TOBRUK HOUSE NEWS OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE

RATS OF TOBRUK ASSOCIATION INC. Vol. 118 August 2019

THE FIG TREE - TOBRUK

THE WAR MEMORIAL AT THE TOBRUK CEMETERY

ENTRANCE TO TOBRUK WAR CEMETERY

EAGLE CORNER

THE CHURCH OF ST. ANTHONY, TOBRUK

REMINDER OF HOME - TOBRUK 4TH AUSTRALIAN GENERAL HOSPITAL TOBRUK

CANTONERIA 31 ON THE DERNA ROAD

PRINT POST APPROVED PP 381667/00404

IF UNDELIVERED RETURN TO: 44 VICTORIA AVENUE,

ALBERT PARK VIC 3206

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RATS OF TOBRUK ASSOCIATION Inc. 44 Victoria Avenue, ALBERT PARK, VIC 3206

MOBILE PHONE No 0432 232 502

Monthly Meeting normally 4th Friday of each month starting at 10.30am, (No General Meetings January, April, May, July and December)

2019 Month / Date Event Description

AUGUST Due the commemorative service of the 78th Anniversary of the Carpathian Brigade's entry into Tobruk there will be no General Meeting in August.

AUGUST 19 Launch of the Polish Association exhibition AUGUST 19 - 25 Polish exhibition at Tobruk House –11am to 3pm each day AUGUST 25 Carpathian Brigade service at the Shrine of Remembrance 12 noon

SEPTEMBER 20 General Meeting & lunch (NOTE earlier date due to public holiday on 27th )

OCTOBER 25 General Meeting & lunch

NOVEMBER 22 General Meeting & lunch DECEMBER 8 Christmas Lunch

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

All articles and photographs used in this publication are copyright unless otherwise

stated. They should not be sold or used in any other publication without the express written

permission from the Committee of this Association.

DISCLAIMER

The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the

Rats of Tobruk Association Inc. The material used in this publication is

checked for accuracy, but no liability can be assumed for any losses due to the use of

any material published herein.

Patron: Bill Gibbins

Committee of Management:

President - Bob Semple

Vice President – Graham Gibson

Secretary - Graham Gibson

Treasurer - Mike Kiernan

Other Committee Members –

David Caple, Glenda Garde, Bob Horton, Heather MacFarlane, Ian Marr,

Karolina Sevcikova, Stuart Tolliday, Tony Codd – Hall Keeper

Email: ratsoftobruk41@gmail.com

TOBRUK HOUSE NEWS

Deadlines

Editorial and Advertising

ISSUE: OCTOBER 2019

DEADLINE: September 10th

We welcome all contributions from

our community but cannot guarantee publication.

Email is preferred with documents in Word and

pictures in jpeg format but not essential.

Articles or letters with no contact details will not be published. Editor: Stuart Tolliday

Please note: The Rats of Tobruk Association Inc. does not have an official Facebook group

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The President and ROTA Inc. members wish to extend our condolences and deepest sympathy to the families and friends of our departed comrades:

Rats of Tobruk Association Inc.

Secretary’s Report – August 2019

Winter is a respite from our meetings, but we are very busy at Tobruk House upgrading the Audio-Visual System through a grant $10 000 from the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. Our lighting and wiring were upgraded also through a generous grant from the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. Currently we have two submissions in for consideration, the repair of the parquetry floor and installation of safety rails and secondly the upgrading of the fire services and safety within Tobruk House. We would like to thank the Department of the Premier and Cabinet for their generous support in assisting us to bring Tobruk House into compliance in 2019. The Polish Museum will be presenting an exhibition at Tobruk House from 17 August until 25 August focussing on the immigration of the Polish Carpathian Brigade to Australia. Arthur Calwell the then Minister for Immigration and the Rats of Tobruk Association were instrumental in making this happen. Please see notice in this edition for further details. On the 25th August the Polish Carpathian Brigade will commemorate the 78th Anniversary of their arrival into Tobruk to replace our exhausted Australian soldiers. The service will be held at the Shrine of Remembrance, starting at 12 noon and this will be followed by a light afternoon tea. Veterans Bob Semple & Hautrie Crick together with members of the committee and the Rats of Tobruk Memorial Pipes & Drums Band attended a dinner in the Sergeants’ Mess at Puckapunyal on the 19th July. A great night was enjoyed by all who attended. There are many on our sick list at the moment and we wish them a speedy recovery and a return to good health in the near future. And for those who are travelling we wish you a great journey and a safe return. We are always thinking of you. Graham Gibson, Secretary

VALE They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary them,

nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them

LEST WE FORGET

CRAMP, Joseph Donald, NX11731, 9 Aust Div Supply Coln, 8 May 2019, 102 years McEWAN, Edward (Ted), NX52752, 9 Div AASC, 18 May 2019, 99 years CORNELL, Donald (Snowy), VX32463, 2/24 Bn, 20 June 2019, 98 years RZECHORZEK, George Antoni, Polish Independent Rifle Brigade, 30054611, July 2019, 95 years OLSEN, Arthur, 2/32, 2/12, 2/1 Bns, 25 April 2019, 99 years Our thoughts and prayers are extended to all families at this sad time.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES In 1984, the then Melbourne Sub-Branch of ROTA believed that within the next 15 years ROTA would cease to exist, and so they commissioned Bill Williams, a Rat and former journalist, to produce a Feasibility Study into how and why the Siege of Tobruk should be remembered. Bill took his commission seriously and produced a 72-page document. There are a number of very interesting aspects to this document, especially given that here we are, 35 years later, and ROTA is still very much in existence. In many ways the concerns outlined by Bill Williams regarding the recording of the true experiences of those on both sides of the siege have been addressed, but the challenge remains – how can ROTA ensure that Tobruk doesn’t fade into history? Bill points out that people seem to remember military defeats such as Gallipoli and Dunkirk rather than victories. He argued that there were seven key facts that mark the Siege of Tobruk as worthy of being remembered. Here they are:

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Bill Williams made nine recommendations in his report which included finding funding for the recording of personal histories of the remaining Rats as well as the German and Italian troops who had served in Tobruk during the siege. He was very much in favour of educating school children about the importance of Tobruk, which fits in well with what we have been doing and supports our recent decision to upgrade our A/V system to better engage the school visitors to Tobruk House. He also suggested the writing of a book encompassing these personal stories and the commissioning of a film by the ABC. It appears that this last project failed to proceed due to lack of funds, as did a proposal to embark on a large media Public Relations campaign. However, as we have reported in recent editions of THN, a fully researched book and a film are actually in the making at the moment, so perhaps we are well on the way to achieving Bill’s list. It is incumbent on all of us to ensure that this important story lives on. As with all the ‘archives’ stories, the documents are held at Tobruk House and members are welcome to explore these for themselves.

