The following is the March update emailed to members (with attachments and contact details removed. If you wish further information on the items or the Association in general, please email: secretary@artilleryvic.org.au.
Good Morning Victorian Gunners, Friends and Associates,
Please find below a list of upcoming activities and items to be aware of. As always we try to keep the website (https://artilleryvic.org.au) up to date. The items are:
- Submissions for the April RAA Assoc (Vic) Newsletter – Articles needed ASAP
- Invitation to the launch of the book “Clash of the Gods of War: Australian Artillery and the Firepower Lessons of the Great War” – 26 Mar – Canberra
- RAA Liaison Letter 2020 – Winter Edition and Cannonball Journal – Articles by 27 Mar
- Invitation to attend ‘The Bloody Beachheads’ One-Day Conference – 4 Apr 2020 – Melbourne
- ANZAC Day Gunfire Breakfast – 25 Apr – Chapel St Depot
- 2/10 Mdm Regt RAA Reunion – Sat 25 Jul 1pm-5pm – Cranbourne RSL
- M777 prints for sale
1. Submissions for the April RAA Assoc (Vic) Newsletter – Articles needed ASAP
MAJ Neil Hamer is preparing for the next edition of our Association newsletter. He is keen to get articles of interest to the Victorian (and indeed the wider) gunner community. If you have a story to share or other item of interest, please contact Neil or contact me. Neil can help with any editing needs. The earlier the better for submission, but the end of March is the cutoff. Note that we are also looking for sponsorship to help cover the printing and mailout costs of the newsletter. Whilst most of our members get an electronic copy, some still prefer a hard copy in the mail, and whilst our income is decreasing, printing/mailing costs are increasing. Details will be in the next newsletter.
2. Invitation to the launch of the book “Clash of the Gods of War: Australian Artillery and the Firepower Lessons of the Great War” – 26 March – Canberra
From MAJ Terry Brennan (Staff Officer to Head of Regiment) … On behalf of Deputy Head of Regiment, LTCOL Ben Gray and RAAHC board member and co-editor, LTCOL Nick Floyd, I am pleased to forward you details on the soon to be released excellent RAA publication ‘Clash of the Gods” which will be of interest to all Gunners.
Clash of the Gods of War Background
Following the success of the Firepower Seminar Series, Nick Floyd proposed that an anthology of all the presentations be published as a book. The RAAHC endorsed the proposal and the result has been the production of Clash of the Gods of War: Australian Artillery and the Firepower Lessons of the Great War. Nick has had tremendous support from his steering committee, Dr William Westerman from the AWM and from Big Sky Publishing
The book will brings together scholars and practitioners to present fresh and erudite insights into the development of Australian artillery through the First World War and the application of firepower more broadly. Please refer to the attached brochure for more background detail.
Book Launch If you are in the Canberra area I would encourage you to attend the book launch on the 26th of this month (March). Please refer to the attached invitation for details.
The book will be available for purchase in all good book stores. Enjoy reading about our history.
3. RAA Liaison Letter 2020 – Winter Edition and Cannonball Journal – Articles by 27 Mar
From MAJ Terry Brennan (Staff Officer to Head of Regiment) …
Hello from Puckapunyal. I have attached the formal request calling for submissions for the next RAA Liaison Letter & Cannonball.
It would be most help full if everyone could try and adhere to the submission deadlines if possible, however I always remain flexible.
The journal is only as good as the contributions made so I encourage everyone to consider supporting it even if only to write a letter to the editor.
As highlighted in the attachment submissions are requested to be sent to me by Friday 27 March 2020.
Addressees are welcome to forward this email as they feel appropriate to interested Gunner parties.
I look forward to your continued support.
4. Invitation to attend ‘The Bloody Beachheads’ One-Day Conference – 4 April 2020
From LTCOL Michael Buckridge … “Would you be kind enough to pass on this email and attachment to your membership list. I would be grateful if you could assist in this way to publicise the event to an audience many of whom may be interested. It promises to be a very interesting day with well qualified speakers on a somewhat neglected aspect of Australian military history.”
5. ANZAC Day Gunfire Breakfast – 25 Apr – Chapel St Depot
The annual gunfire breakfast run by the Bty at Chapel St. Open to all. Details to follow.
6. 2/10 Mdm Regt RAA Reunion – Sat 25 Jul 1pm-5pm – Cranbourne RSL
This is a gathering for anyone associated with the Victorian regiments of the last few decades; 2/15 Fd, 10 Mdm, 2/10 Mdm/Fd, 2/10 Bty. Following the very successful event in 2019, Lisa is organizing another one. Please consider coming along. See details in attached pic, or contact me. (removed)
This will be a great catchup afternoon.
7. M777 Prints for Sale
This came from MAJ Gary Down (SO2 HOR) late last year… As some of you may be aware, in May 2017 the Australian Artillery Association very kindly presented the RAA with a large oil painting of an M777 and detachment painted by Mr Phillip Pomroy. The painting now hangs in the School of Artillery.
A proposal was discussed at the Regimental Committee Meeting in Feb this year regarding prints of the painting, and it was agreed that there would be a run of 200 prints of which 50 would be numbered and signed by the artist.
The prints have now been produced and a low-res image is attached FYI. The only difference between the attached image and the hard-copy prints is that the prints have a 40mm white border for framing purposes. The overall dimensions of the print are 672mm x 415mm.
The signed prints will be sold for $100 each, and the unsigned prints for $35 each. Additional unsigned copies can be printed if there is the demand.
Individual prints will be available for purchase in November and I would therefore be grateful if you would give this matter the widest distribution and place any orders through me.
Many thanks for your assistance.