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BOYUP BROOK SANDAKAN MEMORIAL SERVICE
Article and photographs courtesy Allan Cresswell
On Tuesday 12th September 2006 I attended the Boyup Brook Sandakan Memorial Service, in company with my daughter, Jodi Bavin, and granddaughter, Caetlin. Prior to the commencement of the 11.00am service, I attended a civic reception held by the Boyup Brook Shire Council to meet the representatives of Sanzac College in Kota Kinabalu (Principal Ms Norul Mohd Taib and two of her staff) and Ms Catherin Chua from the Sandakan Municipal Council. Catherin was dressed in traditional Sabah clothes and looked great. I had a chance to talk with all the four representatives from Sabah. Catherin commented on her awareness of our newsletter, the Borneo Bugle.
The Sandakan Service was well attended and was excellently presented by MC, Grant Wardle. A chartered bus had arrived from Perth containing members of the ex-POW Association which assisted to ensure a good representation of ex servicemen and their families. Items were presented by St Marys School and Boyup Brook District School which were well received. Jordan Nix, the recipient of the Ted McLaughlin Memorial Scholarship in 2005 gave an account of his experiences in Sandakan and the winner of this years scholarship, Phoebee Frost, gave a presentation of her winning entry. Both were very impressive in their presentations. Ms Norul Mohd Taib spoke of the importance of the Sanzac College and of the strengthening bond between Boyup Brook and her College, and of the friendship that exists between both our countries.
Numerous wreaths were laid within the Council Hall to the backdrop of the wonderful new mural painted by our member, Non Meston. Although I did not think it possible to achieve, this mural is even more stunning than her previous mural. I laid a wreath on behalf of our association. After refreshments we transferred the wreaths from the Council Hall and laid them at the nearby Sandakan Memorial.
In addition to my family, other representatives from our association present at the service were Stef and Bob Brackenbury, Ben Hart, Trevor Brandis and the Rowley families from Narrogin.
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