National Service and Combined Forces Association of Australia Inc.

President:	Wal Beckhouse. 10 Steffanoni Cct, Monash ACT 2904 Ph; (02) 6292 3964. Fax; (02) 6292 9008. Mob 0404 062756.
Vice Pres:	Laz Csibi. 9 Stuart St Queanbeyan NSW 2620. Ph: 02 62979109. Mob 0409 979108.   E-mail lcb@nscfaa.org.au
Vice Pres	Brian Tink. 2 Badger Pl Oxley ACT Ph: 02 62310999. Mob 0408 688 040
Secretary:	Kevin Benson. 2 Leonard Close Dunlop ACT 2615. Ph: 0262581727. Mob: 0412 532292
Treasurer:	Neal Gist. 61 Macfarlane Burnet Ave. McGregor. ACT. 2615. Phone:02 62553298. Mob 0407502494. Email: cantreas@nscfaa.org.au
A/ Secretary	Alan Williams: 10 Balsillie Cres Monash ACT 2904:  Ph: 02 6292 5244
Committee:	Norm Barty
	Brian Freeman
	Rob Tompsett
	Ted Fitzpatrick :  QM Ph 02 62587259 or E-mail valented@tadaust.org.au
Meetings:	Meets on 3rd Sunday 10.00am  of each month at Southern Cross Club, Phillip Victoria, West Australia, SA and International Members are attached to ACT Branch.

Canberra Branch Cooma Historic Rail Trip
Click on picture to view

 

National Service Day will be celebrated in Canberra TBA

Branch report to 2011 AGM

Well everybody, it is that time of the year when the National Body has their Annual General Meeting. I hope that everything goes well and that all delegates at the meeting have a constructive and enjoyable time. As I said in the last report, a cheque was presented to the Snowy Hydro Southcare Helicopter Service. This organisation does a very valuable service to the local community, plus all the south coast and southern tablelands. Their most memorable rescue must have been during the disastrous Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race when many yachts and lives were lost. We are now at the age when we never know when we ourselves may need to use this service. Donations also went off to the Salvation Army Red Shield Defence Services, Salvation Army drug rehab. Services. Our Cadet Tri- Service Shield will again be contested this year.

During the last few months, this branch suffered a few blows. Our much loved Nat. Secretary and Branch Vice President Ken Platt passed away, another of our members, Alan Buckthorpe lost his battle with cancer in Western Australia. Rob Byrne a member of many years also left us, along with Nola Chisholm (wife of John Chisholm)  but there was more. A headline in the "Canberra Times" told us that we had lost Jim Murphy, owner of Jim Murphy Market Cellars. Jim was a big man in all respects, he had a long standing full page colour advertisement in the Combined Servicemen magazine and gave this branch a wonderful gift of three telescopic flag poles for our memorial in Tuggeranong Park. Every year Jim donated a basket of wine complete with wine glasses and a recipe book for our Christmas raffle. He will be very much missed by this branch and many more organisations in Canberra. The branch was well represented at his funeral.

The Reserve Forces Day Parade will be held on Saturday, 9 July. This will clash with the AGM, so local representation may be down a bit as compared to previous years. Branch numbers are holding up well, in fact there has been an increase since Christmas. It was nice to welcome back to the fold, both Wal Beckhouse and Laz Csibi after their extended and not so extended holidays.

Our Christmas raffles will start on Saturday, 8 October and we are all hoping for a record year so we can donate even more to our chosen organisations.

We take this chance to wish all branches the best for the balance of the year and may next year be happy and fruitful.

 

Alan Williams
Asst. Secretary