Tributes to Ian Colwell
Today (4/4/24) we celebrated the life of fellow Chalkie, Ian Colwell who served in RAAEC in PNG in 1972-3 at Murray and Igam Barracks. He was the last to serve in the Territory as a conscripted 2-year National Serviceman. An…
Nashos
Australian National Servicemen
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Read MoreTributes to Ian Colwell
NATIONAL SERVICEMEN AND THEIR MEMORIALS
(This article was first published in VoicePipe, the magazine of the Tingira Association) Last month I attended the annual commemoration organised by Burwood Council at the National Servicemen’s Memorial in Burwood Park. Around 20 persons were present, mostly local politicians…
Australia’s Worst Air Disaster
My uncle served in the 2/33rd Battalion AIF in TPNG in 1943 during World War 11. One of the few things that he told me about that time was the Liberator crash. He produced 3 newspaper cuttings to tell us…
Welcome Home
by Bob Whittaker Editor’s Note: This story is the second extract from the book ‘Jellybeans in the Jungle’ by Bob Whittaker. The first article, ‘Call Up and Rookie Training’ can be viewed by clicking here. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ We boarded the Qantas…
Call up and Rookie Training
by Bob Whittaker Editor’s Note: This story is an extract from the book ‘Jellybeans in the Jungle’ by Bob Whittaker. On his call up for National Service, as a teacher, Bob could have expected to be sent to Papua New…
On Patrol in New Ireland – C Company 1PIR
by Sgt Kev Horton C Company 1PIR 1971 As I walked through the oppressive heat on the tarmac at Port Moresby Airport, M16 slung over my shoulder, I had no idea that I was about to experience a month that…
Educator with a sustaining faith
Ken Rowe, 1945-2009 March 31, 2009 — 12.00am KEN ROWE, teacher and education researcher, loved to escape to his timber cottage in Marysville in the hills above Melbourne, where king parrots chirped rather than mobile phones. It was where he…
Leadership
by Sgt Terry Edwinsmith Bellwether, chief, commander, director, foreman, head-most, premier, ruler, senior etc. Leadership is as diverse as the people placed in that position. Some are anointed, promoted or born to that position. Many are conferred this position by…
A Poem by a WW2 Veteran
In war there are no unwounded soldiers, No unsightly wounds to show, No limbs are missing of these men, But inward pain and thoughts crowding on, The mind of ageing veteranswho saw it but have nought to show, Only memories…
Was it only two years’ service?
By Sgt Siggy Nowak National Service training commenced, and I walked into Puckapunial as a raw recruit following the completion of my Economics university degree, my Dip Ed and then one year teaching in Shepperton. Following recruit training, I marched…
1971 Intake Advice
Introduction Over the duration of “operation skoolim”, the RAAEC regular staff in PNG improved its procedures for recruitment, training, and induction of National Service Instructors deployed to PNG Command. The document which follows was written from Port Moresby and designed…
Various Items of Interest
This page shows various single items that are of interest but could not be displayed elsewhere on the website. Learner’s Permit and provisional licence issued in the 1970’s A newspaper item spread over two images of a football match involving…
1PIR’s BOOMERANG BOY
1PIR’s BOOMERANG BOY (By Terry Edwinsmith) RSM WO1 Frederick Alexander Wilson ARA 5487 24/06/1924 to 27/03/1968 The book, ‘Boomerang Boy’ tells the compelling story of Taurama Barrack’s RSM, Fred Wilson who died at 1PIR on 27th March 1968 when he…
National Servicemen’s Day
National Servicemen’s Day, February 14 each year. This 14th day in February, the 45th day of the year, is remembered for many events. In recent times in Australia, Decimal Currency was introduced with metrics overtaking the Imperial measures from this…
The graduates
This is article is reproduced with the kind permission of author, Mark Dapin. It contains interviews undertaken by Mark of fellow Chalkies Les Rowe, Wayne Bensley, Andrew Remenyi, Ray Nichol, Ray Bassett, Peter Porteous and Chris Poulton.First published in 2014,…
