Appointment to the National Native Title Tribunal

 *******************************

 

QUR Association 2014 Christmas Party

 

 

QUR Association Executive

 is pleased to invite you and partner to the

QURA Christmas Party

 

The Annual Christmas Party for the QUR Association will be held at the Normanby Hotel, 1 Musgrave Rd, Red Hill (Normanby Fiveways), Brisbane on the evening of Thursday 11th December 2014 from 1700 in the upstairs Patio Bar.   

 

The Normanby Hotel is conveniently located opposite the Normanby Bus Station which is just 1 stop from the Roma Street train/bus interchange.  The Normanby has been chosen as a quieter location due to the noise experienced at last year's venue.

 

QURA will be providing some finger food during the evening and members may purchase their drinks from the bar.

 

If you know of any former members of QUR that have been part of QURA or might like to join, please invite them along. 

 

Come along and enjoy the festive season with old friends.

 

 

 

 

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War Quotes

 

 

Napoleon did not move at all. He just moved forward in the old style, and was driven off in the old style.
Duke of Wellington 1815

A Tank is walking up the High Street of Flers with the British Army cheering behind.
An aviators message 15 September 1916 following the first use of tanks.

Six million young men lie in premature graves, and four old men sit in Paris partitioning the earth.
Newspaper article, The Versailles Peace Conference 1919

Nothing is more dangerous in war time than to live in the temperamental atmosphere of a Gallup poll, always feeling one’s pulse and taking one’s temperature.
Winston Churchill 30 September 1941

The responsibility of the great states is to serve and not to dominate the world.
Harry Truman 16 April 1945

It (the first V2 rocket to fall on London in September 1944) was very successful, but it fell on the wrong planet.
Wernher von Braun

We are in the wrong place, fighting the wrong war.
Senator Mike Mansfield, in Congress, March 1968

It is a wicked prayer to ask to have someone to hate of to fear, so that he may be someone to conquer.
St Augustine of Hippo, 354-430

 

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Things to Think About

Life is a play. And it’s not it’s the length but it’s the performance that counts.

 

If at first you don’t succeed, quit.

 

It at first you do succeed, don’t take any more chances.

 

A consultant is simply a professional who can’t find a job of his own.

 

Diets are for women who are thick and tired of it.

 

She was only a cab driver’s daughter, but you sure auto meter.

She was only the horse trainer’s daughter, but all the horse manure.

 

I told my wife she didn’t have a sense of humour. “ I married you didn’t I?” she replied.

 

An atheist is a man without any invisible means of support.

 

A shotgun wedding is a case of wife or death.

 

My uncle had his tongue shot off during the Vietnam War, but he does not talk about it.

 

A little boy said his ambition was to drive a tank. His father said: “Well I wont stand in your way.”

 

The sergeant- major growled at the young soldier: “I didn’t see you at camouflage training this morning.” “Thank you very much, sir.”

 

An Army general and a Navy admiral were sitting in a barber’s shop. Both were coming to the end of their shaves when the two barbers reached for some after-shave to slap on their customer’s faces. The admiral shouted: “Don’t put that stuff on me! My wife will think I’ve been in a whorehouse!”

The general turned to the barber and said; “You can put it on me. My wife doesn’t know what the inside of a whorehouse smells like.”

 

My grandfather was in the very first submarine. Instead of a periscope, they had a kaleidoscope. He screamed: “we’re surrounded.”

 

 

 *****************************

 

Quotes

 

Something to ponder over.

 

What does the “D” in D-Day stand for?

On 6 June 1944, 156,000 Allied soldiers headed to the shores of France (most famously, in Normandy), as part of Operation Overlord, the code name for the entire Allied invasion of north-west Europe. Not all of the soldiers landed on the beaches on June 6, but that day became known as D-Day, the beginning of the pivotal Battle of Normandy.

 

The D-Day museum in Portsmouth has an explanation on it’s website. It says: ‘When a military operation is being planned, its actual date and time is not always known exactly. The term D-Day was therefore used to mean the date on which operations would begin, whenever that was to be. The day before D-Day was known as “D-1”, while the day after was “D+1”, and so on. This meant that if the projected date of an operation changed, all the dates in the plan did not need to be changed. This actually happened in the case of the Normandy landings. D-Day in Normandy was originally intended to be on 5 June 1944, but at the last minute bad weather delayed it until the following day. The armed forces also used the expression “H-Hour” for the time during the day at which operations were to begin.”

