Our thanks to Ron Mallyon and Stuart Kennedy for contributing photographs (theirs are the good ones)
At the risk of being repetitive our report again begins with the weather for the 2015 30 Battalions' Church Parade so as to give credit where credit is due. Although the day was rainy before and after but not during
the march to the Church, once again our organiser was successful in holding the rain at bay. Or was it because it was a Church Parade that a higher authority should take the credit?
The Pipes and Drums in Hyde Park found an appreciative audience of tourists
The march from Hyde Park to St Stephen's took another turn this year. Due to the re-routing of traffic in the Sydney CBD to allow George St to be closed for the installation of the Sydney Light Rail project,
Macquarie St is taking significantly more traffic our March terminated in Martin Place rather than outside the Church. Another piece of history was re-written, when the ladies of the Regiment who usually farewell us in Hyde Park,
and then carry what we don't want to, joined us in the march, again carrying what we didn't want to as the following photo clearly shows.
The Ladies of the Regiment
In Martin Place, an opportunity was taken to pay respects at the Commnando memorial following the traditional trooping of the Pipes and Drums.
Martin Place
Trooping the Pipes and Drums
Salute to the Commandos
The Service this year was conducted by the Rev Ross Smith who was standing in for the New Minister The Rev Ken Day
During the service the Pipes and Drums played a bracket of tunes including Going Home which is appropriate considering the 30 Battalion Colours are laid up in St Stephens.
Our picture shows the Pipes and Drums playing under the Queen's Colour.
Then to the Christmas Lunch at the Castlereagh Boutique Hotel where Frank Woodhams extended a special welcome to:
Brian and Margaret Shearman
Florence Glasgow
Arthur and Anna Allan
Ms Pinnock
JIm Wright
Alasdair MacDonald
Marching in the Standards
Welcome from Frank Woodhams
Grace said by our Padre The Rev Dr Iain Barclay MBE TD
Happy Lunchers. Note the Raffle Consultants Consulting
More Happy Lunchers consulting
and More
We have now instituted a new tradition - or at least started to last year - Piping in the Pud. However with his usual impeccable sense of bad timing your photographer
got the Santa Piper going instead of coming. But Graham Podmore got the timing right and consulted him about a raffle ticket while he was still coming!
And then the usual highlight of the day, the Pipes and Drums
As our Black Bear "Hoi" Leader, and therefore an honorary member of the Pipes and Drums Harvey Baden was invited to join the Pipe Major's Toast.
The Raffle attracted the usual high number of valuable prizes.
And some of the winners were:
The Christmas lunch finished with a well deserved Presentation to Frank Woodhams from the Association. He was escorted to the podium by Peter Bryce and Terry Kennedy where
Harvey Baden spoke very eloquently of Frank's devotion to the Association, his very significant role in its formation, his enthusiasm that has made the Associaton continue to be the most successful
of those affiliated with the Reserve Forces Day Council and his wonderful success in engendering and promoting the continued esprit de corps of the Scottish.
Our report on RFD 2015 features some before and after photos, if only to demonstrate the work that goes into our functions
The first is Macquarie St before the Parade. Our representation on the Reserve Forces Day Council exceeds that of any other Association, with Frank Woodhams as Treasurer, Ian Meek as Secretary, Terry Kennedy
and Kevin Cram as Quartermasters. Frank is involved in the planning for the Parade at every level whilst Ian is responsible for the logistics side of the day and is assisted by Terry and Kevin. Perhaps it is because of the
latter involvement and the fact that the Secretary of the RFDC is also the webmaster of this site that allows him to seek webmaster licence in showing the work done before the Parade commences:
RFD 2015 took place on a perfect winter's day and did not provide the opportunity for Plan B for inclement weather to be tested. Contrary to the apparent calm atmosphere in Macquarie St at 1030 as depicted above
(Webmaster Note: this atmosphere was not so calm between 0600 and 1030, in fact quite the reverse). However the scene in College St was one of feverish activity.
However the scene became organised as the march commenced.
After the Parade, the traditional New South Wales Scottish Annual Reunion at the Castlereagh Boutique Hotel
Here again we show a "before" photo, this time showing the organising team in action.
About 90 members and guests attended.
Frank Woodhams welcomed the special guests who included:
The Honourable Tim Fischer AC, National Chairman of the Reserve Forces Day Council
LTCOL John Moore OAM RFD, Deputy National Chairman of the Reserve Forces Day Council and Mrs Virginia Moore
MAJ the Reverend Iain Barclay MBE TD
Members of Manly-Warringah Pipe Band who had led 8 Brigade and the Scottish Association in the Parade
John Doak, Ross Hilton and Peter Tracey (ex-RAEME attached to 30 Bn LAD) all of whom had travelled from Queensland for the occasion
Hugh McLeod and Damien Pace serving members of Alpha Coy (Scottish) of 2/17 Battalion RNSWR
The proceedings started as usual with the Address to the Haggis. This was given by Hugh McLeod
Frank then invited the Hon Tim Fischer to address the gathering, which he did by describing the career of General Sir John Monash. Tim Fischer has written a book on Sir John's life
and is attempting to have him posthumously promoted to Field Marshal as the most successful Australian commander in World War 1. Tim finished his address by auctioning a copy of his book, with the
proceeds to go to charity. The auction raised $170 courtesy of David Mullen.
