Though talking about footy (we were!!) Rabbito supporters reckon the Y2K bug well and truly got them, they don't care if the footy season starts this year or not, big bucks has finally got into the game, and look out for some more changes (up the[Richmond] Tigers we say). And we defied the odds too because we're still here. The bug missed us as well, we've made it into our second year - thanks to your support. 

Who says he's got older???

John Mathwin, who organised the reunion in Perth, reckons it's funny how at these sort of events, you only remember the good times and the times when you should have gone straight to jail. Nothing in between (I think I can remember 2 of the latter - tb). He says the function in Perth went well and there was plenty of enthusiasm for the main event in 2000 or whenever it's held.

As was mentioned in our last edition - that was last century, several areas did manage to hold "mini" reunions in the latter part of 1999, and although people from Brisbane, melbourne and Perth got together and had a good time, it's a pity the other areas couldn't muster the numbers and do likewise.

We've got to address that.

MC in Brisbane, John Broughton, about to read the night's "orders".

This edition we'll show you some more photos from those nights, and perhaps include one or two that some might wish were not shown - but what the heck.

We received a lot of correspondence from people who went to one of the nights last year and they've told us of the good time they had and most offered their time and their advice for when we organise the next one. Some of that advice is definitely worthy of further comment and debate.

A few suggested we open the night up to all ex RAAFers. Most of us had some damned good mates from the other trades, so why not invite them along as well? In fact, the "more the merrier" seemed to be the reasoning behind this thinking, and we find that hard to dispute.

Another suggestion, and we think this also has considerable merit, is to revert to our original idea and hold all further "do's" (for want of a better word) at the one location. Our original plan was to hold one big reunion at laverton, however, we digressed a bit last yearand held the smaller ones to "test the water". Although those that went to these nights enjoyed themselves, we think the nights were perhaps not as successful as they should have been.

We think, with the benefit of hindsight, that all further reunions be held at the one locality, and that the locality be Brisbane, and that they be monster "do's".It will be our intention to make each reunion the best "party" you've ever been to.

Adrian Heinrich organised the reunion at Laverton.

There is a bit of a precedent here in that a bunch of Ex-PNG people hold an annual event in Brisbane and it is a hugh success, people come from all over to be there, and perhaps we can beg/borrow/steal (hi Tania) some of their organisational planning. Their event started out 10 years ago as a reunion for ex-PNG people who were associatred somehow with aviation but has grown to include all people who spent time in PNG. (If you did and you'd like to be at the next PNG reunion [usually in July] send your details to "The Secretary, Klub Balus, 165 Griffith Road, Scarborough, QLD 4020" and ask to be included in their mail out).

In the meantime, we'll make some enquiries and bring you more on our findings in later editions. If you've got any suggestions - we'd like to hear them.

An ill wind!!

Now that last year's Indonesian/Timor situation seems to have quietened down, and normal relations have been restored, ie; we're back to giving them tons of aid, and selling them guns and stuff, it's probably worthwhile having a look at the fall-out.

Superficially, it looks like the 3 Services have benefited as all 3 have embarked on a recruitment drive to increase their numbers. The "Real People, Real Jobs, Real Life" campaign started late in 1999 and should work very well. At last it looks like the politicians (both persuasions) have started to take the Services seriously and use and equip them for what they were designed and not use them as a gigantic vote gathering enterprise or as a stop gap economic fix for some local economy. (Does any-one really know what sort of military requirement necessitated a maritime Sqn being sent from Townsville to Adelaide???). It seems that Timor was a bit of a surprise to a lot of them - or was it!!.

