‘Paludrine Parade’ Official Newsletter of the Royal Australian Army Service Corps

Vietnam Supply Platoons Association and the Royal Australian Army Service Corps (RAASC) Association.

Patron: MAJGEN David McLachlan AO (Rtd). Web Site: http:/raascsupply.asn.au/

Edition No: 56

Summer 2020

Soldiers of the 29th Battalion

near the Western Front.

Contents: Page 1. It’s Christmas time!

Page 2. Presidents Christmas Message, your State Representatives and Committee contact details and a Santa tale!

Page 3. The ADF celebrates Christmas.

Page 4. Page 3 continued.

Page 5. What troops ate for Christ mas back in WW1.

Page 6. Page 5 continued.

Page 7. A Duntroon doggie tale.

Page 8. Membership renewal

form.

The mateship that developed between

Australian and New Zealanders serving in

Gallipoli during 1915 is reflected in this

Christmas card. Nothing has changed.

Merry Christmas!

Have you got yours yet??

Paludrine Parade Issue No 56: 2019 Summer Edition Page 2

Regional & State Representatives

President Graeme Sherriff 0411 797 036 graemesherriff@optusnet.com.au

Vice President & Editor

Paludrine Parade

Denny van Maanenberg 0419 666 860 nuidatvet@gmail.com

Treasurer David Evans 0435 205 999 itsdavidevans@hotmail.com

Secretary Ivan “Fred” Friske 04739 104 575 ana.friske49@bigpond.com

Membership & Welfare

Manager

Christina Luff 0430 125 195 bamberg01@bigpond.com

Public Officer Ray Brown 0421 468 352 rayb17956@gmail.com

Property Officer Barry Mining 0422 609 222 barry.mining@optusnet.com.au

Functions Officer John Greenhalgh 0408 100 747 john.marg@me.com

Executive Office Bearers

Queensland Allan Windle allanwindle@bigpond.com

NSW Country Bob Denner 0429 406 535 rdenner@bigpond.net.au

Sydney Metro Barry Carroll 0409 654 487 loco4613@hotmail.com

South Australia Charlie Mifsud 0417 878 857 cpmifsud@yahoo.com.au

Victoria Denny van Maanenberg 0419 666 860 nuidatvet@gmail.com

Tasmania Glen Breaden 0438 026 759 glenandloraine@icloud.com

Western Australia Graeme Sherriff 0411 797 036 graemesherriff@optusnet.com.au

“A very MERRY CHRISTMAS

to one and all and a safe,

prosperous and

HAPPY NEW YEAR”

W ell it’s hard to believe that 2019 has almost past

and we are welcoming 2020. I hope that Christmas

is a happy time for everyone, a time to rejoice and

catch up with family and friends.

Whilst Christmas can also be a difficult time for those

who have lost loved ones, we remember them, but we must

reflect on the good times past and plan ahead to make the

most of the coming years.

Dates are set for our

Victor Harbor Reunion:

8th – 15th Nov 2020.

I ask all to make contact with

fellow members and encourage

attendance.

GET EXCITED, IT IS GOING

TO BE GREAT!!!!

Best Wishes to all,

Graeme Sherriff

PRESIDENT

PRESIDENT’S

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

A True Santa Story

W hen four of Santa's elves got sick, the

trainee elves did not produce toys as fast

as the regular ones, and Santa began to feel the

Pre-Christmas pressure. Then Mrs. Claus told

Santa her Mother was coming to visit, which

stressed Santa even more. When he went to

harness the reindeer, he found that three of them

were about to give birth and two others had

jumped the fence and were out, Heaven knows

where. Then when he began to load the sleigh,

one of the floorboards cracked, the toy bag fell to

the ground and all the toys were scattered.

Frustrated, Santa went in the house for a cup of

apple cider and a shot of rum. When he went to

the cupboard, he discovered the elves had drunk

all the cider and hidden the liquor. In his frustra-

tion, he accidentally dropped the cider jug, and it

broke into hundreds of little glass pieces all over

the kitchen floor. He went to get the broom and

found the mice had eaten all the straw off the

end of the broom. Just then the doorbell rang,

and an irritated Santa marched to the door,

yanked it open, and there stood a little angel

with a great big Christmas tree. The angel said

very cheerfully, 'Merry Christmas, Santa. Isn't

this a lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you.

Where would you like me to stick it?' And so be-

gan the tradition of the little angel on top of the

Christmas tree.

Not a lot of people know this.