NEW MEMBERS We welcome the following new members to ROTA:

Ben Harrington Gregory Scott Jack Fogarty Angus Wallace Deb Campion Jeffrey Hayes Dwayne Miller Your membership helps to ensure the legacy of the Rats of Tobruk

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LOOKING FOR INFORMATION This investigation is not quite complete. Perhaps you have the missing piece of the puzzle? It started with this email from Neil Price: Hello, I'm wondering if you can assist with something. Going through some old family boxes, I came across this badge. I'm wondering if there's anything you can tell me about it; what it's for, is it of any significance, who it may have originally belonged to? Please let me know if you can. Thanks and regards, Neil Price Our Vice President Graham Gibson donned his investigator’s hat and got to work: Thank-you for your enquiry, I have checked through our records and the badge belonged to one of our veterans who passed away in 1989 hence the "89" number on the crown which indicated the last year that he had paid his annual subscription.

His name was YEO, Henry William, his last known address was in East St. Kilda.

Henry's enlistment number was VX32598 and he was in the 7th Division Australian Army Supply Column, interestingly unit the same as my father's. The unit served in Tobruk in the Middle East and at Gill Gill and Milne Bay - Papua New Guinea.

I came across this story in "Supply Column at War", that might be of interest to you: -

Our dedicated cook and good mate, Harry "Half Ladle" Yeo had a surprise up his sleeve. Instead of the usual bully beef and dog biscuits, Harry prepared a special treat from the meagre rations. We couldn't believe our good fortune when Harry presented us with hot doughnuts containing real jam. He beamed with satisfaction as he saw how his efforts had really made our Christmas Day (1943). That was the impression Harry got from the men. However, he didn't know that the margarine which he had used in the doughnut mixture was rancid and had tainted everything. A bite of the doughnut nearly made the fellows sick. So the eating of them was a pretence, for as soon as Half Ladle turned his back the doughnuts were tossed into the scrub. Everyone was so pleased with Harry for having a go that no one had the heart to tell him of the disaster. Neil’s reply: Hi Graham, Thank you so much for your reply. The information you have provided is extremely interesting and makes for great reading. Do you think this badge is something that Henry's family might appreciate having back in their possession? If so, do you have any idea how we could go about this? It would give my family great satisfaction to return it to them if it had any value to them. Thanks and regards, Neil Price. If you think you can help us to locate Henry’s family please let us know and we can complete the investigation.

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TOBRUK HOUSE PLAYS HOST TO SPECIAL POLISH EXHIBITION During August there will be an exhibition related to the post WWII Polish immigrants. As you know, the Rats of Tobruk were instrumental in convincing the Government to allow this due to the mutual respect between the two fighting forces.

The opening hours of the exhibition are 11.00 am until 3.00 pm every day from the 17th August until the 25th August. There will also be a service at the Shrine of Remembrance to mark the 78th Anniversary of the landing of the Polish Carpathian Brigade into Tobruk to relieve the Australian soldiers, on Sunday 25th August starting at 12 noon.

If you wish to attend the Opening event at Tobruk House on Saturday 17th August please make sure you RSVP to the Polish Museum polishmuseumarchivesaustralia@gmail.com by August 11.

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BAND NEWS We are currently busy learning the new music for the Sydney Military Tattoo which is really all the “news” for this report. However, I’d like to use this opportunity to introduce you to some of the members of our band. In coming issues, I will introduce you to other people who make up our fabulous group.

Drum Major Kathleen Matthies was born in the small village of Lochgelly in Fife, Scotland, just a stones’ throw across the Firth of Forth and the capital city of Edinburgh. She emigrated to Australia with her parents at the tender age of five. The family lived in Elwood, Victoria prior to moving to Broadmeadows then on to Gladstone Park, and Kathleen attended Elwood Central and Broadmeadows East Primary Schools, and Pascoe Vale Girls High School. In her teen years she joined Melbourne Ladies Pipe Band as a Tenor Drummer, and also became the Bands’ Deputy Drum Major, with the demise of the Ladies Band in 1989. Kathleen joined the “Rats” in 1987 as a Tenor Drummer, and journeyed to Edinburgh, Scotland in 1988 in the Band’s first foray to the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. In 1992 she assumed the role of Drum Major. Kathleen’s Resume: In addition to many local special appearances, Kathleen has admirably led the Band to the following: Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 1994, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2008, 2012 El Alamein in 2001 The first ever Moscow Kremlin Zoria in 2007 Libyan Music Festival Green Square Tripoli in 2009 The Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery Tobruk 2009 Basel Switzerland Tattoo in 2010, 2014, 2018 Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Sydney 2010 Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Melbourne 2016 Shanghai International Music Festival 2016 Kathleen also led the Pipers Trail in 2018 at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Kathleen is married to husband Greg, they have two children, Stephen and Rachael, and a grandson, Angus.

Kathleen poses proudly next to famous Rat, Weary Dunlop

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BAND NEWS continued… Pipe Major David McNamara was born in Terang in the western district of country Victoria, and was a young boy when his family moved to Melbourne. His introduction to pipe music came from a radio used to soothe the dairy cows in his uncle’s cow shed. Listening to “Green Hills of Tyrol” formed a lasting impression on young David, and in 1970 as a young Police Cadet, he decided to join the Victoria Police Pipe Band.

After only nine months tuition, David participated in his first uniform parade.

