Reunion promises large Navy numbers
Busy schedule ahead

By Graham Davis

Organisers expect several thousand serving and former Navy sailors to parade through the heart of Sydney on Saturday August 7 in the National Naval reunion 2004 march.

Sailors from the US, New Zealand, Canada, the UK, South Africa and France are likely to join their Australian colleagues for the parade.

The marchers will form up from 8am at the corner of King and Castlereagh Streets. The first will move off at 9am.
Taking the same route as that of the Anzac Day march, the column will move past the Cenotaph in Martin Place and left into George Street.

The re-union’s patron, the Chief of Navy, VADM Chris Ritchie, will review the march from the steps of the Sydney Town Hall.

At 1.30pm that day there will be a memorial service at the Hyde Park Shrine of Remembrance and at 6pm the Sunset Ceremony will be performed by the Sydney detachment of the RAN Band on Wharf 8 at Darling Harbour.

An hour later at the same location there will be a barbecue dinner at which the Navy musicians and others will appear. All participants are then invited to watch the Bledisloe Cup Rugby on the “big screen”.
While Saturday August 7 is the principal day of the re-union, there will be plenty of action and activities for attendees in the days before and after the parade.

The RAN has a large role in the program. On Friday the coastal minehunter HMAS Yarra is scheduled to go alongside Wharf 8. She will form a backdrop for the re-union but won’t be open to the public.

The re-union’s official dinner will be held at Wharf 8 from 7pm to 11pm on Saturday, July 31. The RAN Band with featured artists will appear.

Sunday August 1 will be a “meet and greet” day as well as the chance to view the stands at the Maritime, Leisure and Retirement Expo at the wharf.

Monday August 2 continues the “meet and greet” and expo. It has also been set aside for naval associations and units to hold their own special functions.

There will be two tours each of four hours on the Harbour and up to Spectacle Island, where the RAN’s heritage collection is kept. That night there will be the Lord Mayor’s Cocktail Party in the ballroom at Sydney Town Hall.

Tuesday August 3 will see more tours to Spectacle Island and the WRANS and VADs luncheon.

Wednesday August 4 will be set aside for association gatherings and more tours to Spectacle Island. A NSW Government Official Reception is planned for invited guests at Government House. That night there will be a rock and roll concert, again involving the RAN Band at Wharf 8.

Thursday August 5 will also be busy with more cruises to Spectacle Island, a WRANS luncheon at the City of Sydney RSL and an evening concert, “Royal Australian Navy Band - In Concert” at the wharf.

Friday August 6 will have more Spectacle Island tours and then an afternoon concert “We Joined the Navy” featuring Toni Stephens from theatre and cabaret and comedian ex-Royal Marine Mick Walsh. The concert starts at 1pm and will be at the Kirribilli RSL Club.

“Back to the Trocadero” will be the theme of an evening concert at Wharf 8, again featuring the RAN Band.

The Navy’s photographic branch will conduct a reunion in the Port Jackson Club of HMAS Kuttabul.
Australia’s newest warship, HMAS Ballarat will come alongside Wharf 8 but will not be open to the public.

Saturday August 7 will see the parade, ceremonies in Hyde Park and Wharf 8 and the harbourside barbecue.
Sunday August 8 will mark the reunion farewell for registered members and their families at Wharf 8.

Monday August 9 will see Ballarat still at Wharf 8 but not open to the public.

Those interested in attending the reunion activities can find a more detailed program on
www.nationalnavalreunion2004.org.au or by calling Harvey World Travel on 1800 065 105.

Bookings can be secured through Ticketmaster. Monies raised from the reunion will go to the Sir David Martin Foundation.

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