Paludrine Parade Issue No 56: 2019 Summer Edition Page 3

C hristmas Eve will bring the promise of

presents, sugar and blockbusters ga-

lore to follow. At this time of year it’s

important to remember our troops at

home and abroad.

The crew of HMAS Tobruk celebrate Christmas

As we eagerly await Christmas and the

presents, sweet treats and a plethora of movie

blockbusters due out on Boxing Day, it’s im-

portant to remember our troops at home and

abroad. Most domestic and international Aus-

tralian Defence Force bases celebrate Christmas

with great enthusiasm every year. This Decem-

ber will be a big one for the Australian Defence

Force, with new projects and equipment in the

works, major commemorations are also set for

late December to mark a century since the

famed withdrawal from Gallipoli.

ADF Chiefs usually issue Christmas mes-

sages on behalf of their service. Lt General An-

gus Campbell is set to spend his first Christmas

as Chief of Army, we look forward to his first

Christmas message. We also look forward to a

Christmas message from the new Regimental

Sergeant Major of the Army, Donald Spinks

OAM.

Christmas Eve will bring the promise of presents,

sugar and blockbusters galore to follow. At this

time of year it’s important to remember our troops

at home and abroad. Many in Australia will watch

Stormtroopers return to the screen, in full Imperial

battle raiment for the first time since the original

Star Wars was released at the height of the Cold

War, while the less lucky are assigned to clean up

duty. The mass of wrapping paper is always there

come Boxing Day.

The Star Wars Christmas re-boot will focus

on a rogue band of Sith religious fanatics attempt-

ing to establish a proto-state, in order to revive a

lost empire no less. This is a case of life imitating

art as Episode VII has been in production since

before ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant)

sacked Mosul and burst into the international

headlines in June 2014.

Vietnam War - Santa Claus pays a surprise visit.

ISIL threatened to ruin the ending of Star

Wars by releasing script information and its affili-

ates in Tunisia have threatened the old film sets

and ancient ruins that provided the backdrop for

Tataouine; Luke Skywalker’s desert home in the

original film. The first three Star Wars films, start-

ing with Episode IV released in 1977, were in large

part inspired by the Vietnam War. The conflict was

still a politically sensitive issue by the late 1970’s.

As the Christmases have rolled by, all but a

few of the veteran’s from both World Wars have

passed on, and Vietnam Veterans have come to

occupy a special place as Australia’s senior Dig-

gers. Custodianship of key institutions like the

RSL now falls to them. We hope each and every

one of them has someone to spend this Christmas

with.

(Continued on page 4)

The ADF Celebrates Christmas

Star Wars fans celebrate Christmas

Paludrine Parade Issue No 56: 2019 Summer Edition Page 4

Though Australia withdrew from Vietnam ear-

ly, 2015 marked 40 years since the fall of Saigon to

the Viet Cong and the ending of the war. Weary Australian soldiers with the Christmas lunch laid out on a makeshift table in 1915.

The past year has seen conflicts in the Middle

East morph into the largest conflict since Vietnam.

Earlier this year we published a story on the growing

danger of a conflict with Russia brought about by the

close proximity of the Russian Air Force and allied

planes operating in the same skies over Syria. At the

time of writing it has been confirmed that Turkey, a

NATO country, has shot down a Russian warplane.

The government has sought to reassure the

Australian people that special care is being taken to

protect RAAF pilots in the aftermath of this event.

The horrible fate of a Jordanian Air Force pilot exe-

cuted by ISIL fighters in January 2015 provides a

warning of the danger our pilots will be facing this

Christmas.

RAAF pilots will continue to carry the fight to

ISIL as we celebrate the silly season back home in

Australia. Army and Navy personnel deployed thou-

sands of miles from home will also be unable to see

their families for Christmas, many will face danger.

New Zealand service men and women serving

on the first rotation to Iraq have come home safe in

time for Christmas. Their families are extremely re-

lieved and excited to see them.

The Kiwi’s were serving alongside their Aus-

tralian comrades on the joint Task Group Taji, a mis-

sion to train the Iraqi Army for the long fight against

ISIL. Major General Gall of the New Zealand Army

added “Your families carried more than their share

of the burden while you have been away. They served

alongside you throughout the six months you were

deployed. Give them both the time and respect they

deserve.”

The Kiwi general's words equally apply to Aus-

tralian Defence Force personnel returning from de-

(Continued from page 3) ployment in time for Christmas. At this time of

year our thoughts go out to Australian Army,

Navy and Air Force servicemen and women, es-

pecially those who won’t be home for Christmas.

We’re running “Adopt A Digger” as part of our

Christmas celebration to help service people and

their families. A Princess Mary gift tin owned by

Private Charles Livingstone, a tram conductor who enlisted in 1914.

