RSL NSW Auxiliary Newsletter - July 2023

Welcome to the latest Newsletter, some light reading for you on a chilly winter’s day.

Thank you everyone who commented on the new format of the Newsletter, it doesn’t suit everyone which is ok as it is still available in PDF form and can be printed off.

For anyone who didn’t see the last Newsletter, when you click on the link to open the document, this is what you see:

To download to a PDF version or to enable printing, click the download button, easy as, also you can share or save the document.

If you want to read a specific article, you no longer have to scroll through the whole Newsletter, click on See all Articles and you can go straight to the article you want. I’m a scroll hater so this is perfect for me.

STANDARD OPERATION PROCEDURES (SOPs)

Since the SOP8 was introduced, there has been some confusion as many have felt it was open to interpretation and being human we can all interpret things differently.

Currently the SOPs are all being review and this is a great opportunity to have ours (SOP8) streamlined so as an organisation we are all singing off the same hymn sheet.

For a long while now we have been asking members to provide their personal email addresses, this is not us being nosy or intrusive, it’s so that RSL NSW can communicate with all members directly and to ensure that everyone is kept up to date.

Recently the following email was sent to all members that we had an email address for (please let me know if you didn’t receive it).

Amendments to SOP8 - RSL Auxiliaries

A chance to have your say on proposed changes.

Dear Auxiliary members,

It was agreed at the joint District Presidents’ Council and RSL NSW Board meeting on 16 March 2023 that ANZAC House will continue to consult members directly on the process of creating and reviewing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and associated policies, and that members provide feedback via their respective District Council President.

SOP8 – RSL Auxiliaries has been amended to ensure it reflects the current Australian Charities and Not-for-Profit Commission (ACNC) and NSW Fair Trading regulatory reporting requirements. This will ensure that any sub-Branch or RSL NSW established Auxiliary is equipped with the guidance to undertake charitable operations.

The main amendment to SOP8, is the ‘Nomination and Election of State Coordinator and Deputy State Coordinator of RSL Auxiliaries’ in Appendix A.

The proposed amendments to SOP8 have been made in consultation with a reference group of member representatives, as agreed by the District Presidents’ Council.

SOP8 with proposed amendments is now available for Auxiliary members’ review before it is tabled for discussion at the District President Council meeting on 31 August 2023.

You will be able to download a copy of SOP 8 which includes the amendments mentioned earlier by clicking this link Microsoft Word - 8 SOP Auxilliaries (DRAFT) updated 30.5.2023 (rslnsw.org.au).

As you will see it’s certain words that have been amended non of these cover the problems that many members are experiencing.

This email has also been sent to each sub Branch, please ensure your sub Branch Secretary has received it. Your feedback on SOP (8) will be greatly valued and your comments will be taken into account, in the review process.

AUXILIARY NAME CHANGE- Please note your records that Anzac House RSLNSW Auxiliary (Penshurst) has changes it’s name to Anzac House RSLNSW Auxiliary (St George)

As you all know over the last ten years our main projects have all involved quilts, not only have they brought a lot of joy to those who have received them but also allowed us to raise funds.

Hopefully, RSL Auxiliaries will continue the quilt projects but I just wanted to explain to non quilters the approximate value of the quilt. The value should be taken into account especially when you are looking at raffling a quilt. You need to make sure that quilts are not used for small raffles, you really should be making more on the raffle than the value of the quilt. Many will be surprised how one quilter conservatively values her quilts.

We’re calling for volunteers to assist with knitting poppies in preparation for a major fundraising event in November.

We would be so grateful if your Auxiliaries could get behind the committee and start knitting and crocheting red poppies.

I’ll add a pattern at the end of the newsletter.

Any help given will be wonderful, this is going to be the most amazing event.

All poppies can be sent to Pauline James at ANZAC House Suite 11.02, Level 11, 175 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000.

Our congratulations to Patricia McMahon from Lambton/New Lambton on being award the OAM in the Kings Birthday Honours.

