2/3rdAustralian Light Anti-Aircraft Regt Association
AGM held at the RACV City Club On 19th April 2014 at 1145 Hours.
1.0 Meeting Call To Order
President Lynton Rose called the meeting to order at 1200 Hours.
Lynton welcomed all 44 members present, and expressed his appreciation of the number in attendance given the Easter holiday.
Lynton also acknowledged those members who had travelled from the country and interstate.
Robin (daughter of David Bell, 8th) and Garry Spry and Alan Gorman (son of Frederick Gorman) were also welcomed as first time attendees. Lynton particularly noted that whilst Frederick Gorman was serving with the 2nd/3rd, Alan was serving with the RAAF.
2.0 Present
Service Members– John Campbell, Frank Hands, John Marshall, Earle Webster
Others– Colin & Ann Bragg, Doreen Bryant, Foster Crooke, Kathy Crooke, Tim Crooke, Joyce Curnow, Alan Donelly, Dorothy Donelly, Anthony Gleeson, Alan Gorman, Mark Harse, Ruth Harvey, Graeme & Matthew Heddle, Emma Heddle, Kaye Huggins, David McDonald, Anne Rae, Diedre & Peter Robinson, Sorell Robinson, Lynton and Rhonda Rose, Dianne Schubert, Carly Schubert, Robin and Garry Spry, Fiona Thomas, Jeanette Tilney, Daryl and Barbara Wells, Stephen and Jenny Welsh, Betty Wrigglesworth, Malcolm and Margaret Wrigglesworth, Sarah Wrigglesworth.
3.0 Apologies
Original Members - Cliff Cullen, Patrick Delves, John Hilliard, Dave Humphreys, Keith Keilar, Allen Martin, Duncan McPherson, Howard Vippond, Alan “Bushy” Read
Widows Of Deceased Original Members - Shirley Brown, Esme Curtis, Edie Russell, Valda Malloch, Betty Spiller, Shirley Thomson, Jean Tom
Remembrance Group Members –Rob & Charles Bennett, Ian Brown, Lyne Chitts, James & Simon Coghlan, David & Liz Crooke, Stuart Edwards, Adam Elliot, Lisa Foran, Hugh Forbes, John & Margaret Fryer, Dot Harris, Graeme Hawkins, Russell Luckock, Donald McLean, Robin Payne, Anne Payne, Jim Rae, Byron Robinson, Adam and Jonathan Rose, Alison Shields, Robert Simson, Rod Smith, Roger Stephens, Barry Stokes, Bill Stokes, Margot Warren
Moved Graeme Heddle, Seconded Malcolm Wrigglesworth, “That the apologies be accepted.”
4.0 Lest We Forget
Original Service member John Marshall narrated the Ode To The Fallen and read out the names of six former members of the Regiment who had passed away since the previous Reunion. These were:
Ray Everlyn (9), Bill Garrigan (7), Thomas McGill (9), Bill “Blue” Page (8), Bob Phillips (8), Cec Rae (9)
Members stood whilst the Last Post was played, a minutes silence observed and the Rouse played.
5.0 Minutes Of The 2013 AGM
The minutes of the 2013 AGM held on Saturday 20 April 2013 had been distributed prior to the meeting, and there being no amendments, it was:
Moved John Campbell, seconded David McDonald, “That the Minutes of the 2013 Annual General Meeting be approved”. Carried
There was no business arising from the 2013 Minutes.
6.0 President’s Report
President Lynton Rose thanked so many people for attending the 2014 reunion – a total of 44 including 4 original members, 2 widows of former members and 38 Remembrance Group members.
Lynton then spoke to his report, the full text of which was included in “Take Post” and distributed at the meeting.
Lynton spoke specifically about the contribution that Australians had made to the Great War, given that 2014 was the 100thanniversary of the beginning of WW1.
Lynton advised the meeting that he was standing down after six years as President.
He also advised Ann Bragg was standing down as Treasurer and that Secretary Colin Bragg was seeking to reduce his workload. Lynton spoke more generally of the need for the Association to consider its future and called for members to consider joining the Committee and participating at a Committee level.
Thanking the Committee for their work over the previous six years, Lynton stated that he believes the Association in a very good position as “most of the heavy lifting has been done”.
Importantly, Lynton commented that the Association has avoided the fate that has befallen so many other WW2 Unit Associations.
Lynton also commented on the disappointingly high number of members whose subscriptions were outstanding, and emphasised that whilst an individual subscription was not great, the sum of them is vitally important to the operation of the Association.
Finally, Lynton spoke of those original members who had passed away in the previous twelve months, and in particular, spoke of the late Cec Rae and his enormous contribution to the Association as a Committee member since 1949, Secretary from 1969 to 1996 and finally as President from 1996 to 1999.
