WEEK OF APRIL 25th

ANZAC DAY EDITION

COOLAMON ANZAC DAY 2022

Photos by Linda Nolan from Ganmain (dawn service) and Sharon Miles (daytime service)

STORIES FROM OUR MEMBERS

1. MARY POTTS

A little information on some of my relatives who served:

My grandfather, Phillip John Golden, enlisted in the AIF 36^th Battalion on 2/9/1916 and was injured in France on 6/6/1918 and was sent to a war hospital and then sent home to Australia.

He embarked in Sydney on  on HMAT SUEVIC 11/11/1916. He drew a returned soldier’s block in Beckom in 1921 and farmed and lived at Berrima in Beckom until 1954, when his son Tom took over the running of the farm.

My great uncle, Thomas Golden, enlisted 7/11/1914 in the 13^th Battalion AIF and embarked at Melbourne on HMAT Berrima on 22/12/1914 and  was killed at Gallipoli on 1/5/1915. He was 24 years old.

Three of my mother’s brothers served in the 2^nd World War and were fortunate to return home.

George (Joe) Alexander O’Reilly born 30/9/1914, NX 164598.  From memory, Joe served most of his time in New Guinea. He only had bad memories of his time serving his country, from what he shared with us.

James (Jim) Patrick O’Reilly, NX 102057. Jim was born 4/5/1919 and also served his time in New Guinea.

Leo Denis O’Reilly, NX 130211, born 27/9/1921. Leo spent time in Singapore and New Guinea.

My brother, Raymond Patrick Golden, was in the navy and served time in Vietnam around 1969. He doesn’t like to talk about what he went through whilst in Vietnam, however he does talk about his experience a little more than he used to.

My ex-husband, Donald John Potts, was in the RAAF for over 20 years. We spent time in Wagga Wagga, Canberra and Malaysia. He luckily didn’t have to go into any areas of major conflict.

Footnote on Mary:

2.  ADRIAN LINDNER

The following is my father’s WW2 experience. He lived on our family farm between The Gap and Coolamon. At the time of the war he was living with his mother in Wagga.

About November of 1941, Keith Lindner (aged 18) received a “call-up” for military service in the 2^nd World War. He actually joined the RAAF but they were too slow to process his application. Before any action happened he was in the army. However, he maintained his interest in military planes and enjoyed attending air shows, more recently at Temora.

He left home on 2nd January 1942 and was drafted into the 2nd Division Signals. This was the communications branch for the Army utilising Morse code.

Whilst on leave in 1944, he enjoyed a visit to the family in Wagga Wagga, where he was given a ‘right royal welcome’ by his mother and younger brothers and sisters.  They found him to be somewhat of a curiosity with all his army gear and equipment.  They had never seen and handled things like gas masks, tin hats, etc.

Some highlights for him during the war years were;

1) On one secret mission, they were told they were going on a “fishing trip” except it was undertaking secret surveillance and reconnaissance duties along the west coast of Australia due to the threat of a Japanese invasion.

2) Another memorable occasion was meeting up briefly with his father, Eric, in New Guinea, who was also a soldier (mechanical engineers corp) in the army (see photo above).

3) When located on the island of New Britain, off New Guinea, Keith, along with fellow signalmen Selwyn Barnes and Morris Gissing (future mayor of Wagga and founder of Gissing’s Pharmacy), maintained 24-hour radio coverage on the front line for 8,000 Australian troops who faced some 50 to 60,000 Japanese in Rabaul. By making communications of fake troop movements, they bluffed the enemy into thinking there were facing many more thousands of Australians.

4) While in New Britain, Keith was accidentally shot in the leg, and would likely have bled to death if his fellow signalmen had not quickly applied their tourniquet.  Keith was forever grateful for this instantaneous action.

5) Whilst recovering from his wound, the war came to a close, so he was able to take part in the Victory March in Melbourne.

Following the war, and having been promoted to sergeant, Keith returned to civilian life in mid-1946.

3.  CHUNUK BAIR AUGUST 8th. 1915 by John Glassford

GALLIPOLI! It was a lunacy that never had the chance to succeed, an idiocy generated by muddled thinking. By attacking the Turks, the allies merely allowed the Turks the opportunity to kill British, ANZAC and French soldiers in large numbers.

The high point of the New Zealand effort at Gallipoli, the capture of Chunuk Bair, underlined the leadership qualities of Lieutenant-Colonel William Malone.

