Hello all you “Vindi. Boys” and Lassies, again!
Well, Anzac Day has been and gone for this year. Parades were held throughout the breadth and depth of the nation to commemorate this occasion, and Fremantle was again, certainly no exception!
Quite a few of our members turned out for the parade and all arriving in time for the 0945 hrs. muster (even though some of us stopped by on the way to take advantage of Ronald MacDonald’s free cooked breakfast, specially put on for the day in recognition of all serving servicemen/women and ex. servicemen/women).
T.S. “Vindicatrix” Association W.A members, I, personally, salute you. Everyone turned out so immaculately dressed and were a real credit to the Association. There were quite a few contingents marching in the Fremantle parade this year, with our Association marching immediately behind the Allied Merchant Seamen’s Association, with Ken Gray and Ron Howells leading us, carrying our brand new “Vindicatrix” banner. At the request of Mr. Jack Edwards (Secretary of the A.M.S.A.), some of our members assisted by carrying allied nations’ flags for them during the march.
We looked smart, we looked proud and we felt proud! (We were even all in step for once!) Whether this had anything to do with Tony calling the step to an old “Vindi.” song or not, I don’t know, but I think he must have played havoc with the W.A. Police Service (whom were marching immediately behind us)! The thing is, in all the armed services (the same applied to us “Vindi. Boys”), everyone steps off by the left foot. However, apparently, the W.A. Police Service, for some strange reason, step off by the right foot!
As usual, the thousands of people who turned out to line the Fremantle streets (and also at upstairs windows and balconies) along the march route gave us rousing cheers of applause. In the short time that we have became an association here in W.A., many people are now becoming familiar with us and are already holding us in high esteem. After the 20 minute or so march, the parade returned to the Esplanade, where the Fremantle Mayor, Mr. Peter Tagliaferie, gave a nice address during the commemorative service. A young 17 year old student also gave a nice address in a very articulate manner, in which he related his grandfather's (an ex-serviceman) experiences to Anzac Day.
The weather was absolutely perfect for the event. Fremantle City Council very kindly and generously handed out much welcomed bottles of drinking water to everyone during the service. However, one thing which did strike several people attending the service as being quite strange, was that not only was the hymn, “Eternal Father” (“For those in Peril on the Sea”) not sung (despite Fremantle being a major sea port and with so many sailors and seamen being present), but no other hymn was sung either. After the service, our members and several members of the A.M.S.A. headed back to our Association’s friendly new “home base” at the Fremantle Worker’s Club, where we all enjoyed the remainder of the afternoon in each other’s company, with a lovely lunch and a little bit of “Lamp Swinging”.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for attending the parade. You certainly did yourselves proud! Also, many thanks to Tony Harben and all my other colleagues on the Committee for helping our part of the event come together so successfully!

The minutes of this meeting are on the Newsletter page - follow the link from any page.