The Wreath Tag.
The Wreath Tag.
A great day was certainly had by our Association group, commemorating the 75th Anniversary of No.3 Squadron’s “Marching Out” to WW2 from Richmond on 15th July 1940. The date chosen for our ceremony (8th July) also recognised the 90th Anniversary of 3 Squadron’s inauguration of RAAF operations at Richmond on 1st July 1925.
The weather was magnificent; speeches were made; our Association wreath was laid; the RAAF Cadet Band played. [See photo coverage below.] We also greatly appreciated SQNLDR Chaplain Christine Senini’s eloquent service.
Four WW2 veterans (Slim Moore, Chas Wannan, Arthur Pardey and Tom Russell) marched through the historic gates.
[Albeit rather slowly; and the Flight Sergeant declined to yell at them - possibly a unique sight!]They were accompanied by a good contingent of Association members and friends, and cheered from the sidelines by many serving Richmond RAAF personnel, including the Base Commander, AIRCDRE Richard Lennon. Our party was also warmly welcomed into the historic Sergeants’ Mess, itself a 1920s heritage item, for an enjoyable lunch afterwards.
* “Roll out the Barrel” was the tune played by the Richmond Band in 1940 when
the boys marched off to war. [Chas Wannan is still pretty good with the words!]
They sang as
they marched off to War...
"Roll out the barrel, we'll
have a barrel of fun.
Roll out the barrel, we've got the blues on the run.
Zing boom ta-ra-rel, ring out a song of good cheer.
Now's the time to roll the barrel, for the gang's all here..."
Photos: By Official RAAF Photographer CPL Veronica ("Roni") O'Hara.
(Above) The four 3 Squadron veterans from World War Two
share a sombre moment with the wreath.
Tom Russell (left) was present at Richmond in 1940, 75 years ago, as a new
RAAF recruit living in "Tin City".
Chaplain SQNLDR Christine Senini conducts the service
below the nominal roll of the 3SQN "Originals".
"The Originals" Memorial Plaque on the Gate.
15 July 1940. No.3 Squadron RAAF, comprising 21
Officers and 271 Airmen, marched through this gateway to board a train at
Clarendon Station for Sydney.
The Unit embarked on RMS Orontes
and sailed this same day for active duty in the Middle East, disembarking at
Tewfic, Egypt, on 23 August 1940.
Squadron Leader I.D. McLachlan, Commanding Officer.
Squadron Leader P.R. Heath.
Flight Lieutenants: P. Jeffrey, G. H. Steege, B.R. Pelly, C.B. Gaden, J.C. Laver. Acting Flight Lieutenant: H.C. King.
Flying Officers: A.H. Boyd, J.McD. Davidson, W.S. Arthur, M.D. Ellerton, V. East, A.A. Gatward, J.R. Perrin, A.C. Rawlinson, B.L. Bracegirdle, P.St.G.B. Turnbull, L.E.S. Knowles, B. Goodison, M.L. Macinnis.
Warrant Officer: McDonald A.S.
Flight Sergeants: Blake T.H., Edmunds H.O., Hodges N.A., Waite W.J.
Sergeants: Branch G.W., Colvin R.W., Corthorn R.S., Cox S. H., Curle G.C., Fenton A.S.G., Fowler A.McP., Harkness E.K., Hodge A.R., Johanson P.J.H., Kielly M.J., Linehan J.S.M., Perooz J.P., Quinton M., Smith W.G., Stalker G.F., Steele C., White E.B.
Corporals: Allen R.H., Bambridge E.H., Blew E.C., Bowman J.S., Brearly R.C., Cockburn A.M., Craven A., Conquest H.W.H, Currie E.R.W., Gabbett C.P. Giannini G.E., Gibson R.L., Haseldine J.F., Inkson L., Jarvis V.J.E, Leslie L.A., Mordaunt P.L., Morrow A.C., Mostran L.C.A., Parkes J.A., Rowley F.G., Sapsford F.W.E., Smith F.A, Spilsbury S.T., Stepto G.V.D. Turner J.W., Van Dyke S., Wray W.J. Acting Corporals: Burdus R.S., Lazarus F.G., Luck M.M., Wall W.E.,
Leading Aircraftsmen: Adshead R.C., Bateman R.J., Bews, H.J., Boittier J.V., Booth N.E., Bottle R.C., Butler R.K., Burgess C.W., Cameron B.M., Cameron H.E., Campbell M., Carter E.N., Catt E.A. Cranney B.T., Crick W.J., Crowe D.P., Deeves J.J.H., Elliott R.J., Evans E., Fitzpatrick L., Hambly J.H.R., Hamilton H., Hammond J., Hartley C.A., Harvey J.N.C., Jelley A.J.G., Johnson R.H., Leaver I., Malvern C.P., Mansom C.E.J., O'Brien D.C., O'Callaghan J.H., Oakford P.B., Park A.G., Russell D.R.H., Saward C.R., Spencer W.R., Stephenson W.R., Thom J., Thomas D.C., Thomas H.W., Thompson E,. Timms M., Watson H., Wignell A.H., Wills J.A., Wilson R.N., Wright P.J., Young R.H.
