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UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

REGIMENT ASSOCIATION

Day Avenue

Kensington NSW 2033

July 2006

Dear Kensingtonian

VALE HUBERT FRANCIS HARDMAN

Lieutenant Colonel Joe Southwell has advised of the passing on 16th June 2006 of the second
Adjutant/Quartermaster of the Regiment, Major H.F. (Bert) Hardman.

Born on 15th December 1916 Bert Hardman was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Australian Imperial Force in 1943 and served in infantry and commando units. In 1945 he moved into the Army Services field which included three years at Headquarters Services Training Centre concluding in 1949 when he transferred to the Reserve of Officers.

The then Lieutenant Hardman returned to the Army in 1951 as a member of the Australian Staff Corps in
RAEME. In 1952 he was Quartermaster at the RAEME Training Depot before being appointed in July the same year as the Adjutant/ Quartermaster of the University of Technology Regiment, now UNSWR. His posting to UTR meant promotion to captain with responsibility for personnel and logistics administration of the Regiment in its formative years.

Lieutenant Colonel Wilf McGilvray recalled recently that Bert Hardman led a Regular Army cadre including the RSM, RQMS, Orderly Room Sergeant and a General Duties member. As the then Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel McGilvray said that Bert was his ‘leaning post’. However, Lieutenant Colonel McGilvray did say there was one problem that Bert needed to have resolved for him and that was what to do about an Army audit visitor who didn’t like the idea of rifles being stored in the same place as rifle bolts. Lieutenant Colonel McGilvray solved the problem by taking Bert Hardman and the audit team visitor to a nearby hotel in
Broadway.

Bert remained as Adjutant/Quartermaster of the Regiment until May 1954, transferring at that time to the 19th National Service Training Battalion where he spent two years before moving into staff postings at Headquarters Eastern Command. In April 1959 he was promoted major upon a posting to the RAEME Training Centre at Bandiana in north east Victoria.

In November 1961 Major Hardman was posted to the staff of CRAEME at Headquarters 1 Corps before moving back to an EME posting staff at Headquarters Eastern Command in September 1962. He transferred to the Australian Regular Army Supplement in December 1969.

The late Major Hardman kept contact with the Regiment as a member of the UNSWR Association for many years. His life was celebrated at a funeral service in Beverly Hills on 20th June 2006.

Lest We Forget

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President:

Lieutenant Colonel C.J. (Colin) Dunston, RFD

Email: president@unswr.com

Secretary:

Major K.J. (Ken) McKay, RFD, ED

Email: secretary@unswr.com


ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the University of New South Wales Regiment Association will be held at the UNSWR depot, Kensington on Wednesday 16th August 2006, commencing at 1930 hrs.

The Agenda for the meeting is as follows:

1. The President’s annual report.
2. The Treasurer’s annual report.
3. Election of the Committee.
4. Amendments to the Association’s Constitution.
5. General business.

Nominations for election to the following positions (current office holders in brackets) should be notified to the Secretary by 9th August 2006:

1. President (Lieutenant Colonel Colin Dunston)
2. Senior Vice President (Vacant with the passing of Lieutenant Colonel Ian Lalas on 9th May 2006.)
3. Junior Vice President (Major Ken McKay)
4. Secretary (Major Ken McKay)
5. Treasurer (Lieutenant Colonel Colin Dunston)
6. Assistant Secretary/Treasurer (Not filled)
7. Committee Members - Five (Lieutenant Colonel Wilf McGilvray, Lieutenant Colonel Eric Ralphs
and Lieutenant Don Deakin-Bell – two positions not filled).

There only five people (with two “wearing two hats”) now filling 11 positions on the Committee and members will no doubt agree that all positions should be filled to best meet the objectives of the Association. The work of the Committee is easy with meetings only four times a year on a Wednesday night at the UNSWR depot, Kensington so please consider nominating for one of the positions.

ASSOCIATION DINNER

Included with this newsletter is an invitation to all members, their partners and guests to an Association Dinner to be held at the Royal Automobile Club of Australia on the evening of Friday 15th September 2006.

