After the Swannies’ golf game on Thursday – the Annual Ryan Jeffery Golf Classic, we headed off for the Rainbow Hotel in Fitzroy. Nineteen of us showed up.

Turning up were former Hanoi Presidents Mark “Willy” Williams, Dave Kainey and Daryl Taber. We also had Vietnam Veterans Kenny Earney and Stan Middleton with his wife, Sinh. Current National President, Phil Johns. Former Hanoi Swannies Ryan Jeffery, Chris Canty, Dan Hogarth, Clint Bryant and Nick Russo. Former Vietnam Swannie John Cranfield. Current Swannies’ sponsor, Mark Greenshields (Aussie Home Loans). Friends of the Swannies, Mick Granham, Astuko, Maria and Nathan.

That part was all good – and then we had the complete random blow in from the Lao Elephants / Malaysian Warriors, Snakes. He just happened to be drinking in the same pub with his friends.

We hung up our Indochina Cup banner and had a slide show ticking over in the background. Ryan Jeffery then pulled out a heap of photos of the Hanoi Hawks from back in 2003 and even had video footage of the then Hanoi Swans enjoying some Friday night football at Pepperonis Pizza Bar from back in 2002/3.

Awesome evening. Wait until next year when we host our second Swannies’ Celebration Soiree!

Photos to follow (Editor’s tip: Australia’s access to internet sux. Bring on Vietnam’s WIFI).

On Thursday 29 December 2011, the young guns of Domingos, Nick “Moggy” Moger, Mark “Willy” Williams and Nick Shiells took out the Vietnam Swans’ 7th Annual Ryan Jeffery Golf Classic at Ivanhoe Golf Course in Melbourne.

In the “Best Ball” competition, they managed to beat the team of Chris “Snags” Canty, Nathan, Dan Hogarth and John Cranfield.

Finishing strongly in last position were the prezos – former Hanoi Presidents, Dave “Flyer” Kainey, Daryl “Smooth” Taber and National Pez, Phil “Fabbo” Johns.

Unfortunately, Ