Due to COVID restrictions cancelling several functions this year, the Beaudesert Branch of the National Servicemen’s Association of Australia Qld Inc (Nashos) combined their annual Widows’ Luncheon with their Christmas Party.
This year 61 members and invited guests attended the event.
Beaudesert Branch Secretary, Brian Buckby said numbers at the luncheon were down on previous years as age and ill-health prevented some members from attending.
Nashos members from Goondiwindi were also unable to attend as flooding affected their area.
Guests included Scenic Rim Mayor Cr Greg Christensen, Patron Cr Enright, Padre Josh Cocks, NSAA Qld State President and Treasurer, North Queensland Tablelands Branch President John Hardy OAM and Hannah Larsen from the Bendigo Bank Beaudesert.
A wonderful day and great meal was enjoyed at The Club Beaudesert with guest speakers adding to the function.
Mayor Greg Christensen acknowledged that widows of Servicemen are an important part of the Nashos family.
President John Hardy OAM spoke on the important role wives, partners and widows play in keeping the Nashos Branches functioning.
Nashos are Servicemen who served between 1951 and 1972.
Of these, nearly 19,500 served in Borneo and Vietnam and the remainder in support units in Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, and Australia.
Over 15,000 served in the Vietnam War where 200 died and more than 1,200 were wounded.