It was reported prior to Christmas that the Army were taking on an extra 3,000 personnel, and the RAAF were recruiting an extra 500 (doesn't seem many does it??). The Navy too seems to be taking on extra hands, all of which should increase the numbers of people in uniform. And it's about time, but let's hope the numbers that expand are the erks - the blokes and blokettes that wear the 'ralls. For too long now the erks in all 3 services have been replaced with either Civvies or by that growing menace of the 20th Century - the consultant. Clerks, cooks etc - all gone, now the Messes are run by Coles Cafeteria (or the like), L-Group is run by Fletcher Jones, pay section is run by the NAB, and the AMA runs the hospitals. It won't be long before Jennie George bans work on week-ends.

Is it really true that our Hercs are being serviced overseas by Air New Zealand?

Though, perhaps it's a bit unfair to blame the politicians - or is it??. Basically a politician is a person who is supposed to represent an electorate - a committee member on a damn big committee or a director of a damn big company if you like. He/she could have a back ground as a train driver, a plumber, solicitor, nurse, school teacher - what ever, but amazingly, we ask (vote) them to represent us on this great big committee which controls and spends billions and billions of our dollars, then the minute they do anything or make any sort of decision we whinge like hell.

Some of the girls that came along to the Brisbane reunion and helped make it such an enjoyable night.

But I digress. With diverse backgrounds, the only way they can intelligently assess any situation prior to making a decision is have advisers - experts in a particular field. And perhaps this is where the real problem lies!!!!!

We elect our representatives then tie their hands. Our system of Government doesn't allow our representatives to select their advisers. They're already in place, that vast bureaucracy known as the Public Service, un-sackable, un-representative, and un-answerable to almost everybody. These would be the same people who advised dumping the Chinooks, then oops, get some back again, or who left the old C130A's to rot on the ground at Laverton, or committed the country to those wonderful Collins class subs, or more importantly, wound down the numbers in the services. Stuff ups all of them, but no one accepts responsibility.

Eric Reid, Nick Beeston, and Ron Cawley having a cuppa at the Vic reunion which was held at the Laverton Sgt's Mess on th 9th October 1999.

We've got a sneaking suspicion that a major cause of the low morale problem in the services (that magic old chestnut) stems from the fact that service blokes much prefer dealing with other service blokes (and blokettes - actually especially with blokettes). It was ok to see civvies in ASCO, or in the paper shop, or the barber-shop, but we didn't like seeing them on the tarmac (except in the hungry van), we didn't like seeing them in "our" hanger - remember the week-end warriors, or in pay section - they had a different outlook to us and they did things differently. The services should be operated by and run by service people. Simple really.

I suppose the economics are there, but we find it very difficult to understand why or how it's cheaper to employ civvies to do the job of enlisted people. Everyone knows at least someone who has got out, only to be immediately re-employed as a consultant at (at least) twice the original salary and on far better conditions. Doesn't make sense to us!!!

But - perhaps you're up on all this. If so, as always, we'd like to hear from you. Why is it better to get rid of enlisted people and employ civvies in the services????

Appies.

Our mention of a young lad's life after joining the Air Force's apprenticeship scheme bought quite a few letters about the times. Allan George, well known by a lot of people, joined the RAAF in 1965 as a radio apprentice on 19 Appy, and is still in there (That makes 35 years continuous service - I think he just beats you Col). He writes:-

"Appies in the mid 60's were paid 10 pounds ($20) per fortnight. Up to, and including 19 course (my course), we had to sign up for the duration of our training plus 12 years service. The two combined gave us about 14 years and 8 months. I understand that this was the longest return of service obligations in force at the time - including that for pilots or the academy.

From 20 course onward the sign-on period was halved to training plus 6 years. We had to be over 15 and under 17 at enlistment. Most of my course was over 16, but I was 15 and a bit and only about five foot nothing tall. I started on size 00 uniforms and had to change them fairly regularly due to the growth caused by that "great food" that was provided to us by the Laverton Airmans' Mess, however, we did have free exchange of uniforms while Appies.