Over-lapping this period, David also served with 5th Battalion Royal Victorian Regiment Pipes & Drums, and the City of Casey Pipe Band.

For many years, David was the ‘lone piper’ at the Shrine of Remembrance on ANZAC Day.

He joined the “Rats” in 2003 initially as Pipe Tutor, then Pipe Major. From 2005 onwards, David, as Pipe Major, has led the musical direction of the Band, including for all the Band’s overseas performances in Edinburgh, Moscow, Libya, The Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery in Tobruk, and Basel, as well as the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Sydney and Melbourne.

David is currently very busy bringing the Band up to speed with the tunes for this year’s Tattoo in Sydney in October. Best wishes to you all. Ken Butterworth The Rats of Tobruk Memorial Pipes & Drums Inc. EDITOR’S NOTE: The Rats of Tobruk Memorial Pipes and Drums proudly carries their name to major events around the world, as you can see from the above stories. Accordingly, the Rats of Tobruk Association has made a donation to the band of $1000 to assist with the very great costs of performing at the highest international level. The cheque was handed to Ken Butterworth at the June general meeting. The costs of instruments, uniforms and travel expenses are significant, and the ROTA committee felt it important to demonstrate to the band the high esteem to which we hold them. It is our intention to make an annual donation for this purpose.

David poses with his pipes in full uniform

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SID EY CELEBRATES 103rd BIRTHDAY This story by McKenzie Thompson was published in The Bunyip (Gawler) on June 5th 2019 Gawler WWII veteran Sid Ey joined fellow Gawler RSL members at the local clubrooms last week to celebrate his 103rd birthday.

Mr Ey, who is one of the last surviving Rats of Tobruk, has been a member of the Gawler RSL for most of his life, attending regular social afternoons at the local branch each Wednesday. Gawler RSL publicity officer Wayne Clarke said Mr Ey had been a wonderful member over many years. “He is a very independent man who still has a sharp mind,” he said. “Every week he plays eight ball at the clubrooms, and he is very good at it. He also likes to read the newspaper, especially The Bunyip every week. I have known him all of my life and he is a great man. “Another one of our members, Mr Hugh Bower, was under the impression that he was the oldest member (at 99 years old). But Mr Ey beat him. “We are very fortunate to have great members who have come from local families.” Mr Ey was also joined on the day by 96-year-old Doug Dunbar, who travelled from RSL Care at Myrtle Bank to help celebrate the occasion. STOP PRESS! LEONARD HARDERS MARKS 100 YEARS. Just prior to going to print we received a message from Terry Glouftsis to say that his great uncle and Rat of Tobruk, Leonard Harders, turned 100 on June 19 this year. Happy Birthday Leonard! We hope to bring you a photo of the occasion in the next edition of Tobruk House News.

Doug Dunbar (left) and Hugh Bower (centre) were at the Gawler RSL branch top help Sid Ey celebrate his 103rd birthday

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ACT’S LAST RAT OF TOBRUK CELEBRATES 100TH BIRTHDAY This story by Lachlan Roberts, Photos by George Tsotsos, was published in The RiotACT on July 1 2019

Following the biggest birthday party he has ever been to, John Fleming jokes that if he keeps coming back to Giralang Primary School to celebrate his birthday, the students might get sick of him.

But if you had heard the birthday wishes received and jokes that were cracked, along with the enthusiasm as Happy Birthday rang through the hall of the primary school, 29 June 2020 can’t come soon enough for the kids.

Mr Fleming, who is the ACT’s only remaining Rat of Tobruk, celebrated his 100th birthday with students at the Giralang Primary School on Friday morning (28 June), both a celebration of the centenarian and their school’s decade-long relationship with the veteran.

Each year group took turns bestowing gifts on Mr Fleming, as the school band played Katy Perry’s Firework and year two students showcased their special dance. Mr Fleming said it was the biggest and best birthday party he had been to, not that it feels any different being 100.

“100 doesn’t feel much different than normal,” he said with a smile. “A lady told me there were 350 kids here today, so this is my biggest birthday party. It surprised me how many people turned up.

“The kids were all quite proud of what they did and I liked it very much. They are like a second family to me and I would have to be very poorly not to make it here.”

Ever since Ms Smith told her students to research the Rats of Tobruk in 1999, the school has developed a special connection with the valiant veterans and Mr Fleming in particular. The students have also created a memorial wall in the school dedicated to the WWII veterans and every year they have invited Mr Fleming to tell his story during their Anzac Day assembly.

“The school has grown tremendously compared to when I first started here,” Mr Fleming shared. “If I make it here to my 101st birthday, I will just tell them I am pleased to be with them.

“They will all be surprised that I am still turning up.”

A dispatch rider for the 9th Division Signals, Mr Fleming was tasked with transporting messages to the frontline. To this day, he still has vivid memories of his time in Tobruk and can recall the injuries he suffered during his time.

“The kids know I have been there and I used to ride a motorbike,” he said, chuckling. “I have plenty of memories, more of El Alamein than of Tobruk. Tobruk wasn’t too bad but El Alamein gave us a bit of hurry up.

“When we were in Egypt, they sent us to Lebanon and as we were going up on the train, there was another train coming down. We said, ‘we won so don’t you buggers lose it for us’.

John Fleming celebrates his 100th birthday at Giralong Primary School in the ACT

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“I have plenty of memories.”

Year six student Sam Knight, who is part of the school band that played Happy Birthday, said it was an honour to have Mr Fleming celebrate his birthday at the school.

“It was awesome, and it was such an honour to have him here and we are so lucky,” Sam said. “He is a Rat of Tobruk and it’s awesome that he has lived so long.

“He has been coming to our school for his birthday and Anzac assembly for a long time now and we have known him for a long time.

“He is the last Rat of Tobruk left so it’s special that he is here with us. He has taught us a lot about the ANZACS during Anzac assembly. He is always there, wearing his best suit and medals.

“I think he enjoyed the party. He was laughing, smiling and I think he was a bit emotional.”

A BIRTHDAY PUZZLE? Do you know any other people with the same birthday as you? Did you think ‘Wow, what a coincidence!’? Well it’s much more likely than you might think. In a room of just 23 people there's a 50-50 chance of at least two people having the same birthday. In a room of 75 there's a 99.9% chance of at least two people matching!