Pauline and I are thrilled to say we have 3 new Auxiliaries, well actually all are re-openings

Firstly, Medowie, we were sadden earlier in the year when their Auxiliary closed, it had been a great Auxiliary, with a long history but with a declining membership and like most of us, they found it hard to get new members.

However, circumstances can changed and in June a new Auxiliary was formed, Pauline and Ray were at the meeting so welcome to our new members.

The local newspaper, The Area News wrote a piece on RSL NSW expanding the membership criteria to formally include Auxiliary members and support networks

The link to the article is https://www.areanews.com.au/story/8247349/rsl-expanding-membershipcriteria/?cs=9305, unfortunately like most online newspapers you need to subscribe but some of you in the Riverina may be able to access it.

Then finally Wollongong, great to have you all back within the Auxiliary family.

Also welcome back too Griffith RSL Auxiliary , the original Auxiliary opened in 1948/49 so again much history.

One way of getting our name and message out into the community is the local media, like Griffith, Old Bar received coverage in their local newspaper, The Manning Times:

“Old Bar Community News with Ian Dimmock Last Friday - Old Bar Beach RSL sub-branch welcomed Ray James OAM and Pauline James OAM, RSL NSW President and State Co-ordinator of RSL NSW Auxiliaries, where they conducted an informal meeting, meet and great and dinner at Club Old Bar. This is the first time a RSL NSW President and Auxiliary Co-ordinator have visited this sub-Branch.

Sub-Branch members, Auxiliary members and their partners were present and it was an honour for sub-Branch members to meet the State President and for devoted and supportive Auxiliary members to meet Pauline.

In addition, Adam Bush, Senior Adviser to the Minister for Veterans Affairs, attended and spent time speaking with the members.

Committee members from Wingham and Nabiac sub-Branches were invited and joined Old Bar for the dinner.

At the start of the dinner, Old Bar Beach sub-Branch president, Jeff Earley commemorated the Malayan Emergency which began on June 16, 1948 The Malayan Emergency was a conflict between communist guerrillas and British Commonwealth forces, including Australians.

Our involvement included assistance in restoring order and to deter further communist aggression. Jeff served in the second Emergency at Butterworth and he paid tribute to our late sub-Branch member, Phil Duggan, who served in the first emergency.

Another highlight of the evening was when Jeff Earley was presented with a beautiful "Thank you for your service" quilt by Pauline James for his military service and for his work in growing the RSL sub-branch in Old Bar These quilts are crafted with love and gratitude by the RSL NSW Auxiliaries and symbolise the immense appreciation and respect for each person who is awarded.”

If you have the opportunity , please don’t miss the chance to get your local newspaper involved, it’s free publicity for our organisation.

URGENT ATTENTION NEEDED

I have mentioned several times over the last year that I was contacting sub-Branches to obtain Auxiliary member details to be added to the RSL NSW Portal, information received is now up on the portal and those sub-Branches can maintain their own records, however we have not received full information on many Auxiliaries, and this has huge implications. Firstly where we don’t have contact details, RSL NSW are unable to keep members fully informed, (eg: the SOP8 circular or a copy of the Reveille) but also if you don’t have a record of membership commencement dates it will make it very difficult for any member who in the future may be eligible for nomination for Life Membership.

So, as you can see it is very important that Auxiliaries ensure their sub-Branches have full and correct details of their members.

Now that life is almost back to normal, many Auxiliaries are having events and functions that they would like to invite other Auxiliaries to. Without the consent RSL NSW is unable to give out details of private addresses, all correspondence therefore must go to the sub-Branch office. Hopefully the sub-Branches are passing them on the Auxiliary Coordinator Sadly we understand some aren’t so please check with your sub-Branch so you don’t miss out.