 

Both the US and British military have the same designations for ‘D’ and ‘H’ in military planning. We haven’t been able to find its first use in England, but in the United States it dates back at least to World War 1. According to the US Army Center of Military History:

“The earliest use of these terms by the US Army that the Military History has been able to find was during World War 1. In Field Order Number 9, First Army, American Expeditionary Forces, dated 7 September 1918: “The First Army will attack at H-Hour on D-Day with the object of forcing the evacuation of the St Mihiel Salient”

 

(reproduced from the Readers Digest book “Imponderables” by David Feldman.)

 

I feel sorry for people who don’t drink, because when they get up in the morning, they’re not going to feel any better all day.

Phil Harris

 

Conscience is a mother in law whose visit never ends.

H.L. Mencken (1880-1956)

 

It is hard to look up to a leader who keeps his ear to the ground.

James H. Boren

 

O Lord, help me to be pure, but not yet.

St Augustine (354-430)

 

Truth is shorter than fiction.

Irving Cohen

 

My only aversion to vice is the price.

Victor Bono

 

Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich.

Napoleon Boneparte 1769 – 1821

 

Which is it, is man one of God’s blunders or is God one of man’s?

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzshe 1844 - 1900

 

I may have my faults, but being wrong ain’t one of them.

Jimmy Hoffa 1913-1975

 

The best revenge is to live long enough to be a problem to your children.

Anonymous

 

In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame,
two is a law firm and three or more is a government.
John Adams

If you don't read the newspaper you are uninformed,
if you do read the newspaper you are misinformed.
Mark Twain

I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.
Winston Churchill

A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.
George Bernard Shaw

Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer of money from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries.
Douglas Casey, Classmate of Bill Clinton at Georgetown University

Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.
P.J. O'Rourke, Civil Libertarian

Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else.
Frederic Bastiat, French economist(1801-1850)

I don't make jokes.
I just watch the government and report the facts.
Will Rogers

If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free!
P.J. O'Rourke

In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other.
Voltaire (1764)

Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you!
Pericles (430 B.C.)

No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session.
Mark Twain (1866)

Talk is cheap...except when government does it.
Anonymous

The government is like a baby's alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other.
Ronald Reagan

The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin.
Mark Twain

What this country needs are more unemployed politicians.
Edward Langley, Artist (1928-1995)

A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.
Thomas Jefferson
 

  *****************************

 

 

Correspondence from Members

 

Listed below is some of the correspondence received since the last Newsletter.  These emails are reproduced here for entertainment and also to keep members informed of other members movements, etc.

 

Please note:  QURA receives emails/letters from time to time requesting contact details of members.  The current policy is if a fellow member requests contact with another member, the contact details are given without contacting the relevant member. 

Where contact is requested by a non-member, the contact is referred to the individual member to follow up the contact if they so desire.

 

==================================================================

 

Email received in response to card sent to Judith Loveday by QURA

From:- Judith Loveday

 

To:- Trevor Luttrell

 

 

Dear Trevor,
Thank you for your thoughts. Larry was very proud of the friendship and duties with his Army mates.
 

Judith Loveday.
 

 

==================================================================

From:- Garry Collins

 

To:- Trevor Luttrell

 

Dear Trevor
I would very much like to be able to attend Alf's funeral but unfortunately I have to work - assessed student presentations are programmed.

Col, please pass on my condolences to Barbara. Their daughter attended Ferny Grove High School when I taught there.

Garry Collins
 

==================================================================

From:- Rob Van Dyk

 

To:- Trevor Luttrell

Dear Sir,

That is indeed sad news. I did not know LTCOL Loveday but I honour his memory as one of the first QUR recruits.

I remember WO1 Alf Handley with great respect and affection. He was a big man both in stature and in heart and provided great support and mentoring to QUR members. In particular, he had a great gift for putting people at ease, with his friendly (almost big brotherly) approach and huge handshake.

A great loss.

Due to being on duty at AHQ in Canberra, I will be unable to attend the funeral but would you be so kind as to pass on my sincere condolences to his family?

Thanks and regards,

Rob Van Dyk
Major
AHQ

==================================================================

 

From:- Bill Beach

 

To:- Trevor Luttrell

 

Dear Trevor
I really liked Alf H. Good man.
 