Surprised? Well, the number of people living today with the same date of birth as you is somewhere around 20.8 million. Of course, that’s only an approximation, obtained by dividing the number of people in the world today by 365. To discover the chance of someone sharing your birthday in any group the maths is a bit more complex and it involves what is called probability theory. If you are interested, then you’ll find plenty of explanations on the internet. Perhaps the shared birthdays in this next story won’t seem quite so coincidental now that you know the facts……

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ALF JACKSON CELEBRATES 100 YEARS (AND GRAHAM GIBSON HITS 70)

Rats of Tobruk veteran Alf Jackson, and Rats of Tobruk Association Vice President and Secretary Graham Gibson, are celebrating a combined 170 years of life on the 23rd July this year, as they share the same birth date (but thirty years apart).

Alf served with Graham’s father, William (Hoot) Gibson. His nickname came from Hoot Gibson, a popular American actor at the time. Alf and Hoot were in Tobruk together, in the same unit, the 7th Division Australian Army Supply Column. After the war they used to meet at Tobruk House at ROTA functions and also at 7th Div AASC gatherings a number of times. Graham has been honoured to catch up with Alf over the years and learn so much of his father's history and that of Alf's time during World War 2.

ROTA Vice President Graham Gibson and newly minted centenarian Rat of Tobruk Alf Jackson

Cheers! Alf celebrates 98 yrs. 99 down and 1 to go. Alf celebrates 99 yrs.

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RAT OF TOBRUK FRED ROSE CELEBRATES 100TH BIRTHDAY Story and picture by Stuart McGuckin. Published in South Western Times 2nd July

Fred Rose talks with his nephews David and Clayton in the lead up to his 100th birthday.

A former Roelands dairy and potato farmer who is one of the last surviving Rats of Tobruk will celebrate his 100th birthday today. Fred Rose was born in Bunbury and was the fourth eldest of William and Bertha’s 10 children. Ahead of the big day he said he was unsure why everybody was making such a fuss.

“I’ve still got to get there first,” he said. “I’m not quite there yet but I might react to it all once I reach the day. I never thought I would reach 100 and I still don’t, I can’t visualise when it will all finish.”

After enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) as a 21-year-old in 1940, Mr Rose left from Fremantle on his way to Palestine at the start of 1941. Two months after disembarking in the foreign country he was one of the 14,000 Australian soldiers who withstood a 1941 siege at the Libyan port of Tobruk. He returned to Australia in March the next year and following an accidental injury to the eye was discharged early in 1944.

Mr Rose returned to the family farm in Roelands where he worked alongside his brothers Bill, James and Don until he retired to Australind in the 1970s. Until the age of 97 he was a keen lawn bowler and was a founding member of the Brunswick Bowling Club where he served as captain as well as president and had a green named in his honour in 2014.

“I enjoyed farming, being in the army and lawn bowls all equally,” Mr Rose said.

He never married and lived independently until the middle of last year when moved into permanent residential care at Bethanie Fields.

“I’d still rather be at home in Australind or back on the farm,” he said.

Almost 100 guests are expected to attend his birthday celebrations on Sunday and Mr Rose said he looked forward to seeing so many people as well as visiting the farm.

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A FAMILY AFFAIR The following story about the Denton family during WWII was sent to our President, Bob Semple, by Irene Dixon (nee Denton). Irene has kindly given permission for Bob to share it with us: Dear Bob, I am writing to you personally regarding your article in the March “Signal”. It refreshed many memories of my dear brothers. In WWII three of my brothers enlisted in the AIF. Cyril served in an Interstate Unit until 1945. Merv served in the 2/43 Battalion and was killed in action on 3rd August 1941. Ron served in the 2/48 Battalion until 1945. As you can see Bob, two of my brothers were Rats of Tobruk. Their letters home told us of the terrible, terrible conditions under which they lived. Yes I am a proud sister not only of Merv and Ron but of Cyril also. My husband John served in the RAN from 1940-47. My humble service was in the Women’s Land Army and in my youth I was also proud to serve my country in its hour of greatest need. John and I met during our service and have this year celebrated our 73rd wedding anniversary. We are both still members of our local RSL club which these days is the Port Elliot Club. We are still able to attend the meetings and social events. I am now in my 97th year and for this reason I do not wish to join the Rats of Tobruk Club. I do sincerely thank yourself and all of the wonderful members for the work you each do in keeping the memories of these young men alive; resting in graves far away from home. I am enclosing photos of Merv, Ron and myself so please Bob, once you have read our story, please dispose of us in the usual way!! In conclusion I once again thank you on behalf of all who served, be it at home or abroad. God bless each of you. Yours sincerely, Irene Dixon PS Please excuse any errors in this letter. “The Ode” explains all!!

SX9406 Pte Ronald Ralph (Ron) Denton. Tobruk, El Alamein, New Guinea, Tarakan

SX11236 Pte Mervyn James (Merv) Denton. Killed In Action Tobruk 3/8/41

Merv Denton’s grave Tobruk War Cemetery Libya.

79R Irene Isobel Dixon (Nee Denton)

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HOLD THAT TRAIN! A story about Rat of Tobruk Tom Prichard, as told to Glenda Garde

At a recent meeting at Tobruk House one of our most treasured veterans, Tom Pritchard, brought along a photograph that he had told me about at a previous meeting. The photo (above) was taken on October 20, 1940 in the railway yards just out of Finders St. Station. Tom’s father (also named Tom) was a World War 1 veteran, who, after the war, worked on the Great Western Railway (precursor to the Indian Pacific) to connect the eastern states of Australia to the west, across the Nullabor Plain. In October 1940, Tom senior was now working for the Victorian Railways and was based at a depot in the Jolimont railyards. Knowing many of the signalmen there, some of whom had also served in WW1, Tom’s father managed to find out when Tom junior’s train from Puckapunyal was scheduled to come through the yards. The train was then meant to head down to Station Pier in Port Melbourne, where Tom, and the rest of the troops aboard (my father included), would board the Mauretania for the long journey to the Middle East, and, of course, eventually Tobruk. Tom’s dad, with the assistance of the signalmen, had arranged for the train to come to a stop in the yards to enable him and Tom’s mum to bid a very special farewell to their son! And how did they know which carriage he was in? Well, if you examine the photograph closely, you will see Tommy hanging out of the window, and he’s easy to identify because you will notice his name chalked on the outside of the carriage directly underneath that window. They never did board the train, and instead spoke to Tom from the tracks, but I am sure the other passengers must have been totally bemused at this unexpected stop! What a farewell; one that Tom still remembers quite vividly all these years later.

