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QUEENSLAND UNIVERSITY REGIMENT ASSOCIATION |
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Editors Note:- Since Trevor wrote this article he has had a back operation himself and is now on the way to recovery after a few dicey moments with the anaesthetics. Trevor hopes to be well enough to greet members at the Christmas drinks function at the Victory Hotel on the 3rd December
CO's Report August 2009
When I took up my posting early this year, I made the statement that “QUR will continue to do all that the Army asks of it, and it will continue to do it well”. As we now approach the end of the year, I am proud to report that QUR has done just that. The Regiment has well and truly settled into its ‘battle rythmn’ of delivering a wide range of training, to build the capability of the Army Reserve in Queensland and Australia. The Regiment now conducts all Infantry IET and Driver training for Queensland and all Officer Grade 2 and Grade 3 training for Australia. This is on top of the traditional responsibility of training all of Queensland’s Officer Cadets for commissioning. The Alumni of the Regiment have every reason to be proud of those currently serving in the Unit. It has not been a simple task to bed down all the new courses, governance systems and support functions. At times, there has been very little respite, but no one has shirked their duty. They have not taken a backward step in transforming QUR into one of the largest and most important training establishments in the Army. They have done the Regiment proud. Amidst the focus on our new responsibilities, it was very pleasing to also enjoy success within our traditional realm, with QUR Cadets taking the Student of Merit awards on two of the most recent national training blocks in the First Appointment Course. The challenges for QUR will continue in 2010, and indeed will grow further, with the Regiment picking up the responsibility for training the Ready Reaction Force. In all QUR will deliver 25 separate 2 week courses and up to 5 other one week courses; a total of over 430 course training days, plus the Officer Cadet training. Although 2010 will be very busy training year, the Regiment will still make time to take part in a significant ceremony. The University of Queensland offered QUR the opportunity to have its crest engraved on a sandstone plaque within its historic Great Court, as part of its centenary celebrations,. The Regiment, of course, grasped this opportunity as a way to give permanent recognition to all those who have served in the Unit and to the historic bond that exists between both organizations. When I announced this to the QURA AGM in September, I was humbled by the immediate support offered by the Association. Funding needs to be raised to pay for this project, and the Association gave QUR the freedom to get on with planning the event, knowing that the funding would be taken care of. As Commanding Officer, I would like to sincerely thank the Association, on behalf of the whole Regiment, for this overwhelming support. As the details of the event take shape, we will keep the Association fully informed. I am pleased to report that the Honorary Colonel, RSM and myself recently had the great pleasure of attending the Dining-In of the Regiment’s North Queensland Company, in Townville. The Regimental Colours were taken north for the occasion, which I understand is the first time they have been taken outside of Brisbane. The dinner also demonstrated the wide reach of QUR’s Alumni, with several former members attending the function, and, by late in the night, talking of forming the NQ Chapter of the QURA. Finally, I would again like to thank the QURA for its continued support of the Regiment throughout 2009, and to wish all if its members a safe and happy Christmas. It remains an absolute privilege to serve in the Regiment, and I look forward to 2010. Scientia ac Labore
***************************** Photos from 2009 QURA AGM
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Correspondence from MembersPlease note: QURA receives emails/letters from time to time requesting contact details of members. The current policy is if a fellow member requests contact with another member, the contact details are given without contacting the relevant member. Where contact is requested by a non-member, the contact is referred to the individual member to follow up the contact if they so desire.
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From:- George Fryberg
To:- Peter Morton Subject:- Simplicity
Dear Peter, This has possibly been sent to you - it appears to have originated with Adrian Cran - but here it is in case not. Regards George IT IS REALLY QUITE SIMPLE
Dumb civvy, I thought to myself when he asked the question, but openly I said, "The system is really quite simple." You see, all people in the Army are soldiers, all privates are soldiers, but not all soldiers are privates. Some are officers who are commissioned, but some are officers who are not commissioned. Obviously if every private was called private it would be confusing, so some privates are called things like trooper, driver, gunner, craftsmen, sapper or signaller. Not all of the drivers actually drive because some of them cook, but we don't call them cooks, for that matter, not all drivers are called drivers - some of them are privates or gunners. Gunners as I'm sure you know are the guys that fire guns, unless of course they are drivers or signallers in which case we call them gunners rather than drivers or signallers just to make it clearer. All gunners belong to the artillery, except that in the infantry we have gunners who are called privates because they fire a different sort of gun, for the same reason we call our drivers and signallers private as well. A Lance Corporal is called Corporal, unless he is a Lance Bombardier then we call him Bombardier to distinguish him from a full Bombardier, who is just like a Corporal. All other ranks are called by their rank for the sake of simplicity except that Staff Sergeants are called Staff, but they are not on the staff, some Warrant Officers, who are not officers, are called Sergeant Major although they are not Sergeants or Majors. Some Warrant Officers are called Mister which is the same thing that we call some officers but they are not Warrant Officers. A Lieutenant is also called Mister because they are subalterns, but we always write their rank as Lieutenant or Second Lieutenant, and second comes before first.
