them written down and preferably kept with the Wills. If eligible, you will be entitled to official commemoration. Your nominated next-of-kin will be contacted by the Office of Australian War Graves to organise this. However, all veterans who served in the Australian forces are entitled to use the relevant Service badge/insignia on their private memorial. A request in writing to the Office of Australian War Graves is required.

DFRB/DFRDB/MSBS BENEFIT Upon notification of the death of the original recipient of a DFRB/DFRDB benefit, ComSuper will cease payment until the necessary forms, correctly filled out, are submitted. Only then will your partner receive their entitlements, paid into an account IN THEIR OWN NAME. These entitlements generally are:DFRB: A lump sum equal to seven pays (14 weeks) of

the difference between the deceased (old) and the surviving partner’s (new) pension, plus the commencement of a fully CPI indexed pension (being five eighths of the deceased’s old pension) paid fortnightly.

DFRDB: A lump sum equal to seven pays of the difference between the deceased’s (old) and the surviving (new) pension, plus the commencement of a partially CPI indexed pension. In outline, the new pension is five eighths of the deceased’s full old pension as if he/she had not commuted his/her benefit when leaving the Service. The value of that additional part is ‘frozen’ and the part relating to the deceased’s previous fortnightly pension is CPI indexed. The pension is paid fortnightly.

MSBS: These benefits are quite different from DFRB/DFRDB and are calculated on an individual basis upon application.

VETERAN ENTITLEMENTS Your partner may be entitled to benefits from the Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) but to apply they will need documentation and proof of their partner’s Defence Service.

You and your partner might have already established their possible entitlements. If so then gathering that information together now and having it on hand will greatly assist in any applications to DVA. Note that if you have a Gold Card it is not transferable. If you are a TPI pensioner your partner will automatically be entitled to a Gold Card. If they believe they are eligible for a War Widow’s Pension, they should contact DVA and, if their application is successful, they will also be entitled to a Gold Card. Legacy can assist with completing the application.

If the death is caused by a Service related injury (or the deceased was already in receipt of a DVA pension) your partner may be entitled to a DVA pension. Contact the DVA, DFWA, Legacy, Vietnam Veterans’ Association of Australia, Vietnam Veterans’ Federation of Australia or other exService agencies for further information. If there are entitlements to any other compensation payments these need to be submitted as soon as possible. Entitlements for dependent children may also be payable.

PENSION ENTITLEMENTS If your partner’s total income is below a certain amount, a Centrelink pension, either full or part, may be payable.

Bridging finance prior to the start of the ComSuper pension may be provided. Copies of the Marriage Certificate, Will and Death Certificate will be needed.

CHILDREN If you have dependent children and/or full time students, additional pension benefits may be payable. Documents required will include copies of the Marriage Certificate and the Death Certificate (though a copy of a newspaper DEFENCE WIDOWS SUPPORT GROUP – ACT JULY 2010

2 notification of death may be accepted until the Death Certificate is available).

MARITAL SEPARATION For a variety of reasons including dementia or invalidity, you

10 and your partner may have needed to live separately for a period. You may need written advice or a certificate from your doctor advising that the separation was for medical reasons before ComSuper will commence pension payment.

LEGACY Your partner may be eligible for assistance from Legacy due to your service in a War Zone, Operation Service or training for operations. Contact Legacy for further details.

TAX RETURNS A (final) tax return will need to be lodged with the Australian Taxation Office on behalf of the deceased’s estate. Upon Probate, the estate can be distributed to any beneficiaries and sufficient money needs to be set aside to meet any final tax obligations. The executor will usually arrange this. Other related matters to note include possible Capital Gains Tax for shares purchased after 1985 or other assets, stamp duty and other fees.

THE HOUSE After a required period of time (usually 28 days) a house in joint names should be transferred to the surviving joint owner upon application to the relevant Titles Office. Documentation required may include copies of the Marriage Certificate, Death Certificate, the Will and Title documents. The relevant financial institution will need to be advised regarding home loans. The house and contents insurance notices will need to be transferred to a single name.

THE CAR A car can be transferred to your partner if they are the sole beneficiary of the Will. Ideally, the family car should be registered in both names. The deceased’s driving licence may be eligible for a refund of the remaining valid period.

Copies of the car registration papers and your driving licence as well as the Marriage Certificate, Death Certificate and Will may be required. Insurance companies will need to be advised of any change of car ownership.

PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE Benefits may be payable from private health insurers. Future premiums may be reduced, particularly if the family rate reduces to a single rate, so the health fund must be informed of the death.

CLUB AND ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP Make a list of organizations of which you are a member, along with the membership numbers, phone numbers and addresses. All the deceased’s memberships will need to be cancelled. Refunds may be payable.

CONTRACTS

The current trend towards contracts for mobile phones, Internet, security systems and the like can cause problems.

These may have to be paid out in full. Some contracts may need to be re-negotiated or transferred to the surviving partner. Your partner needs to be able to access all relevant account details, passwords etc to be able to contact the companies as soon as possible and to avoid running up further bills.

ROUTINE HOUSEHOLD BILLS Keep a list of regular accounts and direct debits (eg. rates, security systems, home and content insurances, vehicle insurance, health insurance, phone and mobile providers, internet service providers, water, gas, electricity etc). Making a note of how and when they are usually paid and the approximate amounts will save your partner distress and uncertainty, particularly if they are not in the habit of handling those particular accounts. Preferably, both partners should be equally familiar with arrangements for payment of household accounts .

If you normally access such accounts either over the phone or via the Internet your partner will need the log-ins (user names and passwords). You will be amazed how many you have and how often you, and therefore your partner, will need to be able to access them!

A list of trusted tradesmen, or their fridge magnets on the fridge door, can be a great help.

DOCUMENTS Your partner will require a copy of your Will, Service Record (including medical and psychiatric records) and Death Certificate. They may need to carry a certified copy of the Death Certificate in order to conduct or finalise some financial matters. It is a good idea for them to get 10 certified copies. Other documents often needed include the Marriage Certificate and Title Documents for your home.

FINALLY It is advised that the newly bereaved partner keep an exercise book to record all business phone calls etc made after the partner’s death. In the fog of grief, memory can be faulty and a record of calls and decisions made will be very useful. There will no doubt also be calls from friends and family and it can be very helpful to make a note of those too.

Relatives and friends may make decisions and arrangements on their behalf and trying to remember all these will be difficult. A copy of all correspondence and forms completed can be kept in a file.

These are just some of the issues identified by the ACT Defence Widows’ Support Group as part of their involvement with new widows/ widowers. Some thought and time spent now will be of immense help to your partner, particularly if you are both involved in the process.

Contact: DFWA-ACT Branch, Inc

GPO Box 2272 ***** *****

Canberra ACT 2601 ***** ***** *****

PH: (02) 6265 9496

Paringao, Bauang, La Union 2501 Philippines Tel: (63-72) 607 - 6604 Fax: (63-72) 607 - 6621 Email: resort@coco.com.ph

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Shrine of Remembrance (continuing a series) The Shrine of Remembrance, located in Kings Domain on St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Australia was built as a memorial to the men and women of Victoria who served in World War I and is now a memorial to all Australians who have served in war. It is a site of annual observances of ANZAC Day (25 April) and Remembrance Day (11 November) and is one of the largest war memorials in Australia.

←North perspective displaying the Eternal Flame Designed by architects and veterans of World War I, Phillip Hudson and James Wardrop, the Shrine is in a classical style, being based on the Tomb of Mausolus at Halicarnassus and the Parthenon in Athens. Built from Tynong granite, the Shrine originally consisted of a central Sanctuary surrounded by the Ambulatory. The Sanctuary contains the marble Stone of Remembrance, upon which is engraved the words "Greater love hath no man". Once a year, on 11 November at 11 a.m.

(Remembrance Day), a ray of sunlight shines through an aperture in the roof to light up the word "Love" in the inscription. Beneath the Sanctuary lies the Crypt, which contains a bronze statue of a father and son and panels listing every unit of the Australian Imperial Force. In 20022003 a Visitor Centre was built within the foundations of the Shrine. The visitor centre incorporates an education centre (including three classrooms and meeting room), an audio-visual centre, gallery space, a retail shop and an administration office, as well the Hall of Columns (in which the Changi Flag is on display) Gallery of Medals, entry courtyard and Remembrance Garden. The walls of both the entry courtyard and Remembrance Garden have been built to complement the Ray of Light ceremony that occurs naturally on 11 November of every year.