The RACA has superb facilities to cater for functions with fine food and wines and your support by attending the Dinner with, if practicable, a partner and/or guests, will add greatly to the spirit of friendship that exists between members and former members of the Regiment.

There are a number of parking stations nearby and these include public parking at the Sir Stamford Hotel (enter the car park through Albert Street) as well as the Sydney Opera House Car Park (entrance adjacent to the Forecourt) and at Secure Parking entered through 131 Macquarie Street. A flat rate of $10 for evening parking at Secure Parking is understood to be available to NRMA members who present a coupon which can be printed from the company’s website at http://www.secureparking.com.au/wtp/NSW/CBD/131Mac.htm# ( Note : This link appears not work , go to http://www.secureparking.com.au/ClubSecureLogin.aspx ..... Webmaster . )

CONGRATUATIONS

Congratulations to Mick Campion who has been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps.

Lieutenant Colonel Campion’s son is studying at the University of Sydney and has recently been inducted into SUR as a Staff Cadet. Colonel Bill Molloy reports that a very good friend of his, Lieutenant Colonel Ross Brown RAAMC (pharmacist), is another family member which means that there are three generations of the same family in the Army!

Congratulations also to David Jones, Chief Clerk of UNSWR who has been promoted to Warrant Officer Class Two.


EMAIL ADDRESSES

If you received this newsletter by post but you have access to email, it is requested that you advise the Secretary your email address so that more frequent newsletters can be provided to keep you up to date with Association and Regimental news and to save on printing and postage costs. Advice of an email address can be sent to secretary@unswr.com .

Each newsletter now sent as an attachment to an email message is created in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format which will lessen clogging up of your email program In Box.

MISSING MEMBERS

If you know the whereabouts of the following members, please contact the Secretary or ask the member/s
concerned to update their details:

Captain G.C (Geoff) Addison (Melbourne?)

Staff Sergeant L. (Lindsay) Allen

Lieutenant M. (Matthew) Bendall

Mrs K.E. Coombes

Lieutenant Colonel J.R. (John) Durant (Bega,
NSW?)

Captain P. (Peter) Eriksen

Lieutenant B. Gilmore

Lieutenant J.L.(John) Gregory

Sergeant S.P. (Steve) Hatton (WA?)

Major R.S. (Bob) Hehir

Lieutenant Colonel G.C. (Geoff) Hughes
(QLD?)

Captain M. (Mark) Lockhart

Lieutenant C.D. (Clyde) Merrylees

Lieutenant M.J. (Michael) Middleton

Lieutenant D.C. (David) Nomchong

Lieutenant C.C. (Craig) Oeding

Lieutenant M.F. Petty

Lieutenant J. Poppleton

Mr W.L. (Bill) Tregear

Lieutenant A.C. (Tony) Wong

REGIMENTAL HISTORY

The Association’s January 2006 newsletter included an item which indicated that typed material for the update of the history of the Regiment had been divided into two parts:

1. a major extract with updating endnotes from The History of the University of New South Wales
Regiment, 1952 – 1977 by Captain (now Lieutenant Colonel) David Deasey; and

2. the history of the Regiment from 1978 as drafted by Major Ken McKay.

At its June 2006 meeting, the Association Committee resolved to continue with a social history of the Regiment along the lines mentioned above. However, as a result of advice received from the Army History Unit, the Committee noted that research material already collected will be retained to assist with a possible further publication to be primarily concerned with initial Army Reserve officer training, with UNSWR as a case study.

In addition to a number people who have already kindly provided or who are still providing input to the project, a group comprising Lieutenant Colonel Eric Ralphs, Lieutenant Colonel John Fielding, Lieutenant Don Deakin-Bell and Lieutenant Helen Lalas has been formed to provide comments for a final review of the typed material. Work has also begun by the Committee to identify publication options.

AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE MEDAL

The April and June 2006 newsletters sent to Association members with nominated email addresses contained items about the new Australian Defence Medal (ADM). For other members, please be advised if you are not already aware that applications for the ADM are now being processed by the Directorate of Honours and Awards at the Department of Defence.

