Alec Summerside

Alec Summerside is 100yrs, served in WWII in New Guinea. He and wife of 71 years Joan (92yrs) still live in their family home at Port Kembla both doing well despite the recent situation with isolation and the loneliness, in not seeing the grandkids and great grandkids at the moment. The sentiment that someone is thinking of them was so important.

Sadly the Port Kembla RSL branch disbanded a couple of years ago, and there aren’t many diggers of his era left to catch up with, but we organised for them to participate in the Wollongong parade 4 years ago, by riding in one of the vintage cars... they were thrilled!

Thank you for such a wonderful gesture.
Gail & Trevor Summerside

Brett and Halle Climo with Tony Speelman

Hi Digger Drop Off team,

Firstly, thank you for making our Illawarra Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen feel remembered. Thank you for acknowledging the women, the widows, who have lost the loved one that they shared many ANZAC Days with.

There were many stories from the day.

A 95 year old Korean and WWII Veteran saluted my 30 year old Ex Army son when he told him who he was and handed him the package. The smile was wide and the tension of the virus and the disappointment of the day as we had always known it was gone. We shared a laugh and a couple of stories. An Airforce couple were overwhelmed with gratitude and the gent said he would certainly be thinking of those who kindly gave him a beer for the day. He was taken back that the community had remembered him.

A War Widow texted me yesterday saying thank you to the lovely people who delivered her package it was so very kind of you to remember her.

War widows called me to say thank you it was a huge surprise, they felt remembered and no longer alone.

A 95 year old Veteran and War widow was overwhelmed and said she wanted to hug all of you if she could. She asked me to pass on to you from the bottom of her heart, she felt that, in her being remembered so too was her husband a WWII Pilot.

A Navy gent was not at home but found to have been having a difficult time and is in hospital, he said for me? I don't understand? With tears he said thank you.

There were many others. Your caring and ability to reach out to many in this Community will be remembered always. Thank you for saying yes that my son and I could assist on the day, it was emotional, humbling and a wonderful gesture from the Community to our Veteran Community. so very much appreciated your acknowledgement of our Service to our Country.

Deborah Hamilton President
Albion Park RSL Sub Branch

Tony Robinson

What a wonderful feeling it was to meet that lovely smiling blonde lady standing at the entry to our building.

A box with roast beef & veg, 4 cans of Illawarra Brewers beer. Tim tams, Anzac bickies. Also a beautiful card from a kindy or preschooler featuring a Flanders poppy.

I received a similar package at Christmas time in Vietnam in 1969.

Had quite a few cleansing tears.

Cheers to all involved
Tony Robinson

Terry Cobby

Dear Evan,

The Digger Drop Off Box was a lovely surprise when it was delivered to me on Anzac Day.

The box of goodies and your letter were a great boost to my day and I appreciate all you have written to show your support for us old diggers and those still serving Australia all over the world.

I was a member of 2 Battalion Royal Australian Regiment while on active service in South Vietnam in 1967/1968. I have enclosed a photocopy of a photo I took of our 1 Platoon when we were waiting for helicopters to fly us back to our base camp at Nui Dat. You can see how dirty we were after spending 3 weeks patrolling the jungle during Operation Coburg fighting the North Vietnamese troops in the 1968 Tet offensive.

I hope you enjoy your school work and take pride in the school you attend.

Yours truly,
Terry Cobby
Mt Warrigal