Cairns Sub Branch 115 Esplanade Cairns • PO Box 55 CAIRNS Qld.4870 PH: 07 4051 5804 • Fax: 07 4031 6631 Email Address: [email protected] SIT REP OCTOBER 2007 THE RETURNED AND SERVICES LEAGUE OF AUSTRALIA OFFICE BEARERS PRESIDENT Peter Turner (Army) RSL Care, Welfare Pensions Officer Membership Officer Building Sub-Committee. SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENT Stan Carswell. (Army) FND Rep.,Requiems,Cadet Liaison VICE PRESIDENT Buster Todd. (RAAF) Girl in a Million Liaison, Raffles. TREASURER Donald Cunningham. (Army) SECRETARY Carmel Martin. Chris Jensen (RAN) Building SubCommittee Legacy Liaison. Stuart Lovell (Army), Building SubCommittee, Alan Pickering (ARMY), Building Sub-Committee Bill Taylor, Pensions Officer Tony McCormack (Army) Senior Welfare Pensions Officer Building Sub-Committee Myles Thompson RFD. LLB. (RAAF) RSL President, Building Sub-Committee, Legal Advice SUB-BRANCH OFFICE Lorraine Soper Welfare Support TRUSTEES George Mansford AM., Peter Sibree AM MG, Mervyn Haines, Ian Lindsay WELFARE/PENSION OFFICERS Pensions – Tony McCormack, Peter Turner, Ian Richards, Bill Taylor (Army) & Chris Read COMMITTEE Merv Haines (Army) Building SubCommittee, Finance. RIFLEMAN’S LUNCH CO-ORDINATOR Roy Mawer Roy Hartman OAM. (RAAF), Memorabilia Curator, Ceremonial Co-ordination. SIT-REP EDITOR Douglas Lee ACS 3 SIT REP OCTOBER 2007 Presidents ‘O’ Group Dear Members, In view of the upcoming Federal election, at the time of writing this report, I have had meetings with two of the candidates from the three major parties standing for the seat of Leichhardt and given them a brief on the RSL and veteran’s issues. I have an appointment with the third candidate. Most were not aware of the role and structure of the RSL and how we actually help veterans. They were made fully aware of our welfare and pension work and commemorative obligations and our youth projects, ie in Cairns our support of the Cadets with our Kokoda Project, our sponsorship of St Monica’s College to travel to Gallipoli and the Western Front and our assistance to the local Cadet units. INDEX 4 President’s ‘O’ Group 4 From the Editor 5 New’s Briefs 6 Interview – Guy Fawcett 8 Z Force – Z Special Unit 12 Senior Dating 16 Cairns Sub-Branch History 18 Winning Neologisms 20 Men’s Health 22 Our Vision 25 History of the Middle Finger 26 World’s Easiest Quiz 27 They were not aware of the RSL Aged Care Assistance through RSL Care, with the provision of home care, low and high care and dementia care at Farnorha and the extra 60 beds that are currently being provided there. I also made them aware that if the RSL presents them with a veteran matter, it has been through a process of investigation and validation so that the case we are presenting is justified and well founded. I also presented them with a submission that has been prepared by Queensland State Branch on the 2008/2009 Veteran’s Affairs Budget. This covers submissions on rehabilitation, sons and daughters study, erosion of special rate pension, funeral allowances and the DFRDB Superannuation issues. It is important that all parties and candidates are made aware of veteran’s issues leading up to the election and we establish a firm ground to work with any local member to assist that aim. We also have to be aware that we do not develop a “them and us” attitude and we have a good working relationship with positive outcomes for the service and ex-service community. Till next time Take care P J Turner If you can read this THANK A TEACHER If it is in English THANK A SOLDIER And that brings us to REMEMBRANCE DAY Yes we have Anzac Day and we have Vietnam Vets (Long Tan) Day and many other meaningless public holidays. OK, they are specific. Where would we be if we had one for every war, police action insurgence, military action or invasion of another Country. Would we want to remember the Boer War for a start and all the other “angry events” like Korea, Borneo, Malaysia, not to mention Israel, Iraq, Iran and the many other military actions be they Army, Navy or Air force. Without declaring a full on alert like Iraq we have over three thousand military representations in thirteen other world sites at any given time. The occasional loss of life quite often doesn’t get any media recognition. But we do lose some. Remembrance Day is the day Australians remember those who have died in war. At 11am on 11 November we pause to remember the sacrifice of those men and women who have died or suffered in wars and conflicts and all those who have served during the past 120 years. Originally called Armistice Day, this day commemorated the end of the hostilities for the Great War, the signing of the armistice, which occurred on 11 November 1918 - the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Armistice Day was observed by the Allies as a way of remembering those who died, especially soldiers with ‘no known grave’. SIT REP OCTOBER 20077 From the Editor On the first anniversary of the armistice, in 1919 two minutes silence was instituted as part of the main commemorative ceremony. In London, in 1920, the commemoration was given added significance with the return of the remains of an unknown soldier from the battlefields of the Western Front. The Flanders poppy became accepted throughout the allied nations as the flower of remembrance to be worn on Armistice Day. The red poppies were among the first plants that sprouted from the devastation of the battlefields of northern France and Belgium. Editor Douglas Lee ACS In 1918 the armistice that ended World War I came into force, bringing to an end four years of hostilities that saw sixty one thousand, nine hundred and nineteen Australians die either at sea, in the air or on foreign soil. Few Australian families were left untouched by the events of World War I – known as the war to end all wars’ most had lost a father, son, daughter, brother, sister or friend. 