We were technically in our apprenticeship for five years but were treated as Airmen once we graduated, however, we didn't get our final certificates until the five year point. In my case I was still not 18 when I graduated. In fact, I was still not 21 when I got back from Vietnam and could not legally buy a drink in my home state of WA, and couldn't vote anywhere, although those who went to Vietnam will recall we could vote there if you were under 21. I did in the 1969 election I guess it was, we had a postal vote and I had no idea who we were voting for or which party they represented!!!

Ken Barr (ex-34 RMT) at the recent Brisbane reunion.

A bunch of us enlisted in Perth on Monday 11 Jan 1965 (but who's counting), there were 5 radio Appies and about 12 for Wagga. We were put up overnight at the Perth YMCA (an experience), then taken out to RAAF Base Pearce for a ride in a Herc. This was my first flight on an aircraft, and was much the same for most of the other blokes. We went to Richmond via Edinburgh where we overnighted, and I got to go to my first ASCO but only the dry side. Next day we dropped off the Wagga Appies then went on to Laverton where CPL Bruce Main met us and our world changed. The first order I got was to have a shave, and at 15 years old I didn't need one?

Most of the other course members were there when we arrived, 35 in all at the start. 4 dropped out in the first month and returned home and another 4 left during the course. 27 of us graduated in August 67. The second group of four that dropped out went across to "thicksville" as Tels Tech trainees. (Bob Measly, ??? O'Connel, ??? Vincent and Terry Hogan I think were their names)

Uniforms were issued and we were then supposed to pack up all our civvie clothes and send them back to our parents. However, we managed to find a way of keeping some in the ceiling of the blocks - just in case. For the first 3 months we were allowed Saturday morning in Melbourne in either our uniforms or our "Poof Suits" a double breasted jacket with the RAAF crest on the pocket and broad grey trousers and a Squadron tie that was wider than a dinner napkin.

After a month or so we were also allowed Sundays off, provided you were not on CT (corrective training). Before you got Sunday leave you were marched to the Church Service and if you did not go to church you spent an hour on the Bull Ring - consequently we were all very religious. We also had religious instruction on Wednesday nights. Padres A.J McAllister and J.J. White (John White was also in Vung Tau when I was there).

The first week was fairly quiet, as we were the only course at the school. After about a week the D I's (one was big Fred Holtman who was not much older than us and had been in the Air Force less time) gathered us on the lawn and said that the senior course would be back the next day and things might be different. That was an understatement, difficult would have been more to the point. Boy, did things change then. Needless to say we "sprogs" were the centre of their attention and found our sleep patterns not as regular as before. We were bunked up in 16 room huts, but apart from the block CPL/APP we did not have doors. I guess that was so the senior course could make sure were sleeping well?

Bruce Purcell and Rolf Roelfsema (facing camera) outside appy hut 451.

We went to RMIT each day at about 0800 and returned at about 1745 in time to get what ever the "thicks" had left us to eat in the mess. We had compulsory study each night Monday to Thursday for 2 hours. Needless to say we were not allowed anywhere near the boozer. Wednesday afternoons we had sport and again on Saturdays.We did not qualify for free phone calls home or any of that stuff.

We did get two travel warrants per year, one in May and one at Christmas. We went by train and had to get over and back during the two week May school break. The West Aussies only got about 8 days at home and 6 days on the train (some of us would pay the extra to fly so we could get more time at home). North Queenslanders had a like problem. 19 Course was one-third canetoads (If you did a survey of any course in the 60's and 70's it would be 1/3rd Queenslanders - see the back page - tb). We had a bloke on our course (Woodmansey) whose father was the Police Commissioner on Nauru Island and he had to go the final part of his journey home by boat. He no sooner got there that he had to come back.

We had (???) to go to a girl's school in Essendon every second Friday or Saturday night for dancing lessons - with real live girls. Lowther Hall if I recall correctly. While there the hawk-eyed teachers were appointed to monitor any impromptu anatomy studies. The girls had to be in the Hall before we arrived and were not supposed to be let out until we were on the buses and out of there. However - where there was a will, there most certainly was a way..........

