A Flyers Life.
Gareth “Gary” Kimberley has written a story on
his life in Vietnam called “A Flyers Life”. Gary outlines his
history in the RAAF his early years climaxing in his tour in
Vietnam. It is an excellent story. Trevor Benneworth has spent a
considerable time and effort to convert it to PDF and with Gareth’s
permission I am putting it on a DVD disc along with three million
(not quite) photos but is a very comprehensive library from 1964 to
1972 plus Bob St. John’s DVD of his tour of Vietnam is also
excellent. I also have his permission to use it. Also Ted
Strugnell has written a story that will be included. I think I will have to
charge $10 which will include postage, packing, labelling etc but
will advise more when we finalise everything.
This is the reason we have our website
to try to preserve our history. To all who have contributed so far,
I thank you. To those who haven’t, get off your rear ends and do
so. This is our website so let’s use it. The CD will be available
in November.
Translink
If you live in South East Queensland, Translink, which run the
trains, ferries and busses, are developing a free travel pass for TPI holders.
It will allow free travel across all modes – rail, bus and ferry
The pass will supersede the current warrant system for Citytrain
travel, but will not replace the intrastate travel warrant
system.
It will initially be a flash pass that holders will show staff
on entry to service and this will be replaced with a free fare smart
card over time.
Passes will have a photo of the card holder on the pass.
Applications will be available from the TransLink website to post in
with a suitable passport photo.
It is expected that the pass will be available at the end of 2010.
There is still a lot of detail to be worked out at the moment, and TransLink Marketing are currently designing the pass and application
form etc.
I am expecting to have a clearer position in a couple of weeks.
If you have any specific questions that I may be able to answer for
you, please let me know.
Regards
David Taschke
Senior Product Officer
TransLink Transit Authority
420 George Street Brisbane Qld 4000
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Vietnam.
Some time Ted Strugnell wrote about his term with 35 Sqn in Vung Tau
and the article was published in the Toowoomba Chronicle newspaper.
It is an interesting read, and you can read it
HERE.
Anzac Day
I was a little bit disappointed with the
Port Office. More than 5 times Fourex Gold was unavailable. I will
address this with the Port Office Hotel but overall they treat us
very well so there will be no changes.
Vietnam dollar coin RAAF 80th
year coin, copy enclosed. I purchased these recently. I am not a
coin collector but when I see coins that I like I purchase them.
Merchandise.
I recently had an order from Tasmanian
V.V.A. of 20 stubby holders, bumper stickers etc. I am looking at
beer, wine, shot glasses with forty years after Vietnam, 70 years 35
Squadron formed 10 years since disbanded. I will have a prototype
made up and costing done to see if it is a goer.
Stu Bonett
Thanks to Stu for doing the Honour
Rolls. They are excellent. His crew down there do a great job.
Bob Collins has one of the larger ones at the Goondiwindi R.S.L. I
have presented one to Kedron Wavell Services Club. They are going
to frame it and display it in their Club. I will give one to the
Gaythorne R.S.L. I will need to get more from Stu, both large and
small Honour Rolls.
The
Reunion.
Now that I have stood down as Secretary
from my local Golf Club I will be able to devote more time to our
reunion. With the $5000 from Vets Affairs, Kedron Wavell will
possibly give us $2000 with our own funds we should be able to
contribute $3000 to $5000 so buy more caps, stubby holders, bumper
stickers etc so we can contribute to our reunion.
The Oaks Accommodation
I will follow up next year whilst it
will be our preferred accommodation it is up to the individual to
stay where you like, more on that next year.
A rough itinerary is a “meet and greet” b.b.q possibly at the Enoggera Army Base, a formal dinner at Kedron
Wavell Services Club. I will follow up a committee of Geoff Hall,
Keith Kinch, John McDougall, Trevor Benneworth, Peter De Jonge and
myself. If anyone has any ideas, suggestions, please forward to me.