Tom Pritchard at the recent Tobruk Sunday service

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BELMONT SECONDARY SCHOOL SUPPORTS ANZAC DAY These pictures from the Geelong Anzac Day celebrations were sent to us by Geelong member Shirley Wild. Ernie Brough, 99 years old and the sole surviving Geelong Rat, was the star of the day, ably supported by Shirley and her sister Judy Fogarty and the enthusiastic members of the Belmont Secondary School band. Belmont Secondary School has a long and very special association with the Rats of Tobruk which began over ten years ago with the closing of the Geelong sub branch. We will bring you a story about that relationship in a future issue of Tobruk House News.

Members of the Belmont Secondary School band surrounding Ernie Brough after completing the Anzac Day march in Geelong. Shirley Wild is on Ernie’s right and Judy Fogarty is on his left.

Belmont Secondary School pupils have carried the Rats of Tobruk banner at the Geelong Anzac march for more than ten years and they proudly display the Rats logo on their bass drum by special permission of ROTA.

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THE MIGHTY QUINN The following story by Ben Collins is reprinted with kind permission of the AFL Football Record. Bob Quinn is a legend of South Australian football, but his greatest deeds might have been serving his country and showing incredible courage under fire – in every sense of the term. Bob Quinn never asked anyone to do something he wasn’t prepared to do himself. In fact, he did things others weren’t prepared to do. That’s how Quinn operated as captain-coach of SANFL club Port Adelaide, and he took the same attitude into various theatres of war. And, on what became known as one of the most famous battlefields in Australian history, Quinn took his selfless leadership style to the extreme. It was August 3, 1941, and Warrant Officer Quinn was stationed at the Libyan port of Tobruk, as part of a garrison of predominantly Australian soldiers who would heroically repel the Germans and prevent them from sweeping through Egypt and seizing control of the Suez Canal. One morning, when the Australian Diggers came under heavy attack in the pre-dawn hours, Quinn was set a perilous mission. He was to take charge of the 10th platoon and lead an attack on a heavily manned German machine gun post that was cutting a swathe through the Aussies. In a later letter to his family, Quinn observed that a battle plan was “like a football lecture on a blackboard – everything is quite easy until the other team runs on to the field”. But in this case, it appeared a mission impossible. Then 26, Quinn gathered his men in a trench. As Port Adelaide’s brilliant leader, he’d delivered speeches that made players want to run through brick walls for him; now he needed to inspire battle-weary soldiers to virtually sacrifice their lives. “Fellas, we’re probably going to die doing this,” Quinn told them. “But if we don’t do it, we’ll probably die anyway.” Quinn explained that their first objective was to use a pipe bomb to blow up the barbed-wire fence surrounding the German bunker. One at a time, seven of them were to break cover to lay a section of pipe, each one bringing them closer to the machine gun. “And I’ll lay the last one,” Quinn said, accepting what seemed a suicide mission. Four members of Quinn’s wrecking squad didn’t return, and he couldn’t find any volunteers to take their place. It was now up to him. As a footballer, Quinn had a gift for lifting in big moments. He faced no bigger moment than this. One of Australian Football’s greatest and most fearless rovers summoned all the courage he could muster. He sprung from the trench and almost immediately copped a serious shrapnel wound high up on the inside of his right thigh. But he pushed on, laid the last pipe, exploded the barbed wire and led the charge into the enemy post. Hand grenades and gunfire flew back and forth from close range, resulting in many casualties on both sides. After an hour of intense fighting, Quinn’s platoon was reduced to just eight men, so he wisely retreated. His leg was bleeding profusely, but he refused treatment until he helped other wounded men to relative safety. Quinn’s face was also a mess after shrapnel opened up his right cheek, near his eye. “Bloody hell, Bob, half your face is missing,” one of his men exclaimed. Quinn quipped: “It might be a bloody improvement.” One of the legendary ‘Rats of Tobruk’, Quinn was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry after leading his men with “great determination and dash” and showing “coolness and judgment” in withdrawing them. “His courage, leadership and devotion to duty were outstanding, under the most trying circumstances,” Quinn’s citation declared.

