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S u m m e r , 2 0 0 9 Vol. 64, No. 4

RAAF ASSOCIATION VIC DIV, 24 Camberwell Road, East Hawthorn 3123 Tel: (03) 9813 4600 Facsimile: (03) 9813 4966 Email: raafavic@raafavic.org.au

A

NEWSLETTERNEWSLETTERNEWSLETTERNEWSLETTER

of the

AIR FORCE AIR FORCE AIR FORCE AIR FORCE

ASSOCIATIONASSOCIATIONASSOCIATIONASSOCIATION

VICTORIAVICTORIAVICTORIAVICTORIA

ABN 96 091 342 304

President’s reflection

Another year draws to a close; a year that has seen some significant events. Pre-eminent among those, of course, was the return to Australia of the remains of Mike Herbert and Bob Carver, which was reported on in the last issue.

More recently, we have seen the retirement from Air Force service of the venerable Caribou and the arrival of example of type at the RAAF Museum at Point Cook.

Sunday, 29 November saw the re-dedication of the restored grave of Henri Hemene (Digger) Tovell. A report on the service appears elsewhere in this issue.

Earlier in the year, members par t ic ipated in Associa t ion organized and subsidized tours to the Australian War Memorial and the Temora Aviation Museum. If not the first, at least the first in many, many years, the tours were greatly enjoyed by those who undertook them. It is hoped that this and similar tours will be a feature of our activities in future years.

In the recent DVA Story Writing & Art Competition several members won prizes or receive honourable mentions, in their chosen categories. We extend congratulations to Lois Dalziel, Ron Becker, Gloria Welch.

On the subject of art, the Board has decided to fill some gaps in the Association’s art collection. Several prints and an original oil painting have been acquired, recently. The original oil is painting of a Vampire over Point Cook. Among the prints are a depiction of an WWI aerial encounter between a Sopwith Snipe of 4 SQN AFC and a Fokker DR-1, a Kittyhawk & Hornet overflying RAAF Tindal, a Meteor in Korea, and a Huey gunship in Vietnam. Other prints depict post-Vietnam and current RAAF aircraft

OFFICE CLOSURE

RAAFA Office will be closed from 23 rd December 2009 until 1st January 2010. Call Gordon on 041049091 if you need assistance

On the subject of art, the Board has decided to fill some gaps in the Association’s art collection. Several prints and an original oil painting have been acquired, recently. The original oil is painting of a Vampire over Point Cook. Among the prints are a depiction of an WWI aerial encounter between a Sopwith Snipe of 4 SQN AFC and a Fokker DR-1, a Kittyhawk & Hornet overflying RAAF Tindal, a Meteor in Korea, and a Huey gunship in Vietnam. Other prints depict post-Vietnam and current RAAF aircraft.

Together the new acquisitions will be known as the 90th Anniversary Collection in recognition of the Association’s 90th anniversary next year. An invitation has been extended to HRH Prince William, currently serving in the RAF, to inaugurate the collection during his visit to Melbourne between 19 and 21 January.

It is not yet known whether HRH will be able to accept the invitation, so notice of the date of the event, if it occurs, will be very short. Attendances will be limited by space, so members who wish to receive an invitation are required to register expressions of interest, so that notices may be sent directly to them. Please contact Gordon or Barbara to register your interest, invitations will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

Next year promises to be another good year, with, among other things, the 90th Anniversary of the Association, the placement of a plaque at Point Cook to recognize the RAAF units that served in Vietnam, and the 60th Anniversary of the first EATS intake. On behalf of my colleagues on the Board and personally, I extend to each of you and to those you love best wishes for Christmas and the coming year.

Peter Colliver presenting the Sir Edmund Herring Memorial Prize to the winner Ian Chawner

Ron Becker, Fighter Squadron Branch, receiving the Ron Brockie OAM Memorial Award, sponsored by the Partially Blinded Soldier Association (Victoria) for his true Wartime Experience.

Lois Dalziel, Melbourne WAAAF Branch, receiving the AWAS Association (Victoria) the “Women and War” Special Award.