The Sanctuary inside the Shrine→ The Shrine went through a prolonged process of development, which began with a proposal to build a Victorian memorial in 1918 and led to two initial committees—the second of which ran a competition for the memorial's design, announcing the Shrine of Remembrance as the winner in 1922. However, opposition to the proposal (led by Keith Murdoch and The Herald) forced the governments of the day to rethink the design, and led to a number of alternatives being proposed; the most significant of which was the ANZAC Square and cenotaph proposal of 1926. In response, General Sir John Monash used the 1927 ANZAC Day march to garner support for the Shrine, finally winning the support of the Victorian government later that year. The foundation stone was laid on 11 November 1927, and seven years later the Shrine was officially dedicated on 11 November 1934.

A war memorial in Melbourne was proposed as soon as the war ended in November 1918. In the early 1920s the Victorian state government appointed the War Memorials Advisory Committee, chaired by Sir Baldwin Spencer, which recommended an "arch of victory" over St Kilda Road, the major boulevard leading out of the city of Melbourne to the south. In August 1921 an executive committee was formed, with the former commander of the Australian forces in the war, General Sir John Monash, as its driving force. The committee soon abandoned the idea of an arch and proposed a large monumental memorial to the east of St Kilda Road, a position which would make it clearly visible from the centre of the city. A competition was launched in March 1922 to find a design for the new

12 memorial, open both to British subjects residing in Australia and any Australian citizens who were residing overseas. A total of 83 entries were submitted, and in December 1923 the design offered by two Melbourne architects (and war veterans), Phillip Hudson and James Wardrop, was announced as the winner.

�A ray of light hits the Stone of Remembrance in the Sanctuary, at 11am on November 11.

The design of the Shrine is based on the ancient Mausoleum of Maussollos at Halicarnassus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and the Parthenon in Athens.

It is a structure of square plan roofed by a stepped pyramid and entered on the north and south through classical porticos, each of eight fluted Doric columns supporting a pediment containing sculpture in high relief. The porticos are approached by wide flights of steps which rise in stages to the podium on which the Shrines sits. The east and west facing fronts are marked at the corners by four groups of statuary by Paul Raphael Montford, representing Peace, Justice, Patriotism and Sacrifice. The Art Deco style and motifs draw on Greek and Assyrian sculpture. The symbolism is Neo-Classical.

Around the outer stone balustrade that marks the Shrines external boundary are the "battle honours" disks, 16 stone discs. These represent the battle honours granted by King George V and commemorate Australia's contributions to the following battles: Landing at Anzac, (that is, Gallipoli), Sari Bair, Rumani, Gaza-Beersheba, the North Sea, the Cocos Islands, Megiddo, Damascus, Villers Bretonneux, Amiens, Mont St Quentin, the Hindenburg Line, Ypres, Messines, Pozieres and Bullecourt.

Larrikin's tale finally told

(The finale to our article in October newsletter)

News Limited Newspapers | November 01, 2010 12.01am

HE'S a faded face from Australia's military past, dubbed the Accordion Man, and for many years he has been without a name.

However, when military historian Lynette Silver and fellow researcher Di Elliott took an interest in his identity following an appeal by the Australian War Memorial last month, it didn't take them long to track down.

They believe this man, photographed in a Japanese-run prisoner-of-war camp during World War II, is Tasmanian infantryman Harold Clyde Conley.

His story is that of a rogue soldier who was keen to serve his country in fact, possibly faking his way into the military but whose love of a drink and tendency to go absent without leave littered his service history.

But with the luck of the devil, he also survived more than three years in a POW camp in Java, Indonesia where this photo was taken in September 1945.

Mrs Silver, of Wahroonga, and Mrs Elliott began their investigation into the identity of the soldier in September after the Australian War Memorial made a public appeal to help identify the Digger.

Mrs Silver said they tracked down the Accordion Man's identity with the help of an old newspaper clipping chronicling Conley's return to Hobart. A photograph showed him to be the same man in the POW photo.

But, chasing down his war records, they discovered a curious anomaly he bore only a slight resemblance to the man in his official army photograph. They believe that, because Conley had a serious heart condition that precluded him from serving in World War II, he may have arranged for a substitute to take his medical exam.

13 They also discovered he had lied about his age on enlistment, claiming he was 39 because the cut-off age was 40. Conley was in fact 43 years old. Once enlisted, Conley went AWOL "repeatedly" and his wife, with a young child, divorced him for a number of reasons, including desertion. "He appears to have been a poorly disciplined soldier," Mrs Silver said.

Conley was serving in the 2/40th Battalion when he was captured by the Japanese in early 1942. "Perhaps being a prisoner of war was the making of him," Mrs Silver said.