Regards Bill Beach

 

==================================================================

From:- Beryl McGreevy

 

To:- Trevor Luttrell

I am unable to attend because of a work commitment that I can’t get out of and Kerry is in the same boat. Would you please pass on our sympathies to Barb and family.

Thankyou

Regards Beryl
 

 

==================================================================

From:- Ian Crellin

 

To:- Peter Morton

 

Subject: Re passing of Max Mules

Hi Peter

Thanks for the email on the August newsletter. I was particularly pleased to see the photo of the 1965 Officers Mess, the year in which I enlisted.

You may be aware that the Adjutant in that photo, Max Mules, recently passed away. His funeral was held in Canberra in late July. His son is an ARes Major who is still serving in ASSG (ACT) and isalso a civilian officer in the Department of Defence. We sometimes exchanged stories about the confusion arising from his father’s deafness which became progressively worse as he aged.

You may also be interested to note that with my retirement last year after nearly 50 years of service, the last active 147 Regimental Number disappeared from the Army rolls, Peter Sharwood was the second last. We both enlisted in 1965 and are now both on the Retired List.

Best wishes to all

Ian Crellin MAJ (Retd)
 

 

==================================================================

From:- Bruce Davis

 

To:- Trevor Luttrell

Dear Trevor
Both wonderful human beings.

Bruce Davis
 

==================================================================

From:- Paul Deighton

 

To:- Trevor Luttrell, Peter Morton

Subject:-  Australian War Memorial Last Post Ceremony

 

Dear Trevor and Peter,
 

I thought association members might be interested in learning about the Last Post ceremony that now occurs daily at the Australian War Memorial here in Canberra. This ceremony was instigated by the memorial Director, Dr Brendon Nelson, last year following on from his attendance at the Menin Gate ceremony in Belgium over 80 times while he was Australia's Ambassador in Brussels. Dr Nelson secured the support of the ADF chiefs so that a uniformed member takes part in the ceremony each day reading the story of one of the names listed on the memorial's walls. As these individual stories are planned months in advance, the ceremony is often attended by family members from all around Australia who lay wreaths during the service.

ADF members volunteer to participate and the roster rotates between the three services. The ceremony is broadcast live on the war memorial website and can be watched each day from 1655 (Canberra time) on the link below. Apparently, many RSLs now show the ceremony each day to the members at their clubs. https://secure.awm.gov.au/events/last-post-ceremony/

I had the privilege of being the ADF participant in the ceremony on two occasions this year and it was an absolute honour. As knowledge of the ceremony spreads, the crowds are getting larger and more people are logging on to view the ceremony. We can only hope that the message keeps spreading to honour our fallen in all wars.

Regards

Paul Deighton

 

 

=================================================================

 

 

From:- Vicki Mynott

 

To:- Trevor Luttrell

Subject:-  Wacol Army Camp

Dear Mr President

The Richlands, Inala and Suburbs History Group (Inc) has BCC funding to publish a community history of Wacol - which is almost complete.

Of course there is a chapter on "Army" presence - ranging from the 1880s.

Specifically, I am seeking a photo of the final days of the camp.

I understand that QUR "turned the lights out" in January 2001.
Did QUR stage a final march out? Are there photos?

We have paid for some photos but are now reduced to begging.

Some good res. photos taken at Wacol would be most welcome.

We would be most appreciative of any assistance you can give.

Sincerely

Vicki Mynott
Richlands, Inala and Suburbs History Group

 

 

If members have any relevant photos, please contact Trevor Luttrell

 

=================================================================

 

 

From:- Bruce Davis

 

To:- Trevor Luttrell

Subject:-  Lexophilia

"Lexophile" is a word used to describe those who have a love
for words, such as "you can tune a piano, but you can't tuna fish", or
"to write with a broken pencil is pointless." A competition to see who
Can come up with the best lexphillies is held every year in an
Undisclosed location. This year's winning submission is posted at the
Very end.


.... When fish are in schools, they sometimes take debate.
.... A thief who stole a calendar got twelve months.
.... When the smog lifts in Los Angeles U.C.L.A.
.... The batteries were given out free of charge.
.... A dentist and a manicurist married. They fought tooth and nail.
.... A will is a dead giveaway.
.... With her marriage, she got a new name and a dress.
.... A boiled egg is hard to beat.
.... When you've seen one shopping Center you've seen a mall.
.... Police were called to a day care Center where a three-year-old was resisting a rest.
.... Did you hear about the fellow whose whole left side was cut off? He's all right now.
... A bicycle can't stand alone; it is two tired.
.... When a clock is hungry it goes back four seconds.
.... The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine is now fully recovered.
.... He had a photographic memory which was never developed.
.... When she saw her first strands of grey hair she thought she'd dye.
.... Acupuncture is a jab well done. That's the point of it.