STORY WRITING & ART

COMPETITION 2009 OUR

WINNERS

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RAAF ASSOCIATION VICTORIAN DIVISION PATRON

Wing Commander P. S. Isaacson AM DFC AFC DFM

BOARD OF MANAGEMENT

P. W. (Peter) Colliver: State President/National Vice President G. (Gordon) Caley: Executive Director/State Secretary

J. (John) Mc Crystal: Vice-President; N. (Nick) Leray-Meyer AM: Vice-President R. T. (Richard) Orr: State Treasurer

Directors: T. A. (Tony) Pilli; R. E. (Rob) Pollock MID M. J. (Moyna) Sands; R. (Bob) Stone P. (Peter) Finkelstein: Honorary Solicitor

P. W. (Peter) Colliver; G. (Gordon) Caley: Welfare W. J. (Bill) Belton AM: Chairman RAAFA Foundation

BRANCH SECRETARIES

Headquarters/Catalina Gordon Caley (9813 4600); Air Training Corps Hugh Tank (9877 3424); Ballarat Stan White (5339 2003) Bendigo Alan Baskett (54440892); Fighter Squadrons John Gauntlett (9878 1541); Geelong Jim Heyward (5278 1296)

Gippsland John Power (5174 3231); Melbourne WAAAF Gloria Welch (9727 3651); Motor Transport Margaret Stone (9842 1553); North Metropolitan Elayne Whatman (93021048); RAAF Vietnam & Associated Veterans Rick Holmes (9317 7304;

Sunderland Squadrons Ricky Hattam (5241 3431); Williams Mickey Vautier (9366 9669);

1. Last MIA coming home. 2 Closing the bracelets at conceding with the arrival back on home soil. 3. RAAF Radar association dedication of plaque to No 1 signals school RAAF Base Point Cook 8th November 2009. 4. Unveiling of the plaque by Florence Coutts. 5. Members attending 2009 pilgrimage to Point Cook. 6, AFC Cadet giving a

reading at the pilgrimage,

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2

3 4

5

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ATC BRANCH

VALE

Headquaters Branch mourns the passing of the following members:

Loyd Hart Se[tember 2009 Ronald McKenzie September 2009 Ian Wanless July 2009 Graham Grayson October 2009

Motor Transport mourns the passing of the following members:

Wallace Ferres October 2009 Bob Clifton November 2009

Contact Copy closing 2010

Autumn Edition 15 February 2010

Winter Edition 3 May 2010

MELBOURNE WAAAF

FLORENCE COUTTS

PRESIDENT The membership fee for year commencing 1st January 2010 will be $34.00. Our Annual General Meeting will be at RAAFA HQ. 24 Camberwell Road, East Hawthorn on Tuesday, Feb-ruary 9th 2010 at 11.00 a.m. and post in your nomination for Committee well in advance. Our January gathering on the last Tues-day 26th January will be at the Kiosk in the Fitzroy Gardens and please tele-phone if you will be lunching at the Kiosk so a booking can be made. GLORIA WELCH – 9727.3651 SECRETARY The bus journey to Point Cook was a successful advent for the unveiling of the plaque, with Florence Coutts as-sisting, to commemorate 60 years from the beginning of the Flying Corps. Before the BBQ, Bob Mainon welcomed all to the dedication by Chaplain Squadron Leader, Keith Lan-yon, of the memorial plaque to No 1 Signals School RAAF, Point Cook, which played an important role in WW11. The Council of Ex-servicewomen’s Annual Pilgrimage to the Memorial Cairn on Saturday 21st November 2009. This was followed by lunch at ANZAC House with Colonel Jan McCarthy meeting visitors at the door. During lunch, there were interesting speakers, Jean Parry VAD, spoke about the Middle East and Betty Davies AWAS spoke concerning signals. WELFARE - LOIS DALZIEL 9579 1307 Please contact Lois if you hear of members not being well. A Happy Christmas and New Year MARION FRENCH 9592 3083