On the subject of pay, if in '65 someone had suggested that one day my annual salary would be higher than my service number I would have thought they were mad.

Allan's story of life and times as a "brat" will continue next issue. In the meantime the RAAF Air Power Studies Centre, RAAF Base Fairbairn, ACT, (Ph 02 6287 6621) has published a book on the history of the Apprentice and Engineering Cadet schemes, titled "From the Ground Up". It costs $17.95 incl. postage.

Computers and stuff.  Sam Houliston

To www or not to www.

Ever wondered why some web sites require you to enter their full address, whereas others allow you to omit the www bit? For example you can access BigPond's home page by typing only http://bigpond.com instead of using the full address:- http://www.bigpond.com whereas you need to enter http://www.ozemail.com.au rather than http://ozemail.com.auto access OzEmail.

But what about the "http://" bit I hear you ask. Well, HTML stands for Hyper Text Markup Language (what else?) which is the format in which normal web pages are written. If the site's address starts with www, there's no problem, you can leave it out, the http:// prefix is assumed. But if www is omitted too, browsers like Netscape and Internet Explorer make assumptions about the initial prefix based on the first part of the name you supply, usually but not always http:// is assumed as the prefix. As an example of something different, if you supply the name ftp.netscape.com to your browser, you will see that it assumes (correctly in this case) a full name of ftp://ftp.netscape.com which means that the browser has forgotten about HTML and is into FTP (File Transfer Protocol). There is a site http://www.ftp.com, in this case simply supplying ftp.com fails totally as the browser goes looking for ftp://ftp.com when the site is really in HTML format.

The Hosting Thing.

Let's assume you've got a warehouse full of 6BM8 valves, and you want to advertise them for sale to the world. You know there's a huge market out there for 6BM8's, and you'd like to include a photo or two and a story about the anode and the cathode, and the grids along with your marketing speel. You've got a computer and a modem, and you've been to Telstra and got an extra telephone line into the office and you've got yourself "on the net" using their Big Pond and you're ready to start taking orders. What next??

First up, you need to find someone to handle this for you because you're ex RAAF and smart enough to realise your Harvey Norman computer's not big enough to copy with all the millions of people who will want to hear about your 6BM8's. So you go to an ISP (Internet service Provider) called say Bloggs who has registered himself as bloggs.com.au (the .au at the end because he's in Australia). Bloggs has a whopping great computer or two, with tons of room on his hard drives, and he takes all your information and images and stores them all on one of his computers suitably formatted as HTML files (and JPEG or GIF files for the images). You want your web site to be known as www.beautvalves.com.au or www.beautvalves.com (or both) so you get Bloggs to register the domain names of beautvalves.com and/or beautvalves.com.au and to associate these names with your home page (the HTML file that is what people get shown when they simply use the address www.beautvalves.com)

He may or may not have tons of modems and a big bunch of phone lines, because some ISPs also provide dial-up for individuals (like BigPond at www.bigpond.

com) and some (like WebKeepers at www.webk.net) do not. He will charge you for what he does because that's how he makes his money. That's the easy bit. Now he (or someone) has to let the world at large know about your site. How does he do that???

First thing he does is to make sure your home page is suitably laced with keywords like "6BM8" and "valve" (this is a real art), then he registers your home page with some search engines like AltaVista and NorthernLight. The search engine (why do they call it an engine??) typically takes a look at your home page and the keywords you say are important then decides how to make use of this information when some Netscape user goes to AltaVista and types in keywords like 6BM8 and "valve" in the "Search" spot - (which is a bit like ^F in Word).

You can also register pages other than your home page. And if you're lucky you get lots of "hits", i.e. lots of people see your site and you make tons of money selling your 6BM8's.

Did you hear about the cross-eyed circumciser - he finally got the sack!

 HOW TO GIVE YOUR CAT A PILL

 

Those who have cats will appreciate this one. Those who don't will appreciate it even more!