And the cream of the wretched crop:

.... Those who get too big for their pants will be exposed in the end.

 

==================================================================

From:- Rod Hardaker

 

To:- Peter Morton

Subject:-   GALLIPOLI SNIPER

 

    Received the following email - thought it would be of interest to QURA members

 

 

The latest copy of Outback magazine contained an article on Billy Sing, known as the Gallipoli Sniper, who in a few short months on the Gallipoli Peninsula became the Allies' greatest sniper, possibly the best sniper ever.
 

He is reputed to have killed more men than any other foot soldier in history. Below is Billy's story which I have taken, in large part, from Outback together with additional information from the Australian War Memorial. I noted that Billy died within days of my own grandfather - both deaths caused by the effects of mustard gas attacks they were subjected to
during the war. Research shows that most soldiers were returned to the front line after 'recovering' from the effects of gas, BUT they paid a terrible price later! Almost all soldiers who were gassed during WW1 died in their 30s, 40s and early 50s with virtually none living to reach old age.  It was a horrible and painful death due to the damage the gas had caused to
their lungs, throats and respiratory systems.

I trust Billy's story (below) is of as much interest as it was researching.

Gallipoli Sniper - Billy Sing

Billy Sing, nicknamed 'The Murderer', was a World War I hero, once known around the world. But by the time he died in 1943, alone and almost penniless, he had all but been forgotten. Billy was born in 1886 in Clermont, Qld, to a Chinese father from Shanghai and an Englishwoman. This son of a Chinaman rose above the racist attitudes and laws of the time and was a
likeable young bloke admired for his sporting prowess, particularly with the rifle. While still a boy, the story went, he could shoot the tail off a piglet at 25 paces with a .22 rifle.

From the age of 15, Billy worked as a station-hand, ringer and horse-drover, further cultivating his childhood bush skills, including hunting. He honed his shooting skills at the Clermont Rifle Club, and later at the rifle club in Proserpine. A regular winner of shooting prizes, he was also a good cricketer.

Sing was in his prime when he journeyed to Brisbane to join the 5th Light Horse (LH) Regiment in 1914. The 5th LH was in Egypt when the ANZACs landed at Gallipoli. Leaving their horses behind, Billy's regiment deployed in May 1915 as Infantry to Turkey's Gallipoli Peninsula. Trooper 355, Billy Sing, became 'probably the most dangerous sniper in any army throughout the war', wrote Ion Idriess. Idriess sailed to war on the same boat at Billy and became a popular author after the war. He was also an experienced bushman and at times was Billy's spotter.

'Abdul the Terrible', as the Allies called him, was the decorated Turkish sniper bought to Gallipoli to stop Sing! He methodically studied the Australian's handiwork - up to nine kills per day. Having finally located Sing's specially constructed 'possie', Abdul prepared to take down his prey - only to be shot between the eyes by Sing. Abdul was one of Sing's 201 confirmed Gallipoli kills, though he probably took the lives of many more Turks - there was not always a spotter to verify
kills, and it was sometimes difficult to determine if targets that had been hit and fallen into trenches had actually been killed. Though bringing grief to Turkey, Sing's exploit saved Allied lives and was perfect propaganda - he  was mentioned in dispatches, awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal and lauded in newspapers from Sydney to San Francisco.
But it didn't go all Sing's way. He was wounded in August 1915 when a Turkish sniper hit the telescope of his spotter, who was badly wounded before the bullet finally came to rest in Billy's shoulder. As the weather deteriorated, Billy succumbed to the cold, wet weather and the appalling conditions in the trenches and was evacuated to Malta just weeks before the
Allies withdrew from the Gallipoli Peninsula.

Bouts of illness kept Billy in England for some time before he was deployed to the Western Front in January 1917 with the 31st Australian Infantry Battalion, where soon after he was wounded and sent back to England to recuperate. He wrote home: 'We had an awful time in France this winter; it was the coldest they've had for years . . . It would break your heart to see the dead bodies lying around unburied.'
 

