April Theme: Maternal & Child Health Month
Notice of Meeting for the Rotary Club of Ocean Grove,
18 The Terrace, Ocean Grove, on Tuesday, 26/4/2016, 6.00 for 6.30pm
Speaker: Leslie Sheddon "ROMAC."
Chairman: Alison George
Greeter and Assistant Sergeant: Marion Walton
Assistant Cashier and Thanker: Eng Ho
Weekly Raffle: Rod Birrell
Birthdays and Anniversaries: Nil
Notice of Meeting for the Rotary Club of Ocean Grove,
Tuesday, 3/5/2016, 6.00 for 6.15pm
Guest Speaker: Sami Gravener. "A Year in France."
Chairman: Judy Greer
Greeter and Assistant Sergeant: Graeme Chamberlain
Assistant Cashier and Thanker: James Ricchini
Raffle: Gill Morgan
Birthdays and Anniversaries: Nil
Notice of the Meeting for the Rotary Club of Ocean Grove,
Tuesday, 10/5/2016, 6.00 for 6.30pm
Guest Speaker: Deb Singleton. Christian College – Presentation of Cheque.
"Project in Viqueque"
Chairman: John Paton
Greeter and Assistant Sergeant: Alex Magee
Assistant Cashier and Thanker: Peter Hawthorne
Weekly Raffle: Ann Hodgkinson
Birthdays and Anniversaries: 11/5 Ann Magee, 13/5 Jan Fox, Carol & Rod Birrell, Jan & Geoff Brentnall.
Lookout Reserve Maintenance Roster:
22/4/2016 – 21/5/2016 Norm Elliott, 22/5/2016 – 18/6/2015 Noel Emselle
Report of Meeting: 19/4/2016
Visitors: Leigh Treyvaud, ex Rotarian from Doncaster East.
A warm welcome back from discomfort and fractures was extended to Geoff Ford.
President: We hope Jenny and President Adrian Schmidt are enjoying their "well earned" break in Hawaii.
Vice President Coral Barker had great pleasure inducting Pearl McMillan and Lynne Carlson into membership of the Club. Pearl will join the International Committee; her mentor will be Ann Hodgkinson. Lynne will join the Youth Committee and her mentor will be Marg Campbell. Welcome to both these new members who are looking forward to joining with current members in serving our community.
Administration: Judy Greer (incoming President) announced that 5 members are attending the District Assembly at Stawell on 1/5/16. Centurian Boxes are available; they must be in by 10/5/2016.
Community: Wal Kelly reported on the funeral of Anne Rose, the widow of Roy Rose a charter member of the Club and a generous donor to developing students
Please let John Wynn know if you have goods for the DIK collection, which will be on 2/5/16. Let John Wynn Know if you have any goods to collect.
Bowel Scan packs is available at pharmacies or from Vic Harnath.
Footy Tipping: Rod Greer won this week. Geoff Chandler leads the competition.
Foundation: There will be a Film Night for Polio Plus on 13/4/16. The Film is "Eddie the Eagle" and the cost is $20. 20th Century Fox has donated a door prize of a DVD.
Gordon King reminded members that now are the time to consider donations to the Rotary Foundation either as Paul Harris Fellows or Paul Harris Society members as these donations are Tax Deductible. Gordon has forms available.
International: Photos of the children we are supporting from the Solmaid School were shown.
Guest Speakers: Marg Campbell would be pleased to be given names of people who may make interesting speakers.
Market: The list was circulated for Market duty on 1/5/2016.
Art Show Sub Committee: There will be a launch of the 2016 show in late July or early August.
Social: There will be a progressive lunch on May 29th. A list for food preparations will be circulated anon.
Anzac Day Breakfast: Dick Clay will manage the event this year. The cooking group is to meet at 5.30 am.
Guest Speaker: Brigadier Phil Edwards (Retired)
Phil enlisted into the Army in 1972 and retired in 2007. He served mainly in Western Irian and East Timor. He was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross and Bravery Medal.
Phil reminded us that last year 2015 was the centenary of the Gallipoli Campaign. This year, 2016 is 100 years since Australians fought on the Western Front, where 45,000 of the 60,000 Australians killed in the First World War were killed. Many public memorials have been erected all around the country and despite awareness of the horrors and often futility of war more names continue to be added. In more recent times, since February 2002, 41 more names have been added. We were reminded that in addition to the loss of life on the Western Front and the loss of life in all other wars there are many, many men and women who were physically wounded, those who never spoke of their suffering both mental and physical, and of the effects of their family and friends.
The Western Front was a parallel line of defence trenches and fortifications that stretched from the Belgian coast to the Franco-Swiss border leaving a fraction of France and all of Belgium in German hands. There was no great change in these two lines for three and a half years. The conditions in the trenches and on the battlegrounds were appalling with days and sometimes weeks of artillery bombardment, resulting in fearful casualties. Modern, mechanized warfare was astoundingly inept often directed by officers who were also inept. "Generals had more power to sacrifice their own, and lay waste upon others, than ever was assigned to an evil spirit or a vengeful god. At Verdun in 1916 2million soldiers fought over four months for one million casualties and a British assault near the Somme River resulted in 420,000 dead." In early 1916 the Australians were at the Western Front and they quickly gained a reputation as effective soldiers.
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| Soldiers awaiting orders to be slaughtered, Whilst the Generals sipped their tea. |
The battle of Fromelles in July 1916 was a bloody initiation for Australian soldiers that were a disastrous failure where over 5,5000 became casualties. Almost 2,000 were killed or died of wounds and some 4000 were captured. This is believed to be the greatest loss by a single division in 24 hours during the First World War.
The next terrible offensive was the retaking of the village of Pozieres with the loss of 5,000 men within five days and a further 2,000 in the following seven days. A second tour over a period of 42 days mostly at night resulted in 23,000 casualties of whom 6,8000 were killed. The ordeal of heavy constant shelling, poison gas, and close combat at Pozieres, was more than men could cope with for very long. Courage made little difference, what each man needed was endurance and luck.
The Armistice was signed on 11th November 1918 and the dreadful task of gathering remains and burying the dead commenced. . The only solely Australian cemetery was the VC corner cemetery where there are no headstones but simply a stonewall inscribed with the names of 1,299 men who died in a nearby battle. In 1998 a new memorial park was established close by. Recently archaeological investigations at Fromelles have revealed remains of some 200 Australian soldiers who have been reinterred.
After the Horrific bombardment at Pozieres in 1916 absence without leave increased alarmingly, an offence which in most armies results in the death penalty but despite the urging of some Australian officers this sanction was not carried out as the soldiers were volunteers.
Phil suggested that perhaps on this ANZAC Day we might reflect on the sacrifices made in all wars by:
- Those who died,
- Those who suffered physical wounds,
- Those who suffered from and continue to suffer the effects of war both physical and mental,
- Those who are serving our nation now.
At the completion of his talk Phil reminded members about he the 'Walk across the UK' he and a mate are undertaking to raise money to assist soldiers who are currently suffering the effects of military service.
The site to look up for information and donation is:
Thanks to Phil Edwards for the use of his notes.
Please note it is essential that apologies be recorded by 12noon on Mondays.
Also the Club has to pay for members who have not apologized and not turned up!
In future all members who have not apologized will be sent an invoice.
Phone number is 0457 315 900
Thank You, AG