Each Regular or Reserve member with service since the end of World War II is eligible to apply if he/she has served for four years or has completed a lesser initial enlistment period. Application forms for are generally available through the RSL. ( Application for the Australian Defence Medal  ( PDF ) )

For more information, the Directorate of Honours and Awards can be contacted via its toll-free phone number on 1800 111 321.


FOR YOUR DIARY

• Wed 16th August 2006 – Association Annual General Meeting at UNSWR Depot, Kensington at 7.30pm.

• Fri 15th September 2006 – Association Dinner at the Royal Automobile Club of Australia at 7.30pm for
8.00pm
• Wed 11th October 2006 – Association Committee Meeting at UNSWR Depot, Kensington at 7.30pm.

• Friday 1st December 2006 Association Christmas Lunch (Details TBA)

1972 ANNUAL CAMP RE-VISITED

Lieutenant Colonel Richard Woodburn has written in response to June 2006 newsletter to Kensingtonians:

It was great to receive this newsletter and in particular John Howell’s article on the antics of the New
South Wales People’s Liberation Army in 1972.

As a Sergeant, I was proud to be a member of John Howell’s revolutionary organization, and would
have to put it down as one of the best annual camps ever. A few items not mentioned;

• One of the challenges faced by the People’s Liberation Army was that of keeping the
grog cold – one ingenious member suggested placing the cans in sandbags, placing
one of the tins from the 10 man rat packs (that was before they put us onto the s….tty
dehydrated combat packs) on top and full of water with a drip feed mechanism which
were then hauled to the heights of the many trees surrounding the camp, hoping that
the drop bears didn’t get them – worked really well until a couple of the ropes gave
way and losses, which we could ill afford, were incurred. There was also a bit of fast
talking from John H when a few of the heavies from RHQ visited the camp and
wondered what was in the sandbags. In then fell to a couple of recalcitrants to raid
the ice machine at the Singleton Camp Hospital to solve the problem. I also recall
copious quantities of Dr Jurd’s Jungle Juice being consumed.

• As John mentioned, he sent out patrols into the proposed area of operations so that
we could get familiar with the area. I vividly remember taking out one of those
patrols, dressed in our black garb. We were calmly strolling through the scrub when
we noticed at least a couple of companies, dressed in green, coming towards us. We
quietly took cover, hoping that they would simply pass us by. The first company, in
arrowhead formation passed us by, without seeing us, then as what appeared to be
the second company approached, and they commenced a harbour drill right over the
top of us. They did it almost perfectly – sending out their clearing patrols, etc but it
was a pity they didn’t clear the harbour area itself. We just sat there and watched all
this going on all around us, hoping that they would soon move off. When it appeared
that they were going to stay for a while, I decide that we had to move on and
complete our tasks, so we calmly stood up to go on our way, and strolled through
what turned out to be the SUR Regt HQ. Their CO (H2S) [Lieutenant Colonel
Hamilton Harvey-Sutton, ED] was furious, first with his own staff for not clearing
the area and thus allowing the enemy to take out Regt HQ (SUR’s enemy were a
group of SAS!). When we advised him that we were not SAS but UNSWR, his wrath
was turned to us. However as it turned out, it was SUR who were not supposed to be
there, as they were to have been bussed out from another location, but H2S made a
last minute decision to give his troops, which comprised his RHQ and two
companies, a little more exercise. If only we had been carrying some blanks at the
time!
All the best

Dick Woodburn


LIEUTENANT T.N.H. STRETCH - THE MAN BEHIND THE SWORD

The Association in cooperation with the RSM of UNSWR, Warrant Officer Class One Peter Sly, is providing a display case, photographs and documents in connection with a sword now used for presentation annually to the staff cadet of the Regiment who has displayed exemplary conduct and performance of duty in Second Class of the First Appointment Course.

The sword was provided to the Regiment several years ago by the Royal Military College of Australia and the documents and photographs for use with the display have been provided by courtesy of the present Commandant of the RMC, Brigadier Chris Appleton, as well as relatives of the late Lieutenant T.N.H. (Noel) Stretch, MC* who was the original owner of the sword.

