Changes to Dannevirke and Districts RSA committee

The Dannevirke and Districts RSA has a strong membership and is active within the community, president Roly Ellis said when presenting his report to the annual meeting last week.

The meeting was held on Wednesday in the Dannevirke Citizens and Services Club with 23 members attending.

After welcoming the members, Ellis recited the Ode and a minute's silence was held.

He then read his report which outlined the various events held by the RSA over the past year.

He and thanked club manager Peter Shaw and his staff for their help during the year.

The RSA has had an official insignia put on the Phil Lamason portrait that hangs in the club.

Lamason DFC and Bar was a pilot in the Royal New Zealand Air Force during World War II, who rose to prominence as the senior officer in charge of 168 Allied airmen taken to Buchenwald concentration camp, Germany, in August 1944.

The insignia includes Lamason's name, rank and has his decorations attached to it, with a resume of his military record and his time at Buchenwald. These are hung in the RSA alcove in the club.

The women's section were thanked for all their help on Poppy Day and for the placing of poppies on the military graves in the cemetery.

RSA member Paddy Driver was congratulated on his appointment as president of the East Coast District, an area covering 17 RSA associations.

The committee has a new look as past president Ralph Adrian, as well as committee members John Ross and John Hart, retiring after many years of service to the RSA. They were thanked for all their past commitment.

No election was held as those standing filled the vacancies.

The new committee is president Roly Ellis, vice president Denis Tatere, secretary/treasurer Monique Ashford, committee members Bill Ingram, Allan Toxward, Murray Calman, Bruce Charmley, Major Craig Dalgleish and Sharlene Barnett, with Verna Hutching ex officio as Women's Section President.

The Dannevirke and Districts RSA has undertaken a project to move the cenotaph from the old Te Rehunga Church and hall to the Ruahine School grounds due to the site being sold, and has been kindly accepted by the Board of Trustees, Ellis said.

When the cenotaph has been relocated there will be a service of dedication sometime in November.

Ellis said the RSA had a good membership, however, it always welcomed new members who could contact Monique Ashford on 021 660 435.