New Zealand Army Band Powles Road Burnham Military Camp Burnham 7600

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Esprit de CorpsNEW ZEALAND ARMY BAND NEWSLETTER

Issue 1 May 2019ISSN: 2382-1809

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Kia OraKia Ora readers, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and that everything is going well so far in 2019!The band has had a very busy time since the December 2018 issue of EDC, participating in a number of parades and gigs, as well as all the activities you will read about in the following pages. As usual we finished 2018 spreading some Christmas joy in small ensembles, which is always a fun and rewarding way to wrap up a year. At the start of the year CPL Raynor Martin also took an ensemble to local Canterbury primary schools to introduce brass instruments to the next generation of learners.

We have had a number of promotions in the band this year. Congratulations to LCPL Joel Williams, CPL Raynor Martin and our new bandmaster SSGT David Fiu. As the boss DOM Major Hickman often says, it is always great to be able to reward effort by promoting people within the unit!

While on the topic of congratulating members of the band, LCPL Brian Eckersley was awarded his 15 year long service and good conduct medal. Congratulations Eck!! LCPL Bryce Fairweather and LCPL Sebastian Taylor have also successfully completed the 11 week JNCO All Arms course. Well done guys, it is always good to get those courses completed.

As for comings and goings, we would like to introduce PTEs Aishah Leitner and Kaitlin Brindley. Aishah has joined the unit on Trombone, she studied performance trombone at Queensland University and played for the famous Brisbane Excelsior band under Howard Taylor. Kaitlin has joined the unit as a Eupho/Trombone player. She also studied at Queensland University before completing a year of Post Graduate study in Wellington under world famous New Zealand Euphonium tutor Byron Newton. Both ladies are fantastic players and have been a great addition to the band. The have also bumped up the percentage of Australians and females in the unit.

In this issuePg 3-4: OCS End of Year Tour

Pg 5: 2019 Army Regional Golf

Pg 6: 2019 New Zealand National Youth Band

Melvin A&P Show and Streetwise Charity Concert

Pg 7: South Island Tour/Hokitika Wildfoods Festival

Pg 8: Nelson Wine and Food Festival

Pg 8-9: Central North Island Tour – April 2019

Pg 10: ANZAC Day 2019

Pg 11-12: The Mutual Assistance Programme – A New Zealand Army Band Institution

Pg 13: Past members

Pg 14: A Day in the Life ...

Marketing Cell IC: SGT Kevin Hickman

Social Media & 2IC: PTE Georgia Hoy

Marketing Assistants: PTE David Froom PTE Sam Powell PTE Nick Scott PTE Cameron Burnett

Newsletter Editor: SGT Kevin Hickman

Front Cover: Chief of Army Major General John Boswell, about to inspect the New Zealand Army Band. OCS 2018.

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Christmas cheer 2018

Congratulations SSGT Fiu

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The next few months are going to get even busier for the band with overseas deployments to Monte Cassino in Italy, Edinburgh and Sydney as well as military and trade training. The band is also going to perform with world famous trumpet player Allen Vizzutti in Christchurch on the 26th of October.

The unit band solo competitions will be held in the Jim Carson Memorial Band Room over the 27th and 28th of June, as usual it will be great to see some of our past members during that time.

Until then Esprit de Corps!!

Editor

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(L-R) PTEs Kaitlin Brindley and Aishah Leitner JNCO March Out parade, LCPL’s Taylor and Fairweather

OCS End of Year TourBy SGT Hickman

On Monday the 3rd of December the New Zealand Army Band headed north for our traditional end of year Officer Cadet School (OCS) concerts and parades.The first stop on our tour of lower North Island army camps was Trentham, after a lunchtime concert at Wellington’s Civic Square and an afternoon of Lawn Bowls at the infamous Newtown Bowling club. We were blessed with an amazingly sunny day for both of these activities. The weather ensured that we played to a large crowd. The bowling event was organised by LCPL Brian Eckersley and proved to be a great social occasion for the band. For the record, the best bowling team for the day was a surprise package. PTE Jake Mancer, PTE Tom Oldham and SGT Ross Yorkstone, well done guys!!