Two columns of the New Zealand Infantry Brigade carried out the attack, which began on 6 August. The operation started well, but delays meant not all the infantrymen had reached Rhododendron Spur by the time the assault on the summit started next morning. After the Auckland Battalion tried and failed, Malone insisted that the Wellingtons’ attack should be delayed until after nightfall.

The Wellington Battalion occupied the summit before dawn on 8 August. With sunrise came a barrage of fire from Ottoman Turks holding higher ground to the north. A desperate struggle to hold Chunuk Bair ensued. By the time the Wellingtons were relieved that evening, only 70 of the battalion’s 760 men were still standing. Malone was one of the casualties, killed by an Allied shell about 5 p.m.

Ottoman forces recaptured the position on 10 August from British troops who had relieved the New Zealanders.

My father, 2nd. Lt. George James Glassford, was in the 1st Wellington Battalion and missed Chunuk Bair as he was wounded on July 27th on Gallipoli and was in hospital in Cairo.  Dad returned to the Gallipoli campaign to be with his mates.  Dad served a total of 154 days on Gallipoli and a total of 4 years and 212 days in the New Zealand Army.

“Sgt Maj. GJ Glassford of the main body, now serving in France, recently refused an offer to proceed to NZ to receive a commission.  He is among the first 20 having the longest service in Gallipoli.”

THE LEMON SQUEEZER HAT

Lt. Colonel William Malone, commanding officer of the 1st Wellington Battalion, invented the “lemon squeezer” head dress. Originally for his Taranaki Rifles Regiment, the hat was designed to mirror the outline of Mount Taranaki.

Sergeant George Glassford (with the lemon squeezer hat).  At Gallipoli before the Chunuk Bair offensive. I am told that the rest of the men in his platoon shown here did not make it.

DIARY

*N.B. You are always welcome to bring guests to most of our meetings, just advise Ian Jennings if you want to bring a guest along when you respond to the weekly dinner roll call!

*Monday May 2nd – Guest Speaker Charles McClintock from Riding for the Disabled. Coolamon Sport & Rec Club, 6.30 for 7 pm. *Partners and guests welcome.

Monday May 9th – Phil McIntosh Wollundry RC Gears & Beers Meeting. Coolamon Sport & Rec Club, 6.30 for 7 pm.

Tuesday May 10th – BoD Meeting.   7.00pm Sports Club.

Monday May 17th – Club Assembly devoted to Sunflowers for Ukraine.  Coolamon Sport & Rec Club, 6.30 for 7 pm.

Saturday 21st May – D9705 Club Development Seminar {formerly called District Assembly}. – ALL 2022-2023 Board Members need to attend. Parkes, 9 am start.

Monday 4th July – CRC 51st Changeover. Coolamon Sport & Rec Club, 6:30 for 7 pm.

Friday-Sunday 28th-30th October 2022  Rotary Zone 8 Conference Canberra.

Rotary Australia New Zealand and Pacific Islands Conference

By 9GAG Cliffs of Gallipoli

It is said that these bullets collided on Gallipoli in 1915 (Source unknown).

THE PUZZLER

Answer to the last Puzzlers:

Easy one – a priest; Harder one – 5:35

This week’s puzzler: What objects/phrases do the following images represent?

APRIL IS MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH MONTH

Graphics by Debbie Vance from Canada.

WEEK OF APRIL 11th

We had 18 members along to a self catered evening of fellowship and fun.  President albert had a few things to say including birthday wishes to Ian Jennings and presenting Ian with a bottle of wine.

John Bond is out of intensive care and Neil Munro visited Bondy in hospital in Sydney and gave us a report on his condition.  Bondy also sent us an email and asked us to fine John Nulty if he got a banana split.  John Nulty followed up with some very amusing insights into his wisdom highlights (grey hair).

Albert advised us that the wood drive before ANZAC Day is postponed as we now have enough wood for a trailer or two.  Trevor Jose has been invited to the Wednesday board meeting at Trevor’s request.

Dinner was cooked by several of the lads and many salads appeared following Albert’s call for salads via SMS.  It is unknown as to why the call was put out in the first place, but members rallied to the cause and we had enough salads for an army.  Chez created a dubious jelly; it was not the jelly, but the chocolate eggs buried in the jelly that caused quite a reaction.

Henk made a suggestio9n that we may be asked to cater for the ANZAC Day Trotting meeting at the Coolamon Showgrounds; be prepared if a call goes out for help.

Anne (still in COVID isolation), has already filled 250 bags for the Sunflowers for Ukraine project.  JG brought the members up to date and reported that the 500 kg of seeds will be collected on Thursday by JG and stored in Ganmain ready for packing into 1- to 2-kg bags for distribution.  JG said that we will launch the project on May 1st.  There are 20 clubs around Australia and 2 Districts who will join us, but more are expected as it’s only early days.

Acting S@A Ian fined a few members including Albert and JG for the WW Daily Advertiser Dangerous headline.

The raffle was won by Howard, Daryl and Mary.

Thanks to all the members who contributed by cooking, making salads and sweets as well as washing up that made the night a happy event.

NB:  NO MEETING Easter Monday and NO MEETING ANZAC Day; we will be back on the 2nd May.

Vale Brian Clarke

Dr Brian Clarke, longtime partner of former Coolamon Rotarian Myffy Colette, passed away peacefully at his residence in Ganmain this past week. Funeral plans are being finalised, but members are advised that men are requested to wear a tie to the service (Brian was a huge fan of ties and Myffy can provide one to members without one) and that flowers should not be sent to Myffy’s residence but should accompany the coffin to the cemetery.

DIARY

*N.B. You are always welcome to bring guests to most of our meetings, just advise Ian Jennings if you want to bring a guest along when you respond to the weekly dinner roll call!

Wednesday April 13th – Board of Directors Meeting. Coolamon Sport & Rec Club, 7 pm.

Monday April 18th – Easter Monday. NO Meeting (public holiday).

Monday April 25th – ANZAC Day. NO Meeting (public holiday).

Monday May 2nd – Regular Meeting. Coolamon Sport & Rec Club, 6.30 for 7 pm.

Monday May 9th – Regular Meeting. Coolamon Sport & Rec Club, 6.30 for 7 pm.

Saturday 21st May – D9705 Club Development Seminar {formerly called District Assembly}. – ALL 2022-2023 Board Members need to attend. West Wyalong, 9 am start.

Monday 4th July – CRC 51st Changeover. Coolamon Sport & Rec Club, 6:30 for 7 pm.

Friday-Sunday 28th-30th October 2022  Rotary Zone 8 Conference Canberra.

Rotary Australia New Zealand and Pacific Islands Conference

JUST FOR LAUGHS

The crew of a British Airways A380 Flt 268 made a wrong turn during taxi for departure at Heathrow, and came nose to nose with another aircraft. The furious ground controller (a female) started yelling: “Speedbird 268″ where are you going? I instructed you to turn right on ‘Charlie’ taxiway; you turned right on ‘Delta’. Stop right there”

Continuing her verbal lashing of the embarrassed crew, she shouted: ” It’ll take forever to sort this out due to your screw up. Hold your position and don’t move until I tell you to. You can expect progressive taxi instructions in about a half hour and I expect you to go exactly where I tell you, when I tell you, and how I tell you. You got that?”

The frequency went very quiet until an unknown male pilot broke the silence… “Wasn’t I married to you once?”

THE PUZZLER

Answer to the last Puzzlers: Riddle – the letter ‘s’; Harder one – two mares and two fillies, with one of the mares being the daughter of the other.

This week’s puzzlers:

1. Easier one: He has married many women, but has never been married. Who is he?

2. Harder one: What time should be displayed on clock 5 below if it follows the pattern exhibited in clocks 1 through 4?

ROTARY NEWS

1.  FLY FROM EVEREST

Rotary has had many champions working for the cause … and one such champion is Ken Hutt of the Rotary Club of Berry, New South Wales Australia.

In 2014 Ken climbed the World’s sixth highest mountain, Mt Cho Oyu in Tibet, and then successfully paraglided back to Base Camp, all for raising awareness for the PolioPlus campaign. Now, he is taking on another challenge for PolioPlus … by planning a World Record assault and paraglide from the summit of Everest in May 2022.

“Dear Fellow Rotarians in our District 9705

Our quest for the eradication of Polio has endured many challenges, interruptions and obstacles over the past 35 years but still we hold the course with eradication as close as ever.

With wars, pandemics, bushfires, floods and the need to spread our very hard earned dollars across many important and very deserving areas it is difficult to maintain our commitment to Polio eradication.  With our Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation arrangement, a small investment soon becomes a considerable amount that we know, really makes a difference.

I am making a plea with your club being involved in a united effort and making a very big difference to our collaborative contribution to Polio eradication.

In the next 8 weeks I will be travelling to Mount Everest, with the intention of flying a Paraglider from as high a possible on the mountain, even from the summit itself, and creating history in the name of Rotary’s End Polio Now campaign , as we all are creating history if we can achieve our goal in eradicating Polio.

Ken Hutt

Rotary Club of Berry, NSW

0418 205225”

FULL STORY HERE

2.  SUNFLOWERS TO UKRAINE

UPDATE ON THE SUNFLOWER SEEDS

The sunflower seeds are in the bin! Some photos from last week’s harvest. Thanks so much Doug Bruckner you are a champion. We look forward to collecting your generous donation for Ukraine.

APRIL IS MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH MONTH

Graphics by Debbie Vance from Canada.

WEEK OF APRIL 4th

President Albert welcomed 17 members and one guest, former CRC Rotarian, Myffy Collette, to our weekly meeting.  It was wonderful to see Myffy again after a long absence. Perhaps we’ll see more of her?

The raffle for the Sportsman’s night raised $1,460–a good effort by all those who sold tickets, especially Anne and others who sold tickets at the Foodworks store in Coolamon.  We had 9 members at the draw on Saturday night at the Sports Club and the prizes were won by:

1.  Gourmet hamper  – Sharon Miles
2.  Half a dressed sheep – Jack Chamberlain
3.  The other half – Hugo Besgrove
4.  Beauty Package – Maureen Hulsman

RYDA (Rotary Youth Driver Awareness) planning meeting at the Wagga Wagga RSL at 5.00 pm Thursday, 7th April. Garth will attend on behalf of the CRC.

Recommendations for the Board to consider are:

1.  Donation to the Coolamon Swimming Club as they have a big expense coming up to replace the lane ropes and winders.
2.  Berry Rotary Club donation for para gliding off Mount Everest.

NB Next BoD meeting is Wednesday 13th April at 7.00 pm.

We had another spirited fines session conducted by acting S@A Dick and Corporal Garth.  Of special note was a fine of $5 assessed on all members by Bondy because he is still in intensive care in Sydney, and we are not.  The fine was gladly paid by all members present. Get well soon Bondy!

Received this letter from Bethany Crocker on the notes for Bethany’s talk last Monday:

“Hello everyone, I’m Bethany Crocker, and tonight I am here to thank you all for supporting me and enabling me to experience an amazing opportunity, such that of the National Youth Science forum. The forum was truly an eye-opening experience, full of educational and networking opportunities, as I had the privilege of meeting the likes of Nobel Laureates and Dr Karl. Although, due to the unique circumstances occurring globally, my NYSF experience was widely different from the hybrid event planned, I was still able to make the most of the online seminars and came away with not only, an increased confidence in what my future in STEM may look like, but with an amazing crop of new friendships.

For me, the forum definitely had notable highlights these included meeting Nobel Laureate, Dr Peter Doherty and listening to his lecture on killer T cells, along with another lecture in the field of biology presented by Dr Gurion Ang from the University of Queensland. I also attended an engineering seminar presented by UQ’s Women in STEM program, this was hands down my favourite seminar as it demonstrated every aspect of what each field of engineering has to offer and cemented by desire to pursue a career in engineering. Whilst my NYSF experience isn’t quite over, as I still have in person hub events to attend, I have applied to be a part of the Student Leadership program from the 2023 event. Once again, thank you, Rotary, for your support along this enthralling journey and I hope to speak to you again later this year to share my experiences from the in person visits.

Thank you.’

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: BERNADETTE MILNE

Bernadette was born in Melbourne and has a sister and a younger brother, David,  who was a jockey.  Her father came from Scotland and her mother was born in Tocumwal.  Her dad died at the young age of 56.  Bern’s father built the Rocklands Dam reservoir:  Rocklands Dam Reservoir.

Here Bern lived with her family and went to school at St Columbus in Berrigan where she left at 15.  Bern’s favourite colour is blue and her favourite past time is horse racing and going to the races.  Bern also enjoys Rotary, book clubs and Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper.

Bern met Russell in Berrigan where Russel was playing football as a coach assistant at $20 per week.  They had 7 children and 24 grandchildren and now 3 great grandchildren.

