02March 2009

Doesn't time fly when your having fun? We now have 17 members of the division up on facebook and most are keeping regular contact. We have now set up state co-ordinators who can and will co-ordinate individual state get togethers. Dean Page (QLD Rep) is working on a fishing trip for the boys and a resort run for the girls and kids, which will take place sometime in September 2009. All are welcome to attend. You don't have to be a Queenslander to enjoy our sunshine!

In our previous bulletin we thought we had contact with Mick Greise but he slipped back out of contact not long after that when he changed employers. We are maintaining a contact database and if your situation changes please let us know so that we can update it.

One of the highlights of the facebook group is that people can upload their own photos from Leeuwin and the times when they had contact with the boys from the division during their career. Some of the photos are pretty funny.

The 2013 reunion is still in its planning phase. If you have any preferences or suggestions please make them known to your state co-ordinator or steve@clarke83rd.net and we will certainly consider them.

If your reading this as a result of doing an ego search on google and haven't been in touch, please don't be afraid to say g'day. There are no obligations, if you wish to stay in the background, we respect that. It would be good to know so that when your name comes up as the "JR we are searching for that week", you don't have 17 blokes ringing you at all hours.

02August2008

Since the reunion we have had some success in finding a few more of the boys. Andrew Campbell popped up out of nowhere not long after the reunion. He has been keeping in touch with Juan Jewell. Glenn Pritchard found us through this website. He is in Queensland and probably could have made the reunion in Brisbane if we had managed to track him down. Teddy Gosch found Mick Greise via a web search. Mick is in the west. I managed to track down Craig Duff through Facebook. Craig has since set up a Clarke 83rd Facebook Group which currently has about 6 members. It would have more if we could work out how to add them. If you want to join the facebook group go to http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=15878348778 and add yourself. We have also talked of having a facebook get together but once again haven't quiet worked out how to do that. We are still working on the secure area of this website. We have managed to secure the area but there is very little content once your in there. If you want a password, drop us an email and we will send you your credentials.

Some of the boys have talked of having another reunion prior to 2013. Go for it. Get talking to each other and get one organised. Personally I think we could get state reunions going annually or every second year.

Remember, we are all responsible to find the other blokes who we shared cabins with. I am still looking for you Glenn Forster....come out SAS Forster, I know your out there!!!

09April2008

The 2008 25 year reunion was held over two days on the 4th and 5th of April and as far as enjoyment is concerned, all who attended would agree it was a resounding success.

When Jock and I set out to organise the reunion our goal was to get a minimum of 12 people to come along. This might sound like a pretty simple task but after 3 solid weeks of searching the internet and following leads we found about 21 of the 66 people who passed out of Leeuwin. Many had not kept contact, some discharged after 4 years and have had no contact with anyone from Defence. One problem we had was trying to remember first names as the list we have only refers to us all as JR Bloggs. Some people we can remember nicknames, such as Tug Wilson, but these are usually naval nicknames which disappear when you leave the service. We received a number of apologies due to distance and work commitments.

On the Friday night, seven of us gathered at Fihellys Bar at the Grand Central Hotel in Brisbane as a meet and greet. I laid down the law and said it wasn't a good idea to have a big one and promptly broke that rule. Norm Doyle was clever and had his handbrake in tow, leaving reasonably early. The rest of us were removed from the bar at stumps after spending hours reminising about 9 good months at Leeuwin and spinning the odd warry or two about our individual experiences.

Saturday Morning saw a few of us gather at the Maritime Museum to help activate some of the brain cells which had gone into a reclusive state. Ian Sommerville and Jock braved the engine room of a tug alongside with a hangover. On emerging from the engine room Sommers was changing to a ghostly white and if we didn't get off the tug soon I think a green shade may have been next. We all had a look over the Diamantina which really sparked some memories even though she was before our time.

The main event was dinner at the Breakfast Creek Hotel that night. With some spouses and one parent, we gathered with photo albums and memorabilia in hand. The meals were exquisite and the company equally so. I remember saying despite suffering from the night before "It has been a long time since I have smiled so hard for so long". My jaw was sore from all the laughing. As you will see from the photos, none of us have aged a day.

All in attendance were in agreement that it was an event well worth doing and we all want to return to Leeuwin for the next reunion which should be in 2013. That said, there is nothing stopping individuals from organising their own reunions in between now and then.

Steve Dummett