1. Pick cat up and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.

2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.

3. Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away.

4. Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of 10.

5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden.

6. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, holding front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold cat's head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.

7. Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.

8. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with its head just visible from below spouse's armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force cat's mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw.

9. Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink glass of water to take taste away. Apply band-aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.

10. Retrieve cat from neighbour's shed. Get another pill. Place cat in cupboard and close door onto neck to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.

11. Fetch screw-driver from garage and put cupboard door back on its hinges. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Throw T-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.

12. Ring fire brigade to retrieve cat from tree across the road. Apologise to neighbour who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil wrap.

13. Tie cat's front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table. Find heavy duty pruning gloves from shed. Force cat's mouth open with small spanner. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of fillet steak. Hold head vertically and pour ½ pint of water down throat to wash pill down.

14. Get spouse to drive you to emergency room; sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Stop by furniture shop on way home to order new table.

15. Shoot cat. Get a dog.

 

John (Nerk) Broughton, Jack Hancock and Bill Langton at the Brisbane reunion, held at the Qld Book-makers Club on th 9th October 1999.

 We know there's been a lot of sleepless nights with everyone wondering just "when are they going to publish the list of names of Commanding Officers of Radschool".

Well here it is!

01 Nov 1945	Wng Cdr W.J. Guthrie
06 Aug 1947	Wng Cdr R. Kingsford Smith DFC
28 Mar 1949	Wng Cdr J. E. Reynolds
02 Jun 1952	Wng Cdr A. A. Slight MBE
22 Sep 1954	Wng Cdr G. E. Prosser
01 Mar 1957	Wng Cdr W. T. Taylor
29 Feb 1960	Wng Cdr R. J. Fairbank
22 Jan 1962	Wng Cdr W. C. Blakely OBE
04 Jul 1964	Wng Cdr E. R. Hall
28 Jun 1968	Wng Cdr R. K. Starkie
20 Dec 1971	Wng Cdr A. J. Benson
29 Nov 1973	Wng Cdr W. J. Thorn
15 Apr 1975	Wng Cdr F. J. Wrigley
17 Jan 1978	Wng Cdr J. E. Townsend
06 Jan 1980	Wng Cdr R. A. Bean
13 Oct 1981	Wng Cdr D. R. McCarthy
13 Dec 1984	Wng Cdr H.H. Bock
10 Sep 1986	Wng Cdr J. M. Dallimore
15 Jan 1990	Wng Cdr V. D. Robertson
01 Dec 1991	Wng Cdr E. W. Gidley

Vet Affairs Benefits.

"VETAFFAIRS", the newspaper produced in Canberra for the Veteran Community, recently reported that a majority of answers to questions most people have about the various benefits and services provided by the Dept of Veterans' Affairs, Australian War Graves, Veterans' Review Board or the Vietnam Vets Counselling Board can now be found on the Net.

This resource, termed DVA Facts, is now available at www.dva.gov.au/factsheets/default

There you'll find answers to most of your queries on pensions, allowances, health, housing services and grant schemes. It's an easy site to get around in, so if you've got any questions, and like us you hate the "for this dept press 1, for that dept press 2, press 3 to hear it all again, etc, madness that everyone with a telephone seems to use these days (bring back the PMG we say), try the net.

All files are in PDF format so you'll need a copy of Acrobat Reader, but you can download that from the site also if you don't already have it.

John and Maureen Mathwin  - at the Perth reunion.

 34 years ago

It doesn't seem that long, but it was actually 34 years and 14 days ago now that the old money gave way to the new. That was when the £sd money went into history and with it went some wonderful Australian words - words like zack, bob and quid that were once such a part of the language. You wonder how something so common could have just disappeared. Everyone expected the words to carry on with the 5¢ piece being the new zack, the 20¢ being 2 bob, and the $2 note being the new quid. Didn't happen!