Buses for the Reunion
Through the Golf Club I have found
cheaper buses for us to use during the Reunion. I have been quoted
in excess of $1000 and well in excess but we will pay around $700,
which is excellent.
Mid 2011
I will meet with the Lord Mayor and the
C.O of Enoggera Army Base to get their support.
I am looking at a performer who
performed at the Ettamogah Club for some entertainment – more on
that nearer to 2012.
Scams
Beware our emails could be compromised.
People are using RTFV35Sqn saying that they want to be your friend.
My email will always have my I.D. Do not open or forward any emails
that look dodgy. Delete immediately. Email or phone me if you are
unsure of an email. Also emails saying that you have won an amount
of money, delete them straight away. Use common sense. Be sure who
you are dealing with.
Home Front Risk Assessment
Home Front will visit your home free and
assess your needs, be it hand rails in shower, rubber non-slip mats
etc. If you get your doctor to fill out a D904 form (see
HERE for details) it will be free
to Gold Card Holders. The number is S.E. Q’ld is 1300 994 854 or 07
3351 0814. Check your State Pension. Anyone who served and does
not receive the T.P.I. should at least try to get a Gold Card for
all your medical needs. Ask around and find a good advocate to
assist you with this matter.
Sydney Town Jersey Boys, Frankie Valli
and the Four Seasons
We visited Sydney to see the Jersey Boys in the Theatre Royal, a
small theatre in Sydney, which is very compact not much leg room.
The music and the story of the Four
Seasons are excellent. Their involvement with the mafia (the mob),
tax bills etc. Frankie Valli’s big hit “My Eyes Adored You” helped
to pay off their debts. If you get a chance to see the show, it is
well worth seeing.
We saw a lot of Sydney. Much more than
I saw when I was in the RAAF – I never got out of The Cross except
when I went to a test match between Australia and England and spent
four hours in the watch house.
Sydney seems to me to be a town of
pockets. As soon as one pocket fills they opened another one as the
city expanded.
We did the bus tours – hop on, hop off.
One bus does city highlights, the Rocks, Darling Harbour etc. The
other does the eastern suburbs – Bondi, Rose Bay. We also did a
ghost tour around the Rocks. Thank goodness for Jack Mundey saving
the Rocks area for future generations – this is well worth a visit.
We also visited a few museums that also preserve our history.
History, of course, depends on who wrote it I suppose. Some
versions say we had 162,000 convicts, others say 166,000.
Thomas Barlett was the first hanging in
Sydney in 1788. He was 17 years old and was hung for stealing.
Balmain was a coal mine site but was not successful. Snakes were
responsible for a lot of deaths. Australia has 65 venomous snakes.
Transportation ended in 1850s. It would
be interesting to know the number of free settlers to convicts each
year as the colony developed.
I always think Sydney is a great place
to visit. I don’t think I could live there. I also feel it is much
more expensive than Brisbane.
Website
Our website continues to improve. With members sending in their
stories and photos and with the 2 DVD set it goes a long way to
preserving our history in Vietnam. If members continue to
contribute we will be able to do a full history of RTFV-35Sqn. Once
again thanks to Veterans Affairs for the initial grant to set up our
website and also Australian Aerospace for their continued
sponsorship to maintain and preserve our history through our
website.
F111 Formal Farewell
The RAAF will farewell one of its main work horses 2 December 2010
followed by the final flypast the next day.
Death..
The ACT Defence Widows’ Support Group (DWSG) has some good advice
for partners left after their spouse had passed on – and you can
read it HERE.
I have purchased some aviation books from the Weekend Shopper
1.
The Encyclopaedia of Aviation.
2.
Warplanes and Air Battles of WWl
3.
All Colour World of Aircraft by David Mondey.
4.
The International Encyclopaedia of Aviation.
5.
Milestones of Aviation.
Health
The following pages contain information relating to your health and
well being – please read them
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