September 2011

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Dear Members,

It is an honour to be given the opportunity again to be President of our great Association which is the biggest ex Navy Association in Australia. My involvement goes back to 1988 when I was recruited by Dave “Speed” DWYER and our meetings were being held at HMAS LONSDALE. I have been a financial member since then and have served on the Committee for most of that time. We have had many meeting places over the past 25 years due to various circumstances. No matter where we meet it is not going to suit all of our members because of the geographical spread of our membership. With that in mind, we have reduced our actual meetings (the Committee still continue to meet on a much more regular basis) to a bare minimum and now concentrate on keeping you informed via our state of the art website www.hmassydney.com.  Please take the opportunity to visit your online Clubhouse and also keep us up to date with your latest email address. Although we have a web site that is the envy of other ESO’S we still have not been able to source a crystal ball and require members to update us of their change of details. I would like to personally thank Lee “Dutchy” ANDREWS for his term of Presidency which he took on reluctantly due to other commitments to the greater Navy family, such as Vice President of the Naval Association of Australia (Vic) and Vice President of the NAA (Frankston Sub Branch). In addition to this Dutchy still works full time and is also on the Committee of the Frankston RSL. Now that Dutchy has some spare time he will be producing the exceptional publication the Grey Funnel Line on a more regular basis and we hope to get back to six issues per year. However, you the Member have to help in this regard. We need regular input from Members to stop the Magazine from becoming boring and repetitive. Please send in articles/photographs/links to other sites/family stories TO ASSIST Dutchy. He has now been doing the Magazine for in excess of 15 years so it is now up to everybody to help him. Financially your Association is stronger than it has ever been before thanks to the innovative/creative efforts of our Marketing Manager and Secretary Dave “Speed” DWYER. Thankfully, Dave does not have time for a real job and for that the Association is a real winner. He works tirelessly 7 days per week for the Association and has been with us and served on the Committee (with only about 2 years off) from the inception.

HMAS Sydney 4 has a new leader after CAPT Luke CHARLES-JONES (Two Dads) took over command from CAPT Peter LEAVY on 9th July. During his farewell speech to the ship’s company, CAPT LEAVY, who spent more than two years at the helm, said he felt fortunate to have had a second “drive”. “It is the ship’s company that make commanding Sydney such a wonderful experience,” CAPT LEAVY said. CAPT CHARLES-JONES acknowledged the terrific reputation the ship had developed during CAPT LEAVY’S command. “Clearly, the ships company are proud of this ship and her achievements, which in no small way reflects on CAPT LEAVY’S leadership and command,” CAPT CHARLES-JONES said. On behalf of the Association, I wish CAPT LEAVY all the best in his new Posting and welcome CAPT CHARLES-JONES as Commanding Officer of the most famous named Ship in the history of the RAN.

At our recent AGM Garry “Squizzy” TAYLOR was welcomed to the ranks of Life Membership of our Association. This is a great honour and a very minimum requirement is for that person to have served at least ten years on the Committee. Thank you Gary for your service over the years and I look forward to having you remain on the Committee for many years to come.

Don’t forget our HMAS SYDNEY 2 Memorial Services coming up at St Marks Chapel, HMAS CERBERUS on Sunday 13th November commencing at 1030 with morning tea being served in the Navy in Vietnam Café on completion and our service at the Melbourne Shrine on Saturday 19th November commencing at 1100 followed by luncheon at Melbourne Grammar on completion.

20 places are also available to Association Members at the Annual HMAS SYDNEY1/EMDEN Mess Dinner at the Warrant Officers and Senior Sailors Mess, HMAS CERBERUS on Friday 18th November commencing at 1800.

Further details of all events will be distributed ASAP.

Don’t forget to support our Grand Final Day and Melbourne Cup Day activities at the Frankston Naval Memorial Club.

Yours Aye,

Marty Grogan