Hear from Chief of Army LTGEN Simon Stuart as Army prepares to commemorate Anzac Day 2024.

Greetings from Dubbo, NSW! We’ve successfully reached our destination, greeted by splendid weather upon our arrival last Sunday. Our caravan is now snugly settled for a week-long stay, coinciding with the solemn occasion of ANZAC Day. Our first order of business was a visit to the RSL Sub-Branch drop-in centre, a truly remarkable establishment exuding warmth and hospitality.

At the drop-in centre, we gathered valuable insights about the ANZAC Day march, a cornerstone event in Dubbo’s commemorative calendar. The centre provided us with comprehensive printed materials, which we later discovered were readily available in numerous shops across town.

Our journey then led us to the RSL Club, where we were deeply moved by the array of commemorative memorabilia and captivating visual displays adorning the premises—a poignant tribute to the sacrifices of generations past.

The ANZAC Day march route spans approximately 1.5 kilometres, commencing at the RSL, weaving through the bustling main street, and culminating at the hallowed grounds of the Cenotaph. It’s heartening to learn that all veterans are afforded seating throughout the service, ensuring their comfort and reverence during this solemn occasion. Notably, we were informed of the absence of smoking and Welcome to Country ceremonies, as they are deemed unrelated to the essence of ANZAC Day commemorations.

In reverence, we paid our respects at the Cenotaph, capturing moments of reflection through the lens of our cameras. Below are some photoraphs from our visit.

Our time in Dubbo continues to be enriched by the spirit of remembrance and camaraderie, as we honour the legacy of the ANZACs and the profound significance of this day in Australia’s history.

Australian War Widows NSW has undergone a transformation, now known as Families of Veterans Guild, with an expanded mission to provide comprehensive support and services to all family members of Australian veterans. The decision to rebrand came after thorough consultation with group members.

Under its widened scope, the organization will deliver peer support, social work services, and advocacy for all family members of veterans, prioritizing their social and emotional well-being.

Renee Wilson, CEO of Families of Veterans Guild, emphasized that the name change aims to ensure accessibility to assistance for anyone connected to a veteran. Wilson stated, “We recognize the essential need for support, services, community, and representation within the veteran system for families of veterans. By altering our name, we’re opening doors for widows, veterans’ children, partners, parents, siblings, and extended families.”

Wilson elaborated that the decision stemmed from identified gaps in the veterans’ support landscape. She highlighted, “Our services complement existing ones. Comprehensive support for veterans’ families requires collective effort. Together as a community, we can bridge gaps and enhance the lives of these families.”

The shift aims to eliminate barriers for defence and veteran families in Australia, ensuring that the organization caters to all segments of this community, totalling nearly half a million individuals.

The Beaufort bomber veterans remains are being returned to Australia at the families request and there is a full ceremony planned at Amberley Air Force base on the 26th April (day after ANZAC day) with attendance from the prime minister QLD premier and numerous other dignitaries at 1000 hrs for those interested.

The discovery of this historic aircraft and the efforts to bring it back to Australia serve as a testament to the dedication and respect for those who served during World War II

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has recently made a significant discovery related to a Second World War Beaufort aircraft (A9-186) that went missing in 1943. The aircraft, along with its four crew members, was positively identified after an extensive search mission in the waters south of Gasmata, Papua New Guinea (PNG). The crash site was discovered in 2020 and was confirmed by Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Robert Chipman.

The challenging task of identifying the remains of the aircraft after 79 years involved specialist divers who worked on an aircraft that had been extensively damaged by fire and covered in layers of sediment and marine growth. The wreckage was located at a depth of 43 meters underwater. The identification process required considerable time, effort, and teamwork.

The remains of the aircraft, including the aircraft identity plate and cockpit lever, will be returned to Australia under a permit granted by the PNG National Museum and Art Gallery. Unfortunately, no remains of the other two crew members, Flight Sergeant Albert Beckett and Flight Sergeant Gordon Lewis Hamilton, were recovered. However, the RAAF remains committed to finding, recovering, and identifying missing service personnel as part of honouring their service and sacrifice for the nation.

Gday Ray,

I just want to say how grateful I am to see you spreading the word on this extremely important movie exposure of the most massive, most costly, most environmentally destructive FRAUD in the whole history of Mankind.