Following his discharge from hospital he was given leave. Sing headed to Edinburgh, where he had a whirlwind romance with a waitress, Elizabeth Stewart. On 29 June they were married. A month later Billy was back in the trenches!
Private Sing was awarded the Belgian Croix de Guerre in early 1918 for his role in leading a patrol, killing several German snipers at Polygon Wood in September 1917. Over his period of service he contracted influenza, rheumatism and mumps; had been gassed; had been shot on two occasions; and had sustained shrapnel wounds to both legs and his back, spending quite some time in and out of hospitals, eventually causing his medical discharge.

The mustard gas caused lifelong lung disease for Billy and it signalled the end of his military career when in July 1918 he was shipped home. Despite having been wounded and gassed and been ill several times, he was declared fit and
able to work when discharged in Brisbane.

For a time Billy was buoyed by an enthusiastic welcome in both Proserpine and later Clermont, but that soon faded. He set out to be a sheep farmer like so many other soldiers on blocks donated to returned servicemen by the Federal Government, but his land was poor like many of the blocks in this flawed scheme. Almost a third of the soldiers-turned-farmers walked off the land, including Billy Sing.

There's no indication that Billy's wife was ever part of his new life. There is correspondence showing that he applied for Elizabeth to have free passage from Britain, but it doesn't seem to have eventuated. Though hampered by illness and his wounds, the failed sheep farmer still had to make a living. He turned to gold prospecting and did well enough to go on
weekend sprees with his mining mates. He also got a reputation for heavy drinking and a bad attitude. When the gold ran out, Billy turned to labouring in Brisbane where he continued to work hard although complaining of pains in his heart, chest and back.

On May 19, 1943, Billy was found dead in his boarding-house bedroom. Five shillings were also found but no sign of his war medals. As his humble grave-marker in the Lutwyche War Cemetery weathered away, Billy Sing was all but forgotten. Fifty years after his death a newspaper article revived interest in 'this ace Australian sniper'. A plaque was erected on the site where he died and in 1995, a statue of Sing was unveiled with full military honours in his hometown of Clermont.

In 2004 Australian Army snipers named their Baghdad post the 'Billy Sing Bar & Grill'. Last year, on the 66th anniversary of his death, wreaths were laid at Sing's grave during a ceremony attended by various dignitaries, including the Chinese Consul-General.

 

Rod Hardaker

 

==================================================================

From:- Neil Munro

 

To:- Peter Morton

 

Subject:-  Nancy Wake

Hello Peter.

 

Last night at a school reunion, I was relating the story of my meeting with Nancy Wake in London.

Peter Sharwood, who was at the reunion, suggested that I should pass this story on to you.

I really should have done this when it was more topical i.e. immediately after Nancy's passing in 2011 but I just didn't think to do so.

 

It was naturally a great privilege to meet her, but especially so as it was just two weeks before her death.

I wrote up a record of our meeting immediately after leaving her on July 15, 2011.

 

It might or might not be interesting to other QURA members, so if you decide not to transmit it, I'll understand.

 

Cheers

Neil Munro.

 

 

Conversation with Nancy Wake 15 July 2011 (2.35pm to 3.45pm)

I met Nancy Wake at the Royal Star and Garter nursing home for retired ex-service personnel, in Richmond, London, on 15 July 2011.

I had arranged this visit through her solicitor, Sheila Grey, by phone, from Australia, before departing for London. When in London, I contacted Sheila Grey again and we organized the time for my visit. She stipulated that there were to be absolutely no photographs. I asked if Nancy could autograph my book, her autobiography. She replied “Absolutely not. She is not to sign anything”, so I set off on Friday 15 July without my camera and without a pen of any kind.

The Royal Star and Garter is situated on a busy street on top of Richmond Hill. It is a quite grand old building. It’s in the same neighbourhood as houses owned by the late Sir John Mills and Mick Jagger.

I presented myself to the reception desk and the receptionist found my name on the computer. I was given a tag to put around my neck and was then directed to go straight ahead, turn right at the end and go straight down the corridor to Nancy’s room at the far end. I could see into the room as I approached it; she was in bed and was being attended by one of the nurses. I looked at the name on the opened door and it read “Nancy Wake” and beneath that was the words “Special Forces”.

I knocked gently on the door. The nurse invited me in, and to take the chair beside Nancy’s bed. Nancy’s eyes fixed on mine from the time I entered the room; there was clearly nothing wrong with her eyesight. I had been apprehensive that her face would have changed completely from that of the wartime warrior. I could tell from recent photos that her prominent front teeth had been removed and this had significantly changed her appearance. However, this was clearly Nancy Wake; there was no doubt. Though grey and frail, I recognized her immediately from her photos and television appearances.

