Raadc Association Inc

RAADC ASSOCIATION INC

BI-ANNUAL NEWSLETTER

OCTOBER 2015

Greetings members!

In this edition:

Constitution - Our Rules accepted by the OFT

Member “spotlight” – Jack Gray’s story

ANZAC Day 2017 and 75th Corps birthday

Pre-Christmas Social in Brisbane

Update on: “ Fang Farriers – Vol 1”

Notify changes of address/phone

Committee Positions

Vale

Constitution Review – Our Rules accepted

Happily, after a year and a half of consultation, discussions, re-writes and a couple of meetings, the committee and all those associated with the review of the Constitution can stand proud knowing that the Constitution Review Project has come to a conclusion. We now have approval from the Office of Fair Trading to use our own rules as were approved at the special meeting of July this year. The full document will be published to the web site with a link from facebook. I will also include a full copy in the email with this newsletter or in the post if you receive your news by snail mail. Please also note that this is a dynamic document. That is, we expect it to require change in order to keep pace with a changing environment. To affect change, we will have a permanent item on the agenda of the AGM to provide opportunity for annual review.

Member spotlight – Robert (Jack) Gray

In our last news we indicated that one of the sad responsibilities of the association from time to time, is to notify you of the passing of an Association member or individual from within the Dental community who you may have crossed paths with. Without personal knowledge of an individual’s service history in particular, it can be very challenging to write an Obituary and honour that member’s service. With that in mind and with a view to being able to share more about one another’s service and assist our getting to know each other better, we are requesting you provide us with a summary of your service, in the format attached and return to us by email. We will use what you provide to share on our facebook page (if you give permission), and in a member spotlight as part of the bi-annual newsletter. To that end, we offer in member spotlight today the oldest member of our Association: 96 year old, Jack Gray.

Jack trained in Sydney as a Dentist and was enlisted as a new graduate to the Medical Corps-Dental Branch as a 21 year old in 1941. Most of his service was in Wau and Port Moresby where he and his team of five treated locals and soldiers involved in the various PNG campaigns. Jack and his team travelled on the Australian Hospital Ship Centaur, on its first deployment following commission in March 1943, as a trial voyage to collect casualties from Townsville and Port Moresby. After dropping the dental team, the Centaur made a return journey to Sydney for re-provisioning before it was sent on its second mission from Sydney via Cairns to collect casualties from the Buna and Gona campaign. As history shows, the Centaur didn’t make it to PNG. It was torpedoed by the Japanese in Moreton Bay off the coast of SE Qld on the 14 May 1943. Here Jack recounts his experience of that initial journey:

“I have always lived on the sea and I reckon it is much better to be blown into the water from a burning ship than incinerated below decks! We were definitely told that the Centaur was at risk of being bombed by the Japanese. The first night we sailed on our way to PNG the Captain told us in the officers’ mess that we were likely to be a target and that we were not to tell the Other Ranks or anyone else as there would have been panic. I made my boys sleep out in the open on the top deck.

As I say, it’s much nicer to be blown into the sea than incinerated; at least you have a chance. My boys didn’t know why I was insisting on this - they thought I was mad.

The Americans had bombed 6-8 Japanese hospital ships, which McCarthur denied, so it was natural that the Japs would retaliate. Eight months before Centaur was attacked, the Japanese came into Milne Bay PNG and trained their spotlights on the Hospital Ship Manunda and did nothing only to change their mind a couple of months later.

In March 1943, the Centaur (2/3rd Hospital Ship) was sailing its trial voyage as a converted hospital ship carrying patients and then took the Medical and Dental teams to Moresby. My team and I were part of that journey. My five man team made up B section of the 2/2 Dental Unit. I was the Dental Officer and we had one chair side orderly known as a DORA, SSGT Mechanic – Jack Denningfield, CPL Mechanic –Roy Goodall and a batman. The batman worked for everybody. Jack worked with me after the war in my practice at Bexley. The other Mechanic Roy got infected by scrub Typhus and due to his weakened heart died 10 years after the war”.

“Our Dental Section was moved around and attached to various units as required. After landing at Moresby we were ordered to prepare for airlift to the Wau Valley 150miles NE of Moresby. We had a few false starts before we got through, clouds were a problem as transport planes could not get enough height to get over the mountains and had to fly in the valleys.

