RAAOC VIETNAM RE-UNION BRISBANE 2010
RAAOC VIETNAM RE-UNION BRISBANE 2010
Smithy, Wayne Wright, Ron Kelly, Rod Coe, Dick Winiarski, Bill Gode, Butch Cassidy, Whitey
RAAOC Vietnam Reunion Report
Report on RAAOC Vietnam Reunion
Well after two years of planning the reunion eventually happened over the 11-13 June, it seemed like we had been planning it forever.
Firstly a big thanks to all those who helped out from picking up attendees from the airport to helping put the corsages together, it was greatly appreciated.
Friday‟s Meet and Greet went off with a bang with over 255 diggers and partners attending and going by the noise it was obvious that many who haven‟t met mates for some forty years were making up for it in one night.
It was near impossible to make myself heard when trying to make a few speeches, but we got there.
We were very fortunate to have Maurie Kuit bring along Hugh Murray in lieu of his wife as it allowed me to pass on some little known facts relating to the war (thanks to “the warrior his arms”).
Hugh Murray was the first serviceman to be involved in the war in 1959, when as the OC of the water transport unit he was involved in selling landing craft to the French for service in Vietnam.
Not long after two Warrant Officers from 2BOD were sent over to Vietnam to instruct the SVN Army on how to erect 40 X 20 Marques, unfortunately they didn‟t come straight back home, instead being succumbed to the AATTV training team. So if anybody from any of the arms ever says they were there first in country they are WRONG, it was the RAAOC who were there first.
Not only did we have the first RAAOC personnel there, but the last serving RAAOC personnel as well, Peter Hartung was the last OC of 2AOD and Graeme Loughton was the last serving ADOS.
Saturday saw three busloads of mainly interstaters visit the Australian Zoo, Montville and Mt Tamborine whilst others just vegged out for the day.
Saturday Night saw 268 attend a buffet dinner again at the Mercure Hotel and thanks to the photographer there were dozens of pics taken of various groups, the rugby team, hut 8, the drunks, ANZUK depot, Aerial ping pong team, more drunks, old and bolds from 2BOD and many others whom I can‟t remember just now (it may come back to me in a year or two‟s time).
Sunday saw us attend a brief but sincere service at ANZAC Square then onto the Kookaburra Queen for a terrific cruise up and down the Brisbane River whilst scoffing loads of Qld seafood and grog.
The hardier of us then went on to Sultan‟s Turkish Restaurant for some belly dancing and serious Turkish food (Bill Abboud was in his glory).
There were also some adventurous chaps that took on belly dancing, but from all reports don‟t give up your day jobs fellows.
I believe some really adventurous ones also ended up at Hooters Bar teaching the girls how to pole dance (no names, no pack drill), some blokes just don‟t know their age!!
Overall the committee were very happy with the way the weekend went and have now handed the baton to Melbourne to run the next one in two years time.
A crook old dig with no voice signing off, and looking forward to the next one when this committee and our partners can sit back and enjoy themselves without stressing .
John Dolton
Well after two years of planning the reunion eventually happened over the 11-13 June, it seemed like we had been planning it forever.
Firstly a big thanks to all those who helped out from picking up attendees from the airport to helping put the corsages together, it was greatly appreciated.
Friday‟s Meet and Greet went off with a bang with over 255 diggers and partners attending and going by the noise it was obvious that many who haven‟t met mates for some forty years were making up for it in one night.
It was near impossible to make myself heard when trying to make a few speeches, but we got there.
We were very fortunate to have Maurie Kuit bring along Hugh Murray in lieu of his wife as it allowed me to pass on some little known facts relating to the war (thanks to “the warrior his arms”).
Hugh Murray was the first serviceman to be involved in the war in 1959, when as the OC of the water transport unit he was involved in selling landing craft to the French for service in Vietnam.
Not long after two Warrant Officers from 2BOD were sent over to Vietnam to instruct the SVN Army on how to erect 40 X 20 Marques, unfortunately they didn‟t come straight back home, instead being succumbed to the AATTV training team. So if anybody from any of the arms ever says they were there first in country they are WRONG, it was the RAAOC who were there first.
Not only did we have the first RAAOC personnel there, but the last serving RAAOC personnel as well, Peter Hartung was the last OC of 2AOD and Graeme Loughton was the last serving ADOS.
Saturday saw three busloads of mainly interstaters visit the Australian Zoo, Montville and Mt Tamborine whilst others just vegged out for the day.
Saturday Night saw 268 attend a buffet dinner again at the Mercure Hotel and thanks to the photographer there were dozens of pics taken of various groups, the rugby team, hut 8, the drunks, ANZUK depot, Aerial ping pong team, more drunks, old and bolds from 2BOD and many others whom I can‟t remember just now (it may come back to me in a year or two‟s time).
Sunday saw us attend a brief but sincere service at ANZAC Square then onto the Kookaburra Queen for a terrific cruise up and down the Brisbane River whilst scoffing loads of Qld seafood and grog.
The hardier of us then went on to Sultan‟s Turkish Restaurant for some belly dancing and serious Turkish food (Bill Abboud was in his glory).
There were also some adventurous chaps that took on belly dancing, but from all reports don‟t give up your day jobs fellows.
I believe some really adventurous ones also ended up at Hooters Bar teaching the girls how to pole dance (no names, no pack drill), some blokes just don‟t know their age!!
Overall the committee were very happy with the way the weekend went and have now handed the baton to Melbourne to run the next one in two years time.
A crook old dig with no voice signing off, and looking forward to the next one when this committee and our partners can sit back and enjoy themselves without stressing .
John Dolton
