A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE UNSWR ASSOCIATION

 

Formation of the Association

In 1970 several past members of the University of New South Wales Regiment proposed to the Commanding Officer that an UNSWR Association be formed and be open to all former members of the unit.

The Commanding Officer at the time was Lieutenant-Colonel K.H.F. Fargher, ED who supported the idea so he invited past members with known addresses to attend a general meeting and buffet dinner at the Regiment's Day Street Depot, Kensington on Friday 30th October 1970. Prior to that meeting, there was an informal committee that met on 17th October 1970 at the Graduates Club in Commonwealth Street, Sydney. Those who attended were:

Lieutenant-Colonel W.F. Boyling, ED (Minute Secretary)

Captain P.E. Coleman

Captain P.A. Conway

Captain R.B. York (Hartenstein)

Lieutenant-Colonel P.C. Parsonage, ED (Meeting Chairman)

Lieutenant-Colonel J.C. Southwell, ED

Captain L.V. Tolnay

Lieutenant P. Warrilow

Lieutenant R.H. W. Winch

Finalised at the informal meeting was a draft Constitution that had been prepared by Colonel Boyling.

The general meeting on 30th October 1970 saw approval to the draft Constitution and the election to office of all who attended the informal meeting. Colonel Parsonage became the Association's President, Colonel Southwell the Senior Vice-President and Lieutenant T.G. Love and Captain Tolnay Junior Vice-Presidents, one for Newcastle (Love) and one for Sydney (Tolnay). Colonel Boyling became the Secretary with Lieutenant Winch as Treasurer. Also elected to the Committee was Lieutenant M.B. Vallentine.

Presidents of the Association have been:

1970 - 1974 Lieutenant-Colonel P.C. Parsonage, ED

1974 - 1977 Lieutenant-Colonel J.C. Southwell, ED

1977 - 1979 Lieutenant-Colonel C.V. West, ED

1979 - 1981 Lieutenant-Colonel J.E. Weeden, ED

1981 - 1983 Major K.L. Kesteven, MC, ED

1983 - 1985 Major K.M. Skinner, RFD, ED

1985 - 1988 Lieutenant-Colonel E.H. Ralphs, RFD, ED

1988 - 1990 Lieutenant-Colonel C.R.R. Hoeben, RFD

1990 - 1992 Colonel W.B. Molloy, RFD, ED

1992 - 1995 Lieutenant-Colonel J.E. Weeden, RFD, ED

1995 -   Lieutenant Colonel C.J. Dunston, RFD ED 

 

Activities involving the Regiment

The first Annual General Meeting of the Association, held on 6th October 1972 at the UNSWR Depot in Day Avenue, Kensington was attended by 16 members out of a total of 32 at that time. By majority vote, the Association resolved not to have separate Association functions in the coming year. Instead, it was decided to support unit functions. These would be a Christmas Cocktail Party, the Regiment's 21st Birthday Parade and a Regimental Ball in March 1973 and a Regimental Dinner in August 1973. This pattern of support for unit functions became normal for the Association for many years.

The inaugural Reserve Forces Day Parade in Sydney on 1st July 1998 saw the greatest number of Association and other former members of Regiment ever gathered for an activity. There were over 70 members who marched that day behind members of the Regiment.

The Association provided ushers and escort officers for VIPs at the Presentation of new Queen's and Regimental Colours to UNSWR at Victoria Barracks, Paddington on 22nd August 1998 by His Excellency, the Governor-General of Australia, the Hon. Sir William Deane, AC, KBE.

 

Donations to the Regiment

Noted at the 1972 AGM were requests by the Regiment for items including prizes for training excellence, silver items for the Officers and Sergeants Messes and contributions towards portraits of former Honorary Colonels of the Regiment. Contributions have since been made from time to time by the Association and by individual members towards prizes and portraits as sought by the Regiment. The major contributions have been in respect of all portraits of Honorary Colonels (nine portraits to December 2006).

In 1976, the Association resolved to seek a memorial located at the Regimental Depot, Kensington in honour of Captain K.W. Baudistel who was the UNSWR Adjutant 1965 - 1966. Captain Baudistel's widow was subsequently approached and agreed to present her late husband's sword to the Regiment. The sword was presented in 1979 and became known as the Baudistel Adjutant's Sword to be carried by the Adjutant of the unit on ceremonial occasions.

At the Regimental Dinner in 1999 Association member Major K.M. Skinnner, RFD, ED presented a sword to be carried by the UNSWR Band Director of Music. This sword was named the "Skinner Sword".

In October 2006 the Association donated a display case for the Lieutenant T.N.H. Stretch Sword of Honour for the most outstanding staff cadet of UNSWR prior to attendance at the Royal Military College, Duntroon. The sword was first owned by and commemorates the memory of an Australian, Lieutenant Thomas Noel Heath Stretch, who was twice awarded the Military Cross during World War One.

 

Association social activities

An annual picnic for Association members became very popular from 1975 until 1992 when members and former members of the Regiment and their families journeyed to Benwerrin, a farm on the outskirts of Camden for Sunday picnics hosted by Colonel Southwell whose hospitality and goodwill towards the Regimental family were most appreciated, especially the children who thoroughly enjoyed the freedom to see and play on a working farm. The picnics provided the Regiment with a powerful means to truly be an extended family. The highlights were "hay rides" for the children as well as rides on a vintage NSW Fire Brigades fire engine and spit roasts usually prepared by Major C.G. Lambert, RFD, ED.

In 1988 the first of regular lunches in the Sydney CBD was for held for Association members. For the next eight years, the lunches were held annually towards Christmas and generally attracted between 20 and 30 members. From 1996 Association lunches have been held twice a year, normally the first Friday in June and the first Friday in December, mostly at the Royal Automobile Club.

The Association held a formal dinner in for the first time in September 2006. The venue was also the Royal Automobile Club and involved members, partners and other guests including the Commanding Officer and Regimental Sergeant Major of the Regiment. The Commanding Officer's gesture in arranging for the Queen's and Regimental Colours of UNSWR to be displayed at the dinner added to the significance of the occasion.

 

Changes to the Association Constitution

The 1982 AGM saw an amended Constitution being adopted which eliminated ordinary membership renewed by subscription annually, leaving only life membership at a fee to be fixed at general meetings from time to time. Associate membership for members or formers members of university regiments or units affiliated with UNSWR was also provided for in the 1982 Constitution as was associate or honorary membership as may be decided for any person who in the opinion of the Committee should be so admitted.

The Constitution has not changed since 1982 so a Committee review commenced in 2006.

 

The Regimental history project

In 1984 the Association noted an invitation by the Commanding Officer to be of assistance to one of the Regiment's members who had been tasked to update the Regimental History beyond The History of the University of New South Wales Regiment 1952 - 1977 by Captain D.J. Deasey, published in 1978. Work on the project by both the Regiment and the Association has waxed and waned over years since 1984 although Association work in 2005 and 2006 has led to a large volume of text and images being produced in a form suitable for publication as funding permits.

 

Membership

As at December 2006 the Association membership stood at 211 distributed as shown in the table below.

 

Newsletters

Quarterly newsletters by means of email attachments to Association members who have notified email addresses has been the main form of communication for some years. Annual letters by post to members without a notified email address has also been continued.

 

Towards to the future

In December 2006 the Association launched an internet website which, among many other interesting things, included a Members Only area to provide a ready reference for volunteered personal contact details.

Also in December 2006, the Association was finalising guidelines with the Regiment to commence a pilot mentoring program for staff cadets.

 

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COPYRIGHT 2006 - 2007 , UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES REGIMENT ASSOCIATION , ALL RIGHTS RESERVED