SAMVO Facebook post by Ben Opperman (4th June 2022) That’s it fellow veterans, friends, family and countrymen…..Perth’s two-comma-4 for the month of June ‘22 done and dusted. We missed a few regulars but sometimes duty calls and in veteran Garth Pienaar’s case being confined to a bed with a fractured femur isn’t that pleasant at all. We wish him a speedy recovery knowing that he was with us in spirit. Day was struggling to push night over the horizon as veterans turned up one after the other for this month’s 2,4km. The air was nippy forcing some of the veterans to don neck warmers and beanies, not forgetting a warm jacket or so. We had Veteran Jacques van Tonder join us after a long absence. He is on holiday at the moment from his work in Mongolia. He regaled all those present with many tales and traditions of his stay and experiences in the land of Genghis Kahn. He also visited the ANZAC memorial at Gallipoli and expressed his sheer admiration of what happened there so many years ago. The scale of the battlefield is much smaller than he originally thought. It is also a good time to reflect on the six months that is past. Well done on the veterans, friends and family who made the trek to Kings Park each time. We must continue to do so. Maybe the next six months will see more veterans making their way to Kings Park for a trek up Riaan-se-koppie to Tim’s Tower and back. To all the veterans out there, wherever you may be, do make an effort to do a 2,4km in your own backyard. Take a selfie with you on the go and tell us where you are. Why not take the dog for a walk? Everyone set off on the dot up Riaan-se-koppie, touched the steel of Tim’s Tower and paused a moment there to reflect before heading down to a scrumptious self-made brekky. Soon the area around the two barbeques were filled with the aroma of bacon and other goodies being cooked (we are the envy of many other visitors to Kings Park who happen to wander past our group.) Veteran Ian Higley of course raised the bar a notch or two with flat bread filled with succulent pulled lamb, beetroot and white sauce! Not forgetting the forces banter, laughter, jokes and other discussions going on. It is good to catch up with everyone. Why do this at all one might ask? I have said it before and will keep on saying it. We will always remember those who sacrificed so much at the call to duty and those who left us too early. We will never know the true value of this once-a-month-activity but what is set in concrete is that veterans need to take time off to reacquaint with one another and thereby cement existing friendships and forge new friendships. We are in a foreign country that we now call home where things can get a bit rough at times but we share the same story from way back – we were soldiers once - we were and still are brothers in arms. We share the hope and despair of all the veterans back in South-Africa, their families, our families, friends…..the list is long. We will pass, it’s a matter of time and life will go on regardless. There are many, many more Veterans out here that are not ‘connected’. We are hoping to get to them sooner rather than later but it is an ongoing process. We have much to tell and much to offer. The group photo…..Alf Naude, Johan Burr-Dixon, Marlize Pretorius, Hendrik Pretorius, Philip Niman, Don Pengelly, Dean van Vuuren, Joe Bryant, Jacques van Tonder, Ben Opperman and Ian Higley.

Message from SAMVOA National Chairman Veteran Richard Southey Dear fellow VIC Veteran I trust that you and your loved ones are well and that you enjoyed the recent festive season, welcome to 2022! Being respectful of family time I tend to back off comms during the festive season in order to give you some space. Now that January is behind us we need to get the ball rolling for the new year! To kick off please join us for an informal social at Ringwood RSL on Wednesday evening 16th February from 6pm onwards. I will reserve tables in the bistro from 6pm onwards. Whether you choose to enjoy a pub meal or simply catch up over a coffee or a dop we would love to see you there, Why not invite a fellow Veterans along. We will endeavour to wrap up by 9.30pm. Please check out our brand new website at https://www.samvo.international Tony and the international team including our own Veteran Adriaan Botha have done a magnificent job in bringing this project to light. Feedback is welcomed. Dates to remember! • Monthly Zoom presentation : every first Thursday of each month - South African Border War behind the scenes presented by top quality subject matter experts! Not to be missed! • Monthly skouer skuur : Ringwood RSL (Typically every second Wednesday of each new month - this month is an exception to the rule). Veterans further out who find it difficult to commute start something or check in with Veteran Joe Keyeter for Gippsland or Veteran Deon Mudell for Melbourne West. • ANZAC day Monday the 25th of April - seems as if the parade in the city will go ahead. Please support your local RSL or the SAMVOA contingent in the city - watch this space! If you can make the Ringwood skouer skuur please let me know by return so I can make arrangements accordingly. Till then, lekker loop! My best Veteran regards, Richard

SAMVOINT Facebook post by Ben Opperman (5th December 2021) That’s it fellow veterans, friends, family and countrymen…..Perth’s final two-comma-4 for the year that will soon be over 2021 done and dusted. It was a three in one event being our sixth anniversary, our year end ‘event’ and of course the usual first Saturday of the month get-together. The sun shone brightly as the veterans drifted in one after the other, some accompanied by their legally wedded spouses and all in high spirit. It was the perfect morning for our 72nd event and a fitting end to another extraordinary year that was plagued by The Virus and everything that went with it. The fly season is in full swing at the moment and the pesky little things made a pest of themselves all round, from the start to finish! One or two flies may have been swallowed in the process…. Good to have had fellow tanker Veteran Theo van Niekerk and Louise join us all the way from Katanning….and Maree de Villiers. It is also a good time to reflect on the year that is past. Well done on the veterans, friends and family who made the trek to Kings Park each time. We must continue to do so. Maybe next year we’ll try something else as well in order to get the other veterans outside Perth to join in one way or another. To all the veterans out there, wherever you may be, we from Perth wish you all a blessed and merry Christmas. Stay safe, look after yourselves and let us above all not forget what Christmas is all about. If you are travelling, travel safe. Next year we do it all over again! Everyone set off on the dot up Riaan-se-koppie, touched the steel of Tim’s Tower and paused a moment there to reflect before heading down to a scrumptious self-made brekky. Soon the area around the two barbeques were filled with the aroma of bacon and other goodies being cooked (we are the envy of many other visitors to Kings Park who happen to wander past our group.) Not forgetting the forces banter, laughter, jokes and other discussions going on. It is good to catch up with everyone. Of course, being December, a few sported something to resemble Christmas. Why do this at all one might ask? I have said it before and will keep on saying it. We will always remember those who sacrificed so much at the call to duty and those who left us to early. We will never know the true value of this once-a-month-activity but what is set in concrete is that veterans need to take time off to reacquaint with one another and thereby cement existing friendships and forge new friendships. We are in a foreign country that we now call home where things can get a bit rough at times but we share the same story from way back – we were soldiers once - we were and still are brothers in arms. We share the hope and despair of all the veterans back in South-Africa, their families, our families, friends…..the list is long. We will pass, it’s a matter of time and life will go on regardless. There are many, many more Veterans out here that are not ‘connected’. We are hoping to get to them sooner rather than later but is something we will work on next year. We have much to tell and much to offer. The last group photo for the year from left to right…..Dave Stevenson, Vintcent Redpath, Johan Burr-Dixon, Joe Bryant*, Marion Hercock*, Maree de Villiers, Dean van Vuuren, Louise van Niekerk (back), Dalene Coetzee, Jess van der Nest, Craig Basson, Ben Opperman, Braam Coetzee, Bill Mullany, Andries Pretorius, Slade Healy, Ian Higley, mm…unknown*, Garth Pienaar, Don Pengelly, Craig Howard and Theo van Niekerk. Sitting are Philip Niman, Stella Opperman and Vic van Loggerenberg. Inset Veteran Ron Lee and wife Gwen who went AWOL.