On Tuesday the 4th, we all headed to Palmerston North for another lunch time concert that we managed to sneak in around thunder storms, to another great crowd. After the concert we settled into Linton Military Camp for the afternoon and a group entertained the Linton community with Christmas carols.

Wednesday the 5th saw the band travel the couple of hours north to Waiouru Military Camp for the OCS Graduation Retreat Ceremony and March Out Parade. This is always a great few days, and one of my favourite tours of the year. Waiouru is a wilderness marvel and it is always good to spend some time in this part of the world.

We started our few days in Waiouru with a concert for the local community. This was followed by an amazing meal at the New Zealand Defence Force Catering School, who hosted the band. Many thanks WO1 Lance Ball and his staff for hosting us and providing the bad with a truly memorable evening.

The following day the band spent most of the day on the parade ground with the Officer Cadets rehearsing, and that evening we were part of the “Commanders Christmas Dinner” at the Waiouru Camp main mess. This is a special meal where Officers and

Waiouru Commanders Christmas Dinner

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SNCOs serve a Christmas Dinner with all the trimmings to JNCO’s and Private Soldiers. Once again the food was fantastic and the evening was enjoyed by all members of the unit.

On Friday the 7th of December the business part of the tour started with more rehearsals. Firstly with the Officer Cadets, then with members of 16th Field Regiment in preparation for the Retreat Ceremony and performance of the 1812 Overture. The weather played its part and both the concert and parade went off without a hitch. This performance was significant as it was SSGT Phil Johnston’s final gig as Bandmaster, and it was the first time that the band had performed and been inspected by the new Chief of Army Major General Boswell.

The following day was an early start, with parade rehearsals at 0745h. Once again the weather was magnificent and the OCS Graduates and the NZAB delivered an outstanding parade in front of the Governor General, Her Excellency Dame Patsy Reddy, and other invited guest. The day finished off with the NZAB Quintet performing at the OCS formal dinner and the NZAB Dance Band performing at the OCS ball.

A great way for the band to round out another successful year!!

What a back drop. Mt Ruapehu

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SSGT Johnston conducts his last gig as NZAB Bandmaster

Drum Major SGT McCarthy leads NZAB, OCS retreat ceremony

Thanks for an amazing eight years Bandmaster

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2019 Army Regional GolfBy SSGT P Johnston

Over the week 17-22 February SGT Hickman and I were lucky enough to be selected to represent the Southern region at the Army Regional Golf tournament.This year’s tournament was hosted by the Rangitikei and Martin Golf clubs. The four teams from around New Zealand all stayed at Ohakea Air Force Base. The format for this year’s tournament was the Individual Army Stroke Play over 36 holes at the Rangitikei course on Monday and Tuesday, then the team’s event hosted by the Marton Golf Club from Tuesday to Thursday. The four teams were drawn from Southern, Wellington, Central and Northern regions.

The Individual Stroke play was condensed to 27 holes on Sunday the 17th, to allow all team members to attend the funeral of Major Aaron Couchman who tragically died following a road accident in Canberra. Aaron was a great bloke and a big part of Army Golf. Our sympathies go out to his family.

The team’s events saw our team Southern play 36 holes each day against the three other teams. We were outgunned by a fantastic Central team on the first day of competition. We then had a good win over Northern on the second day of the team’s competition. On the last day we had a narrow loss against Wellington. Central ended up as well deserved winners blowing away all opposition, with Wellington second, our team Southern third and Northern finishing in fourth spot. Both SGT Hickman and I won three out of our six matches during the team events, so not a bad effort from the bandies.

During the individual Stroke play SGT Hickman had a great result, winning the Junior Army Championship. He also won the Burnham Plate and the Alf Creed Memorial Cup, for best individual net and stableford over the field. Well done Kevvie, it’s been a long time since you have been a Junior Champion!!

The week was wrapped up with a dinner and prize giving. Overall it was a great week and a valuable chance to mix and network with our fellow army golfers from around the country.