Our location in the Wau Valley was about a mile from the airfield, in the middle of a coffee plantation. We utilised the only remaining house that hadn’t been torched when locals left with threat

of Japanese invasion. The house was occupied by the 2/5th Field Ambulance, to whom we were attached. We had one room and used a room underneath for a laboratory. We had a stream running close by which provided good water as there were no native villages upstream. Our diet was vegetarian, plenty of exotic native fruits and vegetables from the native gardens at Bulolo and Wau. We could have the occasional tin of bully beef or pork and beans, if you really wanted a change.

We had a native boy allotted to us; he was a healthy 16 years old his name was Weewau. He did whatever was required including washing and collecting fruit. He was fascinated by our work and always hung around the clinic.

The Wau Airfield was used to cart the dredges to the Bololo Gold Fields which were nearby. When the civilians evacuated the area the four dredges were switched off and left. They had been used to dredge the rivers for gold. The dredged gravel was then flushed through sluice boxes which collected the gold. There was plenty of it, gold that is. The anti aircraft boys found it and would give it to us. Soon Roy and Jack were busy, casting gold rings, for the boys as well a processing Dental Work and as you would expect - word spread. The original discoverers of the dredges set up a guard on three or four and any poachers were met with a burst of machine gun fire.

A couple of months later, an order came from AHQ, which the CO read out to me one evening. We were to cease casting gold rings. The rings were going back to Australia with the evacuated sick and wounded. Some of the boys had been selling them, and for good sums of cash. The civilian company had heard of the finds on their dredges, and complained. The Brigadier asked what we could do. I told him that if it weren’t for the anti aircraft boys, the Japanese would own the Gold and to write back and tell them we have stopped casting. There was nothing in the order that said we couldn’t start again tomorrow. The Brigadier grinned at

my creative approach, remarking about my literal compliance. To ensure nobody was picked up on their return to Australia; we cast Belt Buckles and Webbing Braces instead of gold rings! There is a lot more to that story, but we don't have time to delve any further.

Pictured: 1943-07-09. New guinea. Wau-mubo area. A dental clinic post in a forward area along the mubo track. Using the wing of a japanese aircraft for a work bench, corporal r. Goodall, of homebush, n.s.w. and staff sergeant jack bendingield of wellington, n.s.w. making and repairing dental plates.

Around July 1943, after Wau we were sent out to the Mubo area, three or four days walk from Wau. The main memory I have is the difficulty walking up and down the mountains. One of the first Mountains was 3000 ft High. That is the equivalent of a staircase of 6,000 steps, each 6 inches high and a winding staircase at that. When you put your foot down, as soon as it hit the bottom of the mud it slipped back at least half a step before you could dig your heel enough to stop yourself sliding back. We carried a pack and keeping one's balance was difficult. There was no flat walking; it was either up, or down.

Reaching the Mubo area, we cleared some jungle and set up our tent. During the clearing one of the trees was cut down, as it started the fall, the top was held fast by vines. The base swung around and broke the axe man’s leg. That wasn’t the worst of it though; we treated patients within range of

Japanese Artillery”.

(Jack has also provided a more detailed written version which has been published on the RAADC Web site and can be accessed by copying this link to your web browser) :

I am sure most members of the Association would have enjoyed reading Jack’s abbreviated story above, however that story may have been lost, had it not been for the fact that Jack’s biography form indicated that there was a story to be told. To that end please be sure to send your biography form to us by email or post: Secretary RAADC Association, 10 Birdwood Dve, Samford Valley, Qld 4520

1943-07-14. Wau-mubo area PNG. A dental clinic post in a forward area. Capt. J. Gray, of Oatley, NSW gives treatment to PTE. G. Verity of Narrabeen, NSW. This dental post is within range of Japanese artillery. (negative by G. Short).

 ANZAC Day & 75th Anniversary 2018

Yes, ANZAC day 2018 seems a long way off, but worthy of note and a diary entry. 2018 will be the 75th anniversary of the formation of the Army Dental Corps. It is with this in mind that planning is underway for a re-union and march to celebrate this occasion. The re-union won’t necessarily be held in Brisbane although the committee is endeavouring to have the Association awarded a position of prominence, towards the front of the Parade in Brisbane. Expressions of Interest are being sought from Regional Reps and Members with ideas towards the re-union event.