LIFE MEMBERSHIPS

Our congratulations to Carol Seal & Kyra Cromarty of East Maitland Auxiliary on receiving Life Membership, wonderful work done both ladies.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE QUILT

Wilson McClelland Lismore

Pauline & Ray attended Branxton RSL sub Branch 100th Birthday celebrations and presented President Brian Furner OAM Thank You For Your Service Quilt, Brian was a Navy Diver in Vietnam and a great Rugby player

Part of the celebrations was a game of bowls, go Pauline

Arthur McKean Secretary South West Rock, Navy veteran

Alex Robinson has been sub Branch President South West Rocks for 23 years

AROUND THE AUXILIARIES

YOUNG AUXILIARY

At our May meeting I presented the quilts to our senior veterans. Rob Nash & Gwen O'Sullivan, they were both delighted

Gwen O’Sullivan

Gwen began her Nursing career 17 years following in footsteps of her Mum at Brisbane General Hospital (now Royal Brisbane Hospital) and Women’s Hospital qualified as Double Certificate Sister. Gwen joined the RAAF Nursing Service serving at Laverton and Pt Cook Victoria, where she did.Training in Air-Sea Rescue in Port Philip Bay and Air Ambulance transfers, decompression chamber.Posted to Amberley Air Force Base Qld continued at the Base Hospital. Doing Commonwealth inoculations to overseas military members unvaccinated, entering Australia. Back in Qld worked at Mt Isa Base Hospital Boonah Hospital and Esk Hospital near Ipswich as D.C. Sister & Matron in 1970 – 1993, joined the RSL 1986 was second female President QLD and 3rd in Australia.

Gwen has been a member of Young RSL for 25 years, 37 years overall servicing as Vice President& President roles when required Welfare officer, assistance secretary, is a willing helper, to step in at short notice to take up Secretary. Keeping the Legacy Branch flying in Young with several of our Veterans and Wives’ Always at the forefront in visiting our War Widows and veterans in care when time and rules permit’

Military Service – Robert

William Nash

Rob was born in Geelong in 1937 and educated at Geelong High School and Geelong College. In the College Cadets, he was in a mortar crew. During his tertiary education at the Victorian College of Pharmacy he did National Service and continued in the CMF as a gun sergeant in 19 and 38 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiments, then going on to be an MP. He commenced CMF full time duty at 3 Camp Hospital in 1959 and joined the ARA shortly thereafter as a pharmacist in the Medical Corps.

During his 22-year career, he held a variety of medical supply appointments including command of three medical stores depots, also medical supply staff appointments at DGMS and Logistic Command. Rob also attended the Australian Staff College at Queenscliff in Victoria and the Royal Military College of Science at Shrivenham in the UK. His non-corps appointments included postings in the Army’s Scientific Advisors Office and the Office of Surgeon General Defence Force. He retired from the ARA in 1982 then joining the Australian Public Service in medically aligned appointments such as the Aids Task Force and Department of Veterans Affairs with Allied Health professionals.

After retiring from the Public Service Rob returned to pharmacy doing locum work around NSW, Honiara in the Solomon Islands, and Dili in East Timor.

Colleen Beckhaus Coordinator Young

BARADINE AUXILIARY

The ladies held a very successful Boot sale to raise funds for our RSL Branch who needed a hand with fundraising

Our ANZAC Day was very successful with one of the best turnouts seen for a long time - our guest speaker for our service was Angela Catterns, well known ABC Presenter - her link to Baradine is through her father, the late Major Basil Catterns, who was the Commander of the 2/1st Battalion who fought on the Kokoda Track and 5 of the men in Baradine served directly under his command at the conflict at Bona Goa and 2 were killed in action and 3 survived. She never knew of the connection until she was invited but she thoroughly enjoyed her day and promised she would come back for another visit.

We were fortunate that the students and teachers of the St Johns Catholic School in Baradine took on a community service project and refurbished every wreath the RSL has and gave them new life- they certainly looked good when being laid at the cenotaph on ANZAC Day and we are very grateful. Pictured are two of the staff who helped the students.

Avice Boyden, Cathy Johnston, Evelyn Hampton, Judy Hayman & Kay Wangman

Angela Catterns (& Bobby) with Daniel, Brad, Ben & Geoff Edwards whose Uncle Allan Edwards was killed in action whilst fighting in the Bona Goa Conflict under the command of Major Basil Catterns.