2019 SOUTHERN REGION GOLF TEAM

Left to Right: Capt M. Halewood, Mr G. Sweetman, Pte R. Hamilton, WO2 P. Johnston, Mr J. Berry, Sgt K. Hickman, Mr J. Walkinshaw, Ms J. Champ

Winners of: Alf Creed Memorial Cup – Sgt K. Hickman The Burnham Plate – Sgt K. Hickman 2019 Army Women’s Champion – Ms J. Champ 2019 Army Junior Champion – Sgt k. Hickman Selected for the 2019 New Zealand Army Team – Pte R. Hamilton Selected as the 2019 New Zealand Army Team Manager – Mr G. Sweetman Selected as an Army Member of the NZDF Emerging Player Team – Capt M. Halewood Selected as a non-travelling reserve for the 2019 Army Team – Mr J. Berry The 2019 Inter Regional Golf Tournament Results – 1st Central, 2nd Wellington 3rd Southern 4th Wellington

NZ Army JUNIOR golf champ, SGT Hickman

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2019 New Zealand National Youth BandBy PTE Powell

For six members of the band, the start of 2019 meant a trip to Australia. PTEs Hayden Cullen, Sam Powell, Jake Mancer, John Mason and Tom Oldham were fortunate enough to be selected for the 2019 National Youth Brass Band of New Zealand, which toured Queensland, Australia. LCPL Raynor Martin also joined the tour as a tutor.

The tour started with two days of intense rehearsals under the band’s conductor David Bremner in Hamilton. This finished with the only New Zealand concert, at Founders Theatre in Hamilton. The next morning we were bussed to the airport where we flew to the oven which was Australia.

The first few days in Australia were filled with concerts throughout Queensland, and periods of time getting very sunburned on the beach. Queensland is home for PTE Tom Oldham so he slipped into a tour guide role and showed us all the great spots. The accommodation on the Gold Coast had no air conditioning so the nearby beach and the abundance of watermelons were our saviours.

We then moved to Brisbane where we performed our final concert. Brisbane was our favourite place, mainly because our hotel had air conditioning. Our final concert was a combined concert with the fantastic Brisbane Excelsior Band. It was a great honour to share the stage with this band. PTE Oldham’s father also plays with this band. Members of the band then got involved in the Australia Day celebrations that night to finish off a great tour.

The National Youth Band is a great opportunity for younger members of the NZ Army Band to interact and learn from other brass musicians their age, as well as from great musicians like David Bremner.

NZAB National YB contingent

PTEs Cullen and Powell working hard (they are the ones with the gold cornets)

Melvin A&P Show and Streetwise Charity ConcertBy PTE David Froom

This year the band had the pleasure of performing at the 125th Melvin A&P Show on the 23rd of March, held in Sheffield. The band played two sets of big band charts and, in between these two sets, the New Orleans band roamed the grounds and entertained the crowds.As always, there were plenty of things to see and do at the Melvin A&P Show. These included dog shows, electric cars, personality tests, and plenty of stalls. Hopefully the band will be attending the 126th Melvin A&P Show next year.

The following Saturday, the band performed a fundraising concert at the Christchurch Transitional Cathedral for the charity Streetwise. The concert was a combined event with Graham Wardrop, Fiona Pears and the NZ Army Band. Graham Wardrop opened the show with a very enjoyable vocal and guitar set. Violinist Fiona Pears and her band concluded the first half with their trademark skill and virtuosity. The NZ Army Band performed the second half with a big band set including a few of the classics like April Sun in Cuba and Slice of Heaven. All proceeds went to providing health care for the homeless of Christchurch.

Violin guru Fiona Pears

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South Island Tour/Hokitika Wildfoods FestivalBy PTE Scott

On the 4th of March, the band went on a South Island NZDF Recruiting Tour. We aimed to entertain while also promoting the many career options in the defence force. Our concerts featured the popular music of artists such as Ed Sheeran and Robin Thicke before ending with our Bruno Mars Medley (complete with choreography).The tour started with four schools in Invercargill (James Hargest College, Verdon College, Invercargill Girls’ High and Aurora College) and then moved to Queenstown where we performed at Wakatipu High School. The concerts were all very enthusiastically received.

