Battle of Onverwacht Ceremony

On Thursday 7th February 2019 at 1000hrs The Boer War Association Queensland held a ceremony at the Sherwood RSL sub branch centre commemorating the Battle of Onverwacht. The guest speaker was Maj. General Professor

John Pearn AO RFD who called on the wreaths to laid by interested parties. A contingent of 7 members representing the 31st Infantry Battalion Association attended and laid a wreath.

After the ceremony morning tea served in the club rooms attended by our group plus the representatives of the African Military Veterans Organisation of Australia ( SAMVOA ). We then moved to the Services Club for lunch.

Members should be aware that a significant number of the members of the Kennedy Regiment volunteered to join the

Australian contingent bound for South Africa during the Boer War. The Regiment was subsequently awarded the Battle Honour “South Africa 1901 -1902” in recognition of this service.

The following photos were taken at the sub branch function

President of the SAMVOA Shaun Winson and 31st Battalion (Brisbane Branch) Secretary Tony Wadeson

At the Battle of Onverwacht Commemoration

Mike O’Connor SAMVOA with 31st Battalion Assn members George Stanger and Mick James

31st Battalion Association (Brisbane Branch) President Ray Fogg and Mike O’Connor SAMVOA

OBE Awards

At a small gathering of members of the Association in November 2018, two of our hard working members of the Brisbane Branch executive were presented with their OBE (Over Bloomin’ [Insert adjective of choice] Eighty) awards.

President Ray Fogg and Secretary Tony Wadeson were both recipients of this prestigious award. As a memento of the occasion both graciously accepted excellent caricatures portraying their activities over and above their commitments to the association. Our best wishes go to Ray and to Tony.

Presentation to Ray Fogg by George Stanger (also another Association OBE)

George making the presentation to Tony Wadeson which pays tribute to Tony’s involvement with Surf Lifesaving .

Liberator bomber “Texas Terror” crash commemorated in Ingham

MEMBERS of the 31^st Infantry Battalion Association and the Ingham community paid their annual tribute to the 12 United States airmen who died on December 18, 1942, when their B24D Liberator bomber crashed off Hinchinbrook Island.

Also in attendance were visitors from Townsville, Ayr, Charters Towers and Mareeba.

The aircraft, code-named the “Texas Terror,” was on a mission to Papua-New Guinea when it crashed.

The Ingham community erected a memorial plaque in 1999, and a local committee has worked earnestly over the years to ensure this part of Ingham’s military history will not be forgotten.

The pilot of the “Texas Terror,” Colonel Carrol Riggs, affectionately known as ‘Chi Chi,’ died in 2012 at the age of 104 years and seven months.

During the memorial service, president Felix Reitano welcomed a special guest, Mrs Joyce Ratray, who helped forward dog tags back to the next-of-kin of a deceased crew member, Michael Goldstop, in Yorktown, USA.

Also present was Mr. Michael Musumeci, who gave a presentation about air crashes in North Queensland during World War 2.

Planning is under way for next year’s ceremony, which will mark the 75^th anniversary of the crash.