Association items FOR SALE.

At Reunion 2010 Townsville the Associations first formal history '107 Field Battery, 1965-1971 - Australia, Malaysia & Vietnam" will be released.

It is 350 pages of stories and photographs of those who served in the Black sheep at Holsworthy, Malaysia, Townsville and Vietnam. The book included nominal rolls and much other historical data. The book will be on sale first at the Reunion in Townsville then will be available by mail order. The recommended retail price is $60.00. Current financial members are entitled to a special member’s price of $50. Post & packing within Australia is $12.00 for one and two copies. Freight for three or more books is available on application.

To order you copy email 'secretary @ 107fdbty dot com' (include 107 Bty in the subject line) with your name, email, mailing address and phone number and you will be advised of the methods of payment and when your copy will be dispatched.

No email, then write to 107 Fd Bty Assn, PO Box 199 ERINDALE, ACT 2903.

107 The Black Sheep Battery  BASEBALL CAP.

The Black Sheep is featured on this classy Black five panel baseball cap in 3D raised embroidery on the front. On the rear, also in 3D, is the phrase "The Black Sheep" so anyone following will not be in doubt.

Available to members only and still only $20.00 each, plus $6.00 P&P if you are not attending R10 in Townsville, 24-30April 2010.

For mail order, contact the Secretary, details listed throughout this website.

All proceeds go to the development of the Association's historical publications and in particular "The Black Sheep 1965-1971" in paperback, released at Townsville Reunion last April.

Association KEYRING and RAM PIN -

Shown are the Association Key Tag and RAM pin. The key tag is the same as your membership version but with out your membership number. The RAM in is our original discrete Black Sheep RAM pin with clutch pin. Both items are just $10.00 each to members.

To order the above items contact 'secretary @ 107fdbty dot com' (include "107 Bty" in Subject line). Or phone 0418 695 345.

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From the RAM RAMBLINGS Editor's keyboard:

The Association has matured and we now produce our newsletter, The RAM Ramblings, three times per annum. The editor for the last five years, Barry Pearce, has decided to rest his fingers before the onset of RSI, so Warren (Noddy) Feakes has taken over as Editor from the August 2010 edition. We thank Barry for his dedicated work in getting the RAM Ramblings firmly established as out bulletin.

The next edition of the RR is due out in August2011. Deadline is 28th February 2011. Items for inclusion are most welcome. Or if you would like a copy of previous editions then email the Secretary.

If you know of ex-members from other era's of 107 Fd Bty's history, i.e. Holsworthy, Malaysia, Vietnam and post Vietnam including Timor then please let them know about 107 Fd Bty RAA Assn and this website. Let’s make our Association a place where we can share experiences, assist each other & share our experiences and friendship; all without ANY stress.

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VALE – 107th Field Battery Members

We remember our comrades and Association Members, who are no longer with us, with happiness for the unique experience and friendship we shared with them and the sadness when we realise that we can have that no more.

They joined for many reasons, to march, to sail, to fly
they where they were posted but nobody joins to die.
Their leaders talk on TV; what else could we have done?
But those leaders lost no daughters and none has lost a son.

So here’s to all our soldiers wherever they may be...
and here’s to all their families, I raise my glass to thee.

Listed alphabetically and using their highest rank while serving with the Battery, this information has been complied and kindly supplied by Neil Layton. If there is a mistake, omission or further information that should be included than please email secretary@107fdbty.com.

Cfn Ian ALLISON, vehicle mechanic Townsville and Vietnam, died on 15 September 2007 at Darra Qld, after a long illness. Ian was a member of the 107 Fd Bty Assn.

SSgt Bill “Rocky” BOSTOCK, MID – Battery Guide Vietnam.

Bdr Richard William BUCKMAN, Gun Number Malaysia and Vietnam died Cardiac Arrest in Queensland June 2007. Richard was a member of the 107 Fd Bty Assn.

Gnr Larry John "Father" DADD, a Q Store member of the Battery in Malaysia in 1967-68, past away in Orange in late 2007, not long aftering retiring after selling his business in Orange. Larry attended the Association reunion at The Tweed in Fabruary 2004.

Bdr Eric “Jock” DOUGLAS, Transport Malaysia & Vietnam.

