Association member Tim Lewis has been in contact with Keith Hearne, one of the few remaining members of 2/31st Batalion still active. He was formerly a President of the Victorian Branch of the 2/31 Battalion Association. Tim was also contacted by Eric Anderson, the son of “Hook” Anderson. Eric sent a parcel of old newsletters published by the 2/31st Bn association. “Hook” Anderson was for many years the editor of the 2/31st Bn Association newsletter “Forever Forward”. Amongst the newsletters were half a dozen copies of “Forever Forward”, dating from December 1993 to December 1998 and the four copies of the 25th Brigade newsletter “Teh Kallim”, dating from December 1963 to June 1988.
Keith Hearne sent a number of pictures of association reunions. We are hoping that Keith can give us some more information on members in the pictures including some of their stories. In later years as numbers gradually declined Keith mentioned that their had been an amalgamation of the 2/31st and 2/25th Battalion Associations in Victoria.
Tim gave me a number of pictures taken by his father, Leiutenant Aub Lewis, prior to and during the final campaign of the 2/31st Battalion, in Balikpapan. Some of those pictures were taken prior to the departure from Australia during training in the Atherton Tablelands. A selection of those are included below. Some members may recognize a familiar face from the past amongst them.
Martin O’Sullivan.
| Fred Cave during Bren Gun Carrier training at Atherton Tableland |
| Officers of the Battalion with the Commander |
| Groups of Diggers |