I introduced myself. Nancy spoke with a distinctly down to earth Australian accent.

She was wearing white hospital gloves with a tear in one of the fingers. She must have noticed me looking at them, and said “these aren’t my gloves”. Her comment reminded me of Colonel Henri Tardivat’s description of her that she was the most feminine woman he had ever met, until the fighting started, and then she was as good as five men.

The nurse asked if I’d like a drink and I said that a cup of tea would be fine. A cup of tea and three biscuits were brought for me. The nurse asked Nancy if she’d like some wine and Nancy said “Yes, white”. The nurse brought in the wine and put it to her lips; on sipping it, she went “agggh” and turned her head away from the glass. The nurse took it away and returned with some sweeter wine, “Liebfraumilch”, I think she said. Nancy gave the same response to this. I asked her if she’d like just a glass of water. She said she would, in a glass “with a stick”. By this I presumed she meant a straw. I went out and asked one of the nurses for this, and it was brought in. She drank it all. Later, it occurred to me that by saying “with a stick”, she might have had in mind the stirrer for a gin and tonic.

Mindful of the warning Sheila Grey had given me, that Nancy’s memory was “gone”, and that my visit could be for nothing, I thought it best to steer the conversation onto the most poignant period of her life, her time with the French Resistance. Her autobiography gave the highest praise to Henri Tardivat, a colonel in the French Resistance, the Marquis.
The first name I mentioned was therefore Henri Tardivat. “Tardivat”, she said, “he was my best friend!” She said that he was so funny whenever things went particularly wrong, he’d yell “fucking fucking fucking……” something or other, she said with a laugh.

I asked her about her famous bicycle ride. After a German raid the wireless operator had to bury their radio transmitter and destroy the codes for contacting London. This contact was vital to Nancy’s job, which was to distribute throughout the Resistance, British weapons which were dropped in by parachute, and to carry out instructions from London. The closest place for making contact with London was 250 kilometers away, and anyone going there would have to go through lots of German checkpoints. Any of the men attempting this journey would certainly have been arrested; the only one with any chance of getting through was Nancy, being a young attractive female, and she immediately volunteered to go. An important part of her cover was that she was most attractive, spoke excellent French, and that she would superficially flirt with the Germans, and this was what she did as she approached the German sentries, with words like “Do you need to search me Monsieur?”

She reached the destination after the grueling 250 kilometer bicycle ride, made contact with the Resistance and after persuading them of her credentials, they allowed her the use of their radio to contact London. She was given the vital codes and completed the return 250 kilometer journey. She told me that when she returned, everybody cheered her, but all she could do was break down and cry. She said “I’d ridden five hundred miles, and my thighs were raw”. (I didn’t tell her that the distance was five hundred kilometers, not miles). She said she could do nothing on returning, couldn’t sit down, couldn’t lie down couldn’t stand up, and couldn’t stop crying. She then said, “I haven’t been on a bicycle since”.

I mentioned another character mentioned in her autobiography, Major Dennis Rake, her SOE wireless operator colleague in France, who happened to be gay. She looked at me sideways and said “he was queer, you know.” She said “you could tell just by looking at him that he was queer, he made no attempt to conceal it, and he didn’t care who knew he was queer, and the local people didn’t like it”. And then, “He was fucking everything”, she said. “He was a poofta”, she said. She mentioned in her autobiography that Dennis had kept them all waiting at one time, because he’d been cavorting in the local village with one of his lovers. I asked her why he wasn’t court-martialled for putting them all at risk like this. She seemed to agree that he should have been, but then said he was very good at his work, so I presume that this was the reason that nothing came of Dennis’s personal indulgences putting his colleagues at risk.


I said she seemed to be fond of Marsailles (that’s where she met her husband Henry Fiocca). She said it was her favourite “capital”. She said “I went to school there”. I wonder if she was confusing Marsailles with Paris.

I asked her if she were interested in politics. She said “Not now. I used to be. I stood for Parliament and nearly won my seat.” She said she declined an offer to run again as she needed a cause to pursue if she were to get involved in politics. “If I’d run I’d have been a minister,” she said.

