Latest campaigners to head city march

AUSTRALIA’S modern Diggers from East Timor, Afghanistan and Iraq will lead Friday’s ANZAC Day march in Melbourne for the first time.

Ron Williamson, who served in WWII, was one of the rats of Tobruk. He is pictured with hi

AUSTRALIA’S modern Diggers from East Timor, Afghanistan and Iraq will lead Friday’s ANZAC Day march in Melbourne for the first time.

In the ANZAC Centenary year, veterans from post-1975 campaigns will march under three main banners; Afghanistan, Iraq and the Australian Peacekeeper and Peacemaker Veterans Association on their way to the steps of the Shrine of Remembrance.

“Since 1975 tens of thousands of Australian servicemen and women have served in a multitude of peacekeeping and peace support operations, and in especially large numbers in the last 15 years in East Timor, the Solomons and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Victorian RSL president Major General David McLachlan said.

Maj-General McLachlan said the 2014 march will give the Victorian community an opportunity to support and thank the veterans of recent operations who have served Australia with such distinction.

Up to 12,000 people are expected to join the march, including as many as 2000-3000 World War II veterans, State RSL chief executive Michael Annett said.

Although Australia’s World War I Diggers have all passed, hundreds of descendants will form part of the procession with another 5,000-6,000 veterans from the 1945-1975 period.

Fine weather is forecast for April 25, sunny with a top of 21 degrees.

The march will follow the traditional 6am Dawn Service at the Shrine which this year marks 99 years since the Gallipoli landings.

The RSL is encouraging post-1975 veterans to participate and assemble at the corner of Swanston and Flinders streets and ready to begin the march at 9am Friday.

ANZAC DAY MARCH

The 2014 Melbourne Anzac Day March will be led by veterans who have served after 1975, including peacekeeping and peace support operations in East Timor and the Solomons, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The group will leave from the corner of Swanston and Flinders Sts at 9am. The three main banners to form up behind are Afghanistan, Iraq and the Australian Peacekeeper and Peacemaker Veterans Association.

Disabled personnel 8.15

HQ Group 8.45

Post-1975 Veterans 8.45

Boer War 8.45

World War I 8.45

New Zealand 8.45

Women’s Services 8.45

Ancilliary Services 1 8.45

Navy Group 8.45

Navy Ships 9.00

2AIF 1 Corps 9.15

6 Division 9.20

7 Division 9.30

8 Division 9.45

9 Division 9.55

3 Division 10.00

5 & 11 Divisions 10.00

2AIF, 2 Corps 10.10

RAAF South East Asia 10.25

RAAF Europe & Middle East 10.25

RAAF South West Pacific 10.35

Army Group 9.00

RAAF Group 10.20

BCOF, Korea, Malaya, Borneo 10.45

Vietnam 1 & 2 10.55

Royal Australia Regiment 11.00

Ancillary Services 2 11.15

National Services 11.20

C’wealth Forces 11.25

Allies 11.30

Marshals 12.20

ANZAC REUNIONS

HMAS Sydney & VLSVA: Friday, after march, Maori Chief Hotel, Sth Melb. Contact: David Dwyer 9720 8183

HMAS WARRAMUNGA: tomorrow, noon, Waverley RSL, Glen Waverley. Contact: Paul Callanan 0421 107 952.

HMAS BATAAN: Friday, after march, English Speaking Union, Sth Yarra. Contact: George Daniel 5971 2396/0409 199 710

HMAS Manoora Assn: Friday, noon, Gateway Bistro, Melbourne. Contact: Les Kennedy 0418 503 202

HMAS Kanimbla Assn: Today, noon, Bentleigh RSL. Contact: Harold Ristran 9557 6466

HMAS Westralia: Friday, 10.30am, Botanic Gardens Café (opp. Shrine). Contact: Alan Hooley 9889 7135.

Submarine Assn Aust: Friday, Holbrook, NSW. Contact: Keith Hatfield 0408 051 085

Fleet Air Arm Assn (Vic Div): Friday, after march, Melbourne Naval Centre (ESU), Sth Yarra. Contact: Ron Christie 9764 5542

Far East Strategic (FESR) Navy Assn: Friday, after march, Bull & Bear Hotel, Contact: Les Bailey 0411 143 443

2/11 Fd Regt Assn: Friday, noon, Bayview on the Park, Melbourne.

Contact: Ben Tatterson 0447 376 674

Aust Survey Corps Assn: Friday, noon, Bull & Bear Tavern, Melbourne. Contact: Bill Black 9889 2143

2/1 Army Field Workshops: Friday, noon, Tooruk House, Albert Park. Contact: Coral Reynolds 9566 2882

2/7 Inf Bn: Friday, 11.30am, Richmond Union, Bowling Club, Richmond. Contact: Roger Walker 0407 844 992

2/4 AIF Bn: Friday, after march, Clayton RSL. Contact: Bill Panter 9557 5171

18 Aust Inf Bde Assn: Friday, after march, Rats of Tobruk Hall. Contact: N Fraser 9544 5478

2/16 Inf Bn: Friday, 11.30am, Palmerston Hotel, Sth Melb. Contact: Trevor Ingram 0419 333 347.

