Activities of Friends of the Odd Bods

Friends of the Odd Bods engage in a number of activities throughout the year and we report on most of them through this website. But sometimes it helps to see these activities all in one place so we can get an overview of  what we do.

Here is the official Activities Statement presented at the AGM in May 2020.  

 The Friends Of The Odd Bods Association Inc

Statement of Activities 2019

For the period January 1 2019 – December 31 2019 the Friends Of The Odd Bods Association Inc has undertaken the following – 

1. Conducted an Annual General Meeting

2. Conducted 4 Committee meetings

3. Attended the Melbourne Anzac Day March and held the Annual Association Reunion

4. Maintained contact with Wesley College including having students carry the Association banner on Anzac Day

5. Attended the VE Day memorial service at The Shrine of Remembrance

6. Attended the Bomber Command Association Memorial Service at The Shrine of Remembrance

7. Attended the Battle of Britain Memorial Service in Hobart

8. Attended and contributed to The Kindred Organisations And Unit Associations meetings

9. Maintained an independent blog and website, as well as a hard copy newsletter

10. Maintained charitable donations to the Ryder-Cheshire Foundation

11. Maintained sponsorship of 3 children in India through Ryder-Cheshire

12. Provided practical help and support to veteran members

13. Maintained communication with veteran’s widows through sending birthday cards 

14. Adhered to the Association’s Purpose Statement

15. Commenced a formal relationship with The Point Cook Airforce Museum to house and display relevant material and memorabilia from the Association and its members.

16. Attended the Odd Bods memorial and banner at The Heidelberg Repatriation General Hospital on Remembrance Day.

17. Obtained approval for the placement of a memorial plaque in the grounds of the Australian war memorial; commissioned forging of the plaque and initiated the Order Of Service for its dedication

 Peter Randell – Secretary – Friends Of The Odd Bods Association Inc.

              

                

New Medallion To Celebrate 75th Anniversary of War Ending

On 1st July this year the Department of Veterans’ Affairs announced it will produce a Commemorative Medallion and Certificate of Commemoration to acknowledge the significance of the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

The medallion and certificate will be made available to every living veteran of the Second World War.

Full details can be found here -  COMMEMORATIVE MEDALLION

PS - One of our members has praised the introduction of this medal to celebrate a significant anniversary but wonders why it only applies to living veterans. They argue that the service of deceased veterans was just as relevant and many families would like to honour the occasion.

Maybe the certificate component at least could be extended to all veterans, past and present? What do you think? - Ed

COMMENTS: From our Facebook page - 28/7/2020

Peter Smith

Dead or alive they did their service, they all earned this medal

Rosemaree Matta

I would love to have one in honour of my Dad's service.

Murray Trigg

Me too Cath X

Victory In The Pacific Day (VP Day) To Be Livestreamed From Shrine

The 75th anniversary of Victory In The Pacific Day (VP Day) will be celebrated at the Melbourne Shrine on Saturday 15th August 2020.

The RSL had intended to invite 25 veterans to the service and display 48 WWII banners normally brought out for ANZAC Day. 
Unfortunately the lockdown measures re-introduced yesterday in Victoria have put an end to any public attendance however the service will go ahead and be livestreamed on Facebook. Put this link in your diary for Saturday 15th - https://www.facebook.com/rslvic/

The livestream was originally starting at 10:50 before the official service at 11:00. You may need to check those times closer to the date.

Handley Page Halifax Rescue Group

The Handley Page Halifax played a significant role in WW2 with examples being flown by the RAF, RAAF, and RCAF. A Canadian group (Halifax 57 Rescue Canada) has dedicated itself to recovering and restoring the aircraft.

To their merit, the Canadian group set a record for a heavy bomber underwater recovery with the lift of submerged RAF Halifax NA337, which rested 240 meters deep in Lake Mjosa, Norway. The organization also recovered RCAF Halifax LW682 in Belgium with the remains of her missing crew still aboard. Efforts are ongoing to bring a second Halifax to Canada, which will be displayed at the affiliated Bomber Command Museum of Canada (BCMC). 

Yet another initiative in process involves the effort to retrieve Halifax HR980 and her crew of Canadians and Australians from a swamp north of Berlin, Germany.

An article in the Military Aviation Chronicles claims that the Handley Page Halifax was arguably more significant to the war effort than the revered Avro Lancaster - “The Halifax . . . was to score over the Lancaster in its multi-role capability, for in addition to its deployment as a night-bomber, it was equally at home when employed as an ambulance, freighter, glider tug, personnel transport, and maritime reconnaissance aircraft.”

You can read more here

Thank you to Bryan Wilcockson for referring this link.