ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVAL COMMUNICATIONS BRANCH ASSOCIATION (NSW)

RANCBA NSW CHAPTER

WWII CONVOY SIGNALMAN – ERIC TWEEDALE

Australia’s oldest living WARATH and WALLABY , Eric Tweedale will turn 100 tomorrow and here the big Merrylands RSL is set to celebrate with local sports legends in honour of Eric

 During WW II he spent four years in the Royal Australian Navy in the Communications Branch as a Convoy Signalman, serving on about 28 ships on convoys on Australia’s east coast and New Guinea.

 (They were very proud and were heavily involved in the starting of the RANCBA here in Sydney in 1946 and would march just about 3 paces from the Comms Branch with their own small Banner (CONVOYS SIGS) This also included a long time RANCBA NSW Committee person Don Ferguson .

After the war he returned to playing Club Rugby and at 25 years old , was a Member of Parramatta’s first every Grand Final team.  He was selected in the Waratahs front row and later that year he made the Wallaby’s tour to New Zealand playing in both tests and then made the team tour of both the British Isles and France.

He represented the Waratah’s and Wallabies against the Maori All Blacks before retiring to concentrate on a career with Shell Oil Company.

He was to receive the Australian Sports Medal for his contribution to Rugby

The MC for this special birthday function on Friday will be Mr. Gordon Bray ABC and Speaker Mr Ray Hadley 2GB , also a Plaque will be unveiled naming of the ERIC TWEEDALE Stadium. Home ground of the Western Sydney Two Blues.