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In the meantime, though, the more pressing issue was his shredded thigh – on his dominant kicking leg. He was sent to a military hospital. “Doc, will I ever play football again?” Quinn asked. The overworked surgeon replied: “Play football? You’ll be lucky if I can save your leg.” Quinn pleaded with him not to amputate the limb, and indeed felt lucky post-surgery when he awoke and realised the leg was still attached. Quinn’s youngest son Greg also sighed with relief as he told the AFL Record: “Lucky Dad didn’t get hit a little bit higher, otherwise me and my two sisters (Pam and Margaret) and my brother (Robert jnr) and our families wouldn’t be here!” It took Quinn until 1988 to share his Military Medal story with Adelaide football writer Ashley Porter. And, even then, Quinn asked Porter to delay publishing it until all his 10th Platoon mates had died, so it wouldn’t humiliate those who’d refused to enter the fray with him. “They were brave men, all of them. They had done things like this before, knowing that death faced them, but on this night their bodies froze,” Quinn told Porter, in a terrific piece published in Adelaide’s Independent Weekly in 2008. “Imagine what it’s like for (them) every time there is a story about Bob Quinn and his Military Medal. It has been an incredible burden for them to carry for all these years. “They saw themselves as cowards, but I tell you they weren’t. “They had no idea where they were and what they were doing. The noise was deafening. “But no matter what you say, they still feel that sense of guilt for not jumping the line. “Son, war is not made up of feel-good stories.” Quinn was part of a feel-good family footy story. His father John ‘Jack’ Quinn was a premiership rover and forward for Port Adelaide, captaining the club in 1904-05, leading the league goalkicking in 1907 and representing South Australia. Each of his four sons – John jnr, Tom, Bob and George – also played for Port Adelaide. The Quinns lived at Birkenhead on the Port River, which they’d row across to attend training and games at Alberton Oval. Born on April 9, 1915, Robert Berrima ‘Bob’ Quinn owed his middle name to a World War I troop ship. On the footy field, the 169cm rover was a pocket battleship. After winning the Magarey Medal in 1938, Quinn considered offers from Victorian clubs – and even trained with Geelong, where his older brother Tom had won two best and fairests and two premierships after the Cats gave him a job during the Depression – before accepting the job of captain-coach at Port Adelaide. In his first season in charge, Quinn guided Port to a flag – its third in four years. Early the next season, 1940, at 25, he enlisted for service in the infantry’s 2/43rd Battalion. His younger brother George had been so determined to serve his country that he lied about his age, and Bob vouched for him. It was a fateful decision. The pair were close, being teammates at Port Adelaide and working together on the wharves, as their father had before them, before becoming leather workers. Alas, they saw precious little of each other again. Corporal George Urban Quinn was killed in action in El Alamein, Egypt, on July 22, 1942. “Dad reflected on Georgie a bit,” Greg Quinn recalled. “He’d say, ‘Your Uncle George was one of the bravest people I ever met, because he was so young when he went.’ “Dad couldn’t have talked George out of enlisting, but Dad still would’ve carried some guilt with him over that.” Five months later, there was another family tragedy. Quinn had been courting state netballer May Walker, whose brother Charlie or ‘Chilla’ – the reserve wicketkeeper for Australia on the 1930 and 1938 Ashes cricket tours – was a RAAF flying officer who was killed in action over Germany in December 1942. Three months later, Quinn married his ‘Maysie’, before being shipped back to the frontline. Now a lieutenant, Quinn had recovered well from his severe leg injury, spending just 8 weeks in hospital.

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In a letter to Port Adelaide around that time, he’d expressed confidence that, with the benefit of considerable fitness work and massage, he’d still give a good account of himself with the club. But first Quinn had to overcome more obstacles. In August 1943, he joined the resistance against the invading Japanese in New Guinea and soon had a couple of seriously close shaves. During a night-time firefight, Quinn was shoulder-to-shoulder with a mate who was shot and started screaming in agony. In the darkness, a crawling Quinn dragged him for what seemed like an eternity to safety, before realising his mate was dead. “Dad didn’t tell me those things to boast – it was to reinforce how important it is to look after your mates and help people,” Greg Quinn said. “And I can’t help but think that if that bullet had been half-a-metre to the side, none of our family would be here.” On another occasion, Quinn was hit by a bullet that caused a compound fracture in his right forearm, which became complicated by a bout of the rare, serious bone infection osteomyelitis. It was Quinn’s last act on a battlefield. He returned to Adelaide in March 1944, and within two months resumed his SANFL career in a reduced competition, kicking 28 goals in 12 games with the combined Port-Torrens team. The 30-year-old war hero displayed extraordinary toughness in a semi-final, playing virtually the entire second half with a break in his right arm, just below the spot where he was wounded in New Guinea less than a year earlier. When the SANFL returned to normal programming in 1945, Quinn regained the captain-coaching role at Port Adelaide. He also regained full fitness, completing extra work with professional boxer Mason Clarke, a mate with whom he’d served. Quinn had understandably lost some pace, which convinced him to handball more, but, remarkably, he still produced his greatest individual season, winning another Magarey Medal in a canter, captaining South Australia to victory over Victoria and kicking five goals in a narrow Grand Final loss. It was a stunning sequence of events given that only three years earlier there had been fears he’d never again grace a football field and would live out his days with a disability.

The next year, 1946, Quinn led his state in a wildly fluctuating game against the Vics at Carlton. After trailing by 39 points at half-time, SA stormed to a 21-point lead, only for the home side to force a draw. In the changerooms post-match, Quinn was ruing the result when he was told someone wanted to see him. It wasn’t great timing, but Quinn’s demeanour changed when he realised his visitor was the surgeon who’d saved his leg at Tobruk. The two men shook hands in mutual admiration. Quinn thanked him. “Well, Quinn, I don’t like Australian Rules Football, but I saw in the paper that you were leading South Australia, so I just had to come down here and see it with my own eyes,” the surgeon explained. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to have a look at my handiwork.” Quinn climbed on a rubdown table and dropped his shorts.

Bob Quinn being chaired off the ground after a game.

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“I did a bloody good job, didn’t I?” the surgeon said. Quinn played until 1947, leading both Port and SA in each of his last three seasons. In his final season he won the club best and fairest, starred for his state and was named rover in Sporting Life magazine’s Team of the Year (a precursor to the All-Australian team). By then his thigh injury, which he’d almost always bandaged, was taking its toll so he hung up his boots at 32. Quinn became a publican and, for a time, the local footy coach in the small country town of Kadina, 144km north-west of Adelaide, where he and his wife raised their four children. An emotional Greg Quinn described his father as a man’s man and an old-school gentleman who was also compassionate, humble and family focused. “We’re just so thankful that, although Dad went through all those horrible things at the war, he was still such a gentle, loving father and a wonderful man,” he said. “I lived with my parents until I was 31, so I had the privilege of living with a legend for 31 years. “He was my dad and he was my hero.” Arguably Port Adelaide’s greatest player, Bob Quinn died after a long illness at 93 in September 2008, but his legacy lives on – and not simply in the northern gate named after him at Adelaide Oval, or the 1964 grandstand that honours him at Alberton Oval, or the medal bearing his name that is awarded to the player adjudged best-afield in the SANFL’s Grand Final rematch each Anzac Day. “He’s been gone for more than 10 years now, but he just keeps giving to us,” Greg Quinn said. “We haven’t got a single clown or peanut in our family, and it’s because of the standards Dad set.” HMAS VENDETTA IS A WINNING MODEL

At the June meeting we were privileged to see the latest models created by ROTA member Geoff Jenkins, who has been making models as a hobby for many years. Geoff said he became inspired to get into model making when he was taken as a child to the Australian War Memorial. The dioramas had a huge impact on him as he felt they gave an understanding that no two-dimensional picture could ever do.