Danny Conley, 44, from Tasmania's South, was told by Mrs Silver only days ago that the musical soldier was in fact his grandfather's cousin.

He said news that he was related to the Accordion Man was amazing. "Who knows? The accordion may be in Tasmania somewhere, sitting in a corner," he said.

Harold Conley died on July 4, 1972, aged 75.

VC CORNER ** John Alexander French VC QX 1071 Corporal John Alexander FRENCH 2/9th Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF 4th September 1942, at Milne Bay, New Guinea At Milne Bay on the afternoon of the 4th September, 1942, a company of an Australian infantry battalion attacked the Japanese position East of the K.B. Mission where it encountered terrific rifle and machine gun fire. The advance of the section of which Corporal French was in command was held up by fire from three enemy machine gun posts, whereupon, Corporal French, ordering his section to take cover, advanced and silenced one of the posts with grenades. He returned to his section for more grenades and again advanced and silenced the second post. Armed with a Thompson sub-machine gun, he then attacked the third post, firing from the hip as he went forward. He was seen to be badly hit by the fire from this post, but he continued to advance. The enemy gun then ceased to fire and his section pushed on to find that all members of the three enemy gun crews had been killed and that Corporal French had died in front of the third gun pit. By his cool courage and disregard of his own personal safety, this non-commissioned officer saved the members of his section from heavy casualties and was responsible for the successful conclusion of the attack.

[London Gazette: 14th January, 1943.]

John Alexander FRENCH was born in Crow's Nest, 28 miles north of Toowoomba (Queensland) on 15th July 1914. He is buried in the Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery, Papua.

www.beyondtheblackstump.com

14

There is one missing from this list and he died after the list was published. He was LCPL Jared MacKinney. I cannot enhance the pictures any more than what you see, it is how I received it.

All are KIA from the War on Terrorism and were serving in either IRAQ or Afghanistan. There was also an Australian killed serving with the British Forces. Ed

15

Villers-Bretonneux In the First World War, on 24 April 1918, the small town of Villers-Bretonneux was the site of the world's first battle between two tank forces: three British Mark IVs against three German A7Vs. The Germans took the town, but that night and the next day it was recaptured by ANZAC troops at a cost of over twelve hundred Australian lives. The people of Villers-Bretonneux remain indebted to Australia for this feat. The town's mayor spoke of the Australian troops on 14 July 1919 when unveiling a memorial in their honour: "The first inhabitants of Villers-Bretonneux to re-establish themselves in the ruins of what was once a flourishing little town have, by means of donations, shown a desire to thank the valorous Australian Armies, who with the spontaneous enthusiasm and characteristic dash of their race, in a few hours drove out an enemy ten times their number...They offer a memorial tablet, a gift which is but the least expression of their gratitude, compared with the brilliant feat which was accomplished by the sons of Australia...Soldiers of Australia, whose brothers lie here in French soil, be assured that your memory will always be kept alive, and that the burial places of your dead will always be respected and cared for..."

The Australian War Memorial in France is located in Villers-Bretonneux and in front of it lie the graves of over 770 Australian soldiers, as well as those of other Commonwealth soldiers involved in the campaign.

The school in Villers-Bretonneux was rebuilt using donations from school children of Victoria, Australia (many of whom had relatives perish in the town's liberation), and above every blackboard is the inscription "N'oublions jamais l'Australie" (Never forget Australia). The annual ANZAC Day ceremony is held at this village on the Saturday nearest the 25th April. Traditionally, Australian commemorations have focused on Gallipoli. However, the 2008 ANZAC Day commemoration focused on the Western Front, and a special dawn service marking the 90th anniversary of the battle of 24/25 April 1918 was held on Anzac Day itself at VillersBretonneux. The Australian War Memorial in Villers-Bretonneux - in front of it lie the graves of over 770 Australian soldiers, as well as those of other Commonwealth soldiers. (Above)

There is still a strong feeling in France that they owe a debt of honour or gratitude to the Anzacs. This is probably strongest in Villers Bretonneux. The logo used on their official web site (left) is a kangaroo stylized from the letters VB.

16 PAYMENT OF ANNUAL DUES 2011 FINANCIAL YEAR Dear Members, Annual dues are now payable for the financial year 2011 January to December.

Amount payable is only Php700.00. You may choose how you pay by any of the following methods now available.