The Commemoration of Battle for Australia Day at the Shrine on the 2nd Sep-tember was an inspiring experience. So well attended, and wonderful to see so many schools represented, with the high degree of interest seen in the faces of the students as they listened attentively to the speakers. The students’ presentations of the accounts of events leading to the awarding of a number of Victoria Crosses were a credit to them. At our Friday luncheon on the 2nd October, we had a couple of special visitors, Greta and Raymond Jungwirth. Raymond was a member of 22 Course EATS which was the same course upon which the late Charles “Bud” Tingwell trained before leaving for Canada aboard the troopship “Tasker H. Bliss”. On Thursday, 15th October, 18 of our Branch paid a visit to the B24 Liberator Restoration. Split up into several groups, we were conducted around the hangar to see their works in progress. A highlight was the firing up of one of the Pratt and Whitney engines which was mounted up on a test stand. Friday, 6th November, was our next luncheon, when once again we were hosts to another 3 special visitors. Don McLeod, a former RAAF pilot from WW2 also a Flying Instructor at No. 11, EFTS, Benalla. Don was of particular interest to our Doug Williams who is researching information and history concerning No 11 EFTS. Don has loaned his log books to Doug who has been avidly devouring their contents. Other special guests on this day were 2 former Spitfire pilots. They are twin brothers, Alf and John Payne who were also on 22 Course with “Bud” Tingwell. Alf was later to be responsible for establishing the “Tasker H. Bliss Association”, named after the abovementioned troop transport. Alf and John flew in different Squadrons initially, but later were reunited when Alf was posted to John’s Squadron in Burma. John related his experiences after being shot down by a Japanese Zero. John put his sequence of events down on paper and entitled it “More Than My Share”, referring to his amount of good luck. John has kindly supplied us with a copy of his transcript, so we hope we may be able to get the tale out down the track. Interestingly, “Bud” Tingwell makes a brief reference to John’s “adventures” in his book of war stories which was published around the time of his passing. In closing, the members of the Air Training Corps Branch wish to offer their congratulations to the Executive, Staff members and all Cadets of No. 4 Wing AAFC on their Award of the Air Force Trophy for Most Proficient Wing of 2009. A special Parade is planned for the 21st February at Point Cook with the attendance of Air Marshal Mark Binskin, Chief of Air Force, who will present the trophy. The transfer of Custodianship of the National Banner will also take place. To the Executive and Board of RAAFA (Vic. Div.), all other Branches, their members and families, we extend our best wishes for a safe and Merry Christ-mas and Happy New Year. LAURIE BELL PRESIDENT

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RAAF VIETNAM AND ASSOCIATED VETERANS

RAAFVVA Bursary

The sub branch has established, with the help of the Air Force Association Voctoria, the Air Force Association Founda-tion Vietnam Veterans Bursary. The 2010 recipients are Nadine Reichardt, Meaghan Barrow and Bronte Hudnott . The RAAFVVA is most appreciative of the initiative and support shown by the Air Force Association Victoria in provid-ing funding for this Bursary.

Point Cook Pilgrimage 8th November 2009 Three members attended the Point Cook Pilgrimage this year. Unfortunately this date clashed with several other commit-ments the RAAFVVA had precluding a larger attendance. Committee members Geoff Rose and Pieter Jongkryg laid a wreath on behalf of the Sub Branch.

Tribute Luncheon Lt Col Jim Bourke AM MG (Operation Aussies Home)

Some 30 members and wives attended our final RAAFVVA lunch for 2009 on the 18th of November at the Duckboard Club. The lunch was to formally thank Jim Bourke AM MG for his efforts in bringing home all of the six Australian MIA’s from the Vietnam conflict, in particular Flying Officer Michael Herbert and Pilot Officer Robert Carver, the only RAAF MIA's. President Nick LeRay-Meyer paid tribute to all official guests who included Peter Colliver, President RAAFA VIC Divi-sion. David Gardner, Director, RAAF Museum Pt Cook. Gary Parker, President Vietnam Veterans National Museum Phillip Island. Graham Henry, President No 2 Squadron Association, Victoria and Bob Elworthy, President Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia, Victoria

Certificates of Appreciation were awarded to Lt Col Bourke for his tenacity and dedication to our MIA,s and to Gary Parker for his support of the RAAFVVA and his contribution towards the “Closing of the Bracelets” ceremony. Pictures below

Retirement of Caribou A152 to RAAF Museum, Pt Cook

President Nick LeRay-Meyer, Vice President Lee Scully and his wife Ellen and Secretary Rick Holmes attended the handover ceremony of Caribou A4-152 to the RAAF Museum at Pt Cook on Thursday the 26th of November. A fitting Tribute was paid to the aircraft by David Gardner.

BALLARAT BRANCH

Yes it is the end of the year, and we take this opportunity to wish each and everyone of you a very Happy, Safe and Healthy Christmas, and we trust a peaceful 2010. Here in Ballarat, today the 22nd November, we just had a deluge of rain. How wonderful after all those very hot and trying days we have had to live through. Most things seem to run on very well here; in particular we have had two very interesting Guest Speakers in recent months.