Noel Stretch was born in Brighton, Victoria on 23rd December 1893 and was the sixth of seven children born to John Francis Stretch and Amelia Margaret Stretch.

Noel was educated under the auspices of the Church of England at Brighton Grammar School then Geelong Grammar School in Victoria then at “TAS” (The Armidale School) in Armidale, New South Wales. His tertiary education was at Trinity College of the University of Melbourne where he completed first year in Arts and represented the College in rowing cricket and football.

He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 17th August 1914 with service number 534 as a sergeant in “F” Company of the 5th Infantry Battalion and embarked at Port Melbourne on 21st October 1914 on the SS Orvieto headed for Alexandria, Egypt.

He was discharged from the AIF on 5th April 1915 upon being commissioned as a temporary second lieutenant in the British Army Service Corps in April 1915 and in October 1916 he was attached to the Regular Forces Machine Gun Corps (Infantry).On 1st November 1916 he was promoted to temporary lieutenant.

Lieutenant Stretch was twice awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. For security reasons, wartime public records did not provide unit details or locations of the actions for which an award was made. However, the British War Office documents concerned contained the following statements about Lieutenant Stretch:

Awarded the Military Cross

Lieutenant Thomas Noel Heath Stretch,

165th Company, Machine Gun Corps.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

For conspicuously gallant leadership and skilful handling of his section of machine guns in the operations in the Ypres salient on the 31st July, 1917.

He successfully brought his four guns with the assaulting infantry up to the second objective and when there found that the right flank of the Brigade was exposed to attack from a party of the enemy still in the Pommern Redoubt. He pushed two of his guns well forward on the flanks of the Brigade and was thereby enabled to bring covering machine gun fire to bear while the rest of the Brigade was advancing to take the final objective. He took two prisoners with the assistance of one of his gun teams, and then obtained an Infantry bombing party to clear the trench of the remainder of the enemy.

Awarded a Bar to the Military Cross

T/2nd. Lieut. (T/Lieut.) Thomas Noel Heath Stretch, MC.

A.S.C., attd. M.G. Corps.

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty from 20 to 22nd September, 1917, East of Ypres. He advanced with three machine guns to the first objective and got them into position. He then returned to the advanced company headquarters, and, despite heaving shelling, did splendid work in keeping up communication. On hearing that the officers of the forward sections had become casualties he supervised the working of those sections in addition to his own. His cheerful and courageous example greatly inspired his men.


Abbreviated citations later appeared in the 25th September 1917 and 23rd November 1917 appeared in the London Gazette.

Lieutenant Stretch was killed in action on 25th March 1918 during the Western Front German offensive of that year. He was a tall man and is believed to have been hit by an enemy sniper when momentarily exposed at a low point in a trench system that his unit was occupying at the time.

Lieutenant Stretch was aged 24 when he died and is buried in the Peronne Road British War Cemetery, Maricourt which is in the area of the Somme battlefields of World War One in northern France.

Related to the Stretch family, Major J.M.E. Highfield, MC, Royal Artillery (Retired) of Hambrook, West Sussex in the united Kingdom donated Lieutenant Stretch’s sword to the Australian Army in 2002 after being the owner of the sword for some 60 years. As Lieutenant Stretch was associated with the Newcastle area through his father, John Francis Stretch who was the Anglican Bishop of Newcastle, the sword was passed to UNSWR for use as an award for a staff cadet who excels in the early stages of officer training.

Lieutenant Noel Stretch was a clearly a gallant officer and the use of his sword as a perpetual award by the Regiment is a most worthy commemoration of him.

The first recipient of the award was Second Lieutenant Katherine Andrews, formerly Under Officer Andrews who graduated from the Royal Military College in February 2006.

Lieutenant Noel Stretch (with officer’s walking stick and wearing shorts and puttees - 6th from the left in the front row) with his section of the 165th Machine Gun Company, Machine Gun Corps before the World War One Western Front Offensive that commenced on 31st July 1917 east of Ypres, Flanders.

(Photo by courtesy of Mr John Stretch, April 2006).

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