Historical information

The Freedom of Entry to the City was an honour conferred by the Bendigo City Council to the Army Survey Regiment in 1970. 1980 was the third time the unit exercised its freedom of marching into the city with swords drawn, bayonets fixed and drums beating. The honour is usually bestowed upon local regiments, in recognition of their dedicated service, and it is common for military units to periodically exercise their freedom by arranging a parade through the city. Led by the Regiment’s CO – LTCOL Bob Skitch, the unit marched down View St in the CBD, along Pall Mall and up Gaol Rd to the Queen Elizabeth II Oval. The ceremonial parade followed with a march past the guests of honour, Mayor of Bendigo Councillor Paul Tomkinson and military dignitaries. The parade concluded after formal inspections of the troops. The Regiment also exercised its Freedom of Entry with anniversary parades in 1977, 1980, 1985, 1990 and 1995.

Physical description

These black and white photographs of the Army Survey Regiment were taken on the occasion of the Freedom of Entry parade to the City of Bendigo in 1980. The photographs were printed on photographic paper and are part of the Army Survey Regiment’s Collection. The photographs were scanned at 300 dpi.
.1) Photo, black & white, L to R: MAJ Don Swiney, LTCOL Bob Skitch, WO1 Aub Harvey, unidentified, photographer in foreground – SGT Garran Hill
.2) Photo, colour, black & white, L to R: MAJ Don Swiney, LTCOL Bob Skitch, WO1 Aub Harvey, unidentified
.3) Photo, black & white, L to R: MAJ Don Swiney, WO1 Aub Harvey, LTCOL Bob Skitch, unidentified
.4) Photo, black & white: 3rd MD Band
.5) Photo, colour, L to R: MAJ Don Swiney, WO1 Aub Harvey, LTCOL Bob Skitch, unidentified
.6) Photo, black & white, L to R: MAJ Don Swiney, WO1 Aub Harvey, unidentified, LTCOL Bob Skitch
.7) Photo, black & white, L to R: SGT Stu Thaxter, LT Neil Taylor, CAPT Bob Roche
.8) Photo, black & white, L to R: SPR Per Andersen – right marker
.9) Photo, black & white, L to R: MAJ Peter Eddy
.10) Photo, black & white, L to R: CPL Frank Lenane, CPL Flash Anderson, SGT Rhys De Laine, SPR Per Andersen
.11) Photo, black & white, L to R: Mayor Paul Tomkinson
.12) Photo, black & white, L to R: MAJ Don Swiney, WO1 Aub Harvey, unidentified, LTCOL Bob Skitch
.13) Photo, black & white, L to R: unidentified personnel
.14) Photo, black & white, L to R: unidentified personnel
.15) Photo, black & white, L to R: unidentified personnel
.16) Photo, black & white, L to R: unidentified personnel
.18) Photo, black & white, L to R: CAPT Paddy Strunks, Mayor Paul Tomkinson, LTCOL Bob Skitch
.19) Photo, black & white, L to R: Mayor Paul Tomkinson, CPL Bill Jones, CPL Gary Drummond, WO2 Tom Pattison
.20) Photo, black & white, L to R: CAPT Paddy Strunks, WO1 Aub Harvey, Mayor Paul Tomkinson, SGT Rick Warren, CPL Andy Wilson …, WO2 Ted Burgess
.21) Photo, black & white, L to R: LTCOL Bob Skitch, SPR Roy Hicks, Trevor Osborne, SPR Paul Baker, CAPT Stan Vote, CPL Bill Jones, Greg Francis-Wright
.22) Photo, black & white, L to R: WO1 Rusty Williams, CPL Peter Treble, SGT Jim Beard, unidentified, SPR Steve Hilton, SPR John Lane, Mayor Paul Tomkinson
.23) Photo, black & white, L to R: Mayor Paul Tomkinson, CPL Marrianne (Van De Zee) De Groot, SPR Cathy Regan, SPR Ginny Turner, SPR Ilen Isaac, SPR Penny Knott, SPR Santina Argetto, SPR Gina Coore
.24) Photo, black & white, L to R: Mayor Paul Tomkinson, SPR Cathy Regan, SPR Ginny Turner, SPR Ilen Isaac, SPR Penny Knott, SPR Santina Argetto, SPR Gina Coore, WO2 Pat Lumsden
.25) Photo, black & white, L to R: LTCOL Bob Skitch, Mayor Paul Tomkinson, SPR Ilen Isaac, SPR Penny Knott, SPR Santina Argetto, SPR Gina Coore, WO2 Pat Lumsden