They were Craig Schephis and Dr. Kathleen Reynolds. Craig is one of those do it yourself types who saw the need for a ‘Food Bus’ to help the less fortunate here in Ballarat. He obtained an old bus, and with volun-teers fitted out the vehicle, and in fact it was sent to the bush fires last February to help feed the fire victims. Now it operates five nights a week in Ballarat, serving up to 70 folk a night. Dr. Kathleen Reynolds, was training to be a Doctor, and wanted to fly as a pilot. So she got her licence, and asked to join the RAAF, simply to be told “we do not

have female pilots”,

but we can use your qualifications in the service. So she joined the RAAF, and not long after that the Air Force decided they would have women pilots, so she passed all the tests and flew P.C.9’s out of Sale. Then she spent 10 years in Hong Kong, and is now back living in the good City of Ballarat. A very versatile and remarkable woman. O.K. it is the end of 2009, so let us ALL be nice and co-operative to each other and have a great Festive Season with lots of happy times with our families and friends. HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

Stan White

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2010 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING /STATE CONFERENCE

Members are advised that the 2010 AGM followed by The State Conference will be held on Sunday 16th

May 2010, at The Victorian Air Force’s Centre 24 Camberwell Road Hawthorn East Vic.

Nominations for State President, Treasurer and Board Members

.. Nominations for the office of State President, State Treasurer and Board members are to be

sent in writing to the State Secretary/Executive Director no later that 1st February 2010, and must be signed by the candidate and proposer

.. The President’s and Treasurer’s tenures will expire at the Annual General Meeting.

Nominations for these positions are invited. Current incumbents are:

State President - Mr Peter Colliver, Treasurer - Mr Richard Orr.

.. Two board members’ tenures will expire at the Annual General Meeting. Nominations for these positions are invited. Current incumbents are: Mr. Rob Stone Mr John McCrystal.

.. Nomination forms may be obtained from Branch Secretaries or the State Secretary, RAAFA Divisional office.

Motions for 2010 AGM and State Conference:

.. All proposed motions must be forwarded by Branch Secretaries to the State Secretary by 24th

April, 2010 (21 days prior to Conference).

.. Copies of all motions must be forwarded to all Branch Secretaries by the State Secretary by

1st May, 2010 (14 days prior to Conference).

.. Financial Reports must be sent to all members by 24th April 2010

(21 days prior to Conference).

Clause 34: Purpose of Annual General Meeting

The business of an ordinary meeting shall be for the purpose of receiving the report of the Board,

receiving the state of accounts and transacting any other business which under these presents ought to be transacted at any ordinary meeting. All other business transacted at an ordinary meeting and

all business transacted at an extraordinary meeting shall be deemed special.

Letter of thanks from Mrs Edith Lock to the Association for the rededication of her Brothers Grave. Mrs Lock with Current C.O. of 4 SQN RAAF, WGCDR David Paddison and Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, the Honourable Alan Griffin, MP.

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A HAPPY ENDING

Henri Tovell’s history, as it was known to members of 4 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps, commences in January of

1915 at the small French town of Seclin. The boy was then aged five years, and he lived with his mother, sisters, and his

brother.

His father was a French soldier in the front line. Early that year while the father was home on leave, a bombardment by a

German heavy artillery unit destroyed his home and killed the other members of his family.

Homeless, Henri wondered from Seclin miles away until he was taken and cared for by a French howitzer battery. Three

months later he was wounded and admitted to hospital. After discharge he wandered away again, and joined a field artil-

lery brigade. Recovering from a second wound he found his way to the Royal Flying Corps.

Via a succession of British units Henri joined 4 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps on Christmas Day 1918. Adopted as

the squadron mascot, he became know to the members of the squadron as “Digger”.

He was smuggled to Australia, by Air Mechanic Tim Tovell, with the connivance of officers of the squadron (including a

Capt G Jones, subsequently Sir George Jones KBE CB DFC, Chief of the Air Staff (1942-1952)).

Permission was obtained for Henri to immigrate and he was adopted by Tovell and his wife. Henri could not be natural-

ized until he turned twenty-one years of age and he could not join the RAAF while he remained a French citizen. How-

ever, the Air Force engaged him as a civilian apprentice at Point Cook pending his naturalization.

Seven months before the date of his majority Henri died as a result of injuries sustained when his motor bike and a taxi

collided outside the Windsor Hotel on the night of May 23, 1928. The Argus newspaper recorded that Henri was ac-

corded “a semi-official” funeral on the 25th.

No volley was fired nor was the Last Post sounded, because Henri was not formally a member of the Air Force. How-

ever, his coffin was draped with the colours of the Australian Flying Corps, uniformed airmen were his pall-bearers and

his coffin was conveyed to Fawkner Cemetery on an RAAF wagon and trailer. Nine former members of 4 Squadron and

the Secretary of the Air Board attended, but the speed with which the funeral was arranged did not allow the family to

travel from Queensland to be present.

The Squadron members decided that a memorial was required and with the assistance of a public appeal through The

Argus an impressive sandstone monument was erected in 1932. It was topped by a statuette of a boy dressed as Henri

had been dressed when he came to the Squadron in 1918. The family was not made aware of this and learned of it six

weeks after the event.

