Vietnam Veterans and Veterans Motorcycle Club Townsville

Today we pause to remember Private Gregory Michael Sher who was killed in Afghanistan. Private Sher was serving with the Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) when he was killed during a rocket attack in Uruzgan Province, on this day in 2009.

Private Sher was from 1st Commando Regiment (1 CDO Regt), based At Holsworthy Barracks in Sydney.

Private Sher was born in South Africa in 1978 and moved to Australia with his family in 1986. He enlisted into the Army Reserves (ARES) in 1998 as an infantryman and deployed to East Timor in 2002. In 2004 he completed the commando selection course and joined the 1st Commando Regiment, going on to complete the suite of Special Forces courses required to become a qualified commando.

For his service in East Timor, Private Sher received the Australian Active Service Medal, the United Nations Transitional Authority in East Timor Medal and the Infantry Combat Badge. Private Sher has also been awarded the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the NATO Medal with ISAF Clasp, the Australian Defence Medal and the Returned from Active Service Badge.

🌺 ‘Lest We Forget’ 🌺

Check out our video of the day on ‘The Australian Infantry in Rwanda’

https://youtu.be/rEQMBCQbwTU

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Christmas in the Trenches during World War 1.

A Christmas Truce occurred on and around Christmas Day 1914, when the sounds of rifles firing and shells exploding faded in a number of places along the Western Front during World War 1, in favor of holiday celebrations.

During the unofficial ceasefire, soldiers on both sides of the conflict emerged from the trenches and shared gestures of goodwill.

On the 7th of December 1914, Pope Benedict XV suggested a temporary hiatus of the war for the celebration of Christmas. The warring countries refused to create any official cease-fire, but on Christmas Day, the soldiers in the trenches declared their own unofficial truce.

Starting on Christmas Eve, many German and British troops sang Christmas carols to each other across the lines, and at certain points the Allied soldiers even heard brass bands joining the Germans in their joyous singing.

At the first light of dawn on Christmas Day, some German soldiers emerged from their trenches and approached the Allied lines across no-man’s-land, calling out “Merry Christmas” in their enemies’ native tongues.

At first, the Allied soldiers feared it was a trick, but seeing the Germans unarmed, they also climbed out of their trenches and shook hands with the enemy soldiers. The men exchanged presents of ci******es and plum puddings and sang carols and songs.

Some Germans lit Christmas trees around their trenches, and there was even a documented case of soldiers from opposing sides playing a good-natured game of soccer.

For the remaining years of the First World War, soldiers on both sides were banned from fraternising and after devastating casualties and the introduction of poison gas, were unwilling to lay down arms.

The optimistic catchphrase, ‘this will all be over by Christmas’, was fading away and Australian troops spent three Christmases confined to the freezing trenches.

For many Australians, it was their first white Christmas, as reported by The Daily Telegraph: ‘For some days in France, the weather had been bitterly cold, a hoar frost had covered every house, every tree and bush with a coating of intense white, and the hedges and twigs resembled white coral and glistened when the sun shone.’

Some soldiers enjoyed a special dinner, while others ate their usual rations, bolstered by care parcels and comforts from the Red Cross, the Australian Comforts Fund, or families back home.
The fund planned that ‘every Australian soldier in France should have a special Christmas greeting in the way of a Christmas gift and extra comforts’.

Wearing gas masks and combat helmets, passing towns in ruin, its workers ran towards the trenches in the dark of night and distributed gifts, hot coffee, cocoa and milk, biscuits and ci******es.

One of the most popular gifts from Australians on the home front was a Christmas billy, with a plum pudding and a letter or message inside, and luxuries such as lollies, ci******es, chocolates, pastries, tinned food, soap, playing cards and keepsakes.

This public campaign was led by the Alexandra Club, a women’s organisation in Melbourne, which by 1915 alone, had distributed nearly 20,000 billies.
Families sent their own parcels as well. The Sydney Morning Herald reported a ‘Christmas rush’ on the front line in France in 1916.

‘The Australian effort was a record delivery, being over 1200 bags of gifts in one day. The authorities expect to handle … 30,000 letters. Battalions in the front line received their presents by hand delivery through the winding communication trenches. The final sorting was done by candlelight in dugouts. Puddings are plentiful, and everything promises a merry Christmas.’

Apart from home comforts, soldiers found their own cheer with beer and wine, communion and carols, and reminiscing about fun times.
By Christmas 1918, many Australian troops were about to return home and were looking forward to a hot dinner with loved ones, happy to have peace.

Check out our video of the day on ‘The Australian Infantry in Rwanda’

https://youtu.be/rEQMBCQbwTU

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‘OPERATION SOLACE’
Australia’s PeaceMaking Mission in Somalia’

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‘Operation Solace’ Australia’s Peacemaking Operation in Somalia Episode 2 Season 2 ‘Operation Solace’ Australia’s Peacemaking Operation in SomaliaThe First Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (1 RAR) deployed to Somalia from December 1...

On behalf of the Townsville Chapter, we wish our supporters, friends, followers and their families all the best for the festive season 🎄

The Garrison Bar will reopen on the Friday the 13th 👻 of January 2023.

Stay safe and keep the shiny side up.

VFFV

Tonight on behalf of the Chapter, the President presented a certificate of appreciation to Thai from Unique Signs & Wraps for their outstanding support for the Twenty Twenty Two Poker Run.

The team at Unique have also been instrumental and proactive with their suggestions and production of our signage and wrapping requirements at The Garrison this year.

It’s also Stone on the big screen tonight.

VFFV

This afternoon members of the Chapter took the opportunity to present a certificate of appreciation to the Townsville City Council for their outstanding support to the Twenty Twenty Two Poker Run.

