at WRAAC School, Georges Heights. The CSM for the day, Carolyn McMahon, did a sterling job, accompanied by 1/15 Royal NSW Lancers Band, playing “Soldiers of the Queen”. A plaque dedication and flag lowering ceremony at Irving Place followed the parade. The Reunion Dinner was held on Saturday evening, also at the Kirribilli Club. There were 350 WRAAC (including some RAANC) members in attendance. The guest speaker was MAJGEN Liz Cosson, CSC (Ret’d) who had graduated as a WRAAC officer before being allocated to RAAOC. Sunday concluded the event with a church service at the Garrison Chapel, The Rocks followed by lunch aboard a cruise boat on the fabulous Sydney harbour.
PTE Evan Keast and PTE Brendan Zhang
RAADC Association AGM 2011 The RAADC Association AGM was held on the 21 May 2011 at the Sea Drift Guest House, 47 Balmoral Rd Montville. All office bearers were re- elected unopposed. President: Mrs Dexter Purcell
Vice President: Mr Mal Slattery Secretary: Ms Gayle Clare Treasurer: Mr Graham Sagar Social Member: Mr Ian Macpherson Records Member: Ms Dana Socal Property Member: Mr Ron Brown Serving Members: Cpl Johanna Theobald and Pte Morgaine Miscamble
Vale – RAADC Association Patron – Col Maurice Dingle Colonel Maurice Dingle (Ret’d) had been the Patron of the RAADC Association since July 2000. He graduated from the University of Queensland in September, 1944 and enlisted in the Australian Imperial Forces on 6 September 1944. He saw service in various dental units in both Australia and New Guinea before being posted to Japan with the British Commonwealth Occupation Forces in 1945. He returned to Australia from Japan in 1947 and took discharge. He returned to part-time military service several times in the 1950’s and 60’s. He was the first Major, Officer Commanding, 1 Dental Unit (CMF) in 1949. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel (Assistant Director Dental Services) N Comd in 1957 and then Colonel (Deputy Director Dental Services) N Comd in 1966. He transferred to the Reserve of Officers (Retired List) in 1979. He was President of the Queensland Branch of the Australian Dental Association in 1966. Maurice retired from private practice in 1997. He was a prolific letter writer (long hand) and over the years has provided the RAADC Association with details of his service during WW2 and later. Maurice’s loss will be felt by all members of the Association. He was a wonderful man and his knowledge and guidance will be missed by all.
L to R: Kerry Chapman, Tanya Marshman, Dexter Purcell, Trudy Thomas
25th Anniversary of the Ex-Servicewomen’s Memorial.
Dedication
of
the
In November 2010, RAADC Association President, Mrs Dexter Purcell attended the Service of Remembrance held at the Shrine in Melbourne to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the Dedication of the Ex-Servicewomen’s Memorial. This dedication of the Memorial Garden and Cairn brings to close the original aims of a group of World War 2 ex-servicewomen (led by Sybil Irving) who sought to build a memorial within the Shrine grounds over sixty years ago. A landscaped garden designed by Katherine Rekaris includes ceramic violet flowers intermingled with plantings of native violets and grasses. (The violet was long regarded as the flower of remembrance, before the poppy of WW1) The garden is surrounded with young jacaranda trees and the memorial cairn is placed centrally within the garden. The ceremony was conducted by COL Jan McCarthy, AARC (Ret’d) (Ex-Director of Nursing – Army), and prayers and blessing of the cairn were conducted by MAJ Jean Smart, OAM of the Salvation Army. The memorial garden is dedicated to the women who served and are serving Australia in the Navy, Army and Air Force, some 70,000 since the Boer War.
WRAAC 60th Anniversary Reunion, Sydney 11 – 13 February 2011 The RAADC Association President, Mrs Dexter Purcell attended the WRAAC 60th Anniversary Reunion weekend in February this year. The Reunion commenced with a Meet and Greet on the Friday night consisting of drinks and finger food at the Kirrabilli Club. There were at least 400 women, all trying to recognise and renew contacts from the past. On Saturday 12 February there was a parade
Dexter Purcell placing a poppy in front of the cairn.
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CADMUS 2011