1960s Course for new Corporals
This is an NCO course, with documentation from Col Ron Lange, re-done by Greg Ivey. We are indebted to Col Lange for the material. Greg did a great job with the old file, which was showing it’s age. Quite a…
SURFING – WEWAK STYLE
by Sgt. Graeme Johnson I was introduced to this pastime by a civvy mate Bob PRINS who was employed by the Administration in the then Department of Ag., Stock & Fisheries in Wewak town centre. He was friends with some…
My Less Than Brilliant Career
by Capt. John Retallick After attending Bathurst Teachers’ College in 1962-3 I was sent to a one teacher school in a wheat paddock somewhere out west for 2 years. Towards the end of that time I received a call-up notice…
Tales of a Chalkie
by Sgt Paul Taylor What the heck is a Chalkie? Before I answer this question I would like to take you back to 7th February 1968. Why is this date significant to me? Because it was the first day of…
Life in the CMF 1950’s Style
by Dan Winkel Like all 18 year olds of my generation I had to serve 3 months National Service, compulsory full time service to complete Recruit Training. The initial 3 months were followed by 3 years compulsory part time training…
‘Chalkies’ honoured for their work teaching Papua New Guinean soldiers
____________________________________________________________________ Editor’s Note: This article was copied from the NSW Teachers News website education.nsw.gov.au/news unaltered and in its entirety. We (the Chalkies) sought and received permission to copy the article. We copied it here to acknowledge an important milestone in…
‘Chalkies’ reunite at Australian Army Infantry Museum for new exhibition
____________________________________________________________________ Editor’s Note: This article was copied from the The Singleton Argus unaltered and in its entirety. We (the Chalkies) acknowledge it is the property of the newspaper and will receive no monetary gain in using it. We copied it…
Chris Donnan’s Brothers’ tribute trip to Mt. Wilhelm
by Mark and Frank Donnan 12 August – 17 August 2014 DAY 1 – Flew with my brother Frank from Mascot airport to Cairns, window seat with clear skies and view magnificent, the Great Barrier Reef was a real standout.…
Murray Barracks Civic Action Patrol 1970
by Sgt. John Meyer I was among 30 soldiers sent on a Civic Action Patrol up into the Gulf Area of Papua New Guinea in January/February 1970. Two Landing Barges were sent on the month long assignment to a remote…
The National Service Vocational Training Scheme
Contributions from Sgts. Terry Edwinsmith and Ron Inglis Background Story As part of the 50th anniversary of the University of Queensland’s Alumni Association, Terry Edwinsmith wrote an article on the National Service Vocational Training Scheme of which many National Servicemen…
Tribute to John Angus Martin (1947-1970) a Nasho Chalkie
John was born on 23 June 1947 in country Wauchope, NSW. He was just over 2 and his sister Margaret 13 when their mother was killed outside Wauchope in 1949. His father re-married and John socialised with local school mates…
Article from `G Time (MCG Volunteers’ Newsletter) Nov 2017
This page consists of two articles extracted from other publications. The first is an extract from the `G Time (a newsletter of the tour guides of the Melbourne Cricket Grounds written by an ex-chalkie Sgt. Geoff Piper. The second is…
RAAEC News Letter Vol 15 #2, Aug 1971
Read MoreRAAEC News Letter Vol 15 #2, Aug 1971A TALE OF 5 MARRIED COUPLES IN WEWAK
by John Humphrey After 5 years of deferment, I was in the January, 1970 intake of National Service. We started with 3 months at Puckapunyal, which every guy here can relate to. As part of the interviews that we had…
NINGERUM on the OK TEDI
by 2Lt John Stringfellow In June 1967 Delta Company of the 1st Battalion of the Pacific Islands Regiment, under the command of Major Colin Adamson, flew to Ningerum to conduct military training and to win the hearts and minds of…