Geoff has made many models related to the Tobruk siege, including the fearsome diving Stukka bombers. On this occasion it was his model of HMAS Vendetta that took away first prize at the recent Model Expo in Melbourne. This famous destroyer was a member of the Tobruk Ferry Service, and made the highest number of runs to the besieged city of Tobruk.

The model of the digger is even more recent. Geoff put the finishing touches to it the night before the meeting!

There is an amazing amount of detail in these models and they certainly warrant a close look. To that end Geoff is planning to put them on display at Tobruk House in a special glass cabinet.

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ROWLAND DORE’S PHOTOS FROM TOBRUK Vicki Beardmore has sent in these photos which were taken by her father Rowland Dore (2/3rd Field Ambulance), whilst he was in Tobruk. The captions shown on the photos are in most cases what is written on the back of the photo.

Wadi Auda is located west of the town of Tobruk.

Gunyah is an aboriginal word for bush hut or shelter.

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MORE OF ROWLAND DORE’S PHOTOS…..

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RATS OF TOBRUK NEUROSCIENCE FELLOWSHIP UPDATE In February this year we began a special appeal to augment the funds in the Rats of Tobruk Neuroscience Fellowship and ensure its ongoing viability.

The importance of the Rats of Tobruk Neuroscience Fellowship cannot be overstated. This support represents an invaluable contribution to the care of future generations of Australian children and it directly paves the way for the next generation of the greatest medical minds in the field of Neurology to impact the future of children’s health. The 2019 Rats of Tobruk Neuroscience Fellowship recipient is Dr Emma McDonald Laurs. Dr Laurs has previously trained in New Zealand and Sydney. In this role she is learning about epilepsy surgery and complex video-EEG monitoring in one the world’s best paediatric epilepsy centres. In 2020, Dr Laurs will enrol in a PhD through Melbourne University, studying infantile genetic epilepsies and their medical and surgical treatment. Dr Laurs will ultimately join RCH Neurology as a specialist in paediatric epilepsy, bringing her research experience back into the department. “We‘re extremely grateful to the Rats of Tobruk Association for its support of the Rats of Tobruk Neuroscience Fellowship. It takes years to train a paediatric neurologist - failure to offer Fellowships of this kind would mean that we could not attract the talent we need. With this very generous funding, we can guarantee that the next generation of paediatric neurologists at the RCH will have every opportunity to gain world-class research experience and clinical exposure while completing their training within the hospital,” said Professor Monique Ryan, Director, RCH Neurology.

If you would like to make a donation, you can send a cheque or money order made out to the ‘ROTA Neuroscience Fellowship Fund’, to the RCH Foundation, Level 2, 48 Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria, 3052. Please include your name and address so that a tax receipt can be sent to you.

Adding a gift in your Will is another way to ensure the Fellowship. To learn more, or to let us know of your intention, please contact Jessica Frean, Planned Giving, RCH Foundation (03 9345 6389 or email: Jessica.frean@rch.org.au )

SOLDIER CARE PACKAGES The RSL Australian Forces Overseas Fund (AFOF) parcel wrapping and sending service began 50 years ago and it’s a tradition the RSL, in conjunction with volunteers, have kept up over the years

Just before Anzac Day this year, Jude Ridley, daughter of Cpl. Max Rogers, VX18995: 7th Div. AASC, put together five Care Packages to go to the Australian troops serving overseas. These were sent in the name of The Rats of Tobruk Association. Each box contained some TimTam Biscuits and, of course, some Australian Anzac Biscuits. There were also some lollies - Butter Menthols, Steam Rollers, Life Savers, a couple of small tins of Peppermints and Toblerone, a pair of mittens, Paw-Paw Cream, a cleaner for your glasses or phone screens, a couple of other things as well as a card with an

Australian bird or animal on the front. These cards were signed by everyone who was at our monthly meeting in March. There was also ROTA letter head with a ROTA post card

attached. Bob, Alf, Tommy and Keith each signed the letterhead. Also included were a couple of key rings with Australian animals dangling, each one wearing a Slouch Hat.

Great work Jude. We know the troops really appreciate these packages, and yours were extra special with four original Rats’ signatures!

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Rats of Tobruk Association Inc - Application for Affiliate Membership Name: ______ _________________________________ ________________________________ Title Given Name (s) Surname

Address: ________________________ _________________________ ____________ Suburb / State Post Code

Email: ___________________@___________________ Contact Phone No: ___________________ Please Print Clearly Are you over 18 years of age: YES or N0 Are you or have you been a member of the Military Services: YES or NO Are you a descendant / relative of a Rat of Tobruk: YES or NO If yes please print his details below: _____________________ ___________________________________ ____________ _____________ Given Name (s) Surname Service ID Unit My relationship to the veteran is: ______________________________________________________________ Reason for wanting to join:___________________________________________________________________ Payment Details: Payment of $60 ($30 Joining Fee plus $30 Annual Subscription) must accompany the application. Payment can be made by cheque, money order, cash or electronic funds transfer (EFT). The Association does not have credit card facilities. If you are paying by EFT, it is important that you include a unique reference so that the payment can be matched to the application. A suggested reference is the letters 'NEW MBR' followed by your surname. e.g. 'NEW MBR Cummings'. Bank Account Details: Account Name: Rats of Tobruk Association BSB: 013 223 Account No: 2102 51748

The EFT 'reference' I have used is:

I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I

If you pay by EFT, you can scan this application and email it to: ratsoftobruk41@gmail.com This will ensure your application is processed promptly. Privacy Clause:

Information requested in this application form is necessary for the association to determine your eligibility for membership, maintain the members register and to keep you informed about the association, its activities and products. It will not be provided to third parties for direct marketing purposes. As a member you have the right to inspect the members' register.