4 Anti Tank Regt: Friday, 11am, Castle Hotel, Nth Melb. Contact: Jim Kerr 9551 7088

2/21 Inf Bn (Gull Force): Friday, noon, Mail Exchange Hotel, Melbourne. Contact: Des O’Brien 0438 796 986

2/29 Bn AIF Assn: today, 12.30am, Rendezvous Hotel, Melbourne. Contact: Joy Denham 0429 850 575

2/4 LAA Regt: Friday, noon, Elsternwick Hotel, Elwood. Contact: Fred Wells 9807 8115

Aust Survey Corps Assn: Friday, noon, Bull & Bear Tavern, Melbourne. Contact: Bill Black 9889 2143

9 Aust Div Sappers: Friday, noon, Mail Exchange Hotel, Melbourne. Contact: Bob Rowley 9354 6244

2/23rd Bn Assn: Friday, noon, Botanical Hotel, Sth Yarra. Contact: Neil Graham 9817 4414

2/24 Bn Assn: Friday, noon, Pascoevale RSL. Contact: Alister Davison 9844 3036

4 Fd Regt: tomorrow, 12.30pm, Ivanhoe RSL. Contact: Fred Cullen 9499 2051

57/60 Inf Bn Assn: Friday, noon, Darebin RSL, Preston. Contact: Max Smith 0418 223 700

7th Bn Ass (1939-1945): Friday noon, Middle Park Bowling Club, Middle Park. Contact: Elaine Towers 9802 4449

29/46 Bn: today, 11am, Greensborough RSL. Contact: Peter Crawford 9798 2056

37/52 Inf Bn: tomorrow, noon, William Angliss TAFE, Melbourne. Contact: Sandy McLeod 9753 5660/0409 682 710

14/32 Inf Bn: TBA. Contact: Eric Chesters 9306 1070

RA Sigs Assn (Vic): Friday, 1pm, SGT Mess, Simpson Barracks, Watsonia. Contact: Gavin Lee 0425 722347

Aust Special Wireless Group: Sept 10, noon, The Pumphouse, Carlton. Contact: Steve Mason 9882 6735.

16.23

RAAOC Assn: Friday, noon, Rising Sun Hotel, Sth Melb. Contact: Terry Bennett 5727 3760

RAAFVVA: Friday, after march, Orient East Restaruant, Melbourne. Contact: Rick Holmes 9317 7304

3 Sqn RAAF: Friday, noon, with Odd Bods at Leonda, Hawthorn. Contact: Jock McAuley 9877 4551

46 Sqn RAAF: Friday, 12.30pm, Leonda, Hawthorn. Contact: John Hodson 9598 8403

Odd Bods (UK): Friday, noon, Leonda, Hawthorn. Contact: George Smith 9847 0617.

RAF Assn: Friday, after march, Elephant & Wheelbarrow, St Kilda. Contact: Vic Leigh 9379 2939.

2 Sqn RAAF: Saturday, noon, Milanos, Brighton Beach. Contact: Graham Henry 9590 2186

22 Sqn RAAF: Friday, after march, Rising Sun Hotel, Sth Melb. Contact: Ken Pulling 9859 3016

31 Beav Fighter Sqn: Friday, after march, Olive Tree Restaurant, Sth Melb. Contact: Ken Lyons 9830 6136/0412 988 271

5 Airfield Contr Sqn: Sunday, Altona RSL. Contact: John Burton 9731 1937

Korea Veterans Assn of Australia: Friday, after march, Stella Maris Seafarers Centre, Melbourne

Contact: Alan Evered 0412 521 488/9874 2219

National Malaya Borneo Vet Assn: Friday, 12.30am, Batman Hill, Melbourne. Contact: Owen Marshall 0414 238 698

AATTV Assn: Friday, 1pm, Kelvin Club, Melbourne. Contact: Bruce Davies 5258 3031/0413 189 885

RAAC Assn: Friday, after march, TBA. Contact: John Paterson, 9465 1418/0403 535 938.

RAE Vietnam Assn: Friday, 1pm, Prahran RSL. Contact: Vincent Neale 9786 1549

Royal Aust Regt Assn: Friday, 12.30pm, Duke of Kent, Melbourne. Contact: Bob Richardson 9434 2231/0400 648 181

RAASC Vietnam Assn: Friday, after march, St Kilda RSL. Contact: Paul Curran 9720 3860.

RAEME Vietnam: Friday, noon, Prahran RSL. Contact: Dennis Clarke 9848 6757

85 Tpt Pl RAASC: Friday, 1.30pm, Emerald Hotel, Sth Melb. Contact: Robert Bruce 9889 4412/0417 399 200

Civilian Surgical Teams Vietnam: Friday, after march, 1pm, The Olive Tree, Sth Melb. Contact: Dr Dorothy Angell 5192 4119

Ceylon Ex-Servicemens Assn: Friday, 2pm, Burcher Ass Hall, Clayton. Contact: Reg Oorloff 9700 2506

Polish Sub Branch: Friday, 1pm, Stigs, Richmond. Contact: S Czauderna 9898 7223

Victoria Assn of WWII Vets from the former Soviet Union: Friday, 11am, Flinders St Station. Contact: Grinyov Semyon 9528 1394

Vietnamese Veterans Assn: Friday, 2pm, Footscray RSL. Contact: Khiet Nguyen 0401 608 344

HQ Tas Cond 1968-70: November 15-16, Hobart. Contact: Greg (Flipper) or Cherty Storrr [phone]