Ex-Services

Taroona Ex-Services Club Inc

The Taroona Ex-Services Club welcomes all regular, reserve and ex-service men and women, also allied forces and merchant seamen who supported our forces. We also welcome those who deployed with UN or Peacekeeping forces.

Enjoy the comradeship of fellow ex-service men and women in the relaxed surroundings of our club rooms in the Taroona Community Hall. Special events include a winter luncheon, summer dinner and bus excursions.

Our Anzac Day Dawn Service is followed by breakfast provided by Taroona Apex for members and Taroona residents who take part. This year a record 150 people enjoyed this special and moving ceremony.

To join the Club and experience the spirit of service comradeship, come along to our clubroooms at the Community Hall on meeting days:

From 2.30pm on the third Friday in the month, excluding December

or phone president Denis Suckling on 6229-6716 or secretary Max Banks on 6227 8615.

War Memorial in Taroona Park with wreaths laid on Anzac Day

Report - July 2009

We welcome Anthony Bester who joined on Anzac Day, as a new member to the club. 

Meanwhile, it is with great regret and a sense of loss, that we mourn the passing of Arthur Wallace in January 2009.  Arthur enlisted in the 2^nd/8^th Field Artillery, AIF, was wounded in April 1941 and subsequently during the Battle of El Alamein was evacuated with severe illness, which resulted in his discharge in Australia in August 1943.  He joined the club in 1983 and was a keen and active member.  Our deepest sympathy goes out to Dorothy.

Our condolences also go to Jenny Parrott and family on the sad death of Ken Parrott in May 2009.  Ken was called up for national service in the British Army and as a sapper in the Royal Engineers served on the Suez Canal where amongst other tasks he guarded working parties of German POW's awaiting repatriation to their homeland.  He joined the club in 2003 and with increasing illness had to resign in August 2007.

Anzac Day was commemorated with a Dawn Service at the Taroona War Memorial.  This was an especially memorable event for several reasons.  We welcomed some 150 people who attended.  Among wreaths laid, were those by Senator Abetz; Alderman Fiona Buchan; Mrs Long, representing the Taroona Community Association; Taroona High School and Taroona Cubs. Ex-Service men and women appreciated that the Taroona Cubs took part in the march prior to the service, and that they, and Taroona High School students read prayers during the Dawn Service.  The involvement of youth in maintaining the spirit of ANZAC was exemplified by this cooperation. We are grateful to Reverend Erma Briggs, who, in the absence of club member Reverend David Lewis, conducted a dignified service.

By the provision after Dawn Service of hot breakfasts to all who attended, Taroona Apex demonstrated their spirit of generosity and service towards the local community.  Well done! 

Our next function is the club's mid-winter luncheon on Sunday, 28 June 2009, to be reported on in the next Community Newsletter.

Finally, at our May 2009 annual general meeting the following were elected:

President: Denis Suckling

Senior Vice President: David Thomson

Junior Vice President: Steve Willey (co-opted)

Secretary: Max Banks

Treasurer: Lance Burns

Committee: Reg Edwards, Ken Graham, John McMahon, John Kerr, Bob Ellis and Martin Potter

Public Officer: Richard Stops