Historical information

These photographs were taken at the Corps Day parade at the Army Survey Regiment, Bendigo in July 1983. This was the Director of the Survey Corps – COL John Hillier’s last parade at Fortuna before his retirement. COL Hillier, often referred to as ‘NRJ’ (his initials) was Director for five years. COL Alex W. Laing attended the parade as his successor, seen in the foreground of photos .5P and .6P. COL Hillier was appointed a couple of years later to the honorary position of Colonel Commandant of the Royal Australian Survey Corps from 1989 to 1993. COL Laing was Director of RASvy from July 1983 to November 1988. Corps Day Parades were held to commemorate the formation of the Royal Australian Survey Corps in July 1915.

Physical description

This is a set of 19 photographs of a Corps Day parade at the Army Survey Regiment, Bendigo in July 1983.
The negatives of the photographs were scanned at 96 dpi.
.1) - Photo, black & white, 1983, L to R: CPL Di Chalmers, CPL Dave Cook, unidentified, SGT Bob Bright, unidentified, SPR Dave Wright, SGT Josh Degroot, SPR Chad Hardwick.
.2) - Photo, black & white, 1983, L to R: LT Karen (Adams) Byrne, CAPT Roger Rix, RSM WO1 Bob Mason, MAJ Bob Roche, CO LTCOL Jorge Gruszka, CAPT Mick Byrne, Director COL John Hillier, CPL Terry Danger, CPL Paul Richards, CPL Greg Sulman, CPL George Holland, CPL Roger Pearson, LT Terry Lord, CPL Warren ‘Wah’ Hall.
.3) - Photo, black & white, 1983, L to R: unidentified personnel, Director COL John Hillier, SPR Ben Tarasenko, CAPT John Bloor, unidentified, RSM WO1 Bob Mason, CPL John Bettridge, SPR Tom Bloxham.
.4) - Photo, black & white, 1983, L to R: unidentified, MAJ Bob Roche, CO LTCOL Jorge Gruszka, Director COL John Hillier, MAJ Stan Vote.
.5) - Photo, black & white, 1983, L to R: Colonel Alex W. Laing – foreground, CO LTCOL Jorge Gruszka, MAJ Bob Roche.
.6) - Photo, black & white, 1983, L to R: Director COL John Hillier, MAJ Jim Mitchell – background, Colonel Alex W. Laing - foreground, CO LTCOL Jorge Gruszka, unidentified, SGT Kevin Boehm, SGT Jim Beard, unidentified, CAPT Dave Sankey
.7) - Photo, black & white, 1983, L to R: CAPT John Bloor, CAPT Andy McLeod, SGT Kevin Boehm, MAJ Bob Roche, SGT Jim Beard, CO LTCOL Jorge Gruszka, Director COL John Hillier, SSGT Bill Kemp, CPL Peter (Jack) Elvard, SGT Bob Croxton, CAPT Dave Sankey, CPL Mick Minchin, SGT Bruce Wetzig, CPL Ken Talbot-Smith.
.8) - Photo, black & white, 1983, L to R: CAPT John Bloor, RSM WO1 Bob Mason, Director COL John Hillier, CO LTCOL Jorge Gruszka, MAJ Graham Baker.
.9) - Photo, black & white, 1983, L to R: CAPT John Bloor, RSM WO1 Bob Mason, Director COL John Hillier, MAJ Bob Roche, CO LTCOL Jorge Gruszka, MAJ Graham Baker.
.10) - Photo, black & white, 1983, L to R: CAPT Chris Mazur, CAPT John Bloor, CO LTCOL Jorge Gruszka, MAJ Graham Baker, SPR Steve Coulson, SGT Harald Mai, Director COL John Hillier, SPR Viv (Hawkins) Doherty, unidentified, SPR Tony Grivell, SPR Ross Collishaw, SGT Phil Meagher, SSGT Brett ‘Dutchy’ Van Leeuwen.
.11) - Photo, black & white, 1983, L to R: CO LTCOL Jorge Gruszka, MAJ Graham Baker, SPR Tony Grivell, SPR Ross Collishaw, Director COL John Hillier, SGT Phil Meagher, SPR Peter Peterson, SSGT Brett ‘Dutchy’ Van Leeuwen, SGT Bruce Bowers, SGT Mick Davy, SPR Gerry Gates.
.12) - Photo, black & white, 1983, L to R: SSGT Bruce ‘Stretch’ Gordon, SGT George Timmins, CO LTCOL Jorge Gruszka, Director COL John Hillier, MAJ Graham Baker, CAPT John Bloor, MAJ Bob Roche, WO2 Ted Burgess, RSM WO1 Bob Mason, WO2 Peter Biorac, WO1 Graeme Birrell.
.13) - Photo, black & white, 1983, L to R: CO LTCOL Jorge Gruszka, CAPT John Bloor, Director COL John Hillier, inspecting rank R to L: SSGT Peter Barrett, CPL Gary Drummond, SPR Peter Breukel, CPL Ian Nichols, unidentified personnel.
.14) - Photo, black & white, 1983, L to R: CO LTCOL Jorge Gruszka, Director COL John Hillier, MAJ Stan Vote, SSGT Peter Barrett, RSM WO1 Bob Mason, CPL Gary Drummond, SPR Peter Breukel, CPL Ian Nichols, unidentified.
.15) - Photo, black & white, 1983, L to R: SGT John Cain, SSGT Jim Cook, CAPT John Bloor, CO LTCOL Jorge Gruszka, MAJ Stan Vote, Director COL John Hillier, CPL Keith Quinton, CPL Mick Gillham, CPL Kim Reynolds, SPR Paul Baker, WO1 Ken Slater, SPR Brian Fauth, SPR Jim Ash, WO2 George Graham, SGT Gavin Neilson.
.16) - Photo, black & white, 1983, L to R: MAJ Bob Roche, MAJ Stan Vote, CPL Kim Reynolds, CO LTCOL Jorge Gruszka, Director COL John Hillier, WO2 George Graham, CPL John ‘Flash’ Anderson, SPR Gary Tremain, WO1 Ken Slater.
.17) - Photo, black & white, 1983, L to R: MAJ Stan Vote, CO LTCOL Jorge Gruszka, Director COL John Hillier, WO1 Noel ‘Nesty’ Coulthard.
.18) - Photo, black & white, 1983, L to R: LTCOL Jorge Gruszka, Director COL John Hillier, unidentified civilians.
.19) - Photo, black & white, 1983, L to R: Director COL John Hillier, LTCOL Jorge Gruszka, RSM WO1 Bob Mason.

Inscriptions & markings

.1P to .19P – There are no personnel identified