Updating our web site

Our web site, www.riv.co.nz/RNZA is being progressively overhauled by our Webmaster, Cath Rivers. The latest changes include:

• improvements to the Books page, History index, Shrapnel page, another photo, and updated links page
• the 'Members' pages have been revised - note that a new Application form is available for downloading for all those Gunners who want to join us - go get 'em!

Thanks to Cath for her good work.

Deceased Vietnam Gunners

'Bravepages' lists men and women of all Corps who served in Vietnam and have died, either on Active Service or since returning home.

You can view the listings for Gunners by going to http://nzvietvet.bravepages.com/artillery.html.

In many cases, information is missing for each person. This is mainly:

• the age of the person at the time of their death
• the year of death
• the cause of death

You may have lost one of the people listed. If you are able to provide any of the missing data, please use the web page link to send an email to the website.

'We will remember them'.

Who manned the 16 Fd Regt RAP during the Korean War?

From Ken Treanor, Christchurch

I am researching the history of the RNZAMC and would like to have the names of the RNZAMC personnel who manned the 16 Fd Regt RAP during the Korean War. Can you help?

I have two definite names - Ian Kinnaird Sgt, and Harold Smith Cpl. Others could be John Neems, Tom Lester and Peter McDavitt. and an RMO Capt RA Wilson.

Any leads will be most welcome.

If you can help, contact Ken at kentreanor@snap.net.nz

Rotorua Tattoo, 24 Feb 08

Hi all

Had the pleasure of attending the Search Light Tattoo in Rotorua last night. Absolutely fantastic. Four hours of enjoyment. A more mature audience had a fantastic night. It was performed over two nights & there was a huge crowd on both nights.

As a past gunner with 4 Mdm Bty (the big bangers 5.5) I had the pleasure of participating in 10 of these through the eighties. After attending one in NZ as a spectator, I wonder why there aren't more.

The boys from 16 Field did the job on the overture. The Royal NZ Artillery band was world class. The NZ Army band (as always) stole the show.

Cheers from Boof Richardson

Rotorua

The future of artillery? The Archer SP gun

From Max Carpenter:

A truly impressive prototype SP gun from Sweden and Denmark.

To see the Archer SP gun in action, click
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leYCwU7B8jI&feature=related

To see and hear more, click
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CHfcOPGAt0&feature=related

To read about the background to the project, click http://www.fmv.se/WmTemplates/Page.aspx?id=1373

A letter from a kid from Eromanga to Mum and Dad*

* For those of you not in the know, Eromanga is a small town west of Quilpie, in the far south-west of Queensland

Dear Mum & Dad,

I am well. Hope youse are too. Tell me big brothers Doug and Phil that the Army is better than workin' on the farm - tell them to get in bloody quick smart before the jobs are all gone! I wuz a bit slow in settling down at first, because ya don't hafta get outta bed until 6am. But I like sleeping in now, cuz all ya gotta do before brekky is make ya bed and shine ya boots and clean ya uniform. No bloody cows to milk, no calves to feed, no feed to stack - nothin'!! Ya haz gotta shower though, but its not so bad, coz there's lotsa hot water and even a light to see what ya doing!

At brekky ya get cereal, fruit and eggs but there's no kangaroo steaks or possum stew like wot Mum makes. You don't get fed again until noon and by that time all the city boys are buggered because we've been on a 'route march' - geez its only just like walking to the windmill in the back paddock!!

This one will kill me brothers Doug and Phil with laughter. I keep getting medals for shootin' - dunno why. The bullseye is as big as a bloody possum's bum and it don't move and it's not firing back at ya like the Johnsons did when our big scrubber bull got into their prize cows before the Ekka last year! All ya gotta do is make y'self comfortable and hit the target - it's a piece of piss!! You don't even load your own cartridges, they comes in little boxes, and ya don't have to steady yourself against the rollbar of the 'roo shooting truck when you reload!

Sometimes ya gotta wrestle with the city boys and I gotta be real careful coz they break easy - it's not like fighting with Doug and Phil and Jack and Boori and Steve and Muzza all at once like we do at home after the muster. Turns out I'm not a bad boxer either and it looks like I'm the best the platoon's got, and I've only been beaten by this one bloke from the Engineers - he's 6 foot 5 and 15 stone and three pick handles across the shoulders and as ya know I'm only 5 foot 7 and eight stone wringin' wet, but I fought him till the other blokes carried me off to the boozer.

I can't complain about the Army - tell the boys to get in quick before word gets around how bloody good it is.

Your loving daughter,

Sheila

The wisdom of Solomon

• The only winner in the War of 1812 was Tchaikovsky.

• I'm all in favour of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let's start with typewriters. [Had he but known of email!]
  

Solomon Short

Secretary Vows to Reduce Wait Times

Don't get your hopes up!

[US] Department of Veterans' Affairs Secretary James Peake pledged to reduce the time it takes veterans to receive medical care and disability claims payments. At a recent hearing of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, the Secretary said he would work to reduce wait times for VA medical care from about 180 days to 145 days by 2009.
[Yeah, right.]

Life in a parallel universe!

Try not to let your mind wander

It's too small to go off by itself

Vietnam Gunners - value?

The book is worth $60-80 depending on condition and first edition (hard cover) - other reprints have a soft cover. It is a good collector's piece. Denis

Tribute 08: Incoming from 103 Bty, RAA

Stephen Randall and his wife, Elwyn, will be joining us in Wellington from Melbourne for Tribute 08. He emailed on 19 Feb:

"As we discussed during our phone conversation today, this is just to get me onto your database. I was with 103 Field Battery RAA, based at Nui Dat from mid 66 to mid 67. We have already booked into the James Cook through Sheridan Bruce. We look forward to hearing from you and also to meeting you on the long weekend."

I have asked Stephen for some background, to help them feel at home.

Book - 'Vietnam Gunners'

Vietnam Gunners, a well-written history of 161 Bty in Vietnam, is being offered for auction on TradeMe.co.nz. Opening bid is $100, seems high to me but what would I know? Mike

More well said . . .

"Well said" has made a very relevant comment. A few years back a friend of mine had his bowel removed due to attributable cancer and was advised by Veterans Affairs that a decision on his pension could not be made because the Director was in France. Yes, Gunn had gone to France with a myriad of other dignitaries to bring the Unknown Warrior home. This situation is loosely termed a junket. - Graeme Black

'CJ' and Ivan John surface in WA

A note from Clayton 'CJ' John today. CJ served '75 -'86, his father Ivan John 1941- '74. "We both live in Western Australia - I am in Port Hedland way up north, and my father is in Perth."

Well said!

I served in K Force, 16 Field Regt. What angers me very much about Vets Affairs is the inordinate time it takes to get a decision. I complained and got a letter from Jessie Gunn who says that's owing to the number of applicants and the fact that she has to "Personally review every decision"" What a load of crap. Everyone knows that she spends a lot of time overseas and that her desk is a swamp. She has a total disability to delegate. She is the problem, and must be set to one side or otherwise dealt to.

I am not greatly concerned as my health seems to be holding up. I am 81 but when I go to Kings Empire Vets and see all those old chaps who fought during the war and have but a limited time to go I get very angry. Delays of 6 to 12 months are just not good enough for these guys.

I have also been told, but have no evidence, that War Vets will only pay a set fee for specialists, which is below market rates, hence waiting up to 6 months for an appointment.