5 SIT REP OCTOBER 2007 News Briefs WW I MISSING 51BN SOLDIERS FOUND The remains of two missing WW1 soldiers have been identified following extensive research and collaboration between the Belgium and Australian authorities. The investigation started last year when five sets of remains believed to be Australian missing war dead were discovered near the small Belgian town of Westhoek. A contingent of present day soldiers of the 51st Bn The Far North Queensland Regiment (51FNQR) led by Commanding Officer, LTCOL Paddy Evans, will leave Cairns for Ieper in Belgium on 30 September to re-interr the remains in the Buttes Military Cemetery in Belgium on 4 October 2007 DNA testing and identification of colour patches have now conclusively identified two of the remains as members of the 51st Bn AIF who fought many bloody battles on the Western Front in 1917-18. Both soldiers lost their lives in the Battle of Polygon Wood on 26 September 1917. Polygon Wood is a Battle Honour of the 51st Bn, appearing on the Regimental Colour along with South Africa 1899-1902, Pozieres, Bullecourt, Messines 1917, Passchendaele, Ancre 1918, Villers Bretonneux, Amiens, Hindenburg Line and France-Flanders 1916-1918. In August the Minister for Veteran’s Affairs Mr Bruce Billson had morning tea with the ex-service community at the Cairns RSL. Approximately 50 attended and were addressed by the Minister who took many questions on veteran’s issues. VISIT BY MINISTER FOR VETERAN’S AFFAIRS SUB BRANCH RAFFLE The raffle in the last issue of Sitrep proved to be a success with the winner being an elderly gentleman, 87 years of age who has put his $500 towards his grand-daughters wedding. Second place of $250 was won by an elderly gentleman who considered his windfall a bonus and promptly donated it back to our Distressed Digger’s Fund. A fantastic gesture on his part! I thank everyone who participated in the raffle. All monies raised go to our welfare and youth assistance projects. VIETNAM VETERAN’S DAY The remains were not uncovered during the past war battlefield clearance operations which relocated remains to permanent war cemeteries throughout France and Belgium. 6 Vietnam Veterans Day was a success except for the weather and the ceremony had to be held in the Kokoda Room. It was a good turn out, boosted by members of A Company, 7 RAR, South Vietnam 1970-71 who were in Cairns to spend some time with their ex- Company Commander, Major Chris Campbell-Thomson who gave the address during the service. 85 TPT TP REUNION Queensland RSL State Branch web site is being revised and will be up shortly in a new format. Cairns RSL Club and Sub Branch web site is still under construction and progressing well. 85 TPT TP Moorebank is closing and relocating to Amberley. A reunion has been organized for 19/21 October 2007. Anyone interested in attending should contract Lucas Hargreaves on 0428 115876. DAY CLUB Our feasibility study into the Day Club has been well received and we should be able to have a meeting shortly to advise interested members of our progress and to obtain feedback as to what people require to make the Day Club a success. At this time we have three volunteers interested in running and co-ordinating the Club, they will receive training from DVA as welfare officers. When we know what members require as part the day club, funding grants will be submitted to Department of Veteran’s Affairs ie bus trips equipment etc. SIT REP OCTOBER 2007 RSL WEBSITE Z FORCE MEMORIAL REDEDICATION A rededication ceremony of the Z Force Memorial which was moved from HMAS Cairns to adjacent to the Cenotaph is planned for 6pm 26 October 2007. Preparations are underway and its expected to have a high profile member of ADF present. The ceremony will be followed at 7pm by the Annual Rifleman’s Dinner. This is the major fund raiser for the year and we hope to have some pleasant surprises to announce shortly. The Rifleman’s Lunch Last Friday of every month 12.30-1PM till xxxx $30 Includes cludes lunch & drinks ($5.00 goes to a worthy cause) For like minded people (bring a friendd or two who enjoy convivial company). To help us with feed and water please call Roy (Shorty) Mawer on 0414 405 141. 7 SIT REP OCTOBER 2007 Please to remember the 5th of November It was on this date late in the year at Oakey on the Darling Downs in the year 1911 that a young lady with a sense of humour gave birth to her son and named him Guy. His surname was not Fawkes but closely spelt as Fawcett. 