Page 6 - Flaming Cauldron – Issue 57

ACC ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER

From our Friends Down Under

Australian Army Catering Corps 32nd Birthday Parade – 12th March 1975

Editor: I welcome frequent emails from Lt Col Brian Kay, retired Director of Catering-Army and former Colonel Commandant
AACC who is known to express his frustration with the current state of his Corps. Brian writes:

Dear Wally, I am contributing to a history of the AACC, the Catering Advisory Service and the Steward Trade).
which we hope to publish for our 80th Anniversary in 2023, I even suggested recently that we should change the name of
hopefully the Corps is still in existence, you can never take that the AACC to the Australian Army Cooking Corps to more
for granted! (Editor: The AACC has managed to remain in being effectively describe the current reality!
a great deal longer than the ACC!) In retrospect I now realise The strength of the AACC has been reduced from over
that the AACC, as a tradesman Corps, was at the height of 2,000 soldier tradesmen and women in the late 80’s to less
its status, reputation and personnel strength not long after than 300 cooks who spend the majority of their time on

I became Director of Catering – Army in 1983 and courses because they have no cooking duties in barracks. This

we had mostly fulfilled the aspirations of our Founder, has resulted in the loss of civilian recognition of our trade
Sir Stanton Hicks. training skills and our cooks have recently been employed in
You can no doubt read between the lines in my e-mail COVID 19 Border Protection and Quarantine duties. Ah
letter (below) to the present Colonel Commandant of the well, I suppose they might as well have something to do! END
AACC, and feel my disappointment (and at times despair OF RANT!
and anger) at the relegation of our Corps to a BBQ Company On a happier note, it’s great to have the vaccine for Covid
with no catering role for in barracks messing; no effective role 19 on the rollout here in Australia, starting next Monday 22nd
in the provision of the Army Catering Service (disbandment February and as an ‘elderly’ citizen I’ll be getting it in the
of the Army School of Catering, the Directorate of Catering, second phase next month. Can’t wait!!

The following is Brian’s email to the present Colonel Commandant AACC:
I mentioned Lt Col Noel Monday in a ‘story’ about my time at Army Headquarters Canberra in 2. This parade was the first formal parade
the 1980’s and so find attached a photo of Colonel Monday who was Colonel Commandant by an AACC Unit. It was the first time the
AACC when I became Director Catering – Army in 1983. The photo was taken at the Army Director of Catering-Army was received on
School of Catering, Bonegilla at the 32nd AACC Birthday Parade on Wed 12th March 1975 parade and the first time the OC/CI of the
(copy of Parade Sequence also attached). The parade itself was a celebration of the AACC School of Catering was received on parade.
becoming an independent Corps in its own right with our own independent Unit which could 3. First (and last?) time our Colonel
conduct formal parades and invite Senior Officers to review the Parade (through Training Commandant, Director of Catering-
Command). This included and number of ‘firsts’: Army and Officer Commanding, Army
1. The Army School of Catering was the first knowledge) which did not happen again School of Catering were on a formal
AACC unit on the Order of Battle (March for an AACC Officer until I was appointed parade together. By the time I was for-
1974) and I was the first AACC Officer Commanding Officer DSU Watsonia/Area mally received on parade as the Colonel
to be appointed Officer Commanding Commander Watsonia Military Area in Commandant AACC at the presentation of
of an AACC Unit (or any unit to my December 1986. The Governor General’s Banner in March
2003 there was no Director of Catering-
Army or Army School of Catering!
As a note to this recollection, I went up from
Puckapunyal to Bonegilla for parade rehears-
als the week before and without any fear of
‘vertical shaming’, I was like a small parade
mascot compared to Captain Graham Cobb,
the parade CSM and Platoon Commander
2nd Lieutenant Tony Smith all of whom were
near or over 6ft tall! I decided to relinquish
the role of Parade Commander to Graham
Cobb and was simply ‘received’ on parade
as the Unit CO and escort to Major General
Begg, the Reviewing Officer.

Major Brian Kay top left with Lt Col Noel Monday,
together with Brian’s daughter Alison bottom left and
son Martin

PAGE 6 SECRETARY@ACCASSOCIATION.ORG | WWW.ACCASSOCIATION.ORG