When we talk about groups of soldiers there obviously has to be clear distinction. We call them Officers and Soldiers although we know that officers are soldiers too, sometimes we talk about officers and other ranks which is the same as calling them soldiers. I guess it is easiest when we talk about rank and file which is all the troops on parade except the officers and some of the NCOs - and a few of the privates - and the term is used whether everyone is on parade or not. A large unit is called a battalion, unless it is a regiment but sometimes a regiment is much bigger than a battalion and then it has nothing to do with the other sort of regiment. Sub-units are called companies unless they are squadrons or troops or batteries for that matter. That is not radio batteries, and don't confuse this type of troop with the type who are soldiers but not officers.
Mostly the Army is divided into Corps as well as units, not the sort of Corps which is a couple of divisions but the sort which tells you straight away what trade each man performs, whether he is a tradesmen or not. The Infantry Corps has all the infantrymen for example and the Artillery Corps has all the gunners. Both these Corps also have signallers and drivers except those who are in the Signals or Transport Corps. Both these Corps provide a special service and that's why the Transport Corps provides cooks. The Signals Corps provides a special service, too, except that it is not a service at all because it is an Arm. Arms do all the fighting, although Signals don't have to fight too much, rather like the Engineers who are also an Arm but they don't fight too much either, except between themselves . . .
For us in the know, it's really quite simple.
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From:- Maj Kerry Tscherepko To:-
Trevor Luttrell, Peter Morton Subject:- Re QURA August Newsletter
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From:- Bruce Davis To:- Peter Morton Subject:- About those Taliban
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From:- Neil Munro
To:- Peter Morton Subject:- Re QURA 2009 AGM Hello Peter,
I'll be returning to China on September 8, so
regretfully I won't be able to
From:- Dennis Rounsefell
To:- Peter Morton Subject:- AGM
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From:- Donna-Lee Greaves
To:- Peter Morton Subject:- Re QURA 2009 AGM
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From:- Bruce Davis
To:- Trevor Luttrell Subject:- Now this is what I call a motorbike!!
Talk about 'road rage!' Just what a
motorcyclist needs for riding on the Freeway. Designed
as an equalizer.
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From:- David Sallows
To:- Peter Morton
Dear Peter, Thanks for the invitation, and the chance to dance in the ashes! Unfortunately this year I will be elsewhere - UK, Cologne and Lisbon to be precise, which will be a darn sight less cosy than the back bar of the Victory I would suggest. A Merry Christmas to all. All the best ( and see you maybe at Back to The Regiment next March? )
David Sallows
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From:- Rob Cumming
To:- Peter Morton
Subject:- Re QURA - date Claimer
Dear Peter
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From:- Neil Heather To:- Peter Morton
Subject:- Re QURA - Hale St Bridge
Peter
Can you help out
with Pat O'Keefe's email address
please?
I want to check
whether he has the 1 Trg Gp video by
Prof Mahoney on Milne Bay which I
have commenced to transcribe to
text. Alternatively you might
prefer to just copy this to him.
Cheers,
Neil
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From:- Graeme Cannell To:- Peter Morton
Subject:- Re QURA 2009 AGM
Hi Peter
Unfortunately we
can't attend as we
fly to New York on
Wednesday. There
were some ultra
cheap flights a
while back and we
took two. Hope the
function goes well.
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As
a follow-up to the last newsletter, Barry O'Callaghan and Geoff
Harley were able to put names to some of the missing details on the QUR course. If any other members can shed some light on the still missing
details please contact
Trevor Luttrell or
Peter Morton with
names and contact details (where and when was the
course?)
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The Annual Christmas get together will be held at the
Victory Hotel, Cnr Charlotte & Edward Streets, Brisbane on the evening of
Thursday 3rd December 2009 from 1730 hours.
Please feel free to bring along partners and
friends to help us celebrate. The Assosiation will provide
finger food through-out the evening, however, members will be
required to purchase drinks from the bar..
RSVP 25 Nov 09
I will be attending the
Association’s Christmas Party to be held at the
Victory Hotel, Charlotte Street, Brisbane on the evening of
Thursday 3rd December 2009 from 1730 hours.
I regret that I am unable
to attend. Please tender my apology.
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The next war may well start in the air, but in all
probability it will wind up, as did the last war, in the
mud.
(Report of the President’s Board to Study Development of
Aircraft for the National Defense 1925)
Every development or improvement in firearms favours the
defensive.
(Giulio Douhet, 1869-1930)
War is unmitigated evil. But it certainly does one good
thing. It drives away fear and brings bravery to the
surface.
(Mahatma Ghandi, 1869-1948)
In war, whichever side may call itself victor, there are no
winners, but all are losers.
