News and items of interest
PROVIDED BY the SWHT HRW SUB COMMITTEE
Dear Submariners and Families of Submariners,
Just touching base with you all again. Since last Remembrance Day, sadly our numbers have grown on the Honour Roll Wall as you will see in the attached photograph. This year, for the first time, we saw the following 11 Submariners included namely, PO Gordon Anderson, LS ‘Jelly’ Barnes, LEUT Stanley Godbold, CMDR Norman Holbrook VC, WO Bill Hosie, CPO ‘Jerry’ Lewis, AB Tom Liddane, VADM Ian McDougall AC AFSM, PO Kerry Thompson, CPO Henry Thompson and CPO Gary McGinn. How ironic to have 11 more submariners for the 11th Hour and 11 Month ….
Thank You for those families who contacted me by phone, email, text to say you couldn’t be there on the day and requested Poppies be placed alongside your loved one(s). It was lovely to have seen wives, sons, daughters, daughters-in-law and close friends attend to be part of this important service and to be able to place a poppy alongside their individual Plaque. There was a visiting American who had seen the USN plaque on the Honour Roll Wall, the day before, and asked if any family was from the States? He was quite emotional when placing a poppy alongside CPhM Harold C Lane plaque for the Lane family (our only American), plus this American provided 2 photographs of USS Bowfin. Dr Michael White OAM QC represented the family of CMDR ND Holbrook VC RN by placing a poppy for them.
This year saw around 50 in attendance. Our newly elected President CMDR Andy Clowes RANR gave a heartfelt talk about the importance of Remembrance Day and in particular the role of submariners. The Submariners Prayer and the Ode to Remembrance was given before the Last Post and 1 minute silence. Emotionally we all sang the National Anthem, in tune of course. The 4 flags were brought to half-mast then to full mast at the end of proceedings. VIP’s on the day were Cr Vicki Howard Councillor for Central Ward BCC, Mr Trevor Evans MP LNP representative and Former Senator Claire Moore ALP Senator for Queensland along with SAA QLD INC members.
The Village Newspaper journalists were present, so we should see an article in the next VNP edition and expect to see other photos later on. The Café at Submariners Walk Heritage Trail was busy serving coffee and food. The weather was predicting 100% rain on the day but the submariners God over turned that prediction and no rain was seen.
Kindest Regards
Don Currell OAM