Gnr Mick “Blue” FOLEY, Gun Number Vietnam (Ed: see story below)

SSgt Ray “Bwana” HARPER, Transport Supervisor Malaysia, passed away on 5 December 2003

Cpl Peter “Pete” HIELSCHER, Cook Vietnam

WO2 Bob “The Phantom” JOHNSTON, Gun Sgt Malaysia & Battery Quarter Master Sergeant Vietnam

LBdr Kevin “Kevvy” JOLLIFFE, Transport Malaysia & Vietnam & Manger RAM Inn Vietnam

Bdr William (Salty) KLASS, served sa gun number and Q Store Bdr in Malaysia, Townsville & Vietnam. Salty passed away in Brisbane on 3 October 2011.

Gnr Jan KOLARIC, as a national serviceman served as a Sig in Malaysia. Jan passes away from cancer on 26 November 2005

Gnr Robin Wallace "Wally" MATHERSON, was Gun Number in Malaysia and Singapore. He passed away in Victoria on 17 August 2008 at age 60 from a stroke. 

Sgt Ernie “Geordie” MARTIN, Sgt Cook Vietnam

Gnr Peter “Porky” McKINNON, Gun Number B Gun, Vietnam. Passed away at Yass 9th June 2005 from cancer

Gnr Ross Charles MORRIS, of Rozelle NSW, passed away on the 11 May 2008 from Leukaemia. He was 6th intake National Serviceman and served with 107 Battery at Holsworthy. He was posted as a reinforcement driver to A Battery in Malaysia in May 2007 with seven other 107 Battery members. He, along with the other reinforcements rejoined 107 Battery on its arrival in Malaysia by ship from Australia. He returned to Australia on completion of his National Service obligation.

Sgt Barry “Moose” MOSSMAN, Gun Sgt Malaysia & Vietnam

Capt David “Neggers” NEGLINE, Forward Observer & Battery Captain Vietnam. Passed away at Newcastle on 23rd April 2004

Gnr Peter “Opie” OPRAY, FO Sig Vietnam, twice wounded in action once in the head and once in the neck, died in Victoria of brain tumour at age 51.

Gnr Allan "Jock" ROBERTSON, Gun Number Holsworthy and Malaysia, died of cancer in Lanark, Scottland, on 8th July 2005 (see note below).

Gnr Gnr John “Rusty” RUSSACK”, Gun Number Vietnam

Gnr Chris “Sawtee” SAWTELL, Gun Number Holsworthy. Too young to go with the Battery to Malaysia, he was transferred to and subsequently went to Vietnam with HQ Bty, 12 Fd Regt. He was Killed In Action on 13 May 1968 at FSB Coral, Vietnam. Two Gunners were among those who fell during Operation Surfers involving FSB Coral and FSB Balmoral in May-June 1968.

Gnr Trevor SCHULTZ, Operator Command Post South Vietnam, died in a motor vehicle accident in 1974.

Captain Ian McGregor SIMPSON, of Alice River NQ, passed away on 12 March 2010 from a heart attack. He was a graduate of the Officer Cadet School, Portsea Vic, and served continually in 107 Battery from 1965 to May 1971, including Holsworthy, Malaysia, Townsville and Vietnam. He undertook two tours of Vietnam, one in May/June 1968 when detached from the Battery in Malaysia to 12 Fd Regt at FSB Coral and the second for twelve months with the Battery in 1970-71.

Capt Don (D McY) SMITH, served as BK and BC in Malaysia. Don passed away suddendly on 25 October 2011 in Sydney after a routine operation.

Gnr Tony “Sob” SOBOLEWSKI, Sig Malaysia

Gnr Jim STAVELEY, driver Charlie gun Townsville from 1973. Passed away in Qld as a result of a motor vehicle accident

Sgt Ruben "Timmy" TIMMINS, RAEME Holsworthy & Malaysia, passed away peacefully on 6 June 2007.

Gnr Helmut “Wally” WALDAU, Storeman Vietnam

Gnr Gil WARMAN, Sig Malaysia

Ann-Maree OPRAY, wife of Peter Opray and the Associations first Widowed member, passed away on 11 April 2008 at Shepparton, Victoria.

It is with great sadness that we pass on the message that Alan Corcoran's eldest daughter Sally passed away on Monday 13th September 2010. She was 32 years old. Our thoughts are with Alan & his family at this very sad time.