Moved Matthew Heddle, seconded Foster Crooke“That the President’s Report be accepted.” Carried
7.0 Secretary’s Report
7.1 Correspondence
As has been the case in recent years, Secretary Colin Bragg reported that the majority of correspondence is conducted by email and in the previous twelve months, weekly enquiries varied from just a single enquiry to five or six enquiries – over seventy enquiries were received during the past twelve months, a number of them resulting in an exchange of multiple emails.
Whilst most of the enquiries are answered directly by the Secretary, the more technical enquiries continue to be referred to the Association’s Research Officer, David McDonald.
The repetitive nature of many of the enquiries led us to establish a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) component on the Association web site during the year.
Moved Malcolm Wrigglesworth, seconded Matthew Heddle “That the Secretary’s Report be accepted.” Carried
8.0 Treasurer’s Report
The Financial Report for the twelve months ended 31 December 2013 had been distributed prior to the AGM.
On behalf of Treasurer Ann Bragg, the Secretary reported a loss of $742 for the year, compared to a loss of $357 in 2012.
The 2013 result primarily reflected the non-payment of approximately $800 in annual subscriptions by Association members, as the unanticipated costs of repairing the web site after it was “hacked” in January 2013 was substantially covered by donations from members.
Almost 50% of Remembrance Group members and 30% of original members and/or their widows were non-financial at the end of the financial year.
As a consequence, and at the Committee meeting held on 9 March 2014, the Committee determined that members who are not financial for a period of two consecutive years should be removed from our databases.
The Treasurer’s Report indicated that the Association is in a manageable financial state with an investment balance of $8,000 (invested at 2.2%) and an operating balance of $742 at 31 December 2013.
The Treasurer advised that due to the non-payment of subscriptions, the Committee had determined at its meeting on 9 March 2014 to transfer $1,000 from the investment account when it matured in June 2014.
Total assets at the Commonwealth Bank at 31 December 2012 were:
Term Deposit $8,000
Cheque Account $ 742
TOTAL $8,742
Moved Colin Bragg, seconded John Campbell“That the statement of receipts and expenditure for 2013 be adopted.”
9.0 General Business
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 Streets at 0915 Hours, with a view to commencing the March at 0945 Hours.
10.0 Amendment To Constitution
President Lynton Rose explained that due to himself and Ann Bragg standing down as President and Treasurer respectively, and Secretary Colin Bragg wishing to divest himself of a number of his responsibilities, a call had been made for new Committee members and office bearers.
To provide for the addition of new members to the Committee, it was first necessary to amend Clause 11 of the Association’s Constitution.
According it was proposed that Clause 11 of the Constitution be amended to read:
“The affairs of the Association shall be controlled and managed by a Committee consisting of:
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
And six other members, all of which shall be elected at a General Meeting.”
Moved Doreen Bryant, seconded by Kaye Hugginsthat Clause 11 of the Constitution be amended to increase the number of other members from three to six. The motion was carried unanimously.
11.0 Nominations / Elections
Election To The Committee
A Committee Nomination form, properly nominated and seconded, and accepted by the nominee, had been received from Malcolm Wrigglesworth.
Moved Matthew Heddle, seconded Foster Crookethat Malcolm Wrigglesworth be elected to the Association Committee. The members present supported the motion unanimously.
Appointment Of Office Bearers
Nomination forms, properly nominated and seconded, and accepted by the nominees, had been received for the following positions:
President Anne Rae
Secretary Malcolm Wrigglesworth
Treasurer Colin Bragg
Moved Barbara Wells, seconded Deidre Robinson that Anne Rae be elected to the position of President, Malcolm Wrigglesworth be elected to the position of Secretary and Colin Bragg be elected to the position of Treasurer.
The proposal was carried unanimously.
Matthew Heddle remains as the Association Vice-President.
Doreen Bryant thanked the retiring Committee for their work and dedication over the past six years and her thanks were marked by acclamation from the members of the Association present.
12.0 Lunch
The meeting was suspended whilst lunch was served.
13.0 “Take Post” Distribution
The 2014 issue of “Take Post” was distributed.
14.0 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.
David reported a total of over 21,00 hits and over 7,000 down loads from the web site in the previous 12 months.
Whilst the number of hits was down on the previous year, this was attributed to the hacking of the web site, which resulted in the web site being off line for a period of some six weeks.
The “Photo Gallery” and “On Target” continue to receive the highest number of hits.
David then gave an excellent presentation relating to the captured Italian 20mm Breda guns, which were used so successfully by 8 Battery in the Western Desert and at Tobruk.
Mounted on captured Italian trucks and Chevrolet trucks, the mobile Breda guns became known as “Stokes Travelling Circus”
A short instructional video (in Italian), sourced by Matthew Heddle, was also shown
15.0 Meeting Closed
The President declared the formal component of the AGM closed at 1240 Hours.