Our meeting was at the Centaur memorial and included:
Dedication to AHS Centaur by Merv
Poppy Service talk by Heather Christie, Secretary of Caloundra RSL sub-branch 
Caloundra Headland Memorial Walkway talk by Trevor Smith of Caloundra RSL sub-branch
 
A big thank you to Darryl for organising this event including the excellent breakfast.
 
Your editor was planning a pictorial for this week’s Reel showing our time at Centaur memorial. However, given the excellent words spoken it is appropriate to mention the highlights of our meeting and lots of pics follows which show what a great meeting we had.
 
Dedication to AHS Centaur by Merv
Built in 1924 the Centaur was converted into a hospital ship in 1942 to ferry patients between Port Moresby and Townsville after fighting broke out in PNG. It could accommodate 357 patients.
The Centaur’s final voyage started on 12/5/1943 on a journey from Sydney to Cairns.
The ship had clear markings of a Hospital Ship with white and green stripes and prominent red crosses and was brightly lit night.
Despite this, on 14th May at 4am the Centaur was torpedoed with enormous damage to a fuel tank causing a massive explosion and it sank in 3 minutes with only 2 life boats breaking free.
The 64 survivors were rescued by the destroyer USS Mugford after they were luckily spotted by an RAAF aircraft. There were 268 lost souls.
No announcement of the disaster was made until 18 May by PM Curtain.
The Centaur laid in an unknown position off Caloundra in Moreton Bay until 2009 when it was found 30 NM off the southern tip of Moreton Island.
In 1967/1968 our Club established Centaur Park with a commemorative stone and plaque. This was officially opened on 15/9/1968 by Sir Frances Nicklen and Navy Chaplin Rev Alcorn with survivors, relatives and a Military Guard of Honour. A naval ship stood offshore and 3 Canberra bombers staged a fly pass. What an impressive and fitful occasion to remember those fallen and of course the survivors. Thank you Rotary Club of Caloundra!
 
We also heard from Heather Christie, Secretary of Caloundra RSL sub-branch who spoke on the Poppy Service provide at funerals to any defence personal. This service includes the laying of a poppy by any attendees who choose to participate, their service record is read out, the last post is played, the Ode recited and concludes with the rouse.
 
Finally we heard from Trevor Smith who is the Military Display Curator at Caloundra RSL sub-branch. He spoke on the Caloundra Headland Memorial Walkway which was established in 1993. Space is now at a premium with approximately 2000 plaques installed.