2/3rd Australian Light Anti-Aircraft Regt Association
AGM held at the RACV City Club on 18th April, 2015 at 11.45 hours
1.0 Meeting Call To Order
President Anne Rae called the meeting to order at 11.55 Hours.
Anne welcomed all 50 members present, and expressed her appreciation of the number in attendance, and as it was her first term as president after taking over from Lynton Rose requested to be patient while she proceeded to outline the Agenda of the AGM.
Anne acknowledged original regiment members, John Campbell and Earle Webster.
John Marshall who was detained and at the last minute regretfully unable to be present.
Anne also acknowledged those members who had travelled from the country and interstate.
Foster Crooke Maffra
Russell Luckock Buninyong
David McDonald Canberra
Pat Thurbeck Lal Lal
Anne also welcomed as first time attendees, Pat Thurlbeck – daughter, and Jim Rae, son of Cec Rae, (9th Battery) and Robert Prideaux, son of Rupert Prideaux (8th Battery) , Lucas Wanders Great Grandson of Alan Young, (7th Battery)
2.0 Present
Service Members - John Campbell and Earle Webster.
Others- Heather Beasley, Rob Bennett, Liz Bennett, Gary Berry, Colin Bragg, Ann Bragg, Doreen Bryant, Ian Campbell, Les Chitts, Foster Crooke, Tim Crooke, Joyce Curnow, Alan Gorman, Mark Harse, Ruth Harvey, Graeme Heddle, Emma Heddle, Kaye Huggins, Russell Luckock, David McDonald, Jill McKenzie, Robert Prideaux, Anne Rae, Jim Rae, Ian Rae, Diedre Robinson, Peter Robinson, Lynton Rose, Rhonda Rose, Dianne Schubert, Carly Schubert, Roger Stephens, Lynn Stephens, Bill Stokes, Barry Stubbs, Pat Thurlbeck, Stephen Welsh, Jenny Welsh, Malcolm Wrigglesworth, Margaret Wrigglesworth, Daniel Wanders, Daryl Wells, Barbara Wells, Lucas Wanders.
3.0 Apologies
From the Original members (4)
Dave Humphreys, Keith Keilar, Alan Martin, Howard Vippond.
From Widows of Former Deceased Members (8)
Daphne Block, Shirley Brown, Dorothy Donelly, Elizabeth Goddard, Valda Malloch, Shirley Thomson, Rosemary Weatherly, Betty Wrigglesworth.
From Remembrance Group Members (29)
Peter Brimacombe, Ian Brown,, Lynne Chitts, David Crooke, Stuart Edwards, Leisa Finkelde, Hugh Finn, Lisa Foran, Hugh Forbes, John Fryer, Janet Harbeck, Dot Harris, Robert Knight, Griff Loughnan, Graeme Hawkins, Don Mclean, Anne Payne, Robin Payne, Leigh Prideaux, James Prideaux, Sorrell Robinson, Byron Robinson, Helen Rossiter, Robert Simson, Robin Spry, Jeanette Tilney, Mary Woodfield, James Coughlan.
Moved Graeme Heddle, Colin Bragg, "That the apologies be accepted."
4.0 Lest We Forget
Reading of:- Ode For The Fallen.
- Names of deceased Members (Since Previous reunion)
In the absence of John Marshall, Malcolm Wrigglesworth (Secretary), narrated Ode To The Fallen and read out the names of seven former members of the regiment who had passed away since the previous Reunion. These were:
Terry Gleeson (Signals), Keith Alan (Bushy) Read (9th), Frank Hands (8th), Ian Rutter (7th), H.C. (Bert) Langley (9th), P.G. (Pat) Delves (7th) and Norm McPherson (9th).
Members stood whilst the Last Post was played, a minutes silence was observed and the Rouse played with the assistance of Anne Rae.
5.0 Minutes of the 2014 AGM
The minutes of the 2014 AGM held on Saturday 19th April, 2014 had been distributed prior to the meeting, and there being no amendments, it was Moved by David McDonald, seconded Colin Bragg, That the minutes of the 2014 Annual General Meeting be approved. Carried
There was no business arising from the 2014 minutes.