Those who were at Laverton for that Monday in Feb of 66 will always remember the mad rush to ASCO for morning smoko when everyone wanted to spend some of their old money just to get some of the new stuff as change - and didn't it seem strange stuff. Didn't even look like money. The first hour after smoko was completely devoted to the new money, and everyone had their ideas on it.

Everything is like that though, nothing lasts. Who would have the world could have survived without valves, ganged tuning capacitors, AVO's, scope irons, relay burnishing tools, punched tape, morse keys, even type writers. Gone.

When you sit and think about the things that have gone since 1966 it's very surprising just how big the list is. What is equally surprising is the size of the list of things that are now so common but didn't even exist in 1966.

 Ain't life wonderful!!!

---

When we scanned the photos sent in from the various re-union nights we found some faces in the backgrounds, though we don't have all the names for them. You'll know who they are though, so we thought you'd like to see them and we've included them here. Because they've been, in some cases, blown up considerably, the quality is not all that good, but that won't matter - will it Frank?? Check them out here..

The Revellers at the Brisbane Re-union - 16 Oct 1999

The good old days??

The three photos following were sent to us by Ed Ward who was on 18 Sigs Course at Laverton in 1963. You can clearly see the fantastic amenities that the RAAF used at the time to train its front line personnel. Remember the old Bell & Howell 16mm projectors and the Moody Institute tech movies much loved by the instructors and those wonderfully comfortable seats, and the modern desks, and those silly little fans on the wall (only two though) that desperately tried to warm the place in the winter, and move some air around and keep the room cool in the summer.

These class room photos had to be taken during a Melbourne summer as the blokes are in drabs, so the inside temp of that tin hut at the time was probably close to damn hot. This explains the enthusiasm shown on the faces of the trainees (below). Evident too are the aircraft recognition silhouettes (just in case the hoards come flying in), ABO's hanging on the notice board (they were everywhere) and some model aircraft hanging from the ceiling just to remind everyone this really is the RAAF - not the Army.

---

.

Ed writes:- another engrossing "Harvey White" movie with "Grob" evident on several classroom desks. The trainees from 18 Signallers Course eagerly take it all in. A front view reveals most are still awake. From R-L:- Bob Kilpatrick, Ted Bach, Geoff Barnes, Peter Fairbrother, Paul Fuller, Dom Craim and on the extreme left - John Holt. John remustered and went on to become a pilot but was tragically killed when his aircraft, an F111, crashed at Evans Head.

Thanks Ed - they bring back a lot of memories. If anyone else has photos similar to these, or photos of other parts of Radschool, we would love to see them. If you post them to us we will of course return them.

 

This photo was taken the day president Kennedy was assassinated - 22 Nov 1963 and shows a mixed bunch of trainees, including some brats, enjoying a Laverton "sporty". Fourth from the left (in white socks) is Geoff Barnes. Can anyone put some names to the other faces? Apparently, there's no truth in the rumour that this is the photo that inspired the movie Chariots of Fire.

The Beer and Ice Cream Diet.

As we all know, it takes 1 calorie to heat 1 gram of water 1 degree C. Translated into meaningful terms, this means that if you eat a very cold dessert (generally consisting of water), the natural processes which raise the consumed dessert to body temperature during the digestive cycle literally sucks the calories out of the only available source, your body fat.

For example, a dessert served and eaten at near 0 degrees C (32 deg. F) will in a short time be raised to the normal body temperature of 37 degrees C (98.4 deg. F). For each gram of dessert eaten, that process uses up 37 calories as shown above. The average dessert portion is 6 oz, or 168 grams. Therefore, by operation of thermodynamic law, 6,216 calories (1 cal./gm/deg. x 37 deg. x 168 gms) are extracted from body fat as the dessert's temperature is normalised. Allowing for the 1,200 fat making calories in the dessert, the net calorie loss is approximately 5,000 calories. WOW!!

