SUBMARINES ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA

WA BRANCH CHRISTMAS 2013

SAA WA BRANCH CHRISTMAS MESSAGE TO MEMBERS

To all our Members and families on behalf of the SAA WA Branch I want to wish all a very Merry Christmas

and Happy New Year. May you all enjoy your break, spending time with your friends and family and have a

peaceful and relatively stress free Christmas. Let’s make 2014 a great, prosperous and healthy New Year

and a great year to celebrate the Centenary of Submarines

2013 CHRISTMAS BARBECUE

The Branch Christmas Barbecue was held at the Rockingham Naval Club on Sunday 8nd December

commencing at 1200, the gathering was welcomed by the President Sid Czabotar who gave a run-down of

the Branches activities for 2013. Thirty eight members and their families (the best attended function all

year) attended the Barbecue. The Barbecue was completely funded by the raffle, the first prize being a

bottle of “Pussers Rum” followed by many prizes donated by branch members. The raffle tickets were

flogged by Pod.

Enjoying Lunch complete with Christmas Trimmings

The other end

The weather was perfect, the table again was set complete with Christmas trimmings and all who attended

enjoyed a lunch of chicken, sausages, various salads, a choice of seven duffs, all provided by our ladies

Lynn Czabotar, Alison O’Donohue, Pat Warner, Ruth Russel, Leonie Oxley, Barbara Lawrence, Krystyna

Rowell and Maxine Stones. A great job ladies, lots of good duff to enjoy. I want to thank our everyone who

helped set up, Peter and Alison O’Donohue, Jack and Pat Warner, Lynn Czabotar, John Rana, Leonie

Oxley, Ruth Russell and all the at the Bar and Jim Green on the Barbecue. Santa Sid turned up and gave

out lollies to all the good persons and not so good persons who attended.

Santa Sid with Charlotte Keating and Granddaughter

.

Leonie, Lynn and Pat and Dave at the food table

WA BRANCH REMEMBRANCE DAY SERVICE 2013

The SAA WA Branch held their Remembrance Day Service at the World War 2 Submarine Memorial

alongside “OVENS” on Sunday 10 November 2013.

OVENS 2013 Remembrance Day Service

The Guest of Honour was Commander Gavin Reeves (representing COMSUB Captain Mark Potter). The

Service was conducted by the Squadron Naval Chaplain Thi Lam. The President Sid Czabotar was the

MC, welcomed the guests, who included the Commander John Farrington RN, LCDR Travis Zettel USN,

Kath Pouleris US Submarine Veterans, SAA National President CPO Darren Thompson, SAA WA Patron

Commodore Bob Trotter OAM RAN RTD, President Submariners Association Australia Branch John

Keating and Maritime Museum Director Dr. Ian MacLeod. The service was well attended by the Submarine

together with members of USN serving in the squadron, SAA WA Branch Members; Submariners

Association Australia Branch including 3 who served on the Fremantle based Submarines during World

War 2 and TS Perth Sea Cadets.

WA Branch members

At the conclusion of the event service the WA Branch President Sid Czabotar thanked the all who helped in

the organising the service and then we went to the Fremantle Navy Club for lunch, raffle and to Farewell

Darren Thompson our National President

Presentation toThommo

SUBMARINE SQUADRON FORUM

On Friday 13 February 2013 I had the privilege of attending the Submarine Squadron Forum. Captain Mark

Potter the Commander Submarines Australia gave the opening address and talked about the outstanding

successful year by the squadron with 3 submarines on deployment and spending more time at sea. He

introduced the new Submarine Squadron Chaplain Franco Siana and wished everyone a safe and Merry

Christmas.

Commodore Peter Scott Director General Submarine Capability and Head of Submarine Profession talked

about the present and future states of the Submarine Force.

The Head of the Submarine School Training Authority Submarines awarded Dolphins to newly qualified

submariners and advised that training simulators were being updated.

Commander Brett Westcott the Submarine Emergency Rescue Manager spoke about the recent successful

Black Carillon Submarine Rescue Exercise held off Sydney and how important the Australian System was

to the International Submarine Rescue alliance.

Representatives of all ranks from the submarines HMAS DECHAINEAUX, SHEAN, WALLER and

FARNCOMB then gave candid presentations on their years which were comical, full of sense of humour

showing in my opinion that the submariners will always be submariners not matter what the ERA. The

Technology has changed but the mannerisms and the Larrikin character of the Submariner has not.

Following these presentations the Submarine Awards were presented by Captain Mark Potter. I presented

a Cheque for $80 on behalf of the SAA to the Submariner of the Year LEUT T. Teale, SUBFOR/GSM. This

awarded annually to the submarine qualified sailor or officer whose exceptional performance, dedication to

duty and exemplary navy and submarine values makes them a stand out from all other submariners. I

congratulated Titch on his award on behalf of the SAA.