The band then drove to Hokitika to play at the 30th Annual Hokitika Wildfoods Festival. It was a great day for a festival and many of the band members got into the spirit of Wildfoods by indulging in strange things. On offer from the food stalls were: Huhu Grubs, Escargot, Mountain Oysters (Lamb Testicles!) and lots of other bizarre and borderline inedible “food”. Eating a whole Habanero Chilli is an experience I won’t soon forget.

We performed two sets during the day before returning for a festival closing performance in the evening, where we performed to a packed crowd who were keen to party all night long. The festival had to end however, so Justice Brass (our New Orleans style band) led the high spirited revellers out the festival gates, to close the day.

PTE Oldham “living the dream!”

Wild Foods Fest evening concert

Wild Foods Fest, what a day!

Invercargill Girls College concert

CLP Ellis and PTEs Powell, Froom and Scott enjoy the Hokitika sights

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Nelson Wine and Food Festival By PTE Hoy

Unfortunately this year the Nelson Wine and Food Festival scheduled for the 18th of February had to be cancelled because of the severe fires in the Nelson Region. That wasn’t going to stop us travelling north to put on a concert though!

We drove to Murchison nice and early on the Saturday morning to perform at the Murchison A & P Show, which worked in nicely on our way to Nelson. This was exciting for a few reasons; it was the new Bandmasters first concert, as well as the first concert for new recruits Aishah and Kaitlyn, and we got

treated to an outstanding afternoon tea by the organisers after the gig. We then continued on our journey to Nelson.

The concert on Sunday was advertised as a Fire Relief Concert sponsored by the Rotary Club of Richmond, and was held at the Saxton Sports Grounds in Stoke. During the afternoon sound check people began arriving well over an hour before the 4:30pm start time, resulting in an awesome crowd of thousands who seemed to really enjoy the concert. We ended up playing for well over an hour. Buckets were passed around for donations to the Rotary Club to help those in need after the fires and over $6000 was raised.

The band loved helping out the Nelson region in the best way we know how!

NZAB Trumpet team

NZAB in concert

Central North Island Tour – April 2019By PTE Burnett

Adaptability, versatility and professionalism are attributes the NZ Army Band hold in the highest regard and constantly strive to maintain; the latter two feature in our mission statement. Therefore it does not seem surprising, when our tour to the Central North Island transformed rapidly and drastically due to the cancellation of the New Zealand Tattoo, the band did not take long to jump at the opportunity and perform for the communities of Palmerston North and Feilding to spread some musical joy. On a personal note, as a member of the Army Band but also a music tutor and mentor outside of it, school concerts are among the most enjoyable types of performances that we do. On this tour, performing a revamped set for Feilding Area High School, Freyberg High School and Queen Elizabeth College, the response was electric; testament to the efforts of Bandmaster SSGT Dave Fiu; aided by several new arrangements by SGT Riwai Hina.

The tour saw the welcome return of Standby Reserve PTE Hettie Adams who, with LCPL Campbell McKellar, stunned us all with the Oscar-Winning duet Shallow from A Star Is Born. PTE Adams’ powerful range prompted an emotional singalong with every audience. From where I was sitting, which is fairly front and centre as a drummer, it was the most successful, well-received piece in the set by a long way.

Schools concert, Freyberg High

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This tour also marked the debut trip for Standby Reserve PTE Robert Petch. PTE Petch performed on our brass album Aotearoa, however this was his first outing with us in a live setting. He brought his experience as percussionist for Woolston Brass into the fold, bolstering the rhythm section on conga, timbale and various other auxiliary percussion instruments. Our latin-infused charts had never sounded so tasty!

