Executive Team

John initially joined the Army Reserve in 2000 as an APC driver in the 10th Lighthouse Regiment before being accepted into the RAAF in 2002.

He joined as a navigator and during this time operated the F-111 briefly before spending the majority of his time on the C-130H Hercules. He then conducted pilot course and flew the C-130H as a pilot and brought the C-27J Spartan into service.

John was posted to 36 & 37SQNs during a very busy period that saw him involved in numerous operations such as the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, Timor, Solomons and of course multiple tours of Iraq and Afghanistan. John left the full time Air Force in 2019 however he still remains active the Air Force Reserves.

John is a Services Member of the Veterans Review Board and has been a Board Director of the Kirribilli Club, our host Club, for a number of years. He also enjoys running his businesses here in Sydney.

Tom completed Army National Service from July 1967 to July 1969.

He saw service in 104 Signal Squadron in Vietnam as a Radio Operator, most of that period being in the Task Force Headquarters both in Nui Dat and elsewhere when the mobile headquarters deployed. He followed this up with three years of Regular Army Service from August 1971 to August 1974 with 103 Signal Squadron at Lavarack Barracks in Townsville.

Tom is Honorary Secretary of the Kirribilli RSL sub-Branch, a position he has held for many years. He served as President of the Kirribilli Ex-Service Club for some 26 years, finishing in May 2019.

Tom is a member of the Vietnam Veterans Association and the TPI Association. He was awarded the Order of Australia in the General Division “for service to the welfare of the veteran community of the North Shore, Sydney”.

John joined the Army Aviation Corps in 1968

Due to a delay in starting flying training he spent 9 months as Chief Engineer on the Army Ship John Monash. After completing flying training he was posted to 1 Aviation Regiment flying Pilatus Porter and Queenair aircraft throughout Australia, Indonesia and South Vietnam. He then completed a Flying Instructor’s course with the RAF in England and returned to instruct at the School of Army Aviation Oakey and No1 Flying Training School RAAF Point Cook.

John was also involved with the introduction of Nomad aircraft into Army Aviation. He took 5 months ‘leave with out pay’ to fly a ski equiped Pilatus Porter in the Antarctic in support of the Antarctic Division’s summer scientific research programme around the Mawson Base and was seconded to the Papua New Guinea Defence Force for 3 years to be an instructor on their Nomad aircraft

After leaving the Army John joined QANTAS to fly the Boeing 747-400 internationally for the next 18 years as a First Officer. He was also involved with a group of locals in Pyrmont to establish a Community Bank Branch of Bendigo and Adelaide Bank.

John is now retired but happily involved with the Kirribilli Ex-Service Club Sub-branch. The Friendliest sub-branch in Sydney!

Educated at Shore 1962-66, Intermediate Cert 1964, School Cert 1965.

Dave left school at the end of 1966 for and got a clerical job with the aim waif getting into Advertising possibly at Lintas (Levers International Advertising Service) that was not to be because there was no provision for transfers. He then secured a job at Fortune Advertising as a Media Buyer where I worked for the whole of 1968.   

Dave joined the CMF in 1967 and served with 17 RNSWR 1967-68. After the Annual Camp at Bulga (near Singleton) he resigned. When he arrived home his father asked “ how was the camp?” He told him that he thought it was rubbish because he didn’t think they would be doing night deployments in Vietnam following Land Rovers with headlights blacked out. He took all his uniforms and issued equipment to the “Q” Store on the next Parade Night and as he walked out the door the Quarter Master Sergeant said “You’ll be called up for National Service.”  He was unconcerned but the next day at lunch time he visited the National Service Offices on 33 York St. He told a Captain what he had done and asked if he would be called up, he said there was a better than 95% chance that he would be called up in the middle of 1969. He then asked “is there any chance I could go in earlier?”

He said “sign this document.”  Dave signed then asked “now when will I go in?!” That night he advised his Dad “I think I joined the Army” He then received a letter ordering him to be at the Marrickville Barracks on 29^th January 1969. His Dad drove him there and when they arrived he said “David, this is where I started my Army career in 1939″.

National Service 1969-71:South Vietnam 16 September 1969 to 7^th May 1970 with 101 Field Battery 1 Field Regiment,  Royal Australian Artillery (much of the time spent with  “W” Coy  6 RAR/NZ (ANZAC  Battalion)  . Discharged after completing 2 Years National Service in January 1971 then back to Fortune Advertising.                                                            

Joined Kirribilli  RSL Club in 1996. On the Board of Directors from 1998 to 2008. President of Kirribilli RSL Sub-Branch from 2004- 2019 15yrs.

At age 15yrs 9 mths Bronte joined the Royal Australian Navy in the early 80’s as an apprentice in the Marine Technical Propulsion rate. Following 2 ¼ years trade training as a fitter and machinist at HMAS Nirimba he joined the fleet proper serving on HMAS Moresby (oceanographic survey vessel) in WA and HMAS Adelaide (guided missile frigate) back in Sydney. Punctuating these sea duties were postings to fleet maintenance duties at HMAS Kuttabul, Garden Island.

Following Bronte’s initial 9-year engagement he discharged voluntarily and being recently married he and his wife travelled overseas. This travel led to employment opportunities for them both and eventuated in being away from Australia for 16 years. During this time he was able to utilise skills from my time in the ADF to move into technical sales and marketing in the mining and heavy construction industries.

Moving back to Australia in 2006, with the ADF involved in multiple overseas deployments,  Bronte reengaged with the veteran community via the Returned and Services League (RSL). This post-service journey has provided me the privilege to hold several positions assisting veterans and their families. Currently he has the honour of serving the Kirribilli RSL sub-Branch as a volunteer Wellbeing Support Officer and for RSL NSW he is the Liaison Officer at the National Centre for Veterans’ Healthcare located at Concord Hospital. Bronte’s passion is to assist our veteran community and especially those who have been impacted by their service.

Lisa joined RAN in Feb 1987 as Officer Steward and Discharged Jul 2000 as Petty Officer.

She served at the following establishments and Ships, HMAS Cerberus Feb 87 to Nov 87, HMAS Kuttabul Nov 87 to Jun 89, HMAS Jervis Bay Jun 89 to Oct 90, HMAS Creswell Oct 90 to Arp 91, HMAS Kuttabul Apr 91 to Mar 93, HMAS Jervis Bay Mar 93 to Arp 94, HMAS Kanimbla Arp 94 to Nov 94, HMAS Watson Nov 94 to Feb 95, HMAS Kuttabul Feb 95 to Jan 97, HMAS Melbourne Jan 97 to Jan 99, HMAS Penguin Jan 99 to Oct 99, and HMAS Kuttabul. Oct 99 to Jul 00.

During her time on HMAS Jervis Bay in 1993 Lisa was involved in Operation Solace Relief in Somalia to embark troops and equipment.

Since her discharge Lisa has held the current position, Financial Controller Union Club Sydney Jul 00 to May 05, Manager of Rose Bay Surf Club along with her Husband John from Aug 05 to Sep 10, and Officer Manger at A & D Tree Services from Nov 10 to Current.