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From                Glenn Evans    
Date                Aug 7, 2007 1:42 PM        

Subject                Frognall Reunion: 23 Course contacts        

Fellow members of 23 Course,
A Frognall Reunion is to be held in Melbourne on 24 November (a copy of Reunion Update 1 is at the bottom of this e-mail). This will be only a few weeks before the 30th anniversary(!) of original 23 Course direct entry members joining the RAAF.

Ten members of 23 Course attended the last Frognall Reunion at RAAF Wagga in September 2005. This was the largest attendance by any DCS/ECS course. Only two years later, the contact details I have for some of those course members are no longer valid.

While I hope to see all of you at Frognall Reunion 07, not everyone will be able to attend. I propose to try to keep our contact details current, so that no-one misses out on being notified of future reunions.

Regardless of whether you intend to attend Frognall Reunion 07 or not, please reply to this e-mail to both confirm that your e-mail address is valid and explicitly state which of the following you consent to:

- I consent to my e-mail address being forwarded to the organiser of Frognall Reunion 07 (this doesn't indicate that I will attend)

- I consent to my e-mail address being kept on a contact list and advised to other members of 23ECS

- I do not wish to receive e-mail about Frognall Reunions

I believe that the following is a complete list of members of 23ECS. I have indicated those whom I have contacted, and which of those e-mail addresses have been validated. If you have current contact details for anyone else, please advise them about Reunion 07 and info me so that I can add their details to the 23ECS list.

Sadly, Tim Ellis and Jeff Paton have passed on.

Nick Barneveld - emailed; address subject to confirmation
David Bathgate -
Peter Binks - emailed; address subject to confirmation
Robert Black -
Steve Both -
George Breen - e-mail address validated
Geoff Bunt -
Ric Cortese - e-mail address validated
Graham Crispin -
Warren Crouch - emailed; address subject to confirmation
Brady Cummins -
Kevin Davey -
(SGT) Ralph Dries -
Tim Ellis (RIP)
Glenn Evans - e-mail address validated
Jenny Fantini - emailed; address subject to confirmation
Brad Grey - emailed; address subject to confirmation
Bill Hayden - emailed; address subject to confirmation
Dick Hazledean -
Rik Heslehurst - e-mail address validated
Mick Hewson -
Philip Jackson - e-mail address validated
Lawrence (Danny) Jelley -
John Kearney - emailed; address subject to confirmation
Bob Koerber - emailed; address subject to confirmation
Mark Koester - emailed; address subject to confirmation
(LAC) Georges Lefevre - emailed; address subject to confirmation
Kev Matthews -
Greg McGlone - e-mail address validated
Davo Moreland - e-mail address validated
(CPL) Chris Murphy -
Ted Noonan -
Kent (Ben) Norris -
(LAC) Rick Pacey -
Jeff Paton (RIP)
Danny Perrin -
Ken Roberts - emailed; address subject to confirmation
Paul Rogers - SMSd; awaiting reply
Sue Black (nee Scott) -
Garry Signoretto -
Greg Sydney-Smith -
Peter Tabbagh -
Rick (Norm) Tapps -
(CPL) Rudy Vernik -
Bob Whittaker -

Attached to 23ECS: LT Bob Bana PNGDF -

Members who joined 23ECS later:

Mick Gigante (ex-RAAFACAD; briefly with us in 1979) -
Paul Hogan (ex 22ECS) - emailed; address subject to confirmation
David Holmes (ex 22ECS) -
Graeme Secker - emailed; address subject to confirmation

I hope to hear from all of you and see you at the reunion in November.

Regards,

Glenn Evans
mobile: 0414 453 663
Bill Hayden - Still in uniform after nearly 30 years.  The majority of my career has been associated with fast jets or armament projects, with six postings in support of Hornet and F-111.  Career highlights have been two postings to the USA, Chief Engineer for Hornet, Macchi and Hawk aircraft, and Commanding Officer of the Tactical Fighter Systems Program Office.  Currently the Director of Logistics Capability in Headquarters Air Combat Group until Jan 08, when I become a student on the Defence Strategic Studies Course.


