RIMAU DAY, 2023
Association Vice President Bob Collins attended the Australian Commando Association, Qld Branch, ceremony held at the Qld Maritime Museum, Southbank, Brisbane on 2nd July, 2023.
The service was held on board HMAS Diamantina in dry dock at Southbank, Brisbane. HMAS Diamantina is one of the exhibits at the Qld Maritime Museum.
On behalf of the Association he laid a wreath during the service.
From the President of the Australian Commando Association, Qld Branch.
"On Sunday the ACAQ held the 78th commemorative service for Operation Rimau and Commando/ Special Forces Day on the deck of the HMAS Diamantina at the QLD Maritime Museum (QMM). For the members and guests, including the VIPs, I'm sure the service and gatherings afterwards for lunch at the QMM and drinks at the Ship Inn were enjoyable for all who attended. I'd also like to thank the Executive Committee for all their efforts in planning and coordinating the event and for ensuring it ran smoothly once again. Also a big thank you once again to Chaplain Father John Butler ASASA-Q for his readings and prayers and the Pipes & Drums National Servicemen’s Memorial Band for all the music played throughout the service.
It was great to see guests coming from interstate, including the serving CO and a SNCO of 1 Cdo Regt and National ACA Vice President. We were also lucky enough to have several family members of those SRD (Z Force) operatives who participated in Operation Rimau, and or other SRD operations during WWII, in attendance. Some other invited guests attending were the Federal Member for Moncrieff (representing the Hon Peter Dutton), the QLD Governor's Aide-de-Camp (ADC), representatives from Aust. Special Air Service Association-QLD (ASASA-Q), RAN Clearance Divers Association, Special Operations Engineer Regt (SOER), NGVR/PNGVR Association and the Rhodesian Light Infantry (RLI) who also laid wreaths."
The service was held on board HMAS Diamantina in dry dock at Southbank, Brisbane. HMAS Diamantina is one of the exhibits at the Qld Maritime Museum.
On behalf of the Association he laid a wreath during the service.
From the President of the Australian Commando Association, Qld Branch.
"On Sunday the ACAQ held the 78th commemorative service for Operation Rimau and Commando/ Special Forces Day on the deck of the HMAS Diamantina at the QLD Maritime Museum (QMM). For the members and guests, including the VIPs, I'm sure the service and gatherings afterwards for lunch at the QMM and drinks at the Ship Inn were enjoyable for all who attended. I'd also like to thank the Executive Committee for all their efforts in planning and coordinating the event and for ensuring it ran smoothly once again. Also a big thank you once again to Chaplain Father John Butler ASASA-Q for his readings and prayers and the Pipes & Drums National Servicemen’s Memorial Band for all the music played throughout the service.
It was great to see guests coming from interstate, including the serving CO and a SNCO of 1 Cdo Regt and National ACA Vice President. We were also lucky enough to have several family members of those SRD (Z Force) operatives who participated in Operation Rimau, and or other SRD operations during WWII, in attendance. Some other invited guests attending were the Federal Member for Moncrieff (representing the Hon Peter Dutton), the QLD Governor's Aide-de-Camp (ADC), representatives from Aust. Special Air Service Association-QLD (ASASA-Q), RAN Clearance Divers Association, Special Operations Engineer Regt (SOER), NGVR/PNGVR Association and the Rhodesian Light Infantry (RLI) who also laid wreaths."
Bob Collins at Left with one of his Commando comrades from the 1960's
The ceremony was held on board HMAS Diamantina in dry dock at the Queensland Maritime Museum.
The ceremony was held on board HMAS Diamantina in dry dock at the Queensland Maritime Museum.
ACA Qld Branch President, Mark Stanig welcoming attendees
National Servicemens Association Band at the ceremony
ACAQ President Mark Stanig presenting the winning prize of the raffle - a Commando dagger