Evelyn Hampton Baradine Auxiliary

INGLEBURN AUXILIARY

Recently, the Ingleburn Auxiliary celebrated it’s 90th Birthday with a function at their club. A beautiful quilt was raffled, which was made and donated by their member Margaret Thurgh and quilted by another of their members Kaye Brown. Some very talented members at Ingleburn.

PENRITH AUXILIARY

City of Penrith RSL sub-Branch Auxiliary Coordinator Clara Elliott was presented with her 50 year Membership Award by subBranch President Jeff Townsend.

Clara served on the former Central Council of Women’s Auxiliaries for many year, where she held the position of State President for a couple of years prior to her retirement.

Congratulations Clara!

CASTLE HILL AUXILIARY

Recently Pauline was invited to the meeting at Castle Hill Auxiliary and painting day, she had the pleasure of welcoming two new members The Auxiliary members are very talented people

KEMPSEY AUXILIARY

Pauline & Ray had a chance to visit Kempsey RSL sub-Branch & Auxiliary

FAIRFIELD AUXILIARY

Looks like lots of fun was had at Fairfield Auxiliaries Mad Hatter Luncheon

To all our Auxiliary Members who are not feeling the best at the moment, we are thinking of you and sending our love and best wishes.

We grew up in the 40s-50s-60.

We studied in the 50s-60s-70s.

We dated in the 50s-60s-70s.

We got married and discovered the world in the 60s-70s-80s.

We ventured into the 70s-80s.

We stabilized in the 90s

We got wiser in the 2000s.

And went firmly through the 2010s. Turns out we've lived through NINE different decades...

TWO different centuries...

TWO different millennia...

We have gone from the telephone with an operator for long-distance calls to video calls to anywhere in the world, we have gone from slides to YouTube, from vinyl records to online music, from handwritten letters to email and WhatsApp... From live matches on the radio, to black and white TV, and then to HDTV...

We went to Blockbuster and now we watch Netflix...

We got to know the first computers, punch cards, diskettes and now we have gigabytes and megabytes in hand on our cell phones or iPads...

We wore shorts throughout our childhood and then long pants, oxfords, Bermuda shorts, etc.

We dodged infantile paralysis, meningitis, H1N1 flu and now COVID-19...

We rode skates, tricycles, invented cars, bicycles, mopeds, gasoline or diesel cars and now we ride hybrids or 100% electric...

Yes, we've been through a lot but what a great life we've had!

They could describe us as "exennials" people who were born in that world of the fifties, who had an analogue childhood and a digital adulthood.

We're kind of Ya-seen-it-all.

Our generation has literally lived through and witnessed more than any other in every dimension of life.

It is our generation that has literally adapted to "CHANGE".

A big round of applause to all the members of a very special generation, which are UNIQUE. Here's a precious and very true message that I received from a friend:

TIME DOES NOT STOP

Life is a task that we do ourselves every day. When you look... it's already six in the afternoon; when you look... it's already Friday; when one looks... the month is over; when one looks... the year is over; when one looks... 50, 60, 70 and 80 years have passed!

When you look... we no longer know where our friends are.

When you look... we lost the love of our life and now, it's too late to go back.

Do not stop doing something you like due to lack of time. Do not stop having someone by your side, because your children will soon not be yours, and you will have to do something with that remaining time, where the only thing that we are going to miss will be the space that can only be enjoyed with the usual friends. This time that, unfortunately, never returns... The day is today!

WE ARE NO LONGER AT AN AGE TO POSTPONE ANYTHING.

Thank you Norma Alexander Coordinator of Anzac House RSLNSW Auxiliary (St George) & Edvina Prest.

GARDEN OF REMEMBRANCE

LACEY - PORT MACQUARIE

It is with a sad heart we announce the passing of Jean Lacey on the 21st May 2023.

Jean joined the RAAF at age 18 and left the service in 1945.

She will be sadly missed by all who knew her for her wonderful sense of humour and warm cuddles.

Our condolences to her family at this sad time.

Lyn Elliott

JEAN

CROCHET POPPY WITH FOUR PETALS

By Wendy Poole www.wendypoole.com

This pattern has been written without abbreviations

MATERIALS

DK version (pictured). Oddments of red and black (UK weight) double knitting yarn and a 4mm hook.

