It was a clear day and a warm 27 deg in Muswellbrook as family, friends and veterans gathered at the lawn cemetery.

The following photos were taken before the service began, so it doesn’t show the full congregation. There would, at an easy estimate, around 200 people and another 20 odd veterans.


BC, Chook Howell, Mick Lynch and Eddie Thomson


Eddie Thomson, Garry Ballhause and Chook Howell



Eddie, Chook, Mick, Garry Ballhause and myself, were welcomed to join the local Sub-branch for their Poppy Ceremony.

There was a display including Sooty’s No: 1’s Blues Uniform, his cap, his bowling team shirt, a XXXX can of beer and a framed pictorial history of his RAN service. This was presented to the family on behalf of our Intake and other shipmates. Another copy was also presented to the local RSL Sub-branch as they did not have any photos or memorabilia about Sooty's service.

Sooty was a champion bowler in his region and the first to put his hand up to help at events or working bees.

From my observations, there were a lot of tears being shed from men, women and young teens as well. Sooty was well liked and loved by many in his community and he will be sadly missed.

After the service had completed, Garry Ballhause went and placed a “Once A MOBI – Always a MOBI” sticker onto the ashes casket.

We were all invited to the Muswellbrook Hotel. We politely thanked them for their offer, as the hotel had COVID limitations and there was a huge number family friends wanting to attend. So, we joined the Sub-branch at the RSL, where they shouted us for the next couple of hours.

It was good to catch albeit on a sad occasion.

RIP Sooty

Your watch is done

_________________
Brian Carney
R43371
Ex-WOMTP5
22nd Mobi Intake
Jan 67 - Jan 89
RANATE, Sydney, Swan, Creswell, Stalwart (FMU), Cerberus, Derwent, Nirimba, Parramatta, Nirimba, FHQ (FMMO).

Well done those men.

_________________

Chris O'Keefe
R43136
Ex WO Chippy
19th MOBI Intake
July 65 to July 85
HMAS Nirimba X 4 -Penguin-Sydney-Queenborough - Creswell - Moreton - Stalwart - Platypus - Coonawarra Reconstruction Team 76 - Platypus - Hobart - Cerberus - FHQ - Coonawarra.

Anyone can be ordinary. Shipwrights choose to be extraordinary!

I tried to watch it on their sreaming service but it was being done through Facebook and they wanted me to open an account, so unfortunately that was the end of that!

RIP Sooty, Fair winds and following seas!

_________________
Mike (Pony) Moore
O42860
Ex-LT GLEN(ME)
16th MOBI intake
Jan 64 - Jul 88.
Anzac, Nirimba, Stalwart, Moresby, Creswell, Waterhen, Penguin, Vampire, GMGID (PJP), Coonawarra, Attack, Ardent, Cook, Kuttabull, Cerberus.

May your walls know joy; May every room hold laughter and every window open to great possibility.

That's wrong Pony. I don't have an account either.

When the "Log-in or create" tab comes up, down the bottom you select "Not Now".

When you see their main page, open the "Blackie" link, then on the right legend with the FB comments, I double clicked the top one where Muswellbrook & Scone Funeral Service from Julie Dellar.

It will play then.

_________________
Brian Carney
R43371
Ex-WOMTP5
22nd Mobi Intake
Jan 67 - Jan 89
RANATE, Sydney, Swan, Creswell, Stalwart (FMU), Cerberus, Derwent, Nirimba, Parramatta, Nirimba, FHQ (FMMO).

Thanks Brian, I have watched them before like that but for some reason this one seemed to want me to continue to create an account. Will try again doing what you suggested.

_________________
Mike (Pony) Moore
O42860
Ex-LT GLEN(ME)
16th MOBI intake
Jan 64 - Jul 88.
Anzac, Nirimba, Stalwart, Moresby, Creswell, Waterhen, Penguin, Vampire, GMGID (PJP), Coonawarra, Attack, Ardent, Cook, Kuttabull, Cerberus.

May your walls know joy; May every room hold laughter and every window open to great possibility.

That worked thanks Brian!

_________________
Mike (Pony) Moore
O42860
Ex-LT GLEN(ME)
16th MOBI intake
Jan 64 - Jul 88.
Anzac, Nirimba, Stalwart, Moresby, Creswell, Waterhen, Penguin, Vampire, GMGID (PJP), Coonawarra, Attack, Ardent, Cook, Kuttabull, Cerberus.

May your walls know joy; May every room hold laughter and every window open to great possibility.

What was Balls doing up inthatneck of the woods?

_________________
David Charlton (Charlie)
R42659
Ex CPOMTL3
14th MOBI intake
Jan '63 - Jan '75
Nirimba,Melbourne, Parramatta, Cerberus, Penguin, Lonsdale, Tarangau, Penguin, Parramatta, Waterhen, Melbourne

He lives not that far away and also knew a few of us that were attending.

_________________
Brian Carney
R43371
Ex-WOMTP5
22nd Mobi Intake
Jan 67 - Jan 89
RANATE, Sydney, Swan, Creswell, Stalwart (FMU), Cerberus, Derwent, Nirimba, Parramatta, Nirimba, FHQ (FMMO).

Well covered, BC, 'Sootie' would have appreciated your report...!

_________________

Rick Pengilly
WEBMASTER
Ex-CPOMTH3
R42630
13th MOBI Intake
July'62 to July'74
HMAS Nirimba - HMAS Melbourne - HMAS Cerberus - HMAS Tarangau - HMAS Lonsdale - HMAS Tarangau - HMAS Nirimba - HMAS Brisbane