Promotional Photos:

At the Association's functions, photo's may be taken for promotional purposes and publication in the Tobruk House News. By attending any of these functions you give permission for the use of your image in the manner described above.

Annual Subscription:

By joining the Association, you agree to pay the Annual Subscription when it falls due on the 1st January each year. The amount of the Annual Subscription is set by the Committee of Management, prior to the start of each year.

Association Rules:

By joining the Association, you agree to abide by the Association Rules and policies approved by the Committee of Management from time to time. These are available on the Association’s website www.ratsoftobrukassociation.org.au

Applicant's Signature:___________________________________________ Date:____________________ Membership Approval: ______________________________________ Delegate of the Committee of Management Contact Email: ratsoftobruk41@gmail.com Contact Phone No: 0434 693 190

Please forward this application together with payment of $60 to: The Secretary of ROTA, Tobruk House, 44 Victoria Ave, Albert Park, Vic, 3206.

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Rats of Tobruk Association (ROTA) Merchandise

Friend’s Bumper Sticker

Size: 65 mm dia

$2.00 each plus $1 postage

Special: 6 for $10 inc postage

Friend’s Stubby Holder

(Can also be used as unique pen/pencil caddy)

$9.00 each

plus $8 postage for single item or $10 postage for up to 6.

Rats of Tobruk Cap Navy Blue – Baseball Style

$20.00 each

plus $12 postage and handling

ROTA Rugby Top Sizes: S , M , L , XL

$35.00 each plus $12 postage and handling

ROTA Polo Shirt Sizes: S , M , L , XL

$30.00 each plus $12 postage and handling

ROTA Apron Cotton, Black, with Pocket

85 cm x 110 cm

$55.00 each plus $8 postage and handling

Siege Map Mouse Pad

23.5 cm x 19.5 cm

$15.00 each

plus $2 postage and handling

Siege Map T Shirt 100% cotton, classic loose fit

Sizes: S , M , L , XL, XXL

$22.00 each plus $10 postage and handling

Friend’s Lapel Badge

Size: 25mm dia

$5.00 each plus $3.00 postage (up to 5 badges)

Rats of Tobruk CD Sung by John Turner The Rats of Tobruk

No Surrender

$15.00 each Including postage & handling

Ladies Poppy Scarf (light weight)

Colours: Grey, White, Bright Blue, Dark Navy Blue

$15.00 each

plus $8 postage and handling

Rats of Tobruk Plaque with ‘No Surrender’ scroll

15 cm x 20 cm on Rosewood base

$95.00 each

plus $15 postage and handling

ROTA Winter Scarf 100% Acrylic

21 cm x 136 cm

$35.00 each plus $8 postage and handling

Tobruk Siege Map Poster

59 cm x 42 cm (A2)

$20.00 each plus $12 postage and handling

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The Rats of Tobruk Association Inc

Merchandise Order Form Date: ___/___/___ Cost

per Item

Quantity Size S,M,L, XL,XXL

Postage Yes/No

Postage Total Sent (office use

only) Item

Siege Map T Shirt $22 $10

Siege Map Mouse Pad $15 NA $2

Friend’s Bumper Sticker $2 NA $1

Friend’s Bumper Sticker (6) pack)

$10 NA Inc in cost

Friend’s Stubby Holder $9 NA $10 (up to 6)

ROTA “baseball” style cap $20 NA $12

A Friend of the Rats lapel badge $5 NA $3 (up to 5)

ROTA (rosewood) plaque $95 NA $15

ROTA tie (clip type only available) $30 NA $5

ROTA Apron $55 NA $10

A2 Tobruk Siege poster $20 NA $12

ROTA rugby top $35 $12

ROTA polo shirt $30 $12

ROTA CD The Rats of Tobruk $15 NA NA

Inc in cost

ROTA Winter Scarf $35 NA $8

Ladies Poppy Scarf (light weight) $15 (Colour) $8 When purchasing multiple items excluding the Tobruk Siege poster, postage is charged only on the item with the highest postage rate. If a Tobruk Siege poster is included in the items purchased, add an additional $12 postage.

Total amount to be paid: $

Payment must accompany this form. Payment can be made by cheque, money order, cash or electronic funds transfer (EFT). The Association does not have credit card facilities. If you are paying by EFT, it is important that you include a unique reference for example the letters ‘MERCH’ followed by your surname. Bank Account Details: Account Name: Rats of Tobruk Association BSB: 013 223 Account No: 2102 51748

The EFT 'reference' I have used is:

I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I

Delivery times will vary, depending on available stock. Clothing items could take up to 4 weeks from receipt of order. The Rosewood Plaque could take up to 6 weeks. Purchaser’s Name:__________________________________ Contact Phone No:_______________ (Please Print)

Email Address:___________________________________@________________________________ Delivery Address:___________________________________________________________________ Suburb:_______________________________________ State:___________ Postcode:___________

Please forward completed form to: ‘Merchandise Officer, ROTA, 44 Victoria Av, Albert Park, Vic, 3206.

If you pay by EFT, you can scan this form and email to: ratsoftobruk41@gmail.com

All enquires to the Merchandise Officer (Glenda Garde) email: ratsoftobruk41@gmail.com Phone: 0419 318 924

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The conflict between North and South Korea claimed three million lives including 339 Australians. This exhibition explains the war’s origins, why Australia got involved, why neither side could win and why this conflict remains unresolved to this day.

The appearance of cornflowers and poppies on the battlefields at the end of the First World War symbolised for many the fragility of life and the hope of rebirth. This work of art invites you to consider how people reflect on the past.

Uncover the stories of those who, through accident or design, found themselves battling the enemy using unconventional means.

AUG - DEC 2019

THE KOREAN WAR, 1950-53

RESISTANCE until AUGUST 4 2019

FLOWERS OF WAR until OCT 2019

CHANGED FOREVER from Sept 1 2019

Stories of migrants who have resettled in Australia from war-torn countries are presented beside those of recent veterans of overseas service in the Australian Defence Force. This moving exhibition explores the impacts of global and civil conflict in changing lives and shaping contemporary Australia.