6.0 President's Report
President Anne Rae thanked so many people for attending the 2015 reunion - a total of 48 including 2 original members, 2 widows of former members and 44 Remembrance Group members.
Anne then spoke to her report, the full text of which was included in "Take Post" and distributed at the meeting.
Anne thanked the Committee for their work over the past year and stated that she believed that the Association is in a very good position as most of the organising and sound structures from the existing committee over the past six years will keep us in good stead. Importantly the Association has steady and strong membership that will avoid the fate that has befallen on so many other WW2 Unit Associations.
Moved John Campbell, seconded Lynton Rose "That the President's Report be accepted."Carried
7.0 Secretary's Report
Malcolm spoke to his report, the full text of which is included in "Take Post", and as mention previously above is distributed at the meeting.
As has been the case in recent years, Secretary Malcolm Wrigglesworth reported that the majority of correspondence is conducted by email and the previous twelve months is no different to the past year. Most enquires are answered directly via the secretary, with more technical enquires continue to be referred to the Association's Research Officer, David McDonald.
The Repetitive nature of many enquires are now handled via our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) component of the Association's web site during the past twelve months.
Moved Doreen Bryant and seconded Colin Bragg "That the Secretary's Report be accepted. "Carried.
8.0 Treasurer's Report
The Financial Report for the twelve months ended 341st December, 2014 had been distributed prior to the AGM.
A total of 46 members and partners attended the 2014 AGM and Reunion Lunch, which is a slight reduction from 49 whom attended AGM and Reunion Lunch in 2013.
Treasurer Colin Bragg reported a loss of $773 for the year, compared to a loss of $742 in 2013. The operating loss of $773 for the 2014 year is similar to 2013, and reflects that both income and expenditure fell by approximately the same amount.
Receipts
Subscriptions and donations received from members for the year ended 31st December, 2014 fell by 18%, which was to be expected given the very generous support from members in 2013, when received a number of donations specifically to cover the cost of repairing our website, when it was hacked in January, 2013.
Subscriptions and Donations received from members are very important factors in enabling this Association to limit subscription increases, keep costs of Annual Reunion, Take Post, pay for printing and stationary costs and to communicate with those members not on email.
As advised last year, members who have not paid subscriptions for two consecutive years have been removed from mailing lists, and committee proposes to enforce this policy.
On a positive note, the addition of six new members throughout the year has been encouraging, and hopefully this trend will continue. 88 % of Remembrance Group members are financial as at 31st March, 2015.
Payments
Reunion catering costs are essentially unchanged. The 2014 cost of $3,901 includes an amount of $1426 for deposits paid in 2014 for the Reunion in 2015. We are grateful to the RACV for maintaining the cost of the luncheon at an affordable level, and as you are aware, the reunion luncheon continues to be generously subsided by the Association. However, to reflect the increasing costs of the Annual Reunion, the committee elected to increase the member's contributions towards the cost of the luncheon by $5 at its meeting in March - the first such increase in six years.
Web Site Maintenance Costs
Web site maintenance costs in 2014 reflect the fact that the web is in a maintenance mode, and majority of the maintenance is now undertaken by Honorary Treasurer Colin Bragg and Research Officer David McDonald. We continue to have an excellent relationship with our web site developer, Designsense Web Design, and in particular with its principal, Malcolm Romano.
Investment
Increasing administrative costs required a sum of $1,000 to be transferred to the Association's Operating Account when the Association's Term Deposit was rolled over in June, 2014. The remaining $7,000 continues to be invested in a CBA Term Deposit at an annual interest rate of 2.20%, and is currently invested until July 2015.
The continuing fall in interest rates is a prime cause of the reduction in interest receipts in 2014.
Summary
The Treasurers Report advised that whilst 2014 was a good year in terms of member support, the continuing shortfall in member subscription payments continues to be of concern to the committee. Even allowing for the removal of non-financial members, the shortfall still "costs" the committee approximately $300 per annum.
Despite all of the above, the Association continues to be in a healthy financial state as at 31st December, 2014, with an investment balance of $7,000 and operating (Bank account) balance of $943.