Obviously, therefore, the more cold dessert you eat, the better off you are and the faster you will lose weight. This process can be applied equally well to drinking very cold beer (which is why we do it - right!!). Each ounce of beer contains 16 fat making calories, but extracts 1,036 calories (10,360 cal. per middy) in the temperature normalising process. Thus the net calorie loss per ounce of beer is 1,020 calories. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to calculate that 13,260 calories (13 oz. x 1,020 cal./oz.) are extracted from the body in the process of drinking a cold can of beer.

Frozen desserts, e.g., ice cream, are even more beneficial, since it takes 83 cal./gm to melt them (i.e., raise them to 0 deg. C) and an additional 37 cal./gm to further raise them to body temperature. The results here are really remarkable, and it beats running hands down.

Unfortunately, for those (of us) who eat pizza as an excuse to drink beer, pizza (loaded with fat making calories and served above body temperature) induces an opposite effect. But, thankfully, as you should have already worked out, the obvious solution is to drink a lot of beer with pizza and follow it up immediately with large bowls of ice cream. We could all be thin if only we were to adhere religiously to a pizza, beer, and ice cream diet.

 

Always pays to keep at least one eye on the road.

Ron Russell and Bernie Ballantine at the Brisbane reunion.

Some of the revellers at the Perth reunion, held at Raffles Hotel on the 22nd October 1999. Don't you wish you'd gone!!! From the left, Neville Wren, Artur Turner, Keith Collins, Glyn Beavan, Bob Jorman and Ted Washbrook.

Alan Mainwaring's mention, in our recent issue, of Fred (Tiny) Holtman brought in a lot of mail. Ted McEvoy who now lives in the west wrote:-

I can remember him helping to guard the main gate at Vung Tau whilst standing next to an ARVN MP. They reminded me of Ii.

I can also remember him marrying a petite WRAAF who definitely had the wood over the big bloke.

John Harris, now living in the US writes-

John Broughton, who was the Master of Ceremonies for the night, deserves an honourable mention. I really enjoyed the night and hope to be able to make the next one.

Thanks John, we hope to see you also. We've managed to persuade John Broughton to MC the next one as well - you've really got to twist his arm to get him to do this - the mention of a couple of free VB's usually works though!

Club Site

We have decided against promoting the Club's web site that was established last year (clubs.yahoo.com/radschool). We intended to use it as a notice board, and while some people used it, there weren't too many hits on the site as there didn't seem to be any interest in it - so we'll let if just fade away.

The site is still there, and can be operated and used if you wish, but the Association won't post any more information there. All info will now be either included in the newsletters, or sent out via email.

Ballarat

The Ballarat RSL is building a memorial to POWs

and they are seeking help in obtaining all the names of any POWs to ensure they have them all. If you had a dad (or mum) or relative who was an Ex-POW please get in touch with the RSL in Ballarat (2 Lyns St, South Ballarat, Vic, 3350).

They are also after donations which we believe are tax deductible (over $2.00). Cheques should be made out to the "Australian Ex Prisoner of war memorial Appeal" and sent to the RSL in Ballarat.

Nana V says:

"No-one has ever drowned swimming between the flags - because they stick the flags in the sand!"

A dog thinks: Hey, these people I live with feed me, love me, provide me with a nice warm dry house, pet me, and take good care of me... They must be Gods.

A cat thinks: Hey, these people I live with feed me, love me, provide me with a nice warm dry house, pet me, and take good care of me... I must be a God!

Nana V says:-

Never be afraid to try something new, remember, amateurs built the Ark, professionals built the Titanic.

And didn't spill a drop!!!

No names - no pack drill, but it was in Brisbane!!

Where are they now?

If you know where any of the people in the pictures below are, please let us know.

And if you're looking for a long lost mate, send us your "Where are they now" photos along with a few words. Perhaps we can help find him/her.

Find Fred!