During the 1950’s the statuette was stolen and the grave vandalized. The Tovell family repaired the damage to the grave

but the cost of replacing the statuette was beyond them. Subsequently, the sandstone monument deteriorated and the

ground subsided, so that the monument leaned. The condition of the sandstone was such that restoration was impractical.

The Air Force Association Victoria received a number of approaches to repair the grave decided that a new, modest me-

morial would be appropriate. The Association and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs jointly funded a new kerb and

ledger, the inscription on which was approved by Henri’s surviving sister and includes words which his father had

wanted on the original grave.

On Sunday, 29 November, Digger’s grave was re-dedicated in a service conducted by Chaplain Squadron Leader Keith

Lanyon, in the presence of the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, the Hon Alan Griffin, MP, members of the Tovell family,

serving and former members of 4 Squadron RAAF, including the current CO, WGCDR David Paddison, Mr Peter

Colliver, President of Air Force Association Victoria, Mr Leo Hammond, representing the Deputy Commissioner for

Veterans’ Affairs, WOFF Gina Goninon, representing CDR-AFTG, CO 21 Squadron, SQNLDR Marcelle Mitting and

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members of Air Force Association Victoria. Digger’s adoptive sister, Mrs Edith Lock, now 89 years of age, and her

niece, Sally Elliot, were flown to Melbourne by the Air Force Association, niece Marilyn Elliot travelled from the Gold

Coast to attend and nephew Rick and his wife Carol travelled from country Victoria.

Prior to the service, Mrs Lock kissed a bouquet of roses before placing it upon the grave. During the service, Mrs Lock

spoke eloquently of her “big brother” and expressed her gratitude to the Association and the Department for making

possible the restoration of the grave.

Speaking after the service she thanked the Association for arranging the service and her transportation and accommodation. Mrs Lock observed that during one’s lifetime many memories are created, but she said that the memory of the re-dedication of Digger’s grave was one of the happiest occasions in her life and the memory of it would remain with her forever

Mrs Edith Lock (Digger’s sister), Marilyn Elliot (niece), Sally Elliot (niece), Ann Jones (daughter-in-law of the late Air Marshal Sir George Jones KBE CB DFC, who as Capt Jones 4 SQN Australian Flying Corps assisted with Digger’s journey to Australia, Rosemary Jones (George Jones’ grand-daughter), State President, Peter Colliver, (hidden) Rick Elliot (Digger’s nephew), Hon Alan Griffin MP Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Carol Elliot (wife of Rick), Peter Cullerne, President 4/5 SQN Association, Mrs Cullerne, unidentified members 4/5 SQN Association, serving members 4 SQN RAAF, (partly hidden) Chaplain Keith Lanyon.

(Left) Digger’s adoptive sister, Mrs Edith Lock, now 89 years of age, and Minister of Veterans’ Affairs, the Honourable Alan Griffin, MP. (Right) Digger in his Australian Flying Corps Uniform as a lad.

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IT'S JOB IS DONE!

At precisely 1300 hours on Thursday 26th November, DHC-4 Caribou A4-152 appeared overhead Pt Cook airfield en route to the RAAF Museum, where it will join other illustrious aircraft of the RAAF. Following a few low passes and a copy-book approach and landing, A4-152 received the traditional "last flight" salute on the tarmac from two local Country Fire Authority before its engines were shut-down, after 20,361 flight hours, in front of a small crowd of Vietnam Veterans, Museum staff, the RAAF Band, some curious civilians and a small pony

The crew of A4-152's final flight was commanded by SQNLDR Vikki Rockyard, XO 38 Sqn. As part of the post flight celebrations – which included a champagne toast – Vikki met Des Lovett, the co-pilot of A4-152 on its delivery flight from Canada some 45 years ago.

So, after some 45 years of "hard labour" the Caribou (or "Gravel Truck" or "Big Brown Baloos" as it was also affectionately known) has been withdrawn from RAAF service and honourably retired. Widely known as the work-horse of the RAAF Transport Flight Vietnam/No 35 Sqn's "Wallaby Airlines" during some eight years of continuous service in Vietnam, the Caribou has served the Nation in many theatres; active service, peace-keeping duties and humanitarian tasks as well as Army and ADF support across almost every part of Australia. Its withdrawal closes the piston-engine phase of the RAAF; all aircraft now in service are turbine-powered (albeit several types still have "props"). Also, it is the first aircraft to be withdrawn from service without a role replacement; despite searching for some 10 years or more the ADF still can't find and/or agree on a replacement, proving yet again that the 'Bou was unique!!!