2018 AGM and Reunion Luncheon
The 73rd Annual General Meeting was held on 24 April 2018 at the Rendezvous Grand Hotel.
The foyer of the Rendezvous was busy with people excited to be seeing 2/29th family members they hadn’t seen for the past year and meeting some they hadn’t seen before. The merchandise table was busy with the Lovett family doing a great job of efficiently selling and recording sales of the range of merchandise available.
We were all settling into our seats in the restaurant on time and the AGM started. It was efficiently and smartly dealt with including the unopposed elections of the Committee Members. Simon Lovett was re-elected as President with Grant McKay as Vice President, Dianne Cowling as Secretary, Gary Simmons as Treasurer, and ordinary Committee members: Joy Derham, Andrew Coffey, Toni Nelson Ray Carr Brian Cleveland & Katie Parnell.
Membership fees will remain at $20 per member for the year. Members received a discount on the luncheon and it is well worthwhile being a paid up member to also receive this Newsletter.
With the business part of the Reunion done there were further tributes to those who have passed on during the previous twelve months and other toasts.
The delicious food was served and then our special guest speaker mesmerised us with his wonderful presentation.
Andrew Warland, grandson of our Battalion Commander, Lt. Col. John Robertson, gave an extremely interesting and informative talk on the Battle of Bakri Crossroad. This is the Battle of Muar that is commemorated at the Shrine on the nearest Sunday on or before the 18th January each year.
Andrew’s comprehensive details of this very important battle came with maps of the positions the Battalion Company’s manned and ready to meet the enemy for the first time.
The astounding bravery of all who were there was made even more apparent when we learnt of how many of the enemy our valiant 600 2/29th faced but were the first Allied forces to repel the Japanese advancing troops.
Instead of the advised 200 untrained enemy these brave men faced over 2,500 of the Emperor’s Imperial crack and seasoned fighters along with the Gotanda Medium Tank Company. Supported by the 4th Anti-Tank the battle began in earnest when 5 Japanese tanks came into view.
With deadly precision the 4th Anti Tank destroyed all 5 tanks and when three more moved forward they too were destroyed. Several large trees were felled across the path of the tanks effectively stopping advance of any further tanks along this road.
Hand-to-hand combat with the Japanese troops saw the enemy withdrawing for the first time since landing in Malaya. Sadly on the first day of Battle the 2/29th Commander, Lt Col Robertson was killed and the men were devastated.
Due to the overwhelming numbers of the enemy, whilst this battle was won the losses were heavy and with no way of re-enforcements getting through the enemy’s rear action of infiltration in many places along the main road, and under heavy air attack and with no air support, the AIF were finally ordered to make their way back behind allied lines.
With communications cut Lt Col Anderson (2/19th AIF) finally had to issue the order, ‘it was everyman for himself’ and the survivors of the 2/29th and other allied personnel, now trapped along this main road, withdrew in small groups.
The level of detail in Andrew’s talk was amazing and one could picture the heroic fight, the odds they faced and the steely determination of the men of the 2/29th. This was a decisive battle and one that surprised the enemy taking a much heavier toll on them at this time.
Hearing of our father’s courageous fight in the face of such adversity was very moving and we thank Andrew for the amazing work he has done to document this in such detail. To read the full report by Andrew Warland please find on the following web page:
During the luncheon Joy Derham was recognised for her enduring commitment to the Association through her work as secretary, membership registrar and representing the Association on many occasions, Joy is not going anywhere, just stepping down in the role of Secretary.