Update on the planning of the reunion in Coffs Harbour weekend of the 10th November 2024. Owing to unforeseen circumstances (the sudden passing away of Patsy Hutley) Glen and I are running a little late doing the recce to Coffs Harbour to sort out the venue for the reunion, but this coming weekend is looking promising! Numbers would be helpful so responses would be appreciated to myself by text, email or phone; 0428598984. nutti_nomads@bigpond.com Honourable secretary Bloo Dennis
Just got a note (Not really, I got it last week) from Jenny Morcom which states:
“On Sunday 14th April some Victorians gathered at the Somerville Hotel for an early ANZAC Day get together lunch. Those attending were:
Members of Rob Hanisch’s family, Des and Margaret Ralph and their friends Nick and Kerryn, Brian and Yvonne Englund, Bob and Adrianna Wilson, Gerry and Barbara Geary, Jenny Hurnall and Jenny Morcom. A lovely afternoon for everyone.”
She then went on to mention that the Ralphs have gone to Tassie for what she believes to be Des’s 80th birthday, so this means that there will not be the usual gathering for ANZAC day. They are then heading off overseas again as also are the Englunds who are heading to the USA to see their family.
Jenny is still keeping occupied with Probus and also still playing Badminton although she states that this is not as frequent as it once was.
As for we Qlueenslanders, I have been in touch with Bloo Dennis and he is waiting patiently on a verdict re his “kneemonia”, he should hear in the next day or so.
Blue Hickey has reported in as getting along pretty well, and I have just heard back from Bob Jones, and apart from 3 years of ongoing treatment for “radiation burns”, he is getting on OK.
Donger Hodgson has been having problems with a cancerous jaw, but he reports that he is battling along reasonably well considering.
I am going along as well as can be expected but have been having a bit of a problem with Patsy and a recurrence of trigeminal neuralgia that she had 3 years ago. All’s good now. That about sums up the health report from up here.
Bloo and I are heading down to Coffs as soon as all the school holiday makers go home (provided his leg plays ball) and we will finalise the reunion arrangements.
Accommodation shouldn’t have changed much over the past year or so, so we don’t really need to elaborate on that.
Just remember to set aside the dates of the weekend 9-10 November 2024, Remembrance Day is Monday 11th.
Checked and corrected and authorised this missive for circulation.
I have rapped myself over the knuckles severely over the fact that I omitted Betty Collard and Lindsay from the list of attendees in the wrap up of our last reunion. Betty did attend, but Lindsay offered some lame excuse about lying in a hospital bed in Melbourne for the duration of the reunion, so we will mark him down as being there in spirit.
I apologise for that fact and if I forgot or didnt name some others, please accept my apologies. After all, parts are wearing out at my age and that includes my memory!
A relatively good number of ex serving members of 87, spouses and extended families turned up at Seymour to celebrate what turned out to be a fabulous get together, covering a range of generations, and held in a friendly atmosphere. From my perspective, this was especially good to see, the younger family members showing an interest outside their general age range and mixing amazingly well. Those who couldn’t make it this year, we are sorry we missed you and hope that next year will shine for you and situations will allow even more to turn up at Coffs Harbour in 2024.
All together approx. 35 folk attended, which included 12 of the original Platoon.;
Des and Marg Ralph,
John and Jenny Pidgeon
Chris and Yoki Curtis+2, son, Brett and Simone
Dennis and Jo Quinn
Bob and Adrianna Wilson
Gerry and Barbara Geary
Jenny Hurnall
Jenny Morcom
Joy Purdie
Pom (George or Robert) and Jenny Hallam
Bloo Dennis
Glen and Patsy Hutley +1, granddaughter, Kate
Brian and Yvonne England +1, daughter Michelle
Peter Brook
John Horner & son in law
Brian Smith +1 son in law Tim
Tracy and Dianne, Merv Pickering’s daughters
Rob Hanisch’s son, wife and members of their family.
Betty Collard and Lindsay. Lindsay had a fall and spent the whole time of the reunion in hospital in Melbourne, and Betty, the trooper that she is, travelled from Seymour to Melbourne daily to visit whilst fitting in 87 functions where possible.
Congratulations must go to Des and Margaret for the organisation of this great weekend, and also our special thanks must go to the staff of the Seymour Club who went far out of their way to ensure the weekend was the success it was.
Friday saw a number of guests turning up at the club for what was planned as a simple gathering of the clan in the club with no formal arrangements in hand, with a get together arranged at the Seymour RSL hall that afternoon. The RSL hall was just that, a hall with a makeshift bar in the corner, manned by ex service members from the town and filled by a boisterous group of 21 Construction Squadron who were attending a reunion in Seymour that same weekend. Different to our reunion that was relatively age related, the 21 Construction do covered members from Vietnam era through to current days, and as a result more than a hundred and fifty, turned up, crowded in a small hall run by purely volunteer staff, with 1 bar with limited seating. A wet meal supplied in hot pots from the local pub was to be supplied for a minimal cost but the majority of we Oldies decided that the atmosphere, the noise blasting from an outdoor stage and no seating wasn’t really for us, so a mass exodus saw us go back to the Seymour Club , where once a couple of Taswegians had made contact with an ex Taswegian staff member of the club, seating was miraculously found and a meal was enjoyed by a number of visitors even though the dining room was fully booked.
Saturday we all attended the Remembrance Day service at the WW1 memorial, and a very well attended ceremony it was, attracting a lot of towns people, as would be expected in what has always been a garrison town, boosted by us and personnel from 21 Construction.
