COMMANDO News Magazine Edition 2 2020

Hello all, this is my first report after being
newly elected as President of the Queens -
land Association during our AGM in
February.
Let me start by acknowledging the excellent work
conducted by the immediate past President, Mr Nick
Hill. Nick took over the reigns as President after the
AGM in 2016 after the unfortune passing of Keith Long
in 2015. At that time there had been a declining
membership, which was bound to happen due to the
age of many of our WW2 members, along with an
approximate bank balance sitting under $2000.
In a few short years Nick was able to revive the
ACAQ by encouraging younger members into the
Association, all the while retaining respect and contact
with those that had gone before. Nick instituted family
BBQ days and social gatherings outside the usual
remembrance ceremonies. Silent auctions and shoot -
ing competitions all aided in building the comradery
between the Veteran Special Forces community. He
also remains the Editor in chief of the “Commando”
magazine as well as the ACA E-Membership secretary.
Because of his efforts the Queensland branch now
enjoys a healthy and diverse membership with
continued links to other likeminded Queensland
groups such as the Royal Marines (RMAQ), Aust Special
Air Service (ASASAQ), Rhodesian Light Infantry
(RLIRAA&NZ), The Boer War Association (BWAQ) and
the Papua New Guinea Volunteer Rifles (PNGVR)
Associations. This growth is reflected in one of our
associate members, Richard Johnson RLIRAA&NZ,
taking on a committee position this year.
One of our main focuses as an association is to
promote the continued remembrance of our fallen
service personnel through actively conducting cere -
monies in their honour. The week just gone has seen
the cancellation by RSL of the ANZAC Day marches in
capital cities across Australia. Something not even
recent Terrorist threats could achieve. The situation is
changing daily and as such many events where people
gather are being cancelled. The Queensland Maritime
Museum has also been closed with the possibility of reopening
in June at this point.
Plans are in place and bookings made in order to
have our Operation Rimau and Commando/SF Day
held at the Museum on Sunday 12 th July 2020, on the
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
quarter deck of the HMAS Diamantina. This will be
followed by a luncheon and the National association
meeting. We are all hoping that the worst of the
pandemic will have passed, and life can go back to
some normality by this time.
Both Nick and I were invited and attended the CWT
Stake Holders Demonstration at our old Regiment,
the 2 nd Commando Regiment in early March for a
demonstration of current capabilities by TAG-E. We
got a look at the way the live drills have progressed
over the years since our postings at the unit. To say it
was a bit like a family reunion would be an under -
statement! Lots of blokes we knew still kicking doors,
along with many young faces that had only got to the
unit as we left.
That night we were guests at the Commando
Welfare Trust Cocktail party fund raiser at the Sydney
Maritime Museum. Once again, a fantastic night with
approx. $36k raised through the auctions. On Saturday
morning we attended the National AGM which was
conducted in the Boardroom at the Cronulla RSL Club,
after problems prevented us gaining access to the
Commando Heritage Museum at Holsworthy Barracks.
For those that saw the first new look edition of the
Commando magazine, page 22 had a book review of
“Blood on Borneo” the Jack Wong Sue story. For those
that don’t know me, I am a keen History buff and
collector. I was fortunate a few years ago, through his
family after Jack had passed away, to be able to receive
several personal items that Jack had brought back from
Borneo. These included Japanese flags and a Nambu
pistol and holster he had taken from a Japanese officer.
Here for your interest are pictures of those and the
items displayed in 1946 from his book.
An image from Blood
on Borneo showing
the Japanese Nambu
7mm pistol & holster
The same Japanese
7mm Nambu pistol
in left image today.
The same Japanese
Nambu pistol holster
in the far left image
today.
COMMANDO ~ The Magazine of the Australian Commando Association ~ Edition 2 I 2020 9