(Neville Chamberlain, 1869-1940)
It is the greatest possible mistake to mix up disarmament
with peace. When you have peace, you will have disarmament.
(Winston Churchill, 1874-1965)
History shows that there are no invincible armies,
(Joseph Stalin, 1879-1953)
Nationalism is an infantile disease.
(Albert Einstein, 1879-1955)
If man does find the solution for world peace it will be the
most revolutionary reversal of his record we have ever
known.
(George C Marshall 1880-1959)
There is no security on earth. Only opportunity.
(Douglas MacArthur, 1880-1964)
Speed is unfortunately a most expensive commodity: alike in
battleships, motor cars, racehorses and women, a
comparatively small increase in speed may double the price
of the article.
(Archibald Percival, Lord Wavell, 1883-1950)
Reading
while sunbathing makes you ‘well red’.
When two egotists meet, it’s an ‘I for an I’
Sea captains don’t like ‘crew cuts’.
If you went to a bookstore and asked where the self help
section was, would that defeat the purpose?
When you dream in colour, it’s a ‘pigment of your
imagination’
You will feel stuck with your debt if you can’t ‘budge
it’.
If an optometrist fell into a lens grinder, would he
make a spectacle of himself.
If a doctor cloned a larger version of himself, would he
be charged with ‘bigger me’.
If a deaf person swears does his mother wash his hands
with soap?
If a friend works in oil exploration, should you send
him a ‘get well’ card?
Is it OK to use your AM radio in the afternoon?
When dog food is new and improved in taste, who tests
it?
If at first you do succeed, try not to look astonished!
Which is the other side of the street?
If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the
terminal?
If Hitler invaded Hell, I think I would find a good word to
say about the Devil in the House of Commons.
There go my people. I must find out where they are going so
I can lead them.
I have left orders to be awakened at any time in case of
national emergency, even if I’m in a cabinet meeting.
I just got news from my real estate agent in Florida. The
found land on my property.
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Back to the Regiment
Friday 6 March 2009
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Please
check the Members Page to ensure that your membership is
current.
PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO PERUSE THE
Members Page AND CHECK THE ENTRIES WITH AN
ADDRESS FLAG OF `N`. WE HAVE LOST CONTACT WITH THESE MEMBERS AND REQUIRE
EITHER AN EMAIL ADDRESS OR POSTAL ADDRESS TO RE-ESTABLISH CONTACT Membership status codes are:
SMEMB - Special Member (no fees)
LMEMB - Life Member (no fees)
PUOM - Paid Up Ordinary member (no fees but can transfer to 10 year membership for $50)
NEW - New member (no membership fees received as yet)
2005 - 201? membership fees paid to year indicated
199? - 2006 membership fees due for 2007
Annual dues are $10 and a 10 year paid-up membership can be had for $70.
Cheques should be forwarded to: The Treasurer QUR Association 24 Walcott Street, St Lucia
4067 For those members with internet banking, payments may be made
direct to the QURA Bank Account. Details are BSB 064 129, Account 0090 4500, Account Name QUR
Association Inc Please ensure
your name is supplied in the payment details.
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EMAIL ADDRESSES The Executive Committee encourages all members to provide a current email
address to allow quick and easy communication of important
notifications and reminders of upcoming events. If you know of any ex-members of QUR who are not in the association, please
contact the Membership Registrar (Peter Morton)
with any contact details that you have. THE ASSOCIATION WILL ONLY CONTINUE TO EXIST BY RECRUITING NEW MEMBERS
For members wishing to provide a new email address, please send an email to
Peter Morton
to ensure your address is
received and entered onto our contact list.
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HISTORY OF QUR
Have you
considered purchasing a copy of the History of QUR magnificently
complied and edited by Paul Smith?
It
contains 128 pages of stories, photographs and has a coloured badged cover.
What about a CD containing over 100 images of the history of the Regiment.
COST : $10 per
copy. Why not treat yourself to a copy or buy copies for your friends. These are
collectors items so don't miss out.
How to purchase copies: Ring
Trevor Luttrell
Email
Send your payment to: The Treasurer, QUR Association, 24 Walcott Street, St Lucia Q 4067. For those members with internet banking, payments may be made
direct to the QURA Bank Account. Details are BSB 064 129, Account 0090 4500, Account Name QUR
Association Inc Please ensure
your name is supplied in the payment details.
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End of Newsletter |
The
end of the year is upon us again. In September we celebrated the 25th
Anniversary of the Association at the Annual General Meeting and Dinner at
the United Service Club. The Executive Management Committee were re-elected
unopposed (it is very difficult to resign from the committee). We were again
pleased to dine with over 30 members. It was great to welcome back some of
the ‘old and bold’ from QUR. The highlight of the evening was the song and
dance team presentation of Sam Harrison, Len Eacott and Ian Bunce who spoke
of the formation of the Association 25 years ago. A suitably iced 25th birthday
cake was enjoyed by all.