Past President ‘Goat’ presented the the certificate on behalf of the Chapter to the Acting Mayor Cr Mark Molachino.

VFFV

This morning the President and members of the Townsville Chapter took the opportunity to present a certificate of appreciation to Nick and the legends at SunCity Harley-Davidson for their continuing and outstanding support to the Twenty Twenty Two Poker Run.

VFFV

‘Did You Know’

For the past 52 years, the Australian Army has maintained an Infantry Rifle Company on a continuous 3-4 month rotational basis at the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) base in Butterworth, Malaysia.

The Australian Army Rifle Company Butterworth was bought onto the Australian Army’s Order of Battle (ORBAT) on the 15th of November 1970 to provide a protective and quick reaction force (QRF) for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base, during a resurgence of the Communist insurgency in Malaysia.

RAAF Base Butterworth was handed over to the RMAF in 1988 and with the insurgency officially ending in 1989, the nomenclature was changed to Rifle Company Butterworth (RCB) and has since been maintained as a means of providing Australian soldiers with training in jungle warfare and cross-training with the Malaysian, Thai and Singaporean Armies.

Following the end of the insurgency, RCB designators changed from the Sub Unit identifier, such as B Company 8/9 RAR, to a Rotation number, for example RCB 112.

Army Reserve Infantry and non Infantry Regular Army soldiers provided composite companies for RCB rotations in the early 2000s due to Regular Army Infantry Battalions being deployed on simultaneous operations in East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan.

While each RCB rotation has achieved numerous training and international engagement objectives, risk is associated with every deployment.

Tragically, on the 23rd of September 1993, five soldiers from the 5th/7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (5/7 RAR) were killed and a further six injured, when the truck they were travelling in, collided with a bus near Pulada in Southern Malaysia.

Killed in the accident were
Sergeant Ian (Mal) Rutherford, Corporal Paul Wiffen, Corporal Christopher Burnett,
Corporal Darren Murphy and Lance Corporal Darren O’Rourke.

🌺 ‘Vale’ 🌺

Check out our video of the day on ‘The Australian Infantry in Rwanda’

https://youtu.be/rEQMBCQbwTU

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We are open on Friday nights from 1700h (5pm) till late and we welcome, by invitation, Veterans, current serving personnel, their families and members of the general public.

VFFV

‘THE BATTLE of BRISBANE’

’The Battle of Brisbane’ occurred over the nights of the 26th and 27th of November 1942.

The ‘battle’ consisted of a series of riots between United States military personnel and
Australian servicemen and civilians in the capital city of Brisbane in Queensland, Australia, the Wartime Headquarters of General Douglas MacArthur.

🌺 ‘VALE’ 🌺

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‘No Matter What It Takes, No Matter How Long It Takes, We’re Here To Help’

‘Help Us Help Them’

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‘Deeds Not Words’

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‘Honour The Dead, But Fight Like Hell For The Living’

'The Battle of Brisbane' 'The Battle of Brisbane’A series of riots between the US military and Australian troops, that took place over two nights in November 1942.LIKE SHARE SUBSCRIB...

RSL Car Boot sale

‘Did You Know’
The homelessness rate for Australian Military Veterans is at a staggering 5.3%

This is compared to 1.9% for the general population.

Although our Garrison PROJECT 2022 campaign has concluded, you can still help by making a donation. Your donation may just make the difference.

Account Name - VVMC/VMC Townsville Chapter Inc
BSB - 633000
Account No - 119383362

The Australian Military Veteran community thanks you for your support.

VFFV

Tomorrow morning at the Townsville RSL

The last for 2022

Proceeds towards assisting Military Veterans.

VFFV

A Night at The Garrison

VFFV

Photo Credit: P4L (The Chapters photographer of choice 😉)

This Sunday morning at the Townsville RSL commencing at 0830h

Koffee Witch making the Brews.

Townsville Chapter making the Bangers.

Bargains galore to be had.

Last one for ‘22

VFFV

Today we pause to remember the world changing event known as the Bombing of Pearl Harbour, or as the United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt said in his 8th of December 1941 speech declaring war on Japan, “a date which will live in infamy”.

Early on Wednesday morning, 7th of December 2022, many will gather at Pearl Harbour National Memorial for the 81st Commemoration. The early start marks the moment to the minute 81 years ago when Japanese warplanes descended on Oahu, killing 2,403 service members and civilians, injuring thousands more and dealing a near fatal blow to the Navy’s fleet at Pearl Harbour.

The mostly young Americans who died that day, along with those who served in uniform during World War II or on the home front war effort are collectively known as the Greatest Generation. Their sacrifices reflect the theme of this year’s Commemoration: Everlasting Legacy.

The focus is the importance of remembering Pearl Harbour and how the Greatest Generation saved us from tyranny and brought us peace through reconciliation. Learn more about this day of remembrance at: https://www.pearlharborevents.com/

Check out our video ‘The Bombing of Darwin’

https://youtu.be/Q3qAK1JhK8E

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‘Tap Out’ on that notification bell, that way you won’t miss more fascinating Military History from Australia and around the world.

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☛ - Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/thegarro

☛ - 📧[email protected]

Please consider joining our Patreon program and supporting ‘The Garrison’ Australia’s Military History Channel ‘The Garro’.

‘No Matter What It Takes, No Matter How Long It Takes, We’re Here To Help’

‘Help Us Help Them’

‘Support Your Local Veterans’

‘Deeds Not Words’

‘Veterans Helping Veterans’

‘Honour The Dead, But Fight Like Hell For The Living’