The famous evacuation of Australian and

New Zealand Diggers from ANZAC Cove, Gallip-

oli occurred just before Christmas 1915; with the

final contingents setting sail on the night of 19-

20 December of that year. The evacuation quick-

ly became famous and was perhaps the most suc-

cessful action of the whole Gallipoli Cam-

paign. By the early morning hours of 20 Decem-

ber 1915 all but a handful of men had left. The

"Rear Party" commander, Colonel J Pa-

ton, waited ten minutes for any last Anzac strag-

gler and declared the evacuation complete

at 4.10 am. The Anzacs had pulled off a Christ-

mas miracle by successfully evacuating Gallipoli

without a casualty.

Our concept was partly inspired by the

generosity of Princess Mary and all those who

responded to her 1914 appeal to send a gift to

servicemen. All soldiers and sailors who were

serving on Christmas Day 1914 were eligible to

receive a gift tin. Over 450,000 were sent out.

The difficulties of manufacturing and distrib-

uting over 2.5 million tins meant they were still

being received as late as 1920.

So this Christmas as you wade through

the paper and sample the annual Hollywood on-

slaught around Boxing Day, spare a thought for

our troops fighting in the biggest war since Vi-

etnam and guarding bases across the nation and

world. The veterans, their families, current per-

sonnel and all those who support them will cer-

tainly be in our thoughts here at Military Voice.

Someone has to fight the real bad guys, even at

Christmas.

Paludrine Parade Issue No 56: 2019 Summer Edition Page 5

Alf is depicted in a photo of the dinner, sitting

awkwardly on canvas at the end of a row of sol-

diers, mess tins in front of each and an occasional

bottle, likely of beer. Alf’s Christmas letter con-

cludes nostalgically “Dear Australia the land of

my Birth which we will all be glad to see again …

it will be a glorious day if I live to see it out … ” It

was to be his last Christmas.

A special meal could have the effect of mak-

ing the war recede, if briefly, for the soldiers who

partook of it. This is the impression gleaned from

the menu for the 1917 Christmas dinner at the

“A” Mess of the 3rd Australian Divisional Head-

quarters in France, led by Monash.

The hand-drawn menu features bucolic

sketches of rural French life, and a list of dishes

in a mix of French and English, signalling the

prestige of the officers’ dinner.

The 10 courses included hors d’oeu-

vres (olives and “Tomato au Lobster”), potage

(“_CrèmedeGiblet”), poisson, entrée (chicken), vian

ds (pork and ham), legumes, sweets (three choic-

es) and a cheese tart, ending with wine and cof-

fee.

The menu served at an AIF Christmas Din-

ner in 1916. Museums Victoria collection, donated

by Jean Bourke. The “B” Mess dinner at the

Headquarters was almost as sumptuous, but with

fewer courses. Its more simple menu included a

humorous script, poetry and parodies. When the

food concluded a toast was made to “Absent

Ones”, drunk “while softly murmuring the words

‘Not lost but gone to CORPS’”. Notably, the term

“Lest We Forget” was used to remind diners of

good etiquette!

(Continued on page 6)

W e have just concluded four years of com-

memoration of the centenary of the first

world war and, although the guns fell silent in

November 1918, by Christmas many Australians

were still separated from their loved ones.

For Australians serving overseas in WWI,

celebrations such as Christmas were particularly

difficult, a reminder that the war had laid waste

to their routines and taken them away from their

families.

We can see from historical documents that

every effort was made to reproduce the form and

content of a traditional Christmas meal, whether

that be on board a ship, in the mess or even in the

trenches on active service.

Maintaining the traditions of Christmas

could be logistically difficult. It was often simply a

slightly larger amount of food than the normal

rations, with additional treats, such as the half

pound of Christmas pudding that Major-General

John Monash procured for every man in his Third

Division in 1917. Alcohol was a welcome addition.

Christmas hampers and billies sent from

home provided particular joy to those lucky

enough to receive them. Some, however, experi-

enced Christmas dinners like that of Private John

Chugg of 1st Light Horse Field Ambulance, who

complained “it was a miserable Xmas” in Egypt in

1914: “boiled beef unpeeled potatoes and tea with-

out milk… [and] no mail or anything to cheer us”.

