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As former President and founder of the Gold Coast Sub Branch, (1995-1998) and former
National President (1998-2000) of the National Servicemen's Association of Australia,
I have enjoyed the privilege of leading the Australian National Servicemen in
various activities and functions. I represented the members both here and
overseas.
The most important occasions of course were the ANZAC Day Marches. Nashos now march proudly
throughout Australia behind their own banners each year..
My first 40 years were in Victoria, I was born on the 16th August
1934 and was educated at Moorabbin State School No 1111 and later at Brighton
Technical School. I spent 22 years with the Melbourne City Council
Electricity Supply Department as an electrician and high voltage operator..
Over the years I served as a Part Time Digger in
the Brighton Technical School Cadets and achieved the rank of a 'Cadet Lieutenant',
The Royal Australian Engineers ,
(3 Field Engineer Regiment) as a 'Corporal',
15th National Service Battalion,
Victorian Scottish Regiment (5th Battalion) as a 'Corporal' and the
Royal Australian Signals ,(3 Divisional Signals Regiment) as a
'Corporal'.
From 1970, I was a senior officer in the Australian Air League, a youth organisation,
first as a Drill Instructor with the "Waverley Squadron" and later
became the Commanding Officer of "Mayhew Wing". Eventually taking
on the position of "Group Lt." looking after the eastern suburbs of
Melbourne. I resigned in early 1976 to go to Darwin to help in the reconstruction
after Cyclone Tracey.
In June 2003 I returned to the Australian Air League as
their Victorian Group Public Relations Officer until illness over took me.
I worked with the Melbourne City Council Electricity Supply Dept, the
Northern Territory Electricity Commission and the South West Queensland
Electricity Board, both the later places as an Electrical Inspector..
I returned to the Gold Coast in 1980 after spending 5 years in
Darwin, the capital of the Northern Territory. On the Gold Coast I worked at
several small private enterprise jobs. In 1983 I made the move to Tara, a small rural town
300 kms west of Brisbane in Queensland to take over the responsibility of
looking after the Electrical Distribution of power in an area of about 16,000
square Kilometres with a staff of only three.
In 1989 it was time to retire from this position and I returned to
the Gold Coast to run a small Electrical Contracting business until my wife
became ill and forced me into early retirement.
I was surprised to hear of a fledgling
organisation called the National Servicemen's Association and realised
I was one of them. I joined up only to find myself embroiled in the formation
of the Gold Coast Sub Branch in 1995. The Sub Branch
grew and before long we had about 200 members.
We knew the 50 year anniversary of the first call-up was due in July
2001 so the Gold Coast Sub Branch, took on the ambitious
job of organising an Australian wide re-union. This they did with great
success, somewhere between 3 to 5 thousand Nashos attended and took part in
the huge march.
I was honoured to be on the Saluting Base with Lt. Gen. Peter Cosgrove,
see the picture above.
In 1999 I was very proud to be nominated and receive the Commonwealth Recognition Award for
Senior Australians.
In April and May 1999 I travelled to Turkey, France, Belgium and London,
explored the battle fields of World War One where my father had served and I presented Nasho
plaques to several French towns.
Villers Bretonneux on 6/5/1999,
Herleville on 7/5/1999 and
Fromelles on 9/5/1999. It was an
experience I will never forget.
I
took part in the Eternal Flame ceremony on the Tomb of the 'Unknown Soldier'
under the 'Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees' in Paris, I actually turned the
flame down at the end of the ceremony.,
I was a member of the Queensland Naval Brigade and served as a Warrant
Officer (Supply) in the Queensland Naval Brigade, Southport Volunteer
Company.
I was very proud to have my son Graeme march with me and represent my father in the ANZAC
march 2000. It was a great thrill and new experience for both myself
and my son.
April 2001 there was another major step in my life as after 26 years
'Up North', due to ill health, I returned to
Victoria to be with my family.
I was the Newsletter Editor for the Monash
Sub Branch .
In September 2002 I was made a Life Member of the Queensland Branch
of the National
Servicemen's Association.
March 2012 I was made a life Member of the Monash Sub Branch in Victoria.December 2005,
I was very proud of the fact that I had been asked to edit and
compile the Newsletter for the "Rats of Tobruk Association" in
Victoria. This I did till poor health made me give it away.
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