95 years later, that same Guy is now an upstanding example of the soldier of that era, ramrod straight he still will hold his own verbally with all who may have the opportunity of dining and talking with him. Several months ago at the end of month Riflemans Lunch at which we were entertaining our own local Battalion, the 51st., we were treated to a few words from this retired Lt Colonel. At 95 years of age, to be suddenly and without warning be called upon to say a few words was an example to all of us as he told us of the fact that he was one of the first to start the 1st Battalion in the RAR, late forties. Well we were sent to Syria and told to wear our slouch hats so we could be recognised from all the others. There were Spaniards and Italians and some from the French Foreign Legion all mixed up and not knowing who was fighting who. 8 Q: When did you first join the Army Guy. At the age of sixteen I became a Senior Cadet but I was only Six before I saw rain. I joined the Cadets in Sydney and when we turned eighteen we joined the Battalion. That’s how the system worked in those days. It was the thirty fourth battalion, the Illawarra Regiment. Q: So were you wearing a uniform from the age of sixteen ? Yes. Q: Continually ? Yes. Once compulsory training cut out, I simply transferred to the Militia. I kept going you see. Q: So prior to World War Two you spent your time in the Militia then ? Yes, but before WW2 in ’36 they decided to call for volunteers to do a special training course and at the end of six months we graduated and became Warrant Officers At this time I had a job for life in the Railways, but there was a strike so I applied for the course and was selected. It was held at Randwick and was called the small arms school. We were actually trained as instructors including map reading and land mine detection. This was really one SIT REP OCTOBER 2007 of the greatest times in my life. In retrospect, twenty years later I was appointed chief instructor of the school of infantry which was originally the small arms school. So I went from a cadet there to commanding the unit, you know what I mean? I felt very proud of it. Q: And that was in 1936? Yes, I graduated in the top four and was promptly posted to Melbourne, much to my horror. You see I had a girlfriend there and I wanted to stay there and when I told her she said you can’t do that and I said you tell the Army that. So that was the way we got engaged. So I went to Melbourne and found myself as the RSM at Footscray with the Second Battalion. That was from’36 to ’38 when they called for instructors to train an elite force of 245 applicants known as a mobile force selected from over 4000 from all over Australia. I was selected to be their instructor so I went back to Sydney and we trained at Liverpool. Then in ’39 I went to Darwin and became RSM of the Darwin Mobile Force which I had trained at Liverpool, I then went down to Woodside and was commissioned there to Lieutenant in the second twenty seventh and then we sailed for the Middle East and Palestine in the mid ‘40’s. I became the commander of a carrier platoon, BrenGun Carriers. Guy then went on to describe the various places he went to including Africa where he just got out in time. They got chewed up by Rommel, poor bastards. Q: And then ? Well we were sent to Syria and told to wear our slouch hats so we could be recognised from all the others. There were Spaniards and Italians and some from the French Foreign Legion all mixed up and not knowing who was fighting who which is why we wore our slouch hats. And then I got Malaria. Q: What In Palestine or Syria You get it from mosquito’s so I finished up back in Palestine, Gaza Ridge where the fighting was heavy as sick as a bloody dog. I met some interesting people like the Governor of NSW, Sir Roden Cutler. When I came out of hospital I was like a bloody skeleton I might tell you, and I was about to return to the unit when I was pulled out as the powers that be had decided to form a new unique training centre called the AIF Middle East sympathy shield. Of course I was a sitting duck with my background. This was just outside Gaza. And I was still there when the Japs came into the war. We were all back to effective strength and they didn’t know what to do with us when we got back here in Queensland so they formed the 1st Australian Army training center I think. General Lavarack was the Army Commander whom I had met before and I had to put through a Battalion at the time and teach them all about getting up close to the enemy and all about straffing and bombing the enemy etc., and I also had a setup at Mount Tambourine which was for jungle training. Anyway I tried to get back to a fighting unit up north but was told that I was more use 9 SIT REP OCTOBER 2007 here training than anything else. They said the unit of eight hundred went in and only eighty six came out. So I said “Thank You Lord”. I never again tried to get forth my career. woken up at one o’clock with all these tracers as the Japs were attacking so we killed the Japs and put on a couple of more sentries and bedded down again at dawn. So you didn’t actually go to Kokoda then. He then went on to describe another adventure which he tells me is in the Australian Army History Books and described as Guy’s Post. He says this was about 1943. No the whole Brigade went. When I got back here I was a Company Commander and we were did our training here at Clifton Beach with the Yanks and then up on the Tablelands To be continued. Q: Did you eventually get to New Guinea. Yes I was on a march for several miles through kuni grass and we were told to cut off the Japs two miles away. You couldn’t get a Jeep through with all the creeks and hills so we got there and cleaned them up and we got to a very steep range which became Shaggy Ridge. There was a plateau at the top and as we got close there was a Jap up there so I shot him ‘cause I was a marksman you see. So I said to double the sentries and I was INTERESTING STATISTIC… Regardless of where you stand on the issue of the US involvement in Iraq, here’s a sobering statistic: There has been a monthly average of 160,000 troops in the Iraq theatre of operations during the last 22 months, and a total of 2,112 deaths. That gives a firearm death rate of 60 per 100,000 soldiers. Shaggy Ridge The firearm death rate in Washington D.C. is 