WAR HISTORY:
Horsham RSL committee member Jim Amos has curated a ‘Century of Service’ exhibition to coincide with commemorations of the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War. Horsham RSL president Robert Lockwood said Mr Amos’s exhibition was ‘probably the biggest display of First World War memorabilia outside of a capital city’. The exhibition, at Horsham RSL, is free and runs until 4pm, Friday.
The location was Sydney and the name was ‘Brisbane’, but there was an Ararat reunion at the commissioning of the Royal Australian Navy’s newest warship last month.
Ararat RSL president Frank Neulist and vice-president Maurie Anderson travelled to Sydney to witness HMAS Brisbane III enter service.
The Hobart-class guided missile destroyer has more than one Ararat connection.
Two Ararat locals, chief petty officer Colin Frampton and leading seaman Bradley Harricks, will serve aboard her.
The Brisbane’s navigator will be Cam Hooper, who was previously an executive officer on the HMAS Ararat.
Mr Neulist said Ararat RSL had previously invited Hooper to attend one of its events as a guest speaker, and still maintained ties with him.
“It was really good to catch up with people I hadn’t seen in years,” he said.
“It was a bit of an Ararat reunion.”