 Christmas Social in Brisbane

A pre-Christmas get together for members of the Association is planned for Sat 12 Dec at 1900 and will be subsidised to the amount of $10 per financial member. The venue is the Yeronga Services Club which is conveniently located across the road from the Yeronga Railway Station, only 10 minutes or so by train from the city. If you wish to attend, please notify your intention by 25 November, to so that we can confirm numbers with the Club. There are a number of motels not too far away if you are travelling to Brisbane to attend. These include the Lancaster Court Motel and the Annerley Motor Inn, both of which I'm sure the Yeronga Services Club bus would pick up from and return to if you don't have a vehicle. Neither is flash but their prices reflect the basic accommodation.

 Soon to be released work: “ Fang Farriers”

LTCOL Sven Kuusk’s long time work – Fang Farriers Australian Army Dentistry in War and Peace, Vol 1: 1914-39 has been released to the printers and is expected to be available by the 20 Oct 15. As an incentive for members, the Committee has passed a resolution to provide a copy to each Association member who is financial at the time of this newsletter’ s release. For others interested in a copy, the expected cost will be approx $50 including postage. Orders can be made to Sven on email:

 Address and email

Please note in the interests of efficiency and saving on postage, all communication from the Association is by email. Please be sure to update your email address as well as phone and address when sending in your membership renewal each April. Under the rules of the new constitution, a member whose membership lapses for more than 1 year may be required to pay a joining fee.

 Committee Positions

The 2015 committee will stand down at the AGM in April 2016. Thus far our Treasurer Wendy Baxter has indicated she will not be re-standing for the role. Please be considering if you may be able to fill a committee role for the 2016 year. Wendy has offered full training and mentoring for the role of Treasurer. Thanks Wendy! The Committee has recently appointed Thomas Cavanagh to the role of Member Officer. Thank you and congratulations Tom.

 Vale

Warrant Officer Class 1 Frank Sachse OAM, 1927 – 2015. Frank served in the second World Warwith the occupation forces of Japan, he then enlisted and served in the Korean war. He was very active in his support of Korean veterans both Australian and South Korean and arranged many trips back to Korea over a number of years. In 1967 he enlisted for the Vietnam War where he served in 1968 until he was evacuated suffering from some locally contracted illness. In between wars Frank had worked as a dental technician and he owned and managed a very successful dental laboratory in Sydney. He was also a member the Citizens Military Forces RAADC based at Victoria Barracks Sydney and in charge of initiating Dental undergraduates into the military. His final contribution was his involvement with and supportive of school cadets which he really enjoyed. Frank was a gentleman who earned the highest respect from his soldiers, officers and friends. Along with Frank's many campaign medals in 1980 he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for community service.

COL (Ret’d) Viv Bird.

It is with deep sadness that the Association advises of the passing of the very much loved COL (Ret'd) Viv Bird on the 14 Apr 2015 at his home in Canberra after a long illness. Viv is best known for his role as the last Director Dental Services; a role he filled from Sep 1985 - Feb 1998 and steadfastly fought for the independence of our Corps. He was a staunch advocate, who was tireless behind the scenes fighting the battle to ensure our level of clinical services was maintained to a high standard and that Dental Officers and soldiers alike were not removed from their primary role. Viv joined the army as an undergraduate in his fourth year of dentistry with the rank of Lieutenant. On graduation in December 1966 he was promoted to Captain and posted to 16 Dental Unit Enoggera. In 1967 he was posted to and commanded detachment 16 Dental Unit Lavarack

Barracks Townsville and was the first dentist to occupy the new Dental Centre. In July 1970 he was posted to 33 Dental Unit South Vietnam and in December 1970 was promoted to Major. Viv is survived by his wife Denise, and their adult children: Paul, Megan and Stephen. Viv is shown here in Brisbane for the 2013 RAADC Re-union.

If you are aware of the passing of an ex Dental Corps Member please let us know. Obituaries are posted to our facebook page:

...Til next time,

Vicki Macpherson

Secretary

RAADC Association