Paludrine Parade Issue 4

Merry Christmas Fellow Vietnam Veteran

In an endeavour to honour those that have passed from our ranks, we have approached Defence to obtain regimental histories of our former comrades. We hope to present each of them in due course in other editions of PP.

In the mean time, I would like to introduce one of our members, Tony “Percy” Galea. Tony is one of our Victorian representatives and, if you live in that part of the world, we encourage you to make contact with him.

Photo unavailable

He enlisted in 1966 into the Regular Army Supplement (RAS) for three years and chose a storemans career. Was a member of 4 Sup Pl Randwick, deployed on Ex Barrawinga and Nillaqua, his poster decided he wasn’t having enough fun and posted him to 25 Sup Pl from Jan68-Jan 69. It was during this time he got to experience the “two way rifle range” and was deployed after several weeks to FSB Coburg for six weeks, along with another of our erstwhile members, Blue Breardon and Gordon Mears. This is the only man I know that has slept through a mortar attack! On another level, before Johnny O’Keefe, there was Percy. He formed a music variety group and put on shows at the USO and for Aussie, US and Viet folks. On RTA, he joined 109 Sup Dep Pucka then finally discharged in 1969. Perhaps it was his risky little experience that took him into the private sector to work in the Risk Management field. He is still happily married after 36 years to the same lady and they have two young people that greatly enrich their lives.

Do you remember: CLASSES OF SUPPLY

CLASS 1- FOODSTUFFS CLASS 2- GENERAL STORES CLASS 3- POL

CLASS 4 - DEFENCE STORES CLASS 5 - AMMUNITION CLASS 6 – PERSONAL DEMAND ITEMS

CLASS 7 – PRINCIPAL ITEMS CLASS 8 – MEDICAL AND DENTAL STORES

CLASS 9 – REPAIR PARTS (extract ORDNANCE – Jun 87)

More to follow over!

Bruce Manning

President, RAASC Supply Platoons Association