- Author
- Lind, L.J.
- Subjects
- History - general
- Tags
-
- RAN Ships
- None noted.
- Publication
- December 1990 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)
Our priority task for 1990 was the incorporation of the Society which had been commenced in 1988. A draft was prepared by the Committee which was passed to the Honorary Legal Officer for consideration. The final submission will be forwarded to Corporate Affairs for approval. All three Chapters of the Society are incorporated.
The highlight of the first half of the 1990 was the magnificent wreath prepared by the Society for placing on the cenotaph at Lone Pine as a part of the 75th Anniversary of the Landing at Gallipoli Celebrations. Vice President John Date arranged for a wreath of Australian dried flowers to be fashioned by Mrs Nancy Spinks of Galston Bay and Mrs Jenny Crombie hand painted the card from the Society. The wreath was carried to Gallipoli in HMAS TOBRUK and laid on behalf of the Society by Commander Brian Robertson of HMAS SYDNEY.
In 1989 a meeting was convened between the Society and the HMAS CANBERRA-SHROPSHIRE Association to discuss the commercial publication of the book ‘HMAS SHROPSHIRE’ by Stan Nicholls. The outcome of the meeting was the Society would edit the book and underwrite the cost of publishing.
This fine book was published in early 1990 and sales during the first month covered all production costs.
An appreciable increase in membership was noted during the year in the wake of sustained campaign by the Committee to attain total financial membership. The Society reached its highest membership in 1975 but, because of age, etc. there had been a fall-off in the 1980s. In September, 1990 we enrolled 23 new members.
Sadly, this year marked the passing of a long-time supporter of the Society. His Excellency, Rear Admiral Sir David Martin, KCMG, Governor of New South Wales, had shown a keen interest in our activities since the late 1970s. In 1986, on appointment as Flag Officer, Naval Support Command, he made his official residence, Chatsworth, available for one of our meetings and then presented an excellent address on ‘Naval Gunnery’.
As 1990 draws to a close the Society will be holding it’s third Official Dinner and like its two predecessors it will be held at Garden Island. The first was held in 1975 and the second in 1980. Guests of Honour at both functions were the Honourable James Killen, Minister for Defence and Admiral Sir Victor Smith, AC, KCMG, CB, DSC, Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee.
Invitations were extended to Vice Admiral M.W. Hudson, AC, Chief of Naval Staff and Admiral Sir Victor Smith to be our Guests of Honour for 1990.
The Naval Historical Society of Australia has created a noteworthy record and now, 20 years on, the Society can look back with pride on a crown of achievements all of which were directed to preserving the traditions and upholding the image of the Royal Australian Navy. Not one of these achievements were gained without effort and it speaks highly of the calibre of the people we attracted to our ranks. However, no organisation can survive by resting on its laurels and today the Service is facing new threats to its traditions and image. To borrow from the motto of the Returned Services League of Australia ‘Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty’ in the years ahead we must apply new and continuing effort in the application of our objects and aims.
