Category Archives: Sport

Yarn for May-June 2024

The Southern Yarn is once again ready for your reading pleasure. There is lots to say, but instead, let’s whet your appetite with Charlie’s editorial, and you can dig in directly from there. All from the little club newsletter than could…

Following on from last issue’s reminisces of school army cadet days: the quiz answer is the Bren gun.

When we went bush on weekend bivouacs we had to take army-issue rations with us – canned stew, condensed milk, “dog” biscuits, tubes of Vegemite, etc. At the annual two-week camp, regular army cooks served up the meals in mess tents. The fun times thankfully balanced the more serious implications of what the cadet movement was all about.

In addition to rifle practice and learning maneuver strategies, our participation in the annual ANZAC Day parades and ceremonies kept the more sober realities front of mind. For 75 years our DUCW has maintained the serious remembrance of the ANZACs and their sacrifices and achievements, especially for each next generation.

We also maintain the balance with the many lighter activities. And there is more humour in uniform in this edition. You can also learn more of what “the little club that could” has gotten up to in part 2 of Jenny Gates’ Club history piece on p. 7 – pretty amazing!

All this and so much more – thanks to all who have contributed and our advertisers. 

Southern Yarn March 2024

Southern Yarn, March-April 2024

When we commemorate ANZAC Day this year (Saturday, April 27, at the Scandinavian Cultural Center) it will mark the start of the Down Under Club’s 75 year anniversary – see Jenny’s article on this milestone (p. 6). Jenny is mining the archives and will bring further installments of DUCW history in future Yarns. Continue reading

Yarn – Jan-Feb 2024

24-Yarn_0102-JanFeb So, we’re into 2024 already, and The Yarn is right there, along for the ride with you.

The January-February edition is available now, and here is the Editorial to get you started:

Happy new year, Yarn readers! And it’s not just a new year, it’s also the Club’s 75th! That’s quite an achievement for a little outpost here in the middle of North America, eh?! Talk about the “Aussie/Kiwi battler” – the DUCW exemplifies just such a character. And this little Southern Yarn gazette plays a not so insignificant part in the battle to stay alive and relevant ‘midst the constant bombardment of alt-media’s missiles, mortar and manipulations.

So, if you value these 8 pages in your inbox or mailbox every couple of months, please heed Catherine’s renewal reminder (p.1). Where else does one find such concise and concentrated downunder content? This edition, again, is a typical example – there’s Club and member news, book reviews, bird views, OZ and NZ news – you choose.

Since there likely would not be a DUCW if it weren’t for the BCATP, it gets another prominent mention (p.6). The humble but joyful little canary gets the honour of first bird “viewed” this year (p.8).

Huge thanks again to Jenny, Peter, Judy, Catherine, advertisers, Brian, et al.

Yarn July August 2023

Yarn July August 2023

The Southern Yarn, July-August 2023

Interesting how one thing leads to another, eh? I recently came across a good example of this concerning the other Australian national anthem. In the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Waltzing Matilda was played by mistake for Marjorie Jackson’s gold medal presentation, instead of God Save the Queen. Anyhow, to find out how its tune came to be, see “Did you know” p.7.

Also included in this issue are several stories of how the “Lest we forget” sentiment continues to be honored: a commemorative ceremony in Cairns, Queensland, for a WWII Catalina crew, a similar event in Summerville, Nova Scotia, for the loss of 4 airmen in a training accident 80 years ago, and the efforts of many dedicated volunteers and service personnel to honor the war dead through involvement in War Graves projects.

And there’s the usual variety of other news, humour and summer-reading pleasure.

Haka Rugby is coming to Winnipeg

Haka Rugby is once again hosting its Elite 2-Day Camp right here in Winnipeg on Thursday July 27 and Friday July 28 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at Assassins Rugby Football Club, Maple Grove Rugby Park, 190 Frobisher Rd.

The goal is to use rugby and Māori culture as a tool to  develop future world leaders.

To register, go to https://hakarugbyglobal.wildapricot.org/event-5257925/Registration or connect locally with Caleb Stick at https://www.facebook.com/caleb.stick

Feel free to share this with anyone you think might be interested in participating.