Vale ends

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3790149 Allan (Jock) ROBERTSON was a gun number. He was a tall, happy-go-lucky red headed British citizen travelling in Australia. He must have registered as he was conscripted into the Australian Army. After recruit training (3 months at either Puckapunyal (Seymour Vic) or Kapooka (Wagga Wagga, NSW)) and the gun numbers course at the School of Artillery (most likely 2 months at Manly – Sydney), he was posted to 107 Battery at Holsworthy (Sydney NSW) then with Bob Mercer, Brian Tate and six other national servicemen, went as a reinforcement to A (100) Bty in Terendak (Malacca) Malaysia. He rejoined 107 Bty on its arrival in Terendak in September 1967. He is immediately behind the then Lt Warren Feakes on this website photograph of Lt Bob Birse's funeral guard. He was well liked and respected by all. However, his broken service with the Battery appears to have confused most to believe that there was only one Robertson, the batman, yet most described characterises typical of Jock. At the completion of his two years national service he took his discharge in Malaysia and returned to Scotland via a RAF flight. He died of cancer in Scotland on 8th July 2005.

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GONE, BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN - By John Anderson, Aireys Inlet Victoria.

Blue, Carrot Top, Red, Blood Nut, Red Knob – he had all sorts of names, but we’ll just call him as I knew him…… Blue!

Yeah; he was Blue, and he was funny, he was tough, he was “salt of the earth” and for all too short a time he was my best mate.

We met up at Holsworthy, just after rookie training. We were there for Corps Training (Artillery –Nine mile snipers, Drop Shorts, anything you cynical Grunts wanted to call us – but bloody hell! weren’t you glad to hear that first round come whistling over your heads when you wanted us!). From different sides of the tracks (Blue from Braybrook, me from Malvern)…. but, like many other Nasho’s, we discovered a lot of common ground - not afraid of a fight, not too rapt in Army discipline & authority (Green Machine sucks!), keen on a punt, we both chased skirt (chronically) and for those of you who can relate we enjoyed a cool drink on a hot day- could be a problem!

Went to and did our thing in Vietnam- just a couple of blokes wandering the dusty tracks, bouncing of rubber trees, sniffing out a cold beer & a good time wherever we could in the metropolis of the Australian Task Force Base at Nui Dat, Phouc Tuy Province, South Vietnam.

Neither of us hero’s, just two 21 year old Aussies doing our best not too let things get to us, not to get shot, just doing “what we were told” and having the balls to stand up and give it our best shot when we needed to.

Five days of bar and bedroom terrorism in Honkers on R&R – two of us on a rooting, drinking, having a bloody good time, rampaging at Government expense just strengthened the bond between Blue & myself.

The last six months of “Nasho” spent in a state of “working the system” – great times, great people in Townsville. Couple of “smart arse, but bloody cunning Vets for a month or two in Sydney- where we milked the “sympathy” attention from every nubile young miss we could lay our hands on.

Then, September 1971 – it’s all over….. Blue goes back to Braybrook, I go back to the sanctuary of family and the leafy streets of Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.

Sin Loi. Blue’s dead now, stabbed to death by some doped out freak after an argument about rights to a pool table at a Pub in Maidstone. Something that would have been sorted out by a quick “OK! Let’[s sort it out in the Car Park, couple of punches (it was Maidstone, so maybe a head but!), then arms around each other _ “better come & have a beer with me!” – Not necessarily mateship, but a bit of respect for each other.

“So long Blue, I’ve never talked about this before, but I’m hoping nature will take me rather than the way you went. When the time comes I know I’ll find you there (probably at the Jade Bar) and j’eez mate…. I’m looking forward to having a beer or three with you”.

Up the old Red Rooster…and you know the rest.
Cheers & Beers,
Ando

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LINKS to OTHER SITES

The ROYAL REGIMENT of AUSTRALIAN ARTILLERY is the official Website, and part of the Australian Department of Defence Website. Access is at: http://www.defence.gov.au/army/RRAA/  This provides the latest official news from the Royal Australian Artillery and contact to the official unit and associations of the Australian Artillery. Login access to many parts of the site is required. 

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The RAA Assn of NSW, reformed after WW2, is been at the forefront of Gunner activities in NSW and Australia. And who can forget attending or working at the Gunner Dinner at the old School of Artillery at North Head when attending a course at the School. You will find links to all the other RAA Associations in Australia plus many other gunner organisations. Their new website is: www.artillerynsw.asn.au.