Brad Grey - Brad left the Air Force in 2001 after a short time as CO RAAF Glenbrook and five years on the Hawk project.  Following four years as a project management consultant, including 15 months in the UK on the Astute nuclear submarine project, he joined the Tax Office as a Director of its Project Management Improvement Team in 2005. Brad, Tracey, Tim (12) and Amelia (10) now live in Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains.

Jeff Bunt - Hello Team, Well it seems I've been out of the loop for the past 29 years (not actually being aware that there was a loop to be in)! So herewith the intervening period crammed into a couple of paragraphs. Following my 11 months, 1 week and 3 days (time has allowed me to forget the exact number of hours) of auspicious duty at RAAF Base Frognall I returned to Townsville and enrolled at James Cook University (JCU). I changed course to Civil Engineering as I couldn't really see myself as an Electronics Engineer (especially as the Aero boys referred to us a 'vegies' if I remember correctly). Interestingly enough, whilst I managed a good pass for 1st year engineering at RMIT, JCU made me start again, as in their words 'a University (population 1,000 students) is better than an Institute of Technology'.

Anyway, after another 5 years of toil (we speak / learn slower in NQ) I graduated in 1983/4 as a civil Engineer.  I worked for McIntyre & Associates , a consulting engineering firm, for about 7 years which included stints in Townsville, Hughenden, Airlie Beach and Cairns. I met my future wife whilst doing time (with hard labour) in Hughenden. We married in 1990 and decided to venture to the 'big smoke' - Brisbane, where I worked for another engineering consultancy firm for 2 years.  

Having had our fill of the 'big city' life we returned to Townsville for a radical career move - working in my father's fuel distribution company. If nothing else I got fit driving trucks and rolling 44 gal drums.

Sanity finally prevailed and we moved in 1995 to Herberton on the Atherton Tablelands where I was the Council Work's  Engineer. In 1997 we moved to Cairns and started a small engineering consultancy practice (by small I mean I'm 5' 8" and my wife is 5' 6" and we' re it).

We've had 3 kids, now aged 12, 10 & 8 (thank god the number sequence didn't extend to 6, 4 & 2). For the past 4 years I have been Project Manager on a $70 million redevelopment of the International Terminal at Cairns Airport. There you go ..... full circle ....... back to planes.

Interests - slow horses and slow joggingHobbies - cold beer, good food and nice wine in tropical surroundings

After receiving Glenn's phone call (and email) I will definitely be a starter at this year's reunion. I hope to catch up with some of you there (I suggest some SERIOUS name tags). Best Regards Jeff Bunt Ph: 07 4053 5249  Fax: 07 4053 4560    Mb: 0417 603 902
Peter Binks (No 23 Course, 1978) Left Frognall near end of 1978, and attended University of Tasmania in Hobart; BSc (Hons) in 1982.  Completed PhD at Oxford University in Physics.  Worked with management consultancy firm McKinsey & Co in Sydney and Toronto 1987-93; BHP Minerals 1993-99 including General Manager Melbourne Research Lab; Telstra Mobiles 1999-2003, as GM Strategy & Business Development.  Currently CEO of Nanotechnology Victoria, a State government funded consortium to commercialise nanotechnologies.  Nanotechnology Victoria now employs 8 people and a portfolio of technologies worth about $20 million. Married to Catherine Lynch (Paediatrician) in 1987 and have three children.  Still an active hockey player and living in Sandringham, in Melbourne's bayside
WGCDR Jenny Fantini (23ECS).  Yep, still here & in uniform. Currently I'm Base Commander at RAAF Wagga (remember ENGBASIC??). Have spent most of my career time on P3C, F/A-18 Hornet and F-111 mostly, with a sojourn overseas as an exchange officer with the USAF on a VIP aircraft project in the early 90s. Have been in major capital projects on F-111 aircraft-related projects since then and afterwards as Chief Engineer for the aircraft acquisition side of the house in DMO. Worked for Army for a bit as a member of the directing staff of the Australian Technical Staff Officer Course (ATSOC) at ADFA. I finish up at EOY here at Wagga and have been promoted to take over Bill Hayden's job as Director Logistic Capability at RAAF WLM for Air Combat Group in Jan 08. I live in Murrumbateman (just outside Canberra). Cheers, Jenny
Chris Murphy. With the distinction of being the only graduate whose photo is blacked out in the 23 Course graduation book, Murf continues to elude many, popping up from time to time, generally causing chaos, and then disappearing quietly into the shrubbery until "the next time". Since graduating in 1981, Murf served out the rest of his 20 years with the RAAF at Laverton, Edinburgh and Canberra. On his 'retirement' in 1992 -- marriage over (it happens) and both kids at uni -- Murf backpacked around Australia and up through southeast Asia for the next two years. Flew back from Hanoi to Sydney, tried corporate life and hated it, so went back to school to do an Arts degree, and finally met up with his new love, Nadine, in 1997. Murf now lives and runs his own business in Mudgee (central west NSW). Grandfather of two.
VALE: Ralph Dries
The following is very sad news indeed.  I am a little bit gutted by the news, I saw Ralph at work yesterday and he seemed OK!.  Can you pass this sad news onto the other 23 Course folks.  Nick Barneveld