Aircraftsmen 1: Abel R.H., Aked E.L.J., Anderson, R.R., Archman T.A., Ashton W.C.J., Atkinson R.B., Bailey G.H., Baker E.G., Baldock F.P., Bartlett W.H.D., Barton O.S., Bell T., Bertie J.L., Bitton J.J.G., Black L., Blackley J.F., Blundell A.J., Bottin W.B., Bottrell W.J., Boys R.R., Brandy L.J., Braye A.S.I., Braye R.A.R., Bruce P., Bryant R.H., Burns M.A., Bursle A.J.S., Butler A.E., Caddy R.W., Callaghan R.J., Campbell A., Campbell M.R., Canning T.E., Carey F.J., Chapman W.H., Cheetham H., Christie S.H., Clare H., Clarke R.C., Clover T.N., Cooke G.L., Cox H., Crameri V.R., Creighton A.E., Crerar K.W., Davern O.W.J., Dewbery S.W., Dixon J.H., Doderico J., Drummond L.J., Dumont G.R., Durant A. F., Edwards F.S.M., Edwards J.T., Ellis D.A., Fantom E.W., Ferguson C.G., Finch F., Fitzgerald R.J.P.A., Ford D.E., Fouracre J., Fulford W.H., Gallie K.W., George E.N., Glassborow R.H., Golding L.W.J., Goodall H.P., Goodall J., Goodlet J.S., Gordon R.L., Gove W.I., Griffiths R.D.R., Hague T.T., Hale A.B., Heath T.W.E., Heathcote N.W.G., Hicks E.J., Hopper-Cuthbert H., Horne R.G.J., Howard N.R., Hubbard G.N, Hull M.E., Humphries A.J., Inger F.J., Irvine-Brown M., Jarvis E.W., Jeffrey C.S., Jewell A.R., Johnson R.V., Jones M.A.E., Keen G.W., Kerr J.M., Kington R.H., Lang W.D., Lauterbach C.C., Leader R.E.G., Leavey E.J., Lee T.C., Lee W.A., Levy L., Lord N.C.R., McFarlane P.A., McGuffie S.A., McKinnon J.H., MacKay D.J., McMahon F.A., Madigan W.J.B., Martin B.E., Maslin A.T., Medleycott C.F., Medhurst E.A., Miles G.A., Milkins H.W.L., Morgan A.D., Morvell W.J., Mullaney A.G., Munro A.R., Naulty S.J., Nicholls W.A., Nicoll G., Nixon B.J., O'Donnell J.C., O'Donnell L.R., O'Mullane J.P., Orchard S.H., Parr G.J., Pearson A., Peiniger R.A., Peters A.W.R., Ransford D., Rennie J.W., Rhind L.T.V., Roberts H., Robson N.H., Roder R.H., Rutledge J.E., Ryan J.S., Sadler H.J., Sadler J.N., Scott A., Scott F.T.N., Scott K.G., Sharp R.S., Silk H.S., Southern W.D., Sterrett R.W., Stevens D.L.G., Stewart D.A., Taplin F.K., Taylor J., Taylor N.A., Teehan J.N., Thornton G.W., Tindall L.G., Townsend N.T., Turnbull D.W., Wait T.J., Waldron R.V., Wallace A.V., Ward J., Watt D.H., Wehrman E.R., Whittington R.B., Williams K.J.W., Wilson L.R., Wyer B.L., Yeo H.J.
The Orontes departs, 1940.
RAAF Cadet Band, 2015.
History talk. 3SQN initiated RAAF operations at
Richmond
in July 1925, when only a single hangar stood on the site.
The Association's commemorative
march through the heritage gateway.
This solid 1930s structure features Art Deco brickwork and has been retained for
its heritage value, although it has long since been
made redundant in its
original purpose, due to the enormous expansion of Richmond RAAF Base. - It now sits
squarely in the middle of the security zone!
The happy group at the historic
Sergeants' Mess.
To round out the day, it was Tom Russell's 98th birthday -
quite a memorable one!