She asked if I was married. I said no. She asked if I had any children, and I said “Not as far as I know”, but she didn’t laugh at that. In fact she looked a bit awkward and just looked straight ahead. She was probably just trying to steer the conversation a bit and talk about me, but it went nowhere.


I showed her book (the autobiography) to her. I said “this is your book”. She replied “No, it’s your book”. I replied “but you wrote it”. She said, with some relish, “Would you like me to sign it?” Had I had my pen with me, I probably wouldn’t have hesitated. I said I’d love to, but needed to get permission first. I stressed to the nurse outside the room that Nancy had offered to sign, and that I hadn’t asked, and would it be ok. She said she couldn’t accept such a responsibility. Wanting to keep faith with the solicitor, I didn’t take it any further. Later, when I was leaving, I noted the sign on a door “Nursing Manager”, so I went in and spoke to “Cynthia”. I told her of Nancy’s offer to sign my book and why it didn’t happen. Her reply was that Nancy wanted to give me something, and that this was the only thing she was capable of giving, because she had nothing else. I asked if I could go back in there, armed with a pen, and accept her offer now. She replied “It’s too late now”. If only I’d ignored my promise to the solicitor…

During our conversation, the big West Indian nurse (Millie, I think her name was) came in and asked me to go outside with her. She’d noticed that we were discussing the book. She asked me not to get into the war too much, because Nancy might have nightmares and start screaming during the night. I returned to her room and tried to talk about other things….the recent royal wedding of Wills and Kate, but she couldn’t remember it.

She was obviously not keen to talk about Australia and made it clear that she was a New Zealander.

She asked me several times how old she was and I told her.

She said she will die soon. She said that she will die in this bed; I said yes.

She told me a few times that she can no longer walk and that she never leaves her bed.

She intimated that she is afraid of death. I pointed out to her that it’s one thing over which none of us has any control, and that it’s facing us all. She gave the open hands upward gesture indicating “there’s nothing we can do about it”.

I asked if she still speaks French. She said she’s forgotten a lot, but that when she speaks with French people, it all comes back.

I asked if she speaks German, and she said “No. I hate the Germans.” She said that she has avoided older Germans who would have been around during the War, but that the younger Germans are different. They’re “one of us”, I think she said.

I commented on one of her many photos on the wall, showing John Howard talking to her, and she seemed unimpressed…possibly didn’t remember him.

After seventy minutes, it was clear she was not keen to speak any more and I said I should go. We shook hands again. I was reluctant to let go of her hand as I knew that this was the last time I’d see her so she reefed her hand away.

As I was approaching the door to leave, her last words to me were “Close the door.”

 

==================================================================

From:- MAJ Rob Van Dyk

 

To:- Peter Morton

 

Subject:- QUR Officers and SNCO Dinner

 

Dear Peter,

 Please pass on my apologies. I am currently in Argentina (Buenos Aires).

 Kind regards

Rob.

 R.W. VAN DYK

MAJ

AHQ

=================================================================

From:- Rod Hardaker

 

To:- Peter Morton

 

Subject:-  Re Vale Peter Gargett

 

Hi Peter,

Received this from Adrian Cran

When his son refused to get a job, a father insisted he join the Army.
At the induction medical, the doctor directed the reluctant recruit to read the eye chart across the room.
"What chart, doc?" the young man asked.
"The one on the wall!" the doctor said.
"What wall?"

Sensing he had a deadbeat on his hands, the doctor asked his beautiful nurse to strip and walk in naked.
"What do you see now, son?"
"Doc, I can't see a thing, I'm blind as a bat."

"Well, you may not see anything," the doctor said,
"but your dick is pointing straight toward Kapooka Army Base! "

"Welcome to the Australian Army!"

Regards,

Rod

 

 

=================================================================

From:- John Hammond

 

To:- Trevor Luttrell

 

Subject:-  Re For Bravery

Hello Trevor

I thought that you may be interested in a couple of photos that were taken on a our recent trip to Europe.

 

 

 

My wife Helen and I visited the Durnbach War Cemetery which is located near the town of Gmund, south of Munich, Germany. Helen’s uncle was killed in a Lancaster bombing raid during WW2 and is buried there alongside all the other members of the plane’s crew. It was interesting speaking to the caretaker of the cemetery, a south African married to a German lady. The cemetery is well maintained and the remains of Australians, British, Canadian, Indian, New Zealanders and South Africans are buried there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When we were in the UK we travelled to Canterbury and looked through the cathedral. I saw a memorial to members of the Abadie family who had served in the military. Four sons paid the ultimate sacrifice.