Sapper Alfred Galbraith described Christmas day

in Ismailia Camp, Egypt, in December 1915 in a

letter to his family. “Each man chipped in

to purchase a turkey and chickens more like hum-

ming birds, soft

drinks and a few

biscuits . The

chickens were

dealt out 1 be-

tween 5 men and

some of them

would not feed

one let alone 5

men, the one we

got we tossed up

to see who would

get it & I won but

I shared half it

with my pal &

then the two of us

went & bought

some […] biscuits

& some tin fruit.”

AIF troops celebrating

Christmas at Ismailia Camp,

Egypt, in December

1915. Museums Victoria

Paludrine Parade Issue No 56: 2019 Summer Edition Page 6

Our President Graeme Sherriff with our guest

speaker, Port Macquarie Mayor Peta Pinson

Christmas in transit

The voyage to active overseas service was a

mixture of excitement, trepidation and monoto-

ny. Food service broke the boredom of long days

at sea. On board the SS Suffolk on Christmas

day 1915 diners were treated to a multi-course

dinner, opening with olives, mock turtle soup and

salmon cutlets in anchovy sauce. The next course

featured iced asparagus, beef fillets with mush-

rooms and prawns in aspic, before the food be-

came even more serious, with four types of meat,

baked and boiled potatoes, and beans.

Four deserts followed, including plum pud-

ding with both hard and brandy sauces. Like

many

special

occa-

sion

menus of the war, diners signed their names on

the back. Aprés la guerre

The desire to be “home by Christmas” had

been widely expressed from the very first year of

the Great War, yet when the armistice finally

came in 1918, Australians on active service still

had a long journey ahead of them and faced an-

other Christmas away from home.

In 1918, the 2nd Australian pioneers offic-

ers’ Christmas dinner took place “somewhere in

France”, featuring a menu entirely in French

save for the words “plum pudding” and “God

Save the King”. Two half pages of the menu were

dedicated to “Autographs”.

The souvenir menu card from the 13th

Australian Field Ambulance 2nd anniversary

dinner, held on Christmas Day 1918 in the Pal-

(Continued from page 5) ace of Justice, Dinant-Sur-Meuse, Belgium likewise

has a page for autographs. The festive menu fea-

tures an extensive list of desserts.

Christmas dinner in 1919 saw Australians

who had served in Europe returning home on the SS

Königin Luise, a German ship allocated to Britain as

part of war reparations. A menu saved by Sergeant

Tom Robinson Lydster bears no references to the

war.

A wreath of holly frames an eclectic menu in-

cluding “Fillet of Sole au Vin Blanc, Asperges au

Beurre Fondu” but also “Lamb cutlets, Tomato

sauce, Roast Sirlion of Beef”. The Christmas element

is provided by “Plum Pudding, Brandy Sauce, Mince

Pies”. More than a year after the end of the war,

some surviving

Australians were

yet to celebrate

Christmas on home

soil.

Christmas tradi-

tions for Australi-

an soldiers, nurses

and medics helped

maintain cultural

normalcy during

overseas service.

Yet Christmas on

active service could

be a time of signifi-

cant stress, a re-

minder of loved

ones far away and

of fallen friends.

Unfortunately, for

those who returned

to Australia, forev-

er changed by their

experiences, Christmas was not always what they

remembered or had imagined.

From your RAASCVSPA Executive, we wish

each and everyone one of our readers a safe

and happy Christmas and New Year.

The menu served to the 13th Australian Field

Ambulance on Christmas Day 1918. Museums

Victoria collection, donated by John Lord

Paludrine Parade Issue No 56: 2019 Summer Edition Page 7

T oday, for most Canberrans, Duntroon is viewed as a

relatively insignificant part of a cosmopolitan city of

over 400,000 residents, but when Duntroon welcomed

its first cadets in 1911, with a population of less than 2000,

Canberra was a much different place. At that time, Dun-

troon made up a significant proportion of Canberra's popula-

tion and as a result the cadets were very much part of the

social fabric of the city, and the accounts in the journals re-

flect that strong connection with community. Today howev-

er, we share with you the tale of George, a small black and

white dog, age and species unknown, but who became the

best friend of just about every cadet at Duntroon in the mid-

1920s. Although not officially a military mascot, George

truly endeared himself to both cadets and staff, including

the Commandant, and by 1928 his fame had spread far

enough that The Sydney Morning Herald (June 2, 1928, p11)

even carried a story on George and his exploits.

George's arrival at Duntroon in 1922 was under spu-

rious circumstances. "It was said he belonged to one of the

stewards, but he was never claimed," reports the 1928 arti-

cle, adding, "repeated efforts to drive him off only resulted in

his disappearance for a few hours, when he would be back,

with that supplicating look in his eyes ... and he was allowed

to stay".