From:   Anquillano, Alexander MR  Thursday, 13 December 2007 12:04
Subject:        Ralph Dries [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

As some of you may know, Ralph Dries, whilst walking the dog in some bushland near his home, suffered a heart attack and passed away last night.

Ralph had worked with DMO for approximately the past 6 years, coming from Capability Systems after a long career in the RAAF prior to that.

His current role was as Systems Engineer and Requirements Manager for JP2008 Phase 3F where he has worked for approximately 4 years.

Ralph leaves his wife Jenny, three sons and a daughter, and will be sorely missed by his family, friends,  colleagues and the broader Defence community.

Once we know more of future proceedings and his family's preferences for support we will advise. Mick Thomson is taking a collection for the Branch.  For those who would like to make a contribution but have not
yet been approached by Mick, please see him in the JP2008 Ph3F area (R3-1-065).

Kind Regards,

Alexander G. Anquillano
Ralph Dries receives a prize from HRH Duke of Edinburgh
Many members of 23 Course will have known Ralph Dries better than I did, but I want to share some of my recollections of him.

Ralph was one of five airmen who joined Engineer Cadet Squadron in January 1978, and was the only one of these who already had been promoted to sergeant. I recall being told - not by Ralph - that he had been promoted to sergeant in only five years; a remarkable achievement even in those days of rapid promotion. The book published to celebrate the RAAF's 50th anniversary, "The Golden Years" (AGPS, 1971), has a picture of Ralph receiving an award from HRH the Duke of Edinburgh during the Duke's visit to the School of Radio in 1970. This picture is now featured in the "Course News" for 23 Course on www.frognall.com.

I believe that Ralph achieved the highest overall academic results of anyone on 23 Course - notwithstanding stiff competition - never having gained less than a Distinction in any subject throughout four years of engineering.

While Ralph deservedly will be remembered as a high achiever, my enduring memory of him was when he gave me a perhaps unintentional lesson in Air Force culture. We first year cadets visited RAAF Base Edinburgh during the term break in September 1978. One day we were there was spent on an "industry tour" ... of the Barossa Valley wineries.

Some time after we returned to the base, I went into the common room in our accommodation block, and found Ralph and Rudi Vernik looking after another couple of course members who were very much the worse for wear; so much so that they couldn't go to the Mess for dinner. Ralph and Rudi had obtained meals for them from the cooks, made sure that they were eaten and, after satisfying themselves that the unfortunates were OK, put them to bed. Ralph and Rudi stressed to the rest of us: "You must always look after your mates."

Glenn Evans (Smiley)