80.6 per 100,000 persons for the same period. That means that you are about 25% more likely to be shot and killed in the U.S. capital than you are in Iraq. Conclusion: The U.S. should pullout of Washington Open Mon - Fri 8.30am - 5.30pm and Sat 8.30am - 4pm PH: 4041 0599 Jim Guest. Shop 1/46 Spence St (next to Shennanigans) 10 Membership Card Each day you enter the Club simply swipe your card at the kiosk in the Foyer for a chance to win a prize (ie, a cool Ale, cup of Coffee or Bonus Points). One in every 150 members who register at the kiosk will receive a “Dinner for two” voucher. Each time you make a purchase from the Bar, Bottleshop or Bistro you can generate points simply by handing your card to the Staff Member. Points can also be generated by placing your card in the Card Reader in the Gaming Machines. Please note it is the members responsibility to ensure the card is used. Points cannot be generated once a sale has been executed or play begins on the gaming machines. Monday Happy Hour 5.30-6.30pm Thursday Thirsty Thursday – 5 pots-$9.00 or 4 schooners $10.00 (available all day both bars) Seniors Lunch Special – $7.50 (Club members only show Membership card and collect voucher from Administration.) Friday Pokie Promotion from 1.00pm. 3 x Membership Draws (7.00, 8.00 & 9.00pm) Membership draw commences at $500 and if not won increases by $100 each week up to a limit of $2,500. Member must be present for draw and produce current membership card and identification. 2 x Meat trays to be won (Tickets generated from purchases made after 3.00pm. Tuesday Cards in Bistro (500) 10.00am. Free Morning Tea and $7.50 lunch for card players. NEW PLAYERS WELCOME Wednesday Happy Hour 5.30-6.30pm $50.00 Note – drawn 7 and 7.30pm. (tickets generated from purchases made after 3 pm). Member must be present for draw and produce current membership card and identification. Saturday Happy Hour 12.30 to 1.30pm Sunday $100.00 Note draw between 2.30 – 3.00pm. Tickets generated from purchases made from 10.00am. Member must be present for draw and produce current membership card and identification. (conditions apply to all giveaways) SIT REP OCTOBER 2007 Z Force – Z Special Unit Z Force was the unofficial and popular* media name for Z Special Unit. It was one of Australia’s independent forces that operated behind enemy lines in the south west pacific during the second world war. It was the elite forerunner to the Australian S.A.S. Although it consisted of mainly Australian and British personnel, it also contained operatives from the various allied forces including China and resistance fighters from the Japanese conquered South Asian region. Many of its missions remain secret to this day, it was the world of cyanide capsules (lolly), clandestine operations at the risk of being beheaded, for example, a single operative parachuting into the jungle in the dead of night, contacting headhunter tribes and training them to fight with their primitive weapons, recovering the weapons of the fallen enemy and carrying on harassing them. They were delivered on missions by the U.S sub force, seaplanes, parachute, PT boats etc. In March 1942, General Douglas MacArthur approved the establishment of an offshoot of the British Special Operation Executive (SOE) in Australia. This idea had been proposed by General Blamey. In London the new organisation was known as Special Operation Australia (SOA) but it was given a It was considered too difficult to sneak into Singapore Harbour from the west, hence SOE decided to send Lyon to Australia to develop a plan to come from the south east. 12 cover name in Australia, where it was known as Inter Allied Services Department (IASD). This acronym was usually shortened to ISD. Some SOE British Officers who had escaped to Australia from Singapore, formed the nucleus of ISD at its headquarters in Melbourne. In June 1942, the Australian service personnel in ISD were administered by a holding company known as “Z” Special Unit. “Z” Special Unit used mostly American equipment rather than British. The unit was sometimes incorrectly referred to as “Z” Force. “Z” Special Unit Commandos were trained at: • Fraser Commando School (FCS) located on Fraser Island off the Queensland coast near Maryborough • Cairns (Z-ES) (The “House on the Hill”) • Richmond (PTU) - parachute training unit • Camp Z, located at Cowan Creek, Refuge Bay (Broken Bay), north of Sydney • Camp Tabragalba (Camp “X”) near Beaudesert • Careening Bay (CBC) near Garden Island in Western Australia. Also called the Special Boat School. • Mount Martha Research Station ( MMRS) • Underground Methods School (UMS) where was this located? Perhaps north Queensland? • Peak Hill - preliminary training for Timorese • Leyburn, Queensland (PTU) - parachute training unit transferred from Richmond in May 1945 The Krait, named after an Asian (small but deadly) snake was a captured Japanese fishing boat that was sailed from Australia through thousands of miles of hostile waters for a commando limpet mine raid on enemy ships in Singapore Harbor (Operation Jaywick). In 1943 some ambitious officers of the Allied Intelligence Bureau (AIB) wanted to strike the Japanese in their secure strongholds. 28 year old Captain Ivan Lyon of the Gordon Highlanders teamed up with 61 year old Australian Bill Reynolds and hatched a plan to attack the Japanese in Singapore Harbour where they would launch collapsible canoes carrying commandos who would attach limpet mines to the Japanese shipping. The plan was approved by General Wavell. It was considered too difficult to sneak into Singapore Harbour from the west, hence SOE decided to send Lyon to Australia to develop a plan to come from the south east. test the effectiveness of the plan by raiding a tightly guarded allied port. He mentioned the ideas to Lieutenant Sam Carey, of the AIF, who chose Townsville for the attack. It was Mott’s idea to test the effectiveness of well-trained commandos by mounting an attack, using sterile limpet mines, on some tightly guarded Allied port. He was careful to commit nothing to paper, but he mentioned his idea to Sam Carey. Carey chose Townsville, a major garrison town with a busy harbour full of troop transports, merchantmen and naval escort vessels. The place was vulnerable to Japanese air and submarine attack, so security was tight. The narrow entrance and approaches were mined and a mine controlpoint was located at the extreme end of a long breakwater. If the observers stationed there saw Carey’s canoes they would assume them to be enemy intruders and electrically detonate the mines. SIT REP OCTOBER 2007 • School for Eastern Interpreters - Initially at Fraser Commando School, then Mount Martha, then Park Orchards, Melbourne In five canoes, each crewed by two men, the Scorpion raiders left their base on Magnetic Island and paddled slowly into the target harbour at midnight on June 20, 1943. Carey and Mackenzie attached limpets to two American Liberty ships and a Dutch ship while Cardew and Barnes fixed their mines to two destroyers and another ship. Gluth and Page Bill Reynolds owned a battered Japanese coastal vessel (21.3m x 3.3m) called the Kofuku Maru, in which he used to take scores of refugees out of Singapore. Reynolds later renamed the vessel the Krait. Lyon’s idea was eventually taken up and it was decided by Lieutenant Colonel G.S. Mott, Chief of the Services Reconnaissance Department, to 13 SIT REP OCTOBER 2007 went for a ship named Akaba but as it had a barge moored alongside they were forced to fix their mines above the waterline. Downey and Grimson limpeted two ships and were in the process of treating a third when a sailor, smoking as he leaned over the side, asked, mildly, “What are you doing there?” ‘’Just paddling around,” Grimson said casually. The sailor casually flicked his cigarette butt into the water. “Good night, mate,” he said and disappeared. Their limpeting complete, Carey’s men met at Ross Creek, dismantled and hid their boats, had breakfast and headed for Townsville to sleep. The first alarm came at 10 am, when the skipper of the Akaba reported “something strange” under the ship. Other ships notified local HQ of “suspicious objects,” which were soon identified as limpet mines. Top-secret priority messages were flashed to Canberra and Melbourne, including one to Colonel 14 Mott’s office. Mott was diplomatically unavailable. MacArthur’s Intelligence Chief, Colonel Alison Ind, knew where the blame lay: “Find Lieutenant Sam Carey,” he said. Awakened from sleep at 3pm, Carey was placed under arrest and escorted before senior naval officers. The AIF officer explained his mission but even when he produced General Blarney’s “letter of authority” the Navy was not mollified. Carey offered to remove the mines but the angry captains of the ships affected would not contemplate the idea. They did not believe that these mines were inert and feared that Carey might accidentally set them off. GHQ commented that the Carey exercise had been irregular but the senior planning officers were by then convinced that a raid against genuine enemy targets was worth attempting. Ivan Lyon and his team had been in training for some time and made use of all the lessons learned from Carey’s ‘’destruction of Townsville harbour.” SIT REP OCTOBER 2007 Fairview House – “The House on the Hill” was used between 1942 and 1944 by Z Special Unit as their Z Experimental Station or Z.E.S. Z Special unit used “The House on the Hill” to plan Operation Jaywick, the successful mission to blow up Japanese shipping in Singapore Harbour. The fourteen British and Australian Commandos trained in the Barron River and on the beaches north of Cairns on The Krait, an old Japanese fishing vessel in which they left Cairns on 9 August 1943 and traveled the 3,840 kms to Singapore. 15 SIT REP OCTOBER 2007 Senior Dating Dorothy and Edna, two “senior” widows, are talking. Dorothy: “That nice George Johnson asked me out for a date. I know you went out with him last week, and I wanted to talk with you about him before I give him my answer.” Edna: “Well, I’ll tell you. He shows up at my apartment punctually at 7 P.M., dressed like such a gentleman in a fine suit, and he brings me such beautiful flowers! Then he takes me downstairs, and what’s there but a Iuxury car..... a limousine, uniformed chauffeur and all. 16 Then he takes me out for dinner.... a marvellous dinner.... lobster, champagne, dessert, and after-dinner drinks. Then we go see a show. Let me tell you, Dorothy, I enjoyed it so much I could have just died from pleasure! So then we are coming back to my apartment and he turns into an ANIMAL. Completely crazy, he tears off my expensive new dress and has his way with me two times!” Dorothy: “Goodness gracious!... so you are telling me I shouldn’t go out with him?” Edna: “No, no, no.... I’m just saying, wear an old dress.” SIT REP OCTOBER 2007 Cairns Sub-Branch History Due to the fire which destroyed the RSL building on 4 July 1963 all our records along with our Charter of Membership which established our Sub-Branch were destroyed. In the course of researching our formation date, many articles of historical interest have come to light and we intend to reproduce them in Sit-Rep. The following article was in the Cairns Post 25 May 1918 before the Armistice and refers to 1918 Annual General Meeting of the Sub-Branch. As you can see the Secretary’s Report refers to activities for the previous year leading to the assumption that our Sub-Branch was established by Charter during 1917. On 4th July 1963, the buildings were destroyed by fire. The Rest Home section was completely destroyed together with the First Floor section of the front building. The bar and lounge section of the ground floor were not destroyed but only smoked damaged. The greatest losses were however, the many irreplaceable historical articles and photos, particularly the Roll of Honour, and all the Legacy, historical and office records. Nevertheless, it is recorded that the SecretaryManager was able to entertain behind the remaining bar those people who had done so much in coping with the fire and the beer was still quite cold! (All was not lost). 18 19 SIT REP OCTOBER 2007 SIT REP OCTOBER 2007 Winning Neologisms Once again, The Washington Post has published the winning submissions to its yearly neologism contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words. The winners are: 1. Coffee (n.), the person upon whom one coughs. 10. Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline. 2. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained. 11. Testicle (n.), a humorous question on an exam. 3. Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach. 12. Rectitude (n.), the formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists. 4. Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk. 13. Pokemon (n), a Rastafarian proctologist. 5. Willy-nilly (adj.), impotent. 6. Negligent (adj.), describes a condition in which you absentmindedly answer the door in your nightgown. 7. Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp. 8. Gargoyle (n.), olive flavored mouthwash. 9. Flatulence (n.) emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller 20 14. Oyster (n.), a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms. 15. Frisbeetarianism (n.), (back by popular demand): The belief that, when you die, your Soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there. 16. Circumvent (n.), an opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men. SIT REP OCTOBER 2007 The Washington Post’s Style Invitational also asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. Here are this year’s winners: 1. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future. 2. Foreplay (v): Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid. 3. Castration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period. 4. Giraffiti (n): Vandalism spray-painted very, very high. 5. Sarchasm (n): The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn’t get it. 6. Inoculatte (v): To take coffee intravenously when you are running late. 7. Hipatitis (n): Terminal coolness. 8. Osteopornosis (n): A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.) 9. Karmageddon (n): its like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it’s like, a serious bummer. 10. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you. 11. Glibido (v): All talk and no action. 12. Dopeler effect (n): The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly. 13. Arachnoleptic fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you’ve accidentally walked through a spider web. 14. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out. 15. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a grub in the fruit you’re eating. And the pick of the literature: 16. Ignoranus (n): A person who’s both stupid and an asshole. 21 SIT REP OCTOBER 2007 Men’s Health Secrets of Sexual Relationships, Prostates and a Long Life Credits – “Men’s Health Peer Education” Vol 6, Issue 2 Dr Graeme Killer AD, Principal Medical Adviser Lovers in the western world are greying and Australia is no exception. While I have not had time or inclination to verify this, it has been said that publishers are seizing the opportunity with a current boom in the production of how to, when to, sex manuals for mid-lifers, semiseniors and seniors. With all this authoritative advice from university professors down to Ukrainian goat herders, we should know a lot more or maybe it’s not that simple? Sex is multidimensional, it’s physical and mental and shaped by cultural values and expectations. It means different things to Half of Australian men may experience problems with their prostate at some time. 22 different people depending on circumstances. It is the subject of humour and yet it is something we often don’t want to talk about with our doctor or even with our partner. Yet it is important in everyday human relationships. A number of years ago, when DVA first put out a booklet and a video entitled ‘You and Your Prostate’, we interviewed numbers of veterans who had developed impotence as a result of prostate surgery. Frank discussions with these veterans and their wives provided rather wonderful insights into sexual relationships that clearly demonstrated there are far more meaningful aspects of sexual relationships in terms of intimacy, support, companionship, physical contact and even a level of spirituality, that goes well beyond the physical act of intercourse. The truth is as our body ages our sexual relationship changes also. For women the development of menopause impacts both physically and mentally. For men as they age they have more trouble reaching and holding an erection and this can be related to the development of conditions like diabetes, mild depression or even the side effects of medication for elevated blood pressure. Of course, as men age prostate problems including prostate cancer can become a concern. Quite apart from the effects of ageing, concern about sexual performance, feelings of guilt, the effects of past sexual trauma and the stresses of everyday life The secrets of long life, apart from choosing the right parents are clearly around good health both physical and mental. Good and meaningful sexual relationships are important at all ages and are a key component of good health. However, one thing is for certain we should never take relationships for granted. We need to keep working on them. Good health is meaningless until we lose it and even with the help of our doctors and nurses, it is still substantially in our own hands. “GOOD MEANINGFUL SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT AT ALL AGES AND ARE A KEY COMPONENT OF GOOD HEALTH” Cassy Bezeruk, Public Relations Coordinator, Andrology Australia Many men cringe at the thought of something being wrong ‘down there’ … minds automatically jump to the thought of uncomfortable diagnostic tests! It is well known that no matter how gracefully we age, we do become more at risk for certain health issues such as heart disease, blood pressure, cholesterol, osteoporosis and hip fractures. For men, sexual health, including health of the prostate, is something to think about. Prostate disease, testosterone deficiency and erectile dysfunction (impotence) are three sexual and reproductive health problems that affect men, and sadly become more common as we get older. Often men will ignore symptoms and delay seeing a doctor, even if their symptoms are having a major impact on their life. Many men find it difficult to see their doctor about problems connected with their reproductive organs. SIT REP OCTOBER 2007 like dealing with a mortgage can affect our relationships and sexual function. If we are not vigilant alas the monogamy that lies at the heart of many long-term relationships begins to be equated with monotony. The other important part of sexual relationships is our mental health. Mental health is how we think, feel and act as we cope with life. It also helps to determine how we handle stress, make choices, relate to others but particularly to our partners and our immediate family. One response to dealing with mental health problems can be the use of alcohol. It can help in small amounts but in large amounts in the longer term can lead to liver damage, increase in weight and general deterioration of physical and mental health. In the family situation alcohol problems can lead to family discord and domestic violence. Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Half of Australian men may experience problems with their prostate at some time, with prostate enlargement, prostatitis (inflammation and swelling) and prostate cancer the three main types of prostate disease. The most commonly experienced prostate disease is prostate enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia), which is noncancerous. Prostate disease affects about one in seven men aged over the age of 40. It is usually not life-threatening, but the symptoms can have a significant impact on quality of life. The most common symptom of prostate enlargement is lower urinary tract problems. As you can imagine, difficulty in urinating, sudden urgency, dribbling and increased frequency can severely affect your day to day living. You may have noticed as you are standing at the urinal in the men’s toilet that the guy next to you seems to have quite a bit of trouble getting started. You might wonder why he was there when you came in, and still hasn’t left. Some men may suffer sleep deprivation and be constantly fatigued due to getting up several times every night to go to the toilet. Research suggest that men with lower urinary tract symptoms have little or no increased risk of prostate cancer and that these problems cannot ‘turn into’ prostate cancer. Often these 23 SIT REP OCTOBER 2007 symptoms are simply a ‘pain in the neck’. This doesn’t mean you should ignore these things or suffer in silence. Talk to your doctor and have everything checked out. If you are experiencing symptoms, don’t worry, help is at hand. Think about how your symptoms are affecting your life, as well as those around you. If you are waking three times a night to go to the toilet, chances are your partner’s sleep is being disturbed too. Have a chat with your partner – communication is important and will help you deal thing things. Is your social life restricted due to your need to stay close to toilets? Is your sex life being affected by your symptoms? Erectile Dysfunction Erectile dysfunction, or as it is commonly known, impotence, affects about one in five Australian men over the age of 40 and increases in frequency with each decade of age. But don’t get down – help is on the way, there are treatments available to assist you to have erections. Safe and effective drug treatments taken prior to intercourse can improve your ability to have an erection. Injections into the penis are also available for those for whom these drug therapies are not suitable. Erectile dysfunction may be a sing of another serious but possibly undiagnosed medical problem, such as diabetes and heart disease, so it is important to talk with your doctor when you first notice symptoms. Psychological factors such as stress and anxiety can also cause erection problems and talking to a doctor is important if the problem is affecting quality of life and relationships. Testosterone Deficiency Obesity and depression can lower your testosterone (male hormone) level. In these cases, the low testosterone level is a ‘symptom’ of the health problem and not the cause. Decreased energy, mood swings, 24 irritability, poor concentration, reduced muscle strength or bone density, and a lack of interest in sex are signs of low levels of testosterone and these symptoms can impact your quality of life. Your doctor can check your levels of testosterone with a general health check and a series of blood tests. If testosterone deficiency is your problem and no other health indicators have been identified, there are effective testosterone replacement treatments available. Testosterone therapy is available in various forms including injections, implants, gels and patches. If you are experiencing any symptoms, it is important to talk to your doctor. Quick intervention can often help avoid serious long-term consequences, and importantly reduce the effects this is having on your quality of life. Don’t be afraid to have a chat to your doctor about what is going on ‘down there’ – you do not have to suffer these symptoms in silence. HAVING NO SYMPTOMS DOESN’T NECESSARILY MEAN NOTHING IS HAPPENING IN THE NETHER REGION! REGULARLY CONSULTING A DOCTOR COULD ULTIMATELY SAVE YOUR LIFE. I’m sure “the voice” would smile at this. Luciano Pavarotti duly knocked on the Pearly Gates….. St Peter opens them and says, “Oh, it’s you Luciano, salutations, come on in - squeeze through.” Pavarotti boomed, “Hold on, I am carrying an envelope from the Vatican City for you, from Il Pap, The Pope.” St Peter opens the envelope and reads it “HERE’S THAT TENOR I OWE YOU” The Rocky Creek War Memorial Park Committee have completed building the Memorial Wall for the placement of individual plaques in memory of Service Men and Women of the 6th, 7th and 9th Division who trained on the Atherton Tablelands during World War II. The Commi1tee will be extending this wall in order for the placement of plaques for all who participated in the Pacific Theatre of War. SIT REP OCTOBER 2007 Our Vision (World War II only) A donation to this worthwhile project would be greatly appreciated. Please contact Atherton Shire Council on (07) 4091 0746 or [email protected] PO Box 573 ATHERTON QLD 4883 25 SIT REP OCTOBER 2007 History of the middle finger Well here’s something I didn’t know, and now that I know I feel compelled to send it on to my more intelligent friends in the hope that they, too, will feel edified. Isn’t history more fun when you know something about it. Before the Battle of Agincourt 1415 AD, the French, anticipating a victory over the English, proposed to cut off the middle finger of all captured English soldiers, so it would be impossible for them to fight with the longbow again. Much to the bewilderment of the French, the English won a major battle, and the soldiers began mocking the French by waving their middle fingers at the defeated French and shouting, “See! We can still pluck yew!” and “Pluck yew!” 26 Over the years, folk etymologies have grown up around this symbolid gesture. Since “Pluck yew” is a bit difficult to say like “Pleasant mother pheasant plucker – and you had to go to the pheasant for the feathers used on arrows for the longbow – the PL gradually got changed to F, and thus the words often used with the one-finger salute are mistakenly thought to have something to do with sex. Also, because of the pheasant feathers on arrows, the symbolic gesture is also known as “Giving the bird!” It is still an appropriate salute to the French today. And you thought you knew every plucking thing! (Passing requires 4 correct answers) 1. How long did the Hundred Years War last? .......................................................................... 2. Which country makes Panama hats? ................................................................................... 3. From which animal do we get catgut? .................................................................................. SIT REP OCTOBER 20077 World’s Easiest Quiz 4. In which month do Russians celebrate the October Revolution? ......................................... 5. What is a camel’s hair brush made of? ................................................................................ 6. The Canary Islands in the Pacific are named after what animal? .......................................... 7. What was King George VI’s first name? ............................................................................... 8. What colour is a purple finch? ............................................................................................. 9. Where are Chinese Gooseberries from? ............................................................................... 10. What is the colour of the black box in a commercial airplane............................................... 10. What is the colour of the black box in a commercial airplane. Orange, of course 9. Where are Chinese Gooseberries from? New Zealand 8. What colour is a purple finch? Crimson 7. What was King George VI’s first name? Albert 6. The Canary Islands in the Pacific are named after what animal? Dogs 5. What is a camel’s hair brush made of? Squirrel fur 4. In which month do Russians celebrate the October Revolution? November 3. From which animal do we get catgut? Sheep & horses 2. Which country makes Panama hats? Ecuador 1. How long did the Hundred Years War last? 116 years Answers to the Quiz 27
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