Fleet Air Arm
Association of Australia
Life Memberships
3 November 2008
The Fleet Air Arm Association's 2008 annual general meeting at Nowra saw the award of life memberships to four long-serving members from the Queensland, Western Australia and NSW Divisions. Those receiving awards were:
- Harry Webster of WA;
- Barry Lister of Queensland;
- Mike Heneghan of NSW; and
- Greg Wise of NSW.
Ernest Harry Webster has been an active member of the Fleet Air Arm Association for 31 years, since its inauguration, and has served as a committeeman on both the Federal and Western Australian Councils.
He has been a committeeman on the Western Australian State Council for 25 years and has given excellent service to the Association. The award of his life membership recognised his dedication and service.
Harry's award was received at Nowra during the AGM/National Reunion weekend on his behalf by Theo Bushe-Jones, pictured at right with Association National President, David Farthing.
Barry Lister had been a member of the NSW Division of the FAAAA for a number of years, together with approximately 40 other Queensland personnel, when in 1992 it was decided to form a FAAA Division within Queensland.
Barry and four other members formed a steering committee to contact ex-FAA personnel. After a meeting at HMAS Morton, a committee was formed with Barry as its president. On 25 October 1992, the Queensland Division received its Charter from the Federal body and Barry has continued as the President since that time.
He has been a tireless leader promoting the FAAAA in Queensland and the rest of
Australia, publishing the Queensland newsletter for the past 16 years, organizing State reunions and functions at a variety of venues throughout the State. This has led to Queensland becoming the 2nd largest Division with 242 members.
Mike Heneghan was approved as member number 210 (NSW Division) in June 1991 and was allocated national membership number N1323.
He was elected to the office of Division Secretary at the annual general meeting on 5 March 1995 and assumed the role of public officer on 31 December 1995. He has served the members in these most responsible offices continuously to the present time.
Mike was elected to the office of Secretary of the Fleet Air Arm Association in October 2001 and served a full term on the national executive committee and the federal Council until October 2004, in conjunction with his divisional responsibilities.
He has provided the use of his personal equipment and clocked up countless hours of work in the performance of his duties, showing his dedication to both the State and Federal Associations.
Greg Wise has been a member of the NSW Division since 1992 and has given outstanding service to the Division and the National Association since that time.
He was first elected to the NSW Division General Committee in 1999, and again in 2000 and 2001. He moved to the Executive Committee level as vice president in 2002 and 2003. On the passing of President Neville Newbold, he assumed the office of Division president and was elected to that office from 2004 each year to the present time.
Greg has served the NSW members diligently, representing them as a delegate to the FAAAA federal Council. He has with distinction, represented all members at general community functions, to local councilors, to State and Federal politicians, to the naval command hierarchy and to museum administrators.
He used his organisational management skills to assist the National Executive Committee in planning, and to a large part organising the FAAAA 2008 reunion. His "hands on" on-going work for all members of the Association include the upkeep and maintenance of the commemorative rose garden in the forecourt of the FAA Museum. In 2003 local bushfires generated sufficient heat to split the sandstone block on which the large metal albatross was mounted and Greg organised a replacement granite block and other necessary repairs to the memorial.
Earlier in 2002 he promoted the idea of a Remembrance Wall of Service and with consistent lobbying, convinced successive Commanding Officers, Museum administration and higher authorities it was a worthy project. He organised for the NSW Division to start and then continue the structure that today has some 800 plaques. His other major achievement is editing the Association journal "Slipstream." In conjunction with John Arnold, he conceived the idea of a partnership with the Naval Association, Shoalhaven sub branch, to convert demountable buildings into the present White Ensign Club and Bob Cronin centre.
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