ANZAC Day - 2008

The Sydney March
Dennis Norman

Setting Off

With the TV recorder set to record the march and all dressed for the day out my wife and I went off to catch the train to the city. We no sooner arrived on the platform than the train pulled in. Armed with an umbrella and a camera each we boarded it along with many others obviously headed to see the parade or march in it and off we went. By this time we had experienced just about all types of weather except snow so wondered what was in store for us at the form up in Bent Street in the city.

Form Up

   

Off the train at Wynyard where we meet up with Ross Kitchener and head up the ramp aimed towards the form-up area. Now a few blocks up the hill and where's the banner? Well due to a sudden heavy shower this was moved up the street and under cover so it was a case of look for the old blue, yellow and red banner behind all the diggers squeezed in under a not very large foyer. Just before we found it we bumped into Brian "Same-Same Monkey" Carter and his family, collected Brian and some of his rascally mates from 101 and kept going.

Now we were supposed to meet Alex "Rembrandt" Visser here too. So where's "Rembrandt"? We hunted up and down Bent St and its off-shoots for "Rembrandt" who it had taken a fair bit of encouragement on our part to get him to march with us after so long away. Eventually we made contact with his wife Rosie via mobile phone and discovered he had been picked up by the MPs or the Marshals or someone and placed in a Land Rover as, when they spotted him, they reckoned he wouldn't make it up the hill to Bent St form-up let alone march afterwards. Nice attempt anyway Alex - see you at the luncheon.

Rainbow and Cloudbursts

After 2 cloudbursts - one before I arrived and one just as we were forming up - we eventually moved off. There were around 60 in our Post WWII group I'd say together with the banner party and then followed by the RAEME Army Reserve Group with their banner.

The March

This year the march for us was low key compared to largest year when we paraded behind the Prince Phillip Banner. As we marched past the memorial in Martin Place, eyes right, and sparing a few thoughts for those who didn't make it, the large crowd waved the Aussie flag and applauded. This continued up George St past the ABC telecast cameras where some of the guys were picked up on camera by relatives watching from afar. Past the Town Hall and around to Hyde Park where we fall out and quickly catch-up with those going in other directions

Reunion Lunch

We had an official welcome given by our new President Brendan Robertson who also spoke about supporting their latest project - packages to RAEME guys currently serving overseas. Seems like a great idea recycled to me and I hope it spreads around the country again.

Good venue the City Bowling Club of NSW for the reunion organized by the RAEME Assoc NSW. The upstairs function room allows for a bit of decorum with drinks at club prices and plenty of food in the smorgasbord. We only had to put up with one speech from as mentioned above.

There were 12 or more at our table so we had to fit in a couple of extra seats and settings. We had a mixture of 106, 102 and 101 boys with us some accompanied by their wives and partners. There must have been about 100 or more gathered together at all the tables.

More than a few good stories were told and all seemed to enjoy themselves although "Rembrandt" was so churned up by the events of the day, he couldn't eat. Still he stayed with us as long as he could.

The time went fast and soon it was time for farewells yet again. With all wanting to meet up again on the Tweed Coast for the 106 Field Workshop 40th Anniversary Reunion in October, let's hope we all make it!