If some wonder why you included it in “Frontline”, they shouldn’t! There is nothing of more importance going on in the world, worldwide, which needs MORE attention than the great Climate Change False Alarmism . The great FRAUD that it is, has already undermined Western Civilisation, and our free-market, capitalist economies, to such an extent it is now a greater threat to our very democracies, our freedoms, our liberty, than even the current wars, and threat of an imminent Third World War are!

Unless we can reverse the current INSANITY which drives the economic suicide being driven by the politics of those supporting the FRAUD, we won’t be able to sustain our support for our Armed Services, nor be anywhere near strong enough, nor self-sufficient enough, to defend Australia (or Western Civilisation itself), against the advance and subversion from within, of socialism/communism!

I am saying to as many rallies, friends and acquaintances as I can, please view this movie, onforward it to as many as possible, and especially sit down and watch it with your kids and grandchildren.

We are at a desperately late stage in this battle for survival, and we are STILL LOSING the war!

Again, many thanks to you for doing YOUR bit!

Hooroo 4 now, Brian Hurlock

Courtesy Department of Defence

The RAAF has positively identified a Second World War Beaufort aircraft (A9-186), reported missing in 1943, along with its 4 crew members.

The aircraft was recently discovered after a challenging mission in the waters south of Gasmata, Papua New Guinea (PNG).

Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Robert Chipman confirmed the identification of the crash site, which was discovered in 2020.

The discovery was made by an Ocean Ecology Pty Ltd dive team working for Dr Andrew Forrest as part of an ongoing search for his uncle, Flying Officer David Forrest, who was lost during a mission to Gasmata while piloting a similar RAAF 100 Squadron Beaufort.

In February 2022, Dr Forrest’s team returned to the crash site to identify the aircraft. Two members of the RAAF Directorate of Historical Unrecovered War Casualties (HUWC) accompanied them to provide historical aviation expertise and support.

The A9-186 wreck site is located in 43 metres of water, which meant identifying the remains of the aircraft after 79 years took considerable time, effort and teamwork.

Specialist divers worked on an aircraft that was extensively damaged by fire and covered in layers of sediment and marine growth.

The aircraft identity plate and cockpit lever, which were recovered from the site, will be returned to Australia under a permit granted by the PNG National Museum and Art Gallery.

Air Marshal Chipman said small amounts of bone material recovered during the identification mission were analysed by anthropologists and DNA specialists.

‘The RAAF’s HUWC team collated the evidence and a Defence Identification Board identified the remains as those of Warrant Officer Clement Batstone Wiggins and Warrant Officer Russell Henry Grigg,’ Air Marshal Chipman said.

‘Unfortunately, it’s with a heavy heart we can confirm that no remains of the other two crew members, Flight Sergeant Albert Beckett and Flight Sergeant Gordon Lewis Hamilton, were recovered.

‘We will continue to strive to find, recover and identify our missing service personnel as part of our commitment to honouring their service and sacrifice for our nation.’

ED: Thanks Terry for this one.

A man walks out to the street and catches a taxi just going by. He gets into the taxi, and the cabbie says, “Perfect timing.  You’re just like Frank.”

Passenger: “Who?”

Cabbie: “Frank Feldman. He’s a guy who did everything right all the time. Like my coming along when you needed a cab, things happened like that to Frank Feldman every single time.”

Passenger: “There are always a few clouds over everybody.”

Cabbie: “Not Frank Feldman He was a terrific athlete. He could have won the Grand-Slam at tennis. He could golf with the pros.
He sang like an opera baritone and danced like a Broadway star, and you should have heard him play the piano. He was an amazing guy.”

Passenger: “Sounds like he was really something special.”

Cabbie: “There’s more. He had a memory like a computer. He remembered everybody’s birthday. He knew all about wine, which foods to order and which fork to eat them with. He could fix anything.
Not like me. I change a fuse, and the whole street blacks out. But Frank Feldman could do everything right.”

Passenger: “Wow, what a guy!”

Cabbie: “He always knew the quickest way to go in traffic and avoid traffic jams. Not like me, I always seem to get stuck in them.
But Frank, he never made a mistake, and he really knew how to treat a woman and make her feel good. He would never answer her back even if she was in the wrong; and his clothing was always immaculate, shoes highly polished too. He was the perfect man! He never made a mistake.

No one could ever measure up to Frank Feldman.”

Passenger: “How did you meet him?”

Cabbie: “I never actually met Frank. He died and I married his wife.