The day was basically “at leisure” with us meeting up again at the Seymour Club upstairs in a room of our own and supplied with an adequate supply of finger food. A great and adequate variety of food types were supplied and a great night was had by all. On this night it became evident how well the different generations all mixed in and I got the impression that a strong
bond was formed inter-generationally. I know first hand that our Grand-daughter Kate commented on how much she enjoyed everyone’s company and companionship.
Sunday morning saw us gather once again at the club, even before some of the staff, and our General meeting was held. Des opened the meeting, welcomed everyone and thanked all those who had contributed in their own ways over the past years, then put it to the meeting, “Do we continue with more reunions”?
The general consensus was that we do continue on as long as possible, but instead of every second year we should meet up each year (while there are still some to meet up!) The next question was where and when. Up until recently Long Tand Day has always been the date we have set to meet but this date proves to be unsatisfactory for a number of members who have other commitments on that date, so it was decided to hold the next reunion on the weekend of Remembrance Day, 11/11,2014 at Park Beach (Coffs Harbour).
With no other general business to discuss, Des declared all positions vacant and asked for nominations for someone to carry on with the Association.
Pommy Adcock put forward a nomination, namely me, and I accepted, on the grounds that there was another member present as a safeguard to check on any monetary spendings that may be necessary. I suggested Jenny Morcom and she sort of accepted, but obviously didn’t really want the position, and after the meeting she informed Bloo Dennis that she had had second thoughts and Bloo accepted the position.
I recognised the effort that Ken Sceney had put in to the running of the Association in his time in office and also Ithanked Des and Jenny Pidgeon for their support over the past years. The meeting was closed and then the mandatory photographs were taken. Peter Brook and John Horner were absent from the photo session.
The financial report for the year is as follows.
Balance brought forward $3938.95
Cash withdrawal 3000.00 938.95
Flowers R Hanisch 180.00
Room Hire 36.00
Name Badges 34.00
Cakes 100.00
Flowers K Sceney 100.00
Dinner Seymour 600.00
Staff gratuities 100.00
Sub total 1150.00
Banked remainder of cash withdrawal 1850.00
Current Balance $2,788.95
No raffles or any other fund raising activities were held and as a result we go towards our next reunion with $2,788.95 cents in the bank.
As can be noted from the treasurer’s report above, the only debits that have have been required and may be needed in the foreseeable future, are for flowers for funerals where necessary and deposits/room hire for future reunions, so there is no real reason that we need to raise any great amounts of funds in the future.
Bloo, Patsy and I wish every one in the 87 extended family, a happy and prosperous Christmas and New Year.
Reunion weekend, Friday 10th – informal get together at Seymour Club, during the day. 1 Elizabeth St Seymour. Happy Hour at the Seymour RSL. 5.30pm. 2 Station St Seymour. Saturday 11th- Memorial Service, Seymour Hospital, 11am, 1 Bretonneux St Seymour. 6pm- Dinner at Seymour Club. Upstairs. Lift available. Sunday 12th- 10am, meeting- Upstairs, Seymour Club.
Tomorrow, Thursday 15 June, Cliff Hodgson goes into hospital to undergo a 12 hour major operation in his mouth.
He went to the doctors a while back complaining of what he thought was a mouth Ulcer, but in fact actually turned out to be cancer in the jaw bone and flesh of his mouth. The operation will consist of bone grafts and skin grafts as well as the relocation of various arteries and other bits and pieces that are in the way, altogether, a pretty complex operation.
As one can imagine, an operation of this scale inside his mouth is going to affect his breathing, eating, drinking and talking for quite a while.
Currently he is good spirits and preparing himself for the ordeal to come.
We wish Dongers all the best in this trying time and hope that all is successful.
There is a distinct possibility that this year could be the last of our organised “Official Reunions” as we have come to know them, as our numbers are thinning rather alarmingly, and of those that are remaining, many find travel a little restrictive. For the above mentioned reasons we would like to make this reunion a great, successful and memorable event.
If you think you can make it, take the time NOW to register your interest, mark the date on your calendar (Quinny!!), organise your doctor’s appointments around the dates of the event and let Des Ralph (or to be more sure, Margaret Ralph) know by either phone 0419 535 217, or email desr@aapt.net.au, with names and numbers.
For catering purposes, it is essential to have confirmed numbers as early as possible. Could those attending please advise Des Ralph by October 1st
Des and Margaret have done a recce of the area and have come up with a suggested basic itinerary for the weekend, involving meet and greet Friday and sit-down dinner at the Seymour Club on the Saturday.
Initial enquiries at this venue have been very positive, and a choice of two rooms are available to us depending on numbers attending. Should our total attendees number more than 25 a separate room upstairs can be made available for our use, otherwise a smaller room downstairs could be available. The sooner we have an idea of definite attendees, the sooner we can cement our booking of the venue room. (As of today, confirmed attendance numbers are around 14-15 and that is before this official notification goes out.)
Common meeting place will be the Seymour Club, 1 Elizabeth Street, Seymour.
Transportation: Trains to Seymour are available from Melbourne & Sydney.
Accommodation:
New Crossing Place. 03 5792 2800
Comfort Inn Coach & Bushman’s Motel. 03 5792 3744
Auto Lodge. 03 5792 1700
Wattle Motel. 03 5792 2411
Seymour Motel. 03 5792 1500
Caravan Park. Big 4 Seymour Holiday Park. 03 5792 1530
for vans, and cabins available
Things to do.
Seymour is the home of the Vietnam Memorial Wall, and this is definitely worth a visit. Whether we can get an escorted tour is currently under investigation.
Puckapunyal Army Camp is near by and that is where it all started for 87 Tpt. Pl and whether we can organise a visit is also under investigation at his moment.
There are a number of local quality wineries in the vicinity that could also be of some interest.
87transportplatoon 