Several military events, initially intended to surround the New Zealand Tattoo, still went ahead. Among them was The Battle of the Bridges, a challenge during which more than 100 students from the Manawatu region built improvisatory bridges in The Square, Palmerston North, to navigate a Defence Force-set obstacle course, while being hosed down by Linton Military Camp firefighters and being subject to a barrage of flour, grass, sponges and wet paper hurled at them by volunteers. SGT Kevin Hickman attended the event, performing an array of lively fanfares to supplement the high-energy atmosphere. The event was a nod at the historic Scot’s Cup, a similar challenge held in Palmerston North Showgrounds in the 1900s. The winning team of The Battle of the Bridges, Manukura, received a replica of the original trophy.

A book launch for Won by the Spade – How the RNZE Built a Nation, by author Peter Cooke, also continued as planned. For this event the band provided a fanfare party, demonstrating the immense sonic capabilities of our fanfare trumpets. Simply entitled Lucerne 2018, the piece was composed by SSGT Nick Johnson and, unsurprisingly, was performed last year at the World Band Festival in Switzerland.

The tour that the band recently enjoyed in the Central North Island encapsulates the saying “when one door closes, another opens”. Adaptability; versatility; professionalism.

Build a bridge! Palmerston North Square

Welcome back for a short tour Stand By Musician PTE Adams

LCPL McKellar rips it up

Army v Navy dance off

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NZAB Fanfare team in rehearsal

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ANZAC Day 2019By SGT Hickman

Like any other Anzac Day, members of the New Zealand Army Band were once again spread around the world. LCPL Brian Eckersley and our Reserve vocalist PTE Bryony Williams were the most far flung being part of the NZDF band on the Gallipoli Peninsular in Turkey. Major Graham Hickman, SSGT Phil Johnston and CPL Raynor Martin were in Singapore assisting the 1RNZIR Veterans band.The rest of the unit were performing at the Burnham and Christchurch dawn parades, which meant for a very early start to the day. SSGT Nick Johnston and SGT Rewai Hina performed with the MAP students to a large crowd at Burnham’s main gate. The rest of the band was involved in the Christchurch dawn service at Cranmer Square. We were blessed with a mild morning and a large crowd. This service is always very moving and this year was no different, the highlights being LCPL Campbell McKellar’s rendition of Dave Dobbin’s Welcome Home and SGT Ross Yorkstone’s fantastic Last Post and Rouse.

After the service and a quick breakfast the band moved on mass to the newly renovated Christchurch Town Hall to perform a combined Anzac variety concert with Woolston Brass. The concert also featured the Christchurch City Choir, Martin Setchell on the Town Hall Organ, The Starlets and the Swingtown Rebels.

It was fantastic to be back performing in the Town Hall, it is such an iconic venue and I can report that the acoustics for both performer and listener are as good as they were before the devastating earthquake of 2011 shut the place down.

The concert proved to be a huge success with an appreciative audience of over 1000 people enjoying a fantastic afternoon of entertainment. The Army Band performed a

30 minute program, including a Glen Millar medley, a Vietnam War era medley and more contemporary memorial music including Poppy and Pohutukawa and Welcome Home. The band then joined Woolston Brass, the Christchurch City Choir and Martin Setchell on the Town Hall Organ for a rousing finale performing Toccata in D Minor by J S Bach and Finlandia by Jean Sibelius. The combined power of this ensemble was awesome in the Town Hall, with the organ even vibrating through the stage. It was a musical highlight that the band will remember for some time, and made the long day well worth the effort.

NZAB rehearsal ANZAC concert Performers view. Fantastic to be back in the Town Hall.

Dawn Service Burnham Camp

MAP contingent and SGT Hina, ANZAC morning, Burnham Camp

Christchurch Town Hall organ

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The Mutual Assistance Programme – A New Zealand Army Band InstitutionBy SSgt Johnson

Since 1987 musicians from the military bands of the South Pacific and SE Asia have spent nine months of the year within the School of Music (SoM) at the New Zealand Army Band as part of the Mutual Assistance programme (MAP) for musicians. Affectionately known as ‘Mappies’, students originate from a range of countries with Tonga, Samoa, Fiji and Vanuatu amongst the most regular attendees. In recent years students from Papua New Guinea and Timor L ’Este have also attended, as both of these nations aspire to build their military band capabilities, which are currently in very formative stages.

