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69th Anniversary of 25th Battalion’s Departure From Spring Bluff

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Front: Battle of Milne Bay veterans Kev Olsen, Stan Alford & Bert Miles with Toowoomba Grammar Precision Team and (centre back) Major Robert Jenkins & Lt Col Brenda Sharp

Each year on the 17th of March, the anniversary of the soldiers’ departure from Spring Bluff in 1942,  members of the 25th Battalion gather at Spring Bluff Railway Station for a flag raising ceremony to remember the World War II service of the 25th Battalion.

However, due to the effects of flooding during the January disaster, the Spring Bluff Railway Station remains closed to the public, so this year the Milne Bay Military Museum offered their car park as a venue for the commemoration.

Bert Miles (centre) gives a first hand account of the Battle of Milne Bay
Bugler Eddie Kemp plays Reveille as Bert Miles raises the Australian flag

On St. Patrick’s Day 1942, the 1,000 strong Darling Downs 25th Infantry Battalion left Cabarlah Barracks at 2.00am and marched in darkness down the steep range to the siding at Spring Bluff.   There the soldiers boarded trains bound for the Brisbane Exhibition Grounds, Townsville and eventually Milne Bay at the eastern tip of New Guinea.

Following enemy landings, the 25th Battalion played a major role in the ensuing action (The Battle of Milne Bay), inflicting the first defeat on the until then invincible Japanese. They later took part in mop-up operations on Bougainville. Some  200 of their colleagues did not return home.

Public Lecture in Toowoomba Friday 18th of March

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For further details contact gerardsaide@hotmail.com

Council Connections: Week 2, March 2011

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Toowoomba Regional Council Connections

The weekly program keeping you up to date with Toowoomba Regional Council’s facilities, activities and services.
Council Connections with Darren Burton
Darren talks about an extension for rate payments, Lake Cressbrook reopening, the pipeline to Highfields, a welcome to new residents at the Cobb and Co museum, a cemetery register presentation at the local history library, meetings of council, after hours emergencies and event support grants.

World Environment Day – Forests: Nature At Your Service 5 June, 2011

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To whom it may concern,

I am writing from United Nations Environment Program, UNEP, and I have noticed, that you have previously supported World Environment Day (WED) by writing an article about a special event you have undertaken for World Environment Day

I hope you are also interested in supporting WED by organizing an event this year. We invite you, your family, school, clubs, online community, village, town, city or your country to celebrate this day with us. You can read more about this years World Environment Day and this years theme as well as download our logo, banners, and not least register your activity at the WED-site.

www.unep.org/wed/index.asp

Thanks and best regards,

Camilla Thiele
Division of Communications and Public Information (DCPI)
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
P.O. Box 30552
Nairobi 00100
Kenya

Sing ‘n’ Swing Concert For Toowoomba Hospice

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Calls For Community Cabinet Deputation Requests

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Calls For Community Cabinet Deputation Requests

Member for Toowoomba North Kerry Shine is encouraging people concerned about mining explorations being carried out in the local area to apply for deputations at the upcoming Community Cabinet in Toowoomba on Sunday, March 13th.

Qld Premier Anna Bligh with Kerry Shine MP

Mr Shine said he had already raised the issue with the new Minister for Mining, Stirling Hinchliffe, and was keen for people who had questions about the process to raise them with the Minister.

Community Cabinet is a chance for locals to speak to Ministers directly about issues they may have, and I think that’s clearly what should happen here,” Mr Shine says.

This is a very important issue in our local area and I want to make sure the community takes advantage of this opportunity to put their views forward.

While I understand mining brings jobs to the local area, we need to protect the places where people live.

Explorations may never progress to actual mines and there are plenty of opportunities for people to have their say if a company wants to start a mine.”

People requesting deputations about mining or other issues should contact the Toowoomba North Electorate Office on 4638 5755.

 

Australian Government Accepts Offer of Japanese War Records

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The Australian Government has welcomed Japanese Foreign Minister Maehara’s apology to Australian Prisoners of War (POWs) for the horrors they endured under Japanese control in World War II. Foreign Minister Maehara’s apology was made in a spirit of reconciliation during the visit to Japan of five former Australian POWs and their carers under the auspices of the Japan-POW Friendship Group.

Foreign Minister Maehara also announced Japan would return to Australia historical records of former Australian POWs held by Japan during World War II. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kevin Rudd and Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Science and Personnel, Warren Snowdon, thanked the Japanese Government.

I welcome their offer which is made in the spirit of cooperation. These index cards were originally offered to Australia by the Japanese Government in 1953, but the Australian Government of the time chose not to take up the offer, believing that they would not contain any new information,” Mr Rudd said.

Minister Snowdon said the Japanese records may shed light on the fate of the members of Lark Force, many of whom were lost when the Japanese transport Montevideo Maru was sunk by a US submarine in 1942.

The Government recognises that there are families who remain uncertain about the fate of those captured by the Japanese during World War II,” said Mr Snowdon. In recent years, the Rabaul and Montevideo Maru Society have maintained interest in the fate of Australian prisoners of war and have pressed the Australian Government to seek access to the card system.”

The records are expected to be housed in the Australian War Memorial.

Volunteers Welcome at Yarraman Working Bee March 11th

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