 

 

 

 

 

We also visited friends who live in the town of Sherborne in Dorset, England. We were privileged to have a tour of the Sherborne School where our friend’s father had been house master.
I took a photo of a plaque that recognises the heroism of several of the ‘old boys’ of the school. Interesting to see Captain Hammond’s name there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regards

John Hammond
 

=================================================================

  *****************************

 

FUNCTIONS - 2014

 

Back to the Regiment                           Tuesday 18 March 2014 - QUR hosted Function  (Walcott St Depot) 
Anzac Day                                              Friday 25 April 2013 - 0615Hrs s

                                                                   (Dawn Service - BBQ breakfast at QUR)
QUR Birthday All Ranks Function   Saturday 3 May 2014

                                                                    ( Includes partners - Gallipoli Barracks )

AGM                                                       Friday 12 September 2014 - ( 1900Hrs for 1930Hrs)

Officers/SNCO Regimental Dinner       Friday 17 October 2014 (Unit and QURA members only)

Christmas Function                              Thursday 11 December 2014 - 1730Hrs (Normanby Hotel)

 

*****************************

 

MEMBERSHIP DUES - PAYMENT REMINDER

 

Please check the Members Page to ensure that your membership is current.

If you pay your membership fees on a year by year basis

payment is now due for 2014

PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO PERUSE THE Members Page AND CHECK THE ENTRIES WITH AN ADDRESS FLAG OF `N`.  WE HAVE LOST CONTACT WITH THESE MEMBERS AND REQUIRE EITHER AN EMAIL ADDRESS OR POSTAL ADDRESS TO RE-ESTABLISH CONTACT

Membership status codes are:

• SMEMB - Special Member (no fees)

• LMEMB - Life Member (no fees)

• PUOM - Paid Up Ordinary member (no fees but can transfer to 10 year membership for $50)

• NEW - New member (no membership fees received as yet)

• 2014 - 201? membership fees paid to year indicated

• 199? - 2013 membership fees due for 2014

 

Annual dues are $10 however a 10 year paid-up membership is available for $70.  

Cheques should be forwarded to:

The Treasurer

QUR Association

24 Walcott Street,

St Lucia 4067

For those members with internet banking, payments may be made direct to the QURA Bank Account.

Details are BSB 064 129, Account 0090 4500, Account Name QUR Association Inc

Please ensure your name is supplied in the payment details.

 

*****************************

EMAIL ADDRESSES

The Executive Committee encourages all members to provide a current email address to allow quick and easy communication of important notifications and reminders of upcoming events. 

If you know of any ex-members of QUR who are not in the association, please contact the Membership Registrar (Peter Morton) with any contact details that you have.

THE ASSOCIATION WILL ONLY CONTINUE TO EXIST BY RECRUITING NEW MEMBERS

For members wishing to provide a new email address, please send an email to Sectretary  to ensure your address is received and entered onto our contact list.

 

*****************************

HISTORY OF QUR

Have you considered purchasing a copy of the History of QUR magnificently complied and edited by Paul Smith?

It contains 128 pages of stories, photographs and has a coloured badged cover.

          COST :            $15 per copy.

What about a CD containing over 100 images of the history of the Regiment.

COST :            $10 per copy.

Why not treat yourself to a copy or buy copies for your friends.  These are collectors items so don't miss out.

How to purchase copies:

Ring                        Trevor Luttrell      0437 442 964

Email                    Historian

Send your payment to:

The Treasurer, QUR Association, 24 Walcott Street, St Lucia Q 4067.

For those members with internet banking, payments may be made direct to the QURA Bank Account.

Details are BSB 064 129, Account 0090 4500, Account Name QUR Association Inc

Please ensure your name is supplied in the payment details.

 

*****************************

Association Office Bearers

 

Position	Name	Bus Hrs	A/Hrs	Email
President	Trevor Luttrell	0437 442 964	3345 2754	President
Vice President	Col Ahern	0409 616 922	3278 1862
Secretary/Treasurer	Bruce Davis	0402 768 142	3878 2920	Treasurer
Membership Secretary	Peter Morton	3114 2010	0419 484 736	M/ship Secretary
Committee Members				Executive
	Greg Adams	3264 5544	0418 744 678
	Garry Collins		3359 5993
	David Ross	3227 6974	0402 904 204

End of Newsletter