The first courses were coordinated by Chris Campbell and, having enjoyed recent conversations with Chris, it appears that very little has changed in the way that the course is structured and managed. The musicians then, as they are now, were completely separate from the NZAB, maintaining their own training programme and timetable of events.

There certainly is a rhythm to the year where their practical instruction is constantly paired up and linked with their theoretical learning, and there is always an examination, assessment or performance to aim for. The students have the opportunity to attempt three external music theory exams where we use the syllabus of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) with the first exam taking place in mid-March. With this exam so early in the course, initial assessments regarding the grade each student attempts have to be made quickly. Students that have experienced a good grounding in their musical studies can be successful at grade 5, which gives them the chance to reach a grade 7 standard by the end of the course. Students who have had less previous experience will attempt grade 3 or 4. However, by the end of the course most students will reach grade 6. This is a very good benchmark which includes the requirement to write pure four part harmony and analyse orchestral scores with the many complexities that this entails. Of course all of this takes place in a foreign tongue! Being an international examination board the ABRSM is highly regarded and the students take great pride and personal satisfaction in the levels they attain, and rightly so. Last year, PTE William Tom, a student from Vanuatu who returned to us for Bandleader training, achieved grade 8, the highest theory grade attained on the MAP course with three other students achieving grade 7.

In their practical performance the students are assessed constantly through the lessons they receive from their practical tutors. As well as the SoM staff, tutors are found from the NZAB to give the students regular lessons. Again the students arrive with a range of abilities depending largely upon their country of origin. It goes without saying that our Tongan musicians come with the benefit of experiencing a fabulous brass band tradition that is enshrined in their education and schooling. The Tongan Royal Corps of Musicians are a well-developed unit who have a very good recruiting pool to select from. Again, at the other end of the spectrum, the musicians from Papua New Guinea and Timor L ’Este are raw beginners which requires a different approach entirely. In terms of examination the students are not externally assessed. This is primarily due to the logistics of external examinations with the need for pieces to be accompanied and also the financial constraints that we need to consider. We assess students internally, ensuring that technical aspects such as scales and studies are included. However, if there is a student that we believe can be successful at attaining the ABRSM grade 8 practical

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2018 “Mappies” on tour

2019 MAP students

The early years

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exam, they will be given this opportunity. In 2016 and 2018 we entered a euphonium and tenor horn respectively for grade 8 with both students gaining distinctions.

The course form an ensemble regardless of the instrumentation and are exposed to a wide range of repertoire. A number of ‘play outs’ are arranged throughout the year with the first engagement being the Burnham Camp Anzac Day Dawn Service. This has developed into a very well supported event that attracts a large attendance that increases each year, particularly as it’s the only dawn service in the Selwyn area. It gives the ensemble an important event to prepare for and allows the NZAB to give its full support to the Christchurch City Council event. Concerts are arranged at rest homes and lifestyle villages at various points in the year to give the group more performance experience and towards the last few weeks of the course a tour is arranged. In recent years this has been to Wanaka. The Army Leave Centres in Wanaka are booked and the group spend a week performing at various venues in Wanaka, Clyde, Queenstown and Alexandra with a final concert on the way home in Waimate. This not only allows the students to consolidate their practical skills but also to get them away from Burnham as a group to the fabulous Central Otago. The students present themselves and the pieces to the audience which again is not an easy task and one where they need to consider their personal stagecraft.

Away from the SoM the students spend one afternoon a week at the Defence College where they receive English tuition, written and spoken, from excellent tutors which pays huge dividends particularly in their exam preparations.

Externally many of them play a full role in local sports teams and particularly rugby, rugby league and football where with their skill and enthusiasm are warmly welcomed. Local civilian bands have benefited from MAP students who have played for them, again a great way for the musicians to experience a wide repertoire, including contest works, as they attend both provincial and national events for both B and C grade bands. The students often find fellow compatriots in the local area and particularly at Lincoln University who host a range of nationalities, with the SoM in contact with their overseas facilitators. These are all activities that the students are encouraged to engage in to give them a more enriching and fulfilling experience whilst in New Zealand.