Offshore Members can pay from any country outside the Philippines by PayPal found within our web site WWW.RSLANGELESCITY.COM and can use any credit card or Debit Card. (USD$20.00 ) Australian Members can DIRECT Transfer to our Commonwealth Bank of Australia Account.(AUD$20.00) Account Name = Returned Services League Angeles City Sub Branch BSB 062 Account # 2905 10153195 Philippine Resident Members living outside our immediate area may pay (Php700.00 ) DIRECT into any China Bank Branch (note there is no Transfer Fees ) Beneficiary Bank = China Banking Corporation Manila Philippines SWIFT address = CHBKPHMM Beneficiary Customer=ANGELES CITY RSL Account Number = 281-028301-5 Branch = SM CLARK CITY Members living in Angeles City can pay cash (Php700.00 )DIRECT to Treasurer Bob Young 09179726600 or Secretary Dallas Drake 09165243084 who both have receipt books with them every Tuesday( 2.00 p.m.) at Ponderosa or every Saturday evening (6.00 p.m.) at Phillies Sports & Grill Bar charity raffle.

Members who are not financial by APRIL 25 will be removed from the members listing.

We trust you will stay with us and help build a stronger RSL Sub branch.

Kind Regards, Dallas Drake .Honorary Secretary.

12 Nov 2010

POLITICAL CORRECTNESS We are all aware of this no brainer thing foisted upon us called Political Correctness (what an oxymoron that is). So what is it all about. Have a go at this entry into a contest on the subject:

The winner wrote: "Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rapidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end."

TIME FOR A BIT OF HUMOUR Ma was in the kitchen fiddling around when she hollers out, "Pa! You need to go out and fix the outhouse!"

Pa replies,"There ain't nuthin wrong with the outhouse."

Ma yells back, "Yes there is, now git out there and fix it."

So Pa mosies out to the outhouse, looks around and yells back, "Ma! There ain't nuthin wrong with the outhouse!"

"Ma replies, "Stick yur head in the hole!"

Pa yells back, "I ain't stickin my head in that hole!

17 "Ma says, "Ya have to stick yur head in the hole to see what to fix."

So with that, Pa sticks his head in the hole, looks around and yells back, "Ma! There ain't nuthin wrong with this outhouse!"

Ma hollers back, "Now take your head out of the hole!"

Pa proceeds to pull his head out of the hole, then starts yelling, "Ma! Help! My beard is stuck in the cracks in the toilet seat!"

To which Ma replies, "Hurts, doesn't it?!"

And for our American Members and Veterans on Veterans Day

LORD let me be . . .

Wise enough to know when I am wrong, Strong enough to see where I am weak, and Brave enough to face myself when I am afraid.

May God give you...

For every storm, a rainbow, For every tear, a smile, For every care, a promise, And a blessing in each trial.

For every problem life sends, A faithful friend to share, For every sigh, a sweet song, And an answer for each prayer.

18

THE ELEVENTH HOUR OF THE ELEVENTH DAY OF THE ELEVENTH MONTH The above date is known by various names by different nations, however it is remembered as the date that the guns fell silent on that terrible conflagration which was known as World War , the war to end all wars. When I was a youngster it was known as Armistice Day and eventually it evolved to being Remembrance Day, and our American friends know it as Veteran’s Day. Whatever it is called, we pause and remember those young men & women, the prime stock of, definitely Australia, who heeded their countries call and went away from their home shore never to return.

Here in the Philippines our Sub Branch had a contingent attend a Commemorative Service at the Hellships Memorial at Subic Bay, ably conducted by the Subic RSL Sub Branch, with refreshments later at the Arizona Resort at Barrio Barretto. Another contingent joined VFW Post 2485 with a service at the Clark Cemetery and later refreshments at their clubrooms.

I will finish off with a couple of poems remembering the 11th of November. ED In Flanders Fields

by John McCrae, May 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.

For the Fallen With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children England mourns for her dead across the sea, Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit, Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres, There is music in the midst of desolation And glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young, Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow, They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted, They fell with their faces to the foe.s They mingle not with their laughing comrades again, They sit no more at familiar tables of home, They have no lot in our labour of the daytime, They sleep beyond England’s foam.

But where our desires and hopes profound, Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight, To the innermost heart of their own land they are known As the stars are known to the night.

As the stars shall be bright when we are dust, Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain, As the stars that are stary in the time of our darkness, To the end, to the end, they remain.

"Lest We Forget"

“The price of liberty is eternal vigilance”