After a practice run last year, Bruce was encouraged by Charles Johnson to run a full remembrance game on Anzac Day this year. We decided to run a 4BBB game open to all members and during the week prior we had around 80 players booked in, with the hope of more to come.
Unfortunately; the weather didn’t play along and with gale force winds and high rain predictions, the field quickly diminished by Tuesday. We gallantly turned up, expecting maybe 10-15 to come out in the awful condition. By 10:30 we knew that the volunteers were turning up so we started to cook the planned breakfast and were very surprised that many more turned up by the 11am start time.
45 members came along to take part in the Anzac Remembrance service and listened to a very moving speech by Phil McCann about his uncle, Gunner Charles Aloysius McCann, serial no 1326, who was killed in action in WW1 on the Somme on 16 November 1916. Phil then related how his family continued to honour Charles through the naming of various relatives.
Attendees also spent time reflecting on the powerpoint display of a few of our members relatives and how they served in the defence forces. I hope to make this bigger over the years so that we can reflect on and remember the contributions made.
After the ceremony, Bruce told the assembled group that he could organise a reduced game of golf, given the atrocious conditions, if sufficient people wanted to play. Again, it was telling that 21 people decided to go out in the pouring rain and play 9 holes on the top nine (the bottom was deemed too wet to play).
Kenny Wapshaw showed that he was right at home, after a career of working on oil rigs off the coast of Scotland, winning the competition with 18 points. Chris Mitchell, playing along with fellow greens staff, Head Greenkeeper, Scott Barnett, was second also on 18 points and Jo Broadhurst was third with 18 points also. They were all amply rewarded for their dedication by MR Refund who happily still sponsored the event prizes fully. Andre Botha was an unlucky fourth also with 18 points.
Novelties were won by Scott (21), Bruce Darby, Alan Dale and Mike Lekias. Anne Lekias scored the best of the Ladies and was awarded a golf ball, which she was very grateful for and laughed all the way through the presentation of her ball.
At the end of the game several of our morning group came back to join in the sausage sizzle and have a few drinks while reflecting on the Anzacs (both from WW1 and the golf game). It was great to see Mark and Jacqui Dickson come out for the presentation, I think they were very surprised that we played.
I would like to thank the following veterans who all put in $20 to sponsor the food and novelties.
| Mike Beale | Jon Beales | Viv Booker |
| Jon Bowden | David Burges | Bruce Darby |
| Ross Frazer | Dr Kit Frazer | Rob Hearn |
| Wally Jelliman | Charles Johnson | Jim Kendra |
| Gary Masters | Phil McCann | Merv McKillop |
| Kenny Wapshaw | Matthew O’Farrell | Peter Shack |
| Cliff Spencer | Richard Verboon | Jim Watson |
| John Wholagan | Bob Williams | Ian Kerr |
The day was a very successful, given the conditions, and I look forward to doing a commemoration game again next year in some form.
Updated 29 September, 2025
