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Ballarat Reunion

A reunion for all the old boys and girls who survived Ballarat will be held starting Wed 27th February 2008 and ending on 2nd March 2008. Arrngements for the reunion are well under way. Happy hour/registration will be held on Wed and Friday, a dinner at Ballarat University on Saturday evening and finish with a barbecue also at the Uni on Sunday midday.

Previous problems with the food at the Uni have been resolved! The organisers will be organising bus tours of Ballarat including the remains of the RAAF Base, and hopefully to the Aviation Museum. This will take 1–2 hours. Buses hold 44 so the organisers will need to know how many are interested. There will be the usual memorial and wreath laying ceremony on Saturday late morning with a light luncheon at the RSL or similar afterwards. The RSL is moving before the reunion but no details are being revealed as yet, so it is not yet known exactly where the registrations will take place. There are approx 140 registered as potential reunionists (including wives/partners).

No arrangements for sporting activities have been made   as previous experience shows not very many actually participate and you are all 3 years older. If sufficient numbers object it will be revisited. If you have internet access you can find accommodation at http://www.ballarat.com  The phone no is 1800 44 66 33 or email tourism@ballarat.vic.gov.au

So far most people have indicated they will arrange their own accommodation. If you need assistance contact one of the committee. (addresses later).

The organisers would like to know if you are able to attend or not and would like you to write a recollection of some event that happened to you while stationed at Ballarat. If you can do more than one please do it. Forward to the committee as soon as possible. (I don’t know what we’re letting ourselves in for!)

There is a move afoot in Ballarat to establish a museum and archive of Ballarat’s history other than the gold rush. The effect of the thousands of RAAF personnel who spent time there, often marrying Ballarat girls, has been profound, so please come forward with your personal history.

We recognise that in indicating that you intend to attend you are not committing yourselves. As we are all over 60 ill health can strike us or our wives or partners at any time. It will be of great help to the committee if you tell us you hope to attend, even if you have to subsequently cancel. We appear to have missed many who attended previously and are working to contact as many as possible. If you are in contact with anybody who might be interested please pass this letter on.

Later this year we will be sending another letter/email giving final details and asking for a deposit. We don’t know yet exactly how much this will be as food and accommodation prices are going up quite steeply.

If you are interested, get in touch with Phil at the address below.

Phillip Marsh

Convenor.

email:   radschl.reunion@gmail.com

A senior citizen on the Gold Coast bought a brand new Mercedes convertible. He took off down the Pacific Hwy, flooring it to 140 kph and enjoying the wind blowing through what little hair he had left on his head.

"This is great," he thought as he roared on down Highway 1. He pushed the pedal to the metal even more. Then he looked in his rear view mirror and saw a highway patrol copper behind him, lights flashing and siren blaring." I can get away from him, no problem," thought the man and he tromped on it some more, and flew down the road at over 160 kph, then 180, 200kph. Then he thought, "What the hell am I doing? I'm too old for this kind of thing."

He pulled over to the side of the road and waited for the copper to catch up with him.

The copper pulled in behind the Benz, and walked up to the man.

"Sir," he said, looking at his watch. "My shift ends in 30 minutes and today is Friday. If you can give me a reason why you were speeding, that I've never heard before, I'll let you go."

The man looked at the copper and said, "Years ago my wife ran off with a copper, and I thought you were bringing her back."

The copper replied, "Sir, have a nice day."

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