I have been fortunate enough to visit the bands in Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and Papua New Guinea. Seeing the musicians in their own environment is enlightening and very rewarding to think that the efforts of the SoM contribute to how these bands perform. Many of the older musicians remember their MAP course with great affection. They talk about, and ask after the various characters that they received training from and share some great stories. Personally I have developed great friendships with a number of previous MAP course students who regularly keep in touch – especially when they’re after some music!

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“Mappies on tour”

SSGT Johnson with Samoan Police band

SSGT Johnson with Fijian Musicians

“Mappies” pose for an iconic “Kiwi” photo

2018 MAP students in concert

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Past membersBy Dave Clearwater

Tena Koutuo, welcome to the ‘NZABA’ page of the Esprit De Corps. Graham has provided a full page in each Esprit De Corps for the association’s use; so following a recent committee meeting it was decided that this is the best avenue to keep all readers up to date of all recent happenings and possible suggestions to all members (and possibly their spouses or partners). With this in mind, and in no specific order, here are some salient points for us all (the top points are of relevance to many members), so read carefully:

• REGISTER WITH VETERANS AFFAIRS (VANZ):

It is strongly recommended that ‘qualified’ members of the association register themselves on the Veterans Affairs database. To qualify for registration with VANZ, you must be either a serving or have previously served (including personnel and their family members), who have been posted to overseas operational (active) service or serving/previous serving personnel who joined before 1 April 1974 and who never served in an operational theatre or never left New Zealand.

This can be undertaken on the following website:

http://www.veteransaffairs.mil.nz/ there are specific eligibility criteria as outlined above. The direct benefit of registering is that you can then seek specific support if required i.e. when you are injured of ill, if you require work undertaken at your home, if you need to improve your mental wellbeing or possibly enquiring about financial support and assistance to your family/whanau when you die.

• CONSIDER A VETERANS GOLD CARD:

The Veterans Gold Card can be provided to eligible members if you have overseas operational service and are over 65 years of age. Association members that have seen active service can apply for a ‘Veterans Card’ instead of a Super Gold Card. Currently there is little direct benefit in having a ‘Veterans Card’ however as you must first register with Veterans Affairs before receiving this card, you have then completed the first step to receiving other forms of support from Veterans Affairs – if required. It is important to note that this Veterans Affairs support is still available to those living outside of New Zealand as well.

• NZABA/RSA WELFARE ASSISTANCE:

If you or an association member have an enquiry about possible RSA (as opposed to Veterans Affairs assistance), then please contact Irene Campbell, John Blackmore or possibly Rob Hughes, and they will start the ball rolling.

• PAST MEMBERS UPDATE:

Consideration is being given to a regular ‘Where are they now’ style update on past members. It is hoped this will become a regular feature, tracking an individual’s background/musical history prior to joining the NZAB, achievements whilst in uniform and then (and most importantly) how their life evolved following their ‘717’ process. It is hoped this will ensure our wider NZABA members will feel closer to the other members and we can all bask in their glory ‘post NZAB’ days’. These short memoir’s will only be approximately 400/500 words so certainly not a biography!

If you have a suggested individual to be featured then contact Dave Clearwater on dave.clearwater89@gmail.com

In MemoriamThose listed below are association members that have passed on since the printing of the last Esprit De Corps. The Chairman Vaughan McEwen, committee and association members past their sincere condolences to the families:

John Everitt Barry Dawson June Sinclair

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A Day in the Life ...

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OMG Marc, what went wrong! Big desk needed? Share the joke Seb!?!

Eat ya weight in pav, Nick!

Too much going on here for one caption!! (too easy Mo Mo)

New Formal Dinner Date 2019

Due to unforeseen circumstances the NZAB formal dinner will now be held on:

Friday, 19 JulyIf you wish to attend

please email Ross.Yorkstone@nzdf.mil.nz