COMMANDO News Magazine Edition 2 2020

NATIONAL PRESIDENT’S REPORT
You may be asking yourself in these un -
precedented times - "What can the ACA,
or I, do to help?
Most of us have lived knowing the last of the
veterans of the Great War, the war they all called
“the war to end all wars”. They have all now gone.
The veterans of the next World War are now
nearing the end of their lives but we must not think
for a second that this ends the welfare work that
each and every one of them deserves, having given
part of their lives to defend our way of life.
The price to be paid for our country’s presence in
Iraq and Afghanistan is now obvious. As John F
Kennedy said - “As we express our gratitude, we
must never forget that the highest appreciation is
not to utter words, but to live by them.” He knew it
was easier to talk about something than to actually
to get up and do something.
Many of our older and younger veterans will be
looking at today’s confusion not knowing what they
have done to deserve this, added upon the issues
that they are already dealing with.
I implore you to make a few more phone calls
every day just to say “G’day”. You may be surprised
how good it makes you feel, not to mention the
impact on your 'brother' on the other end of the line.
You will know who to ring.
That’s how the ACA membership can make a
difference, individually and as a whole. I implore you
to develop your circle of contacts further at this time
when it may make the most difference.
Commando 4 Life
Greg Melick
ACA National President
COMMANDO FOR LIFE
BOOKS OF INTEREST
The White Mouse
By Nancy Wake, AM. GM.
Nancy Wake, nicknamed 'the white mouse'
for her ability to evade capture, tells her
own story. As the Gestapo's most wanted
person, and one of the most highly decorated
servicewomen of the war, it's a story worth telling.
After living and working in Paris in the 1930's,
Nancy married a wealthy Frenchman and settled in
Marseilles. Her idyllic new life was ended by World
War II and the invasion of France. Her life shattered,
Nancy joined the French resistance and, later, began
work with an escape-route network for allied soldiers.
Eventually Nancy had to escape from France herself
to avoid capture by the Gestapo.
In London she trained
with the Special Operations
Executive as a secret agent
and saboteur before para -
chuting back into France.
Nancy became a leading
figure in the Maquis of the
Auvergne district, in charge of finance and obtaining
arms, and helped to forge the Maquis into a superb
fighting force.
During her lifetime, Nancy Wake was hailed as a
legend. Her autobiography recounts her extraordinary
wartime experiences in her own words.
8 COMMANDO ~ The Magazine of the Australian Commando Association ~ Edition 2 I 2020