The Hon Tim honouring Sir John
In his genuine Scots accent Iain Barclay has previously given us pleasure by addressing the haggis but with Hugh having performed this role on this occasion we were treated to more Robert Burns
in true Scots when Iain entertained us by reciting (and translating) A Man's A Man For A'That
The Rev Iain honouring the Man
Toasts to the Queen (David Mullen) The Regiment (Graham Podmore),and Departed Army Mates (John Doak) and the ladies of the Regiment (Frank Woodhams) were proposed and drunk.
In proposing the Toast to the Regiment Graham Podmore added some fascinating references to the 30th Battalion in WW1 and the 2/30th in WW2 and their Commanding Officers.
The Pipes and Drums again stirred us with a new selection of tunes.
This was followed by the Pipe Major's toast. Note the transparent quaich used by Frank Woodhams. AsS your webmaster was seated to Jan he has it on good authority that Frank had recruited a driver
for the afternoon hence the liberal quantity of Scotch in his transporent quaich instead of the usual minimum amounut of moisture in the bottom of it.
The proceedings concluded with the traditional raffle.
Some of the winners who had to make difficult decisons were:
Our thanks to Margaret and Graham Podmore and Damien Pace for the photos and to Hugh McLeod for the video.
We have commented previously about our organiser's abilty to turn on good weather for our events and so it proved once again See the following pictures
BEFORE
AFTER
The Pipes and Drums made sure that the Opera House visitors were in no doubt that the Association had arrived.
The first item on the agenda was the Annual General Meeting where Frank Woodhams summarised the events of 2014 and forecast a sussessful 2015. He passed in the thanks of the Association
to the members who help in sending out SITREP, the marketing consultants who sell raffle tickets, the donors of raffle prizes and all those who make the Association such a success.
He also revealed a very healthy financial position.
The AGM in session
Then it was on to the main business of the day - enjoying Sydney Harbour.
The main event of the afternoon was, as always, the performance by the Pipes and Drums. During a break in the performance Frank Woodhams conducted a short ceremony to remember the men
of the 2/30th Battalion who fought and succeeded so gallantly at Gemas in 1942. This year due to security concerns at the Pymble depot, Gemas Day ceremony was not celebrated. Following the ceremony
The Pipes and Drums played a lament
Each year the Association allocates funds to the Pipes and Drums to maintain instruments, uniform items etc. Frank Woodhams presented this year's donation to
Pipe Major Gordon Irving.
Before drawing the raffle, the Vice-Chancellor of the McNeice University of Carringbah presented diplomas to the graduates of the University's Raffle Marketing Faculty.
The highly qualified recipients were Graham Podmore, Vicki Redshaw, John Cameron, Peter Bryce and Stuart Kennedy.
The selection of prizes was as varied and numerous as usual headed by the Dulux Dog. It is understood that this was a historic occasion so far as the dog is concerned
because in future the dog will be of the blow-up variety.
Some of the happy winners were:
2016 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND HARBOUR CRUISE
Our Vessel flying our Maritime Ensign
The Pipes and Drums at the Opera House
In perfect late summer weather the 2016 Annual General Meeting and Harbour Cruise was again a spectacular occasion enjoyed by 90 members and guests.
The crew of the Good Time insisted that a good time could not be had by all unless lunch could be served on departure. (Were they afraid of sea-sickness?)
Thus fortified we adjourned to the Annual General Meeting where President Frank outlined the very successful functions held during 2015, supported by
a very healthy financial report, and forecast the 2016 activities.
The port side was brighter than the starboard!
Then the usual highlight of all our functions, the Pipes and Drums entertained us.
And the raffle - the prizes offered reaching their usual very high standard thanks to our prize donators and also realising a record addition to the Association funds
thanks to Don McNeice and his highly trained team of consultants.
Some of the winners were:
ANZAC DAY 2016
The reports on our various functions have always started off with a comment in the weather. While this may be useful for historical reasons
the subject of the weather hardly makes scintillating reading. Your webmaster therefore promised himself that the weather would not be the opening subject
for ANZAC Day 2016. However the weather on the day turned out to be so perfect that he could not resist reporting on it. Another promise broken!
The route of the march this year was altered from the traditional march past the Cenotaph and then on George St due to the work on the light rail in
George St. It now takes marchers south along Elizabeth St with respects being given as the participants draw level with the ANZAC Memorial in Hyde Park South.
Despite public comments from veterans about not marching past the Cenotaph, the new route seemed to win general approval. Certainly some of the 40 members of
the Association who marched commented favourably on it.
The Association was led this year by Major Stephen von Muenster, the previous OC of Alpha Company (Scottish), who while serving in that capacity
was a keen supporter of the Asscoation and who in his "retirement" from current service continues to support us as a member of the Association.
Our thanks to Chris Coulson for the photographs
Following the March, our traditional NSW Scottish Reunion lunch was held at the Royal Automobile Club. This year, in Frank Woodham's absence
the event was hosted by Harvey Baden, who despite being deputised at short notice did an excellent job as always.
As usual the most popular event of the afternoon was the performance by the PIpes and Drums who once again demonstrated the breadth of their repertoire
by including new tunes in their brackets.
Our stand-in president showed he is as capable as our real president in toasting the Pipe-Major
A special presentation was made to Vice-President Don McNeice for his very long standing and widespread support to the Association since its formation.
Don has provided excellent support to Frank Woodhams in many ways and in many capacities during his long service to the Association and the presentation to him is very well
deserved. This was acknowledged widely and enthusiastically by the members at the lunch.
The raffle again proved popular with some of the winners being:
