Since the recent Anzac Day parade here in Brisbane there have been a couple more opportunities for some members to get together.

The first of these Occasions was on Thursday 30th May when the Army Transport Association held its annual RACT Corps birthday function.

I know that for the vast majority of 87’s members the RACT means very little, but the fact remains that it was the Corps that took over when RAASC was disbanded so I guess we are stuck with that. A number of our members who did a few extra years service did actually serve under the RACT flag as it came in to being in 1973, and besides all that history stuff, it is still a great excuse to get out and enjoy a great meal and partake in a little service type banter.

A few or those who attended this year from 87 were; Ted and Dot Baulch, Jim and Marie Thomson, Glen and Patsy Hutley, Ken and Joy Purdie as well as our regular gang of girls, Pat Jerome, and Jeanette Henderson.

A social and happy gathering indeed held at the Coorparoo RSL and topped off by a truly magnificent meal, minimum speeches by Ron Butcher (ATA President) and Maj Gen David Ferguson AM., CSC (our old Ops Capt in SVN) and in Patsy winning the Door Prize; two nights accommodation in the Coolum Caprice resort on the Sunshine Coast.  What more could one ask for.

EVENT NUMBER TWO.

The second occasion and possibly a bit more formal of the two, was the Actual Corps Birthday  and Presentation of the Princess Royal Banner Parade held at Amberley Army Base, home of 9FSB and 26 Transport Squadron.

A number of 87 Transport Platoon members were present at the Parade and it was good to see John John made the trip up from the deep south.

The Parade was interesting and well done and a few significant ties to us “Oldies”  were obvious.

Perhaps I should go back a day or two and present this story from my perspective rather than an historically correct version.

A couple of months prior to the Parade Col Lesley Woodroffe (The Colonel Commandant of Qld) contacted me through the ATA and asked could I possibly find some historic vehicles to put on display to represent the Corps throughout the years. As I already had three of my own that represent the Corps’ activities through the early Vietnam years and strangely enough, all wearing the 519 Tac signs of 87 Transport Platoon, I agreed to do so. We found around about ten vehicles that fitted the bill, mostly from the MJCQ, of which I am also a member, and set up what I feel , was a pretty good cross section display of vehicles.

Of my three vehicles, one, the Mk3 is not road registered, so after a little bit or wrangling it was arranged that it could be picked up and delivered by ‘Her Majesty’ on the back of one of the Army’s leased nice new shiny Kenworth prime movers and drop deck trailer. When this opportunity presented itself I looked at the overcast sky, weighed up the comfort factor of driving a ‘gunbuggy’ in inclement weather and jumped at the opportunity and as a result the two of these vehicles enjoyed the ride.

Saturday Morning dawned slightly overcast but with no predicted rain so Patsy and I set off on the trip in our remaining vehicle, Daisy the S2a short base Land Rover.

Here we met up with the rest of the members of the display. Stephen Stansfield’s immaculate two berth ambulance. Stephen was an ex Medic with 2 Fd Ambulance, but well after our time.

Phil Lloyd supplied his Austin Champ, which was slightly before most of our time and was the precursor to the Land Rovers we drove.

Shane Hodby (Jeep Club) turned up in a Studebaker 2 1/2 tonner, the precursor to the Mk 3, and alongside the Studie is my Mk3 and then my 1/4 ton Landrover.

Bob Lewis, some 87 members may remember the name, Bob was posted from 1 ALSC to 87 but never quite got out of Saigon, (There is a great story there, but we won’t go into that here.), came to the show in his Holden Staff Car.

Nigel and Leisa Ward and Leisa’s father, Glen O’Neill supplied their 15cwt CMP Blitz and second world war jeep as well.

The Army put on a great Trades display with all types of vehicles and AD displays set up for the general public to wander around and inspect.

“Onslow” my gunbuggy created quite a stir amongst the younger soldiers, especially once it was pointed out that we used them as convoy escorts, and collective almost unbelieving gasps were heard as in today’s Army ASLAVS do that task in air conditioned, armoured comfort.

As a result of all this attention he (Onslow) was afforded his own tent for display.

Patsy, a Royalist through and through, was absolutely delighted to be offered a chance to have her photograph taken alongside Penny Wensley AC, Governor of Queensland, so she jumped at the chance.

A couple of shots of the Parade itself ;

And one for Sprucey. This shot is of the RACT Pipes and Drums marching off their last Parade as a separate entity, as they are now being disbanded, regurgitated and swallowed up by the Corps of Bands. A bit sad I suppose really, but I then again politics is politics.

A FEW FAMILIAR FACES