LOST SAILORS PLAQUE

The Branch has ordered the Plaque for the three sailors who died in the Submarine Service on HMAS

ONSLOW and HMAS OTAMA. All approvals have been received and the plaque financed by the SAA and

our Branch. The dedication of the memorial will happen in 2014 and the members will be advised when

arrangements have been finalised.

SUBMARINERS MEMORIAL

Sid Czabotar and Paul Meakin together with our Patron Bob Trotter have continued dialogue with the TWA

Maritime Museum with the moving of the existing Submarine Memorial alongside HMAS OVENS i.e. the

AE2 Plaque dedicated to the AE2 exploits in the Dardanelles and the Memorial Plaque to the WWII USN,

RN and Dutch Submariners based in Fremantle and installation of a Memorial to Australian Submariners.

The location of the new memorial/monument combining the previous plaques and the new Submariners

Memorial/Monument is yet to be finalised but discussion is ongoing with relevant Authorities. Fund raising

will commence in the New Year so please watch this space. It is intended that Memorial be completed in

time for the Remembrance Day Service 11 November 2014.

CENTENARY OF AUSTRALIAN SUBMARINES

The SAA WA Branch has continued planning with the SIA, COMSUB the requirements for the Centenary of

Australian Submarines activities both in the West and around Australia. The link for the information on

Centenary of Submarines is http://www.aussubs100.com.

The coordinating committee consists of Paul Meakin (National SAA Co-Ordinator), Darren Thompson

(National SAA President), Sid Czabotar (SAA WA Branch President), John Rana (part time attendee as

National Treasurer), Peter Horobin (SIA Nation President), Steve Davies (SIA CEO), Lloyd Blake (SIA),

Commander Ken Marr (COMSUB Representative), Andrew Bujdegan (COMSB representative) and WO

Dave David Bates

Paul as the National Co-Ordinator for the SAA has continued to send out information on planned events

both nationally and internationally.

The committee for local events is Sid and Lynn Czabotar, Peter and Alison O’Donnell, Ted and Sue Curr,

Jack and Pat Warner, Brian and Julie Gibson John Rana and Leonie Oxley, Maxine Stones and Bob

Zwikielberg and Mark Dickson and are looking at the details of the all the SAA events in the West, visits to

HMAS Stirling and local Defence Industries, memorabilia, raffle, hosting of SAA and International

Submarine visitors to WA, tours and facilities. Commander Andy Nelson from COMSUB has also joined the

ball committee. Costs are currently being finalised and will be available end of January 2014. The

Maritime Museum and the Esplanade Hotel have been booked for the Opening reception and the

Centenary Ball. The Esplanade Hotel has a direct booking line for accommodation which is

http://www.rydges.com/customised-web-page/submarine-association If this link is not working call the

Hotel direct on 9432 4000 to secure their booking in the interim using SUBCON100 as the booking code.

THANKS

On behalf of the Branch members I want to thank Branch Executive Vice President/NAA Delegate: Peter

O’Donohue, Secretary: Paul Meakin, Treasurer: John Rana, Welfare Officer: Buster Keating Volunteer

Committee Members: Ted Curr and Brian Gibson for the wonderful work done behind the scenes in running

the WA Branch. I am particularly grateful to Paul Meakin who as secretary has the biggest load continues

to do an excellent job as secretary in assisting the running of the WA Branch with his inputs, e-mails,

Memorial and Centenary of Australian Submarines Committees, raising submissions for funding and

projects and keeping honest. I also thank John Buster Keating in his excellent and valuable Welfare and

DVA Advocacy work. The work for the SUBCON Committee Lynn Czabotar, Peter and Alison O’Donnell,

http://www.aussubs100.com/http://www.rydges.com/customised-web-page/submarine-association

Ted and Sue Curr, Jack and Pat Warner, Brian and Julie Gibson John Rana and Leonie Oxley, Maxine

Stones Bob Zwikielberg and Mark Dickson is about to rapidly expand but I want to thank them for their

efforts to date and their attendance at meetings while we planned next year’s activities.

MEMBERSHIP ACTIVITIES

This year Norm offered an incentive to SAA members and their partners Australia wide to attend SAA

activities. Since July the SAA WA Branch held one AGM, one GM, and a visit to the SAs Museum, a

Remembrance Day Service, A Christmas Party and Swan Valley Tour. The best response was received for

the Christmas Party nearly sixty people responded as apologies or attendance. In all 45 members

attended our activities in this period at least once and35 members submitted their apologies at least once.

The attendance numbers have gone off to Norm and the winner will be known shortly.

FINALLY

Next year will be a big year for the Submarine Community culminating with SUBCON 100 here in WA. I

want to thank all members who have supported the Branch this year, if you are one of those who hasn’t

been active, then 2014 is a good year to start. To all those who are not well or fighting off demons I wish all

the best health and support in the coming year. To everyone I ask that you keep in touch and let the

Branch Executive know if you or you know other members need assistance or a calming phone call or

Email.

May God Bless you all, Stay Safe and enjoy a very Happy and Holy Christmas and a great New Year to

come in 2014.

Sid Czabotar

President SAA (WA BRANCH)