They ran a mixed business in Berrigan for 8 years and purchased the lease for the Grong Grong pub for 5 years in 1980 and then the Walla Walla pub for 9 years in 1985.  In 1993 they bought the Royal Hotel in Ganmain where they lived for 25 years.  Eventually in 2000 the liquor licence was sold to Sydney at the time of the Sydney Olympics.  After the pub closed down Bern ran a child care centre alongside Myffy.

Bernadette is now retired and living in Wagga Wagga.  Bern is an active and very valuable member of our club

On a visit to Rotary House in Melbourne Bernadette was impressed with the work that Rotary was doing and made enquiries about joining Coolamon Rotary which she did in June 2013 alongside Myffy.  In June 2018 Bernadette and Myffy were made Paul Harris Fellows at the District 9700 and Coolamon changeover night aptly held in the Ganmain Hall. The presentations were made by Past President Paul Weston and Past District Governor George Weston.

Auctioneer Dick made an appearance to auction off most of the contents of the gourmet hamper which was won by Sharon Miles which Sharon kindly donated back to the club.  The hamper was divided into three lots which were auctioned off by Dick.   Garth, Adrian and John Nulty were the highest bidders on the boxes.  The gourmet chocolate box went to Alex.

The raffle prizes were won by Daryl and Grahame.

DIARY

*N.B. You are always welcome to bring guests to most of our meetings, just advise Ian Jennings if you want to bring a guest along when you respond to the weekly dinner roll call!

Monday April 11th – Regular Meeting. Coolamon Sport & Rec Club, 6:30 for 7 pm.

Wednesday April 13th – Board of Directors Meeting. Coolamon Sport & Rec Club, 7 pm.

Monday April 18th – Easter Monday. NO Meeting (public holiday).

Monday April 25th – ANZAC Day. NO Meeting (public holiday).

Saturday 21st May – D9705 Club Development Seminar {formerly called District Assembly}. – ALL 2022-2023 Board Members need to attend. West Wyalong, 9 am start.

Monday 4th July – CRC 51st Changeover. Coolamon Sport & Rec Club, 6:30 for 7 pm.

Friday-Sunday 28th-30th October 2022  Rotary Zone 8 Conference Canberra.

Rotary Australia New Zealand and Pacific Islands Conference.

JUST FOR LAUGHS

THE PUZZLER

Answer to the last Puzzler: The missing number is 48. All of the numbers are multiples of six (1 x 6, 2 x 6, through 9 x 6), but missing was 8 x 6 (48).

This week’s puzzlers:

1. An easier one, at the request of Dick:

Saturday and Sunday, I am big.
Tuesday through Thursday, I am small.
Monday and Friday, I am non-existent.
What am I?

2. A more challenging one:

Some horses are grazing in a pasture.  The horses are an unspecified number of mares and their fillies, and the relationships among them include the following: grandmother/granddaughter (1), mother/daughter (3), sister/sister (1) and aunt/niece (1).  What is the number of mares and fillies, and exactly how are they related? The number of mares is equal to number of fillies, and each mare has one filly.

ROTARY NEWS

1.  HOUT BAY ROTARY CLUB CENTENIAL TWIN

2.  SUNFLOWERS TO UKRAINE

When one starts a new project it is important to keep the information flowing otherwise one loses momentum.  Rotary International based in Evanston Illinois, where our head office is located, has a General Secretary and CEO, and his name is John Hewko.  John and his wife, Marga, are from Ukraine.

The latest: One example comes from Rotary Chicago president Marga Hewko. She felt so moved by stories posted on Facebook by a woman working in Ukraine — who also detailed them in the Chicago Tribune — that she found three homes for Ukrainian refugees.

The Rotary Club of Chicago, or Rotary One, as it known, was the first Rotary Club and was founded in 1905 by Paul Harris and three business associates.  Marga Hewko is this year’s president.  Rotary One has over 200 members and has their own foundation with assets of over AUD $4 million.

Our Rotary International Director for our RI Zone 8, Jessie Harman, is meeting with John Hewko on Thursday and says:

“Hi John,

APRIL IS MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH MONTH

Graphics by Debbie Vance from Canada.

This is a quick update on the progress of the Sunflowers for Ukraine initiative.  Doug Bruckner from Gnadbro Pastoral Company at Collingullie invited us over to witness the harvest.  President Albert Suidgeest and I went to his farm and we were interviewed by the Riverina ABC Radio station.

The seeds are in the bin and we will collect them next week.