The mention of Fred Holtman's name in our last issue sparked a lot of interest. Blokes remembered him from his early days as a DI, to later times as an ADG. We believe he was posted to Richmond in (or about) 1970. It seems that most people Fred came in contact with have fond memories of the big bloke - which in itself speaks volumes for the man, and I don't think you can ask for much more than that.

We now have a mission - Find Fred......Any-one know ing the whereabouts of the big fella - please let us know.

Pete Griffiths, second from left, was at Laverton in 1966 and again in 1967, and used to drive his grey '56 Ford Zephyr like it was made of 3in plate steel. Pete, like nearly 50% of the RAAF at the time was from Queensland, and wouldn't stop talking about the place. Last we heard he was living west of Brisbane. Shown here on the balcony of one of the 2AD blocks at Richmond in 1966 with (L-R) Phil Penny radio (deceased), Kev Trimmer electrician (last heard living in Townsville) and Ray Zieba, also electrician. Deppo doggies all!!

41 RTC and friends at a bar-b-q in the Bunyip State Park (Vic) in 1967. From L-R (blokes only) Brett Knight, Graeme Benthien (now in Perth), sorry - the name's gone, John Butler and Terry Horsley.

Win and Bill Coyer (good all round bloke - tb) at an Airman's summer ball in the Mess at Richmond in (possibly) 1968. Bill was a Cpl RadtechA at 38Sqn at the time, and got his third hook shortly after this photo.

Post Radschool

John Harris who was at Radschool at Ballarat in 1960-1961, and who now lives in the USA sent in the photo (left) of some of the blokes who went to the US in 1968 for F111 training. This photo was taken at Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio Texes - which is where John now lives. There would be some familiar faces here, does anyone know where the rest are now... L-R John Harris, Carl Sanford, Bob Howden, USAF officer, SqnLdr Philpot, Kev Bettiens and Roy Dash.

John Harris also sent in a photo of the blokes on his radio course. Unfortunately, there's not enough space to show it to you in this issue, but we'll include it in our next edition. We've managed to snatch a couple of faces from the photo, and we can compare them with the photos taken at the Brisbane reunion. It's Bob Bocos on the left and John on the right.
Sorry - it was the grog what made me do it.....tb

Competition.

Well.......the response to the competition in Vol3 was certainly fierce. We received tons of entries, but unfortunately there can be only 1 winner. We know there will be wide spread wailing and gnashing of teeth from all those unsuccessful entries, but the winner is:- Ed Ward who was on 18 sigs course and who now lives in Silkstone, which for those of you that aren't lucky enough to live in Qld, is out near Ipswich, just west of Brisbane. Ed has been sent his bottle of Sparkling Rinegolde along with his Radschool Association's certificate of merit. Word has it that the mayor of Ipswich declared a public holiday the day Ed's prize arrived, and there was dancing in the streets. The answer of course was "Tough Rubber Sheathing". Everyone knew that!

A few blokes cheated, Adrian Heinrick cheated by daring to be an electrician in civvy life prior to joining the RAAF - he knew what TRS was because he had used it. We disqualified him almost immediately.

Now it's your turn, you too can to win a bottle of that most magnificent of wines - the venerated Sparkling Rinegolde. This edition's question which is once again 100% relevant and which you'll all know because it's as easy as pie is:-

What do "7 line feeds, 4 N's" mean in a message? Easy again - right!!!!!

Send your written answers to us any way you like, email, fax, post - but please don't ring. Entries should be in by the end of April 2000, and once again we'll announce the lucky winner in our next edition. Judge's decision etc etc etc......Go to it.

Join The Club

Click HERE to join the Radschool Association 

Print and fill in the form from the link above and post it to us, along with your cheque, money order (or cash) for $10.00 made out to "Radschool Association". We need you!

Unfortunately it costs to product this little booklet, there's paper, envelopes, inks, stamps etc, and we can't do it without your support. We're sorry but we can't continue to send you the booklet unless you help us by contributing to its cost. It's not fair on those that have.

Financials - as at 28 Feb 2000

Income

Expenses

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