(This can be replaced with a 3.5mm or a 3mm hook for a smaller, firmer flower).

Alternatively, you can use oddments of red and black 4 ply yarn, using either a 2.75mm or a 2.5mm crochet hook.

INSTRUCTIONS

Using red yarn make 4 chain and join in a ring with a slip stitch.

Round 1 – Make 3 chain, then make 15 trebles into the ring. This gives you 16 stitches in total. Join with a slip stitch to the top of the 3 chain at the beginning of the round to form a ring. (16 stitches). This allows you four stitches around the edge, for each of the four petals.

PETALS

Row 1 – Make 3 chain (this counts as the 1st treble), miss the 3 chain you just made and make 1 treble, in the same place where you just made the slip stitch, (this represents 2 trebles now made), then make 2 trebles into each of the next 3 stitches. (8 stitches in total), turn.

Row 2 – Make 3 chain (this represents 1 treble).

Miss the 3 chain you just made and make 1 treble, in each of the next 2 stitches, (this represents 3 trebles now made). Now make 2 trebles into each of the next 4 stitches, then 1 treble into the next stitch, followed by 1 treble into the top of the three chain at the end of the row, turn.

Row 3 – Make 1 chain and 1 double crochet into the 1st stitch. *Now make 2 chain, 1 double crochet into the next stitch*. Repeat from * to * until end of petal. Fasten off. Re-join yarn to next stitch of round 1 and repeat Rows 1 -3 to make the next petal. Continue in this manner until 4 petals are made.

FLOWER CENTRE

Using black yarn and make 4 chain. Leaving a long enough tail end to sew this section to the red poppy afterwards. Join in a ring with a slip stitch.

Make 3 chain, then make 10 trebles into the ring.

Join with a slip stitch to the top of the 3 chain at the beginning of the round to form a ring.

MAKING UP

Darn in all ends and stitch the black centre section to the to the front of the flower.

(First edition) © 2011 Wendy Poole

(Adaptations) © 2020 Wendy Poole

RIBBED KNITTED POPPY PATTERN

To knit a poppy you will need:

Yarn A One ball of red DK yarn (This will make a lot of poppies!)

Yarn B Scrap of black yarn or a black button

BODY OF POPPY

This pattern uses standard knitting abbreviations. Tension is not important for this project.

Cast on 60 stitches using Yarn A and 3½mm needles.

Rows 1–10 K2, P2 across whole row. (For a slightly smaller poppy do 8 rows of rib.)

Row 11 Knit 2 stitches together across the row. [30 stitches]

Row 12 Slip 1 stitch, knit 2 stitches together then pass the slip stitch over. Repeat across the whole row. [10 sts]

Break off yarn with long tail and thread back through remaining stitches and pull tight. Join edges with mattress stitch.

CENTRE OF POPPY

Cast on 16 sts using Yarn B. Cast off.

Coil into a tight spiral and sew base to the centre.

Auxiliaries with Facebook

Pages:

Ingleburn

ANZAC House RSL NSW

Auxiliary – Penshurst

Bundeena

Leeton

Port Macquarie

Woonona Bulli

Doyalson Wyee

Toukley

CONTACT DETAILS

auxiliaries@rslnsw.org.au

Pauline James: 0411 877 396

Susan Allen: 0409 608 901

For those of you who use Facebook, do you know that we have both a Facebook Page and a Facebook Group, why not pop over and join us?

Facebook Page, https://www.facebook.com/ groups/163434587113422

Facebook Group www.facebook.com/groups/3455036824555520

Battlefields of WWI , Gareth McCray OAM has regular posts, poems from Bill Charlton, so much more.

We are aware some Auxiliaries have their own Facebook Pages/ Groups, if you do, please let me know so that I can add the details to the next Newsletter and other members will be able to follow you.

Heicke Keefe has set up a Facebook group for all of us crafters, Helping our Veterans Craft Group, pop over and join, some great ideas to help raise funds. https://www.facebook.com/ groups/3455036824555520