2/18th Battalion (A.I.F.) Association 2021 newsletter

I wish to welcome you to our 2021 Newsletter. As we all know it has been a very difficult couple of years due to the pandemic. I hope that you are all as well and safe as can be expected. We are all looking forward to hopefully better times as soon as possible.

We were very lucky to have had a small 2020 Christmas get together last December at Roseville RSL between lockdowns. We also were fortunate to have a 2021 ANZAC luncheon.

During the ANZAC Lunch we were able to have an AGM for the Association after not being able to have an AGM in 2020 because of a lockdown.

The following were elected to the Association’s Executive:

President – Evan Richard – Son in Law of NX24953 MM Blyth
Vice President – Lachlan Simond – Grandson of NX50696 WJJ Apperley
Secretary – Joan Okey – Daughter of NX35116 DT Okey
Treasurer – Diane Humphries – Daughter of NX53570 RG Humphries
Member – Robyn Simond – Daughter of NX50696 WJJ Apperley
Member – Col Wright – Son of NX56234 AG Wright

The Association is continuing its transition from being the Association set up in 1946 to support the wellbeing of the returned men, to an Association to keep their memory alive.

This is especially shown by the new Facebook page for 2/18th Battalion AIF Association. If you have not as yet gone on to this page please do (click here). The amount of fantastic information being entered is unbelievable. The Association owes such a thanks to Jamie and Lachlan Simond who have transformed the page into a must read. If you don’t already know, both Jamie and Lachlan have senior positions in the ADF, a Squadron Leader and Lieutenant Colonel, have two very young children, aged 4 and 6 years, and are both veterans. How they find the time to do such a service for the men of our Battalion I do not know, but thanks again.

The number of positive comments and feedback concerning the Facebook page is much appreciated. This is your page.

We also have a new website, which has recently been relaunched after a lot of very hard work by Diane Humphries. The website at this stage includes History, Nominal Roll, Shop, Research Page, Facebook connection and Association contact details.

There are a few dates coming up and we would be glad to see as many that can attend (depending on any restrictions at the time):

• Association Christmas get together 6th December 2021, 12pm at Roseville RSL
• 80 th Anniversary of the Fall of Singapore Tuesday 15 th February 2022 and we may be able to meet at the Cenotaph in Martin Place – Watch the Facebook Page and Website for details.
• ANZAC Day Lunch more details will be on the Facebook Page and Website

With the 2022 ANZAC Day we are hoping to invite the Hurlstone Agricultural High School Cadets to again be involved as they were such an important part of our march. Col Wright, who is also the Custodian of the Association’s Banner attended the 2021 Sydney ANZAC Day March but was unable to march as he was the only person attending. Hopefully next year we will have more people able to march.

Please contact the Association if you want any information at secretary@218battalion.org.au

Evan Richard
President
2/18th Battalion (A.I.F.) Association

An informal group portrait of A Company (Coy), 2/18th Battalion in front of huts. 

Identified left to right, top row: Private (Pte) Fowler; NX29339 Pte Edward William “Ned” Newland, later a Prisoner of War (POW); NX25621 Pte Douglas Wren (Doug) Blomfield, later a POW. 

Second row: NX40364 Pte Andrew John (Andy) Lewis, later killed in action (KIA) on 11 February 1942; NX56179 (434853) Pte Carl George Von Schill, later a POW; NX40898 Pte Claude Gordon Fulloon, later a POW; unidentified; NX27720 Pte Victor Frederick (Vic) Shaw, later a POW; Bert Minch. 

Front row: NX40288 Pte Percival Francis (Percy) Saunders, later a POW; NX40268 Pte Victor James (Vic) Coleman, later killed in action on 9 February 1942; NX40230 Pte Thomas Alfred (Tommy) Muldoon, later a POW; NX19852 Pte Norman Joseph “Snowy” Chenhall, later died as a POW on 7 April 1945; NX40291 Pte Jack Hazelwood (previously identified as NX40506 Pte Arthur John Kelly, later a POW), with PIX magazine; NX40274 Pte (Later Lance Corporal) Darcy David Follington, later a POW.