Paddy Heffernan, who attended Duntroon as a cadet

in the 1920s, remembered George's exploits so fondly that 62

years after graduating from the college he penned a feature

about the much-loved dog in the Duntroon Society Newslet-

ter of 1990.

"In common with most dogs of mixed-breed George

had a lot of brains and quickly sorted out who was who ... if

the troop turned left it meant going to the inside riding

school ... that meant running around on a mixture of horse

manure and bark with no escape for an hour which was not

to his liking ... if the class proceeded directly out to the pad-

docks he was in seventh heaven".

By 1925 George had been promoted to Sergeant rank

and had three small metal stripes on his collar. In 1926,

because cadets graduated as officers, it was thought only fair

that George should also and he was promoted that year to

Lieutenant with two pips on his collar". As a commissioned

officer, George was even afforded the respect by the Fourth-

Class cadets, who were required to salute when they passed

him.

With rank and seniority an integral part of life at

military college, it's not surprising that journals articulate

that the junior class was often, "on roster to feed George and

polish his collar rank studs". However, George's life at

Duntroon wasn't without drama and in 1928, after an

accident with a horse, unfortunately his front left leg was

amputated. But that didn't stop him from his playful

antics, it just slowed him down a bit. Eventually due to

complications from his injury, in July 1929, George's

period of voluntary enlistment came to an end, and hav-

ing reached the lofty heights of Colonel and as a mark of

respect, he was accorded a military style funeral.

The December 1929 Journal even carries an obi-

tuary for George. "July 18: we lost an old friend ...

George was buried [in a hand crafted wooden coffin] with

ceremony befitting his rank in the Officer's Mess Gar-

dens."

George's burial plot was reported as being next to

the original maze at Duntroon House, but recent exten-

sive searching of the maze area has so far failed to yield

any evidence of the canine grave. These days however,

and speaking with several employees at Duntroon who

advise they'd never heard of George, let alone knowledge

of the grave. Perhaps one day, a plaque near the maze

might be a fitting tribute to one of Canberra's best-

known, and clearly from evidence brought to life in the

digitised journals, most-cherished canines.

Ed’s Note: Many thanks to Russell Morison for sub-

mitting this article.

RAASC Vietnam Supply Platoons Assoc. caps

NOW AVAILABLE

$15.00.

You can send in your order to David our Treasurer and he will invoice you accordingly. Or you can wait and purchase one or two at our 2020 reunion in Victor Harbor. If you want one now, then add $9.20 post-age and we’ll organise one to be sent to you. Some of you have al-ready ordered and paid for a cap and these will be sent out during the following weeks. Just that Denny &

Jenny had a big move into their new build and things are still a bit here and there.

The tale of George,

Duntroons three-legged Colonel

In July 1929, George was accorded a military style funeral and was buried with ceremony in the grounds of Duntroon House gardens near

the historic hedge maze. Picture: RMC Archives

If you want one posted, it’s $24.20.

Paludrine Parade Issue No 56: 2019 Summer Edition Page 8

Membership Application/Renewal Form New Application or Renewal (circle which ones) 2019/2020 or 3 years

Surname: ………………………………………………… …………. Given Names: …………………………….……………………………… Address: ……………………………………………... ……………. State: ……......… Postcode: ….….......… Date of Birth: ……….…………….. Phone No. (Home) …………......….…….. (Mobile) ……………….…..........…. Email Address: …………………………………………...................................... Vietnam Service Details: …………………………………………….………… Dates: From ………….......…….….…… To …..…….…………...............….

Spouse/Partner’s Name: …………………………………….....................…...… Membership: 1-year membership (Vietnam Veterans and Associate/non-Vets) $20 3-year membership (Vietnam Veterans and Associate/non-Vets) $60 Association Badge $10 – Free badge to new members Payment details:

• By cheque payable to: RAASC Vietnam Supply Platoons Association, PO BOX 207 Mitchell ACT 2911. (include this form).

• Or Electronically by direct credit to: Westpac Bank, BSB 032 713 Account 434593. (Provide name etc as reference and send this form by post or email)

• Or Cash Deposit at any Westpac Bank, BSB 032 713, Account 434 593. (Provide 6 digit DOB as ddmmyy as reference and send this form by post or email). Address: RAASC Vietnam Supply Platoons Association, PO Box 207 Mitchell ACT 2911 Email: bamberg01@bigpond.com

Office Use Only:

Member Number/Receipt:……………………………… Membership Card issued date………………..

Database……………………………. Banked………………………….. Scan/send to Area Reps………………………

Membership Manager Notified……………………………………....