Townsville 31st Battalion Association member Ron Whiting passed away on 8th April 2019. As well as being a past member of the 31st Battalion Ron was also a member of the National Servicemen’s association.

Townsville 31st Battalion Association member Bob Wasley passed away on 1st March 2019. Bob was also a member of the National Servicemen’s Association

Many are aware of the recent passing of Major Kevin Claude Thomas MM. The decorated Korean War Veteran and one time highly skilled Commando served in the 31st Infantry Battalion for almost a decade and then trained many 31st Battalion Officers over a further 5 years at the Townsville OCTU  at Lavarack Barracks.

This is an outline of his Military Career and demonstrated by a magnificent Tribute Poster by our French Honorary Member, Pierre Seillier.

Kevin Claude Thomas was born on July 16th 1930 at Crows Nest, Sydney.

He joined the Army in Sydney on 19th July 1951. After training at Kapooka was assigned to 3RAR

Served in  Korea 1951-53 (two back to back tours) from late 1951 to 24 July 1953.

1952 Promoted Cpl

Awarded MM in May 1953 for actions in Sept 1952

Late 1953 RTA and discharge.

In 1954 Kev joined  1 Commando Regiment CMF

1955 Passed Para School at Williamstown and obtained Wings and promoted Sgt

1956 Seconded to a team with British Submarine Tellymackers, did 4 day submarine course and granted “Dolphins” from Australian Navy

1957 on family move to Brisbane transferred to 2/14th Qld Mounted Infantry

1958 Promoted 2nd Lieut

1960 on family move to Ayr appointed  Platoon Commander with 31st Battalion RQR

1969 Promoted Capt and moved to OCTU as Instructor, shortly after promoted T/Major as Senior Instructor

1971 Passed 21A course and confirmed as Major

1973 Awarded Efficiency Decoration (ED) for Long Service

1974 Moved to Retired List

A copy of Kevin’s Military Medal Citation  is attached.

One of the 3rd Battalion’s diggers in Kevin’s section killed in the action where Kevin was awarded the MM was 19 year old Keith Gardner.

Kevin subsequently met his sister Margaret and later they were married on 26th Feb 1955. In April 1991 they both travelled to Korea and visited Keith’s grave at Pusan Cemetery where Kevin took a photo of Margaret next to Keith’s grave.

In October 1991 the Federal Member for Herbert, Ted Lindsay, who had served in 31st Battalion RQR with Kev, spoke in the House of Representatives on Kev’s service in Korea, and read out his Military Medal Citation.

Ted went on to say –

“Kevin Thomas and his comrades in arms who served in Korea have left behind them an enduring legacy of selfless devotion to the highest ideals of mankind. I recall President Truman’s words of salute to American Troops in Korea; they apply no less to Australians who served there. His words were as follows-

You will go down in history as the first army to fight under a flag of a world organisation  in defence of human freedom….

Victory may be in your hands, but you are winning a greater thing than military victory, for you are vindicating the idea of freedom under international law.

I record the gratitude of this House to Australian Korean War heroes and their fallen comrades. “

Kevin Thomas MM was given a very moving Memorial Service on Saturday 16th February 2019 by 3RAR at their home at Lavarack Barracks. Among those present with Kev’s family were Denis Tarbuck (A COY 3RAR Korean War Veteran) and 31st Battalion Association members:  Colonel Greg Stokie Retd, (Queensland President), Don Thompson, Ambrose Saldumbide, Bob McIntosh, John Hayward, Vic Nicol, Ron Piper, Alan Hartley, Terry Hansen, the family of the Late Kev Fraser, the aforementioned Ted Lindsay,  and Felix Reitano (Ingham Branch President), who Kev’s family said “was kind enough to do Kev’s Military Eulogy in the absence of Colonel Hugh Gaffney AM RFD ED Retd, the Patron of 31st Infantry Battalion Assoc.” Also present was Major Ian Reid, XO 31st/42nd Battalion RQR representing the CO, Lt Col Damian Green

LEST WE FORGET

Photos  1. Pierre’s Tribute  2. Kev with 1 Commando Regt (back row 2nd from left)  3 Kev in Samichon Valley with Hill 187 behind in 1952 4. The MM Citation

The following notification has been passed on by the Secretary of the Brisbane Branch of 31Bn Association, Tony Wadeson on Sunday 9 Dec 2018.

Dear Members, it is with great sadness I advise of the passing of our dear comrade & friend,  – Doug. Moffett.  It is believed Doug passed away yesterday (Saturday). Little is known of the circumstances at this stage, but I’ll keep you informed when further details come to hand.

Doug was extremely  proud that he had the Honour to serve, & eventually Command the 31st Bn. He was a staunch member of the Association, always tried to be involved with all of the Association undertakings. He was very active, approaching his mid ninety’s but during the past month has had numerous Hospital visits, but according to him, it was nothing he couldn’t handle. His death has been a great shock, completely unexpected.

At Doug’s request his service was a private family based service with eulogies led by his two sisters and two of his nieces. The emphasis was a celebration of his long and fulfilling life in both his civilian and military capacities. His sisters were aware of  his love of the Association and its members and of his keen ongoing interest in the Unit which he had led as CO back in the early 70s.

A limited number of  Brisbane branch Association members were invited to attend the small service which was held at the Garden Chapel of the Albany Creek Memorial Park at 10.30am on Monday 17th December 2018.  At the conclusion of the service a final salute was provided by Association members as the curtains closed over Doug’s coffin.

—o0o—

Members were shocked to hear of the passing in Sept 2017 of Maj Rod Golding RFD ADM (Rtd). Rod died suddenly of a heart attack while on holidays in South Australia.

Rod became OC of 31st Indep Rifle Coy from 1980 – 1981. It was a particularly difficult period for the 31st. The Unit had been reorganized to an Independent Rifle Coy in 1976, a victim of the Miller committee report. Under Rod’s leadership an increased emphasis training and on recruitment was starting to pay off as numbers slowly increased. This was eventually to see the unit restored to Battalion size in 1986.

Rod was a very enthusiastic member of the 31st Battalion association. in August 2017, just a few months before his passing he was one of the members who travelled to Townsville for the annual Commemorative Church Service and a dedication Service at Lavarack Barracks.

In a speech given at the August 2017 Commemorative Service, Brigadier Steve Graw said “Rod Golding gave me what turned out to be one of the two best pieces of advice I ever received”. He said “There are three things that a commander needs to do”, he said: “Make sure that the soldiers are fed properly, that they are paid correctly and that their training is relevant, interesting and challenging. Do that and they will forgive you just about anything else”. (The other best piece of advice was “bad news does not get any better with age” – delivered on three separate occasions by three separate Generals on the same pre-command course — so they must have meant it).

Rod’s funeral service was held on Tuesday 3 Oct 2017 at the Uniting Church, Albany Creek Rd., Albany Creek.