Commando News Spring17
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Australian <strong>Commando</strong> Association<br />
NSW Inc.<br />
http://1commando1.blogspot.com.au<br />
PO Box 1313, Sutherland, NSW 1499<br />
COMMANDO FOR LIFE<br />
1941 - 1946 1955 -<br />
President: Barry Grant Secretary: Ted Hartley Treasurer: Ivan Kelly<br />
starlightcdo@gmail.com ted.hartley@hotmail.com ikelly@bigpond.com<br />
0414 914 615 0408 647 237 0417 042 886<br />
NSW President & Editor’s Report<br />
This edition is running late for many reasons and I<br />
apologise for my tardiness.<br />
★★★★★<br />
It is with some sadness that we report the passing of<br />
our National President, MajGen Mike Clifford, AM<br />
CSC. Mike has been battling a cancer for some time<br />
and finally succumbed a couple of weeks ago.<br />
Hard time trying to replace a talent such as his.<br />
★★★★★<br />
The next edition of “<strong>Commando</strong> <strong>News</strong>” will have<br />
report on the Australian War Memorial’s exhibition<br />
“From Out of the Shadows”.<br />
The exhibition opened recently after almost 12<br />
months of preparation. The Museum is to be<br />
congratulated and I attended the opening night with<br />
members of SOCOM.<br />
They have brought<br />
together <strong>Commando</strong><br />
items from WW2 and<br />
recent conflicts as well<br />
as memorabilia from<br />
along the way.<br />
It is a must see<br />
exhibition and will be<br />
running for the next 12<br />
months.<br />
★★★★★<br />
Also, when in Canberra I attended the unveiling of<br />
the Memorial to Australian Peacekeepers. Seated<br />
behind me was <strong>Commando</strong> Royalty, Doug and Kay<br />
Baird. This Memorial is to all Australian Peacekeepers<br />
who have served our country in this role.<br />
★★★★★<br />
At the AGM of the NSW Association I gave notice<br />
that 2018 would be my last year in the role as<br />
President.<br />
I have been President since 2001 (1 <strong>Commando</strong><br />
Association, 1st <strong>Commando</strong> Regiment Association and<br />
Australian <strong>Commando</strong> Association NSW).<br />
It is time I spent more time with my wife, that<br />
combined with some health problems in 2017, has<br />
made the decision a whole lot easier.<br />
So in the next 12 months it will be time for others in<br />
the Association to step up, hopefully some of younger<br />
members who will be the future of the Association.<br />
Those who say it is full of “old blokes”, whilst true,<br />
without younger members of the units joining the risk<br />
of the Association waning is a real possibility.<br />
Up to you fellow <strong>Commando</strong>s.<br />
Barry Grant<br />
Keith Payne VC has his brush with fame,<br />
our very own Brian Gerber<br />
Australian <strong>Commando</strong><br />
Association (NSW) Inc<br />
COMMANDO NEWS ~ Edition 11 I September 2017 3
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