NSW SCOTTISH REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION

The Annual 30 Battalions' Church Parade at St Stephens Uniting Church was held on Sunday 16 November. Sadly the numder of members of the 2/30 Battalion A.I.F Association and the 30 Battalion A.I.F. 1939-1945 who are able to attend the parade is decreasing and we were not able to welcome the numbers that we have greeted in the past. Nevertheless about 50 members of the the two World War 11 Associations, the NSW Scottish Regimental Association and the NSW Scottish Pipes and Drums led by Drum-Major Geoff Leigh and Pipe-Major Bill Campbell marched from the Archibald Fountain to the Church, where the service was conducted by Rev Dr Matthew Jack and the sermon given by Rev Dr George Stewart.

The Associations' Banners and Standard	30 Battalions March to Church

30 Battalions on Parade

Following the Church Service, members repaired to the Royal Automobile Club for the NSW Scottish Regimental Association's End of Year Informal Luncheon where they were joined by partners and guests and welcomed by President Frank Woodhams.

and were royally entertained, as usual, by the Pipes and Drums

During their performance Bill Campbell introduced the latest member of the Pipes and Drums, Piper Dean Park (pictured below), who was born in Korea, came to Australia and thence to New Zealand where he leant to play the pipes and is now a welcome member of our Pipes and Drums.

Thanks to Graham Podmore for photos.

On 11 September the Association executive attended a meeting organised by the Reserve Forces Day Council at which the 2008 Reserve Forces Day activities were reviewed.

Members will recall that NSW Scottish was the first Association to parade a Standard, which we did at the 2007 Reserve Forces Day Parade

Following our initiative other Associations acquired Standards during 2008 and these were paraded for the first time on Reserve Forces Day this year,

To commemorate the occasion, the 2008 Standard Bearers from all Associations were presented with a certificate. Our Standard Bearer CPL Barry Broadway was one of those who received a Certificate and a photo of him receiving his Certificate from BRIG David Leese is shown below

At the meeting preliminary plans for the 2009 Reserve Forces Day were revealed and members will be interested to know that the street march that has been the feature of Reserve Forces Day in the past will be replaced by a Parade and March Past in the Domain in Sydney. At that Parade Associations will form up in Brigade groups, according to the Brigades to which they belonged when serving. NSW Scottish will be part of the 8 Brigade group, to be commanded by BRIG David Leese, who is pictured presenting the Certificate to Barry Broadway.

On 12 August Association members were invited to Pymble to see a typical training night for Alpha Coy.

A number of members attended to support Frank Woodhams who presented a Cheque to the President of the Diggers' Club at Pymble to purchase a TV set for the Club. The Alpha Coy soldiers were also presented with a copy of each of two booklets produced by the Association.

The first of these booklets is the History of the Scottish Regiments in NSW, which traces the history of NSW Scottish Regiments from 1868, when the Duke of Edinburgh's Highlanders were formed, through the time of the Scottish Rifles from 1885 to 1912, the 30 Battalions in both World Wars, the 30th Battalion between the Wars and after WW2 and Alpha Coy since 1960. This booklet also contains a brief history of The Black Watch, the story of the Red Hackle and a summary of the correct way to wear The Black Watch uniform. It has been published to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the re-formation, 1948, of the 30th Battalion after World War 2.

It is intended that a copy of this booklet be presented to all members of Alpha Coy when they qualify as an infantryman and are issued with Scottish uniform.

The second booklet is a reprint of a booklet written by an ex-Commanding Officer of the Scottish Rifles and tells the story of Volunteer Reservists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.