Treasurer is pleased to move the adoption of the 2014 Financial Report and statement of receipts and expenditure which was Moved Barbara Wells and seconded Malcolm Wrigglesworth
9.0 General Business
Amendment to Constitution
Proposed alteration to clause 16 of the Constitution relating to Bank Signatures due to the election of new office bearers at the 2014 AGM, the residential addresses of the President, Secretary and Treasurer are now up to an hour apart.
Committee discussion at last March's and concluded that a change to alter this amendment from any two of the four named committee members to operate on behalf of the members of the committee with any two to sign (See attachment for proposed amendment to clause 16)
Moved Colin Bragg and seconded John Campbell that to enable continuation of the convenient arrangement that has been in place for the past six years, it is proposed the constitution be amended to "nominate specific Committee members and former office bearers to be cheque signatories."
ANZAC Day March Arrangements
The Secretary informed the meeting that those intending to participate in the March should gather on the corner of Flinders and Swanston Street at 0915 Hours, with a view to commencing the March at 0930 to 0945 Hours.
10.0 Nominations / Elections
Election To The Committee
No nomination forms have been received, or any present committee in the past 12 months elected to stand down, therefore the present committee have been elected for additional twelve month term.
Appointment Of Office Bearers
The present committee has been re-elected for a further period of twelve months.
Moved Colin Bragg and seconded Rob Bennett that the present committee members be re-elected for a further term of twelve months
The proposal was carried unanimously.
11.0 Lunch
There was no guest speaker at this year's AGM, however a slide show presentation with new and different photos was run as in previous years. Display of memorabilia with new and different photos supplied by David and Anne. (Photos of Milne Bay) , plus some artefacts supplied by Matt and Graeme Heddle and documents by Malcolm Wrigglesworth were arranged and displayed.
Questions / Quiz competition during the Reunion Lunch. There was a questions / quiz sheet at each table arranged by Matthew Heddle and presented by Graeme Heddle, with the answers provided by President Anne Rae as she asked each table for a answer to nominated questions on sheets provided. This was conducted during the main meal being served. 12.0Take Post"" Distribution
This year’s "Take Post" was distributed after the main meal and during desert so as not to interfere or provide answers to the Quiz competition.
12.0 Research Officer Report
Association Research Officer David McDonald summarised web site activity over the previous twelve months and the extent to which the web site is attracting interest.
Our Website is rolling along well. About 20 emails with a variety of enquires have been received which David has been handling. Backup of website is initiated every six months, and if necessary more frequently by (Malcolm Remaneo -ISP). Committee noted that independent separate files maybe required in case backup fails, if relying on Malcolm to back up.
Sentry's Log
David has responded each month to requests for information about the Regiment of which many are quite straight forward, with descendants seeking information about their relative who served in the Regiment or in other ant-aircraft units. David is usually able to inform them or guide them about how to find out what they are looking for via accessing the Australian Archives web site. A number have already accessed these resources before contacting the Association for further details. A number of helpful web sites have been provided by David in accessing records and contents and abbreviations in Take Post 2015, that maybe of some help as most service records are hand written and sometimes close to illegible.
David also received enquiries from widows of deceased Veterans and descendants requesting copies On Target and responses, including a copy on disc indicated the strength and generosity of the ex-service movement via DVA Vet affairs newspaper and the Association's Website.
David McDonald mentioned that he been contacted by Matt Teffer - Senior Journalist who is writing a feature length screenplay and requested information on gun crews at work and their relative positions around the Boforsguns. Part of the action takes place in Crete in 1941 with key characters being a gunner in the Regiment's 7th Battery 2nd / 3rd ALAA. and another being a German paratrooper.
During our luncheon, David McDonald, the Association’s Research Officer, provided a comprehensive and very informative talk and power point diagram and photo presentation on the 2nd / 3rd ALAA Regt. in and around Milne Bay and the operations of the 2nd/3rd in particular our 9th Battery during WW2 .
Our 9 Battery, then part of the 2/3rd Australian Composite Anti-aircraft Regiment, made a significant contribution to Operation Oboein June-July 1945.
Date set for next committee - to be determined, possibly at Anne Rae's residence 45 Darebin Street, Heidelberg at 2.00pm
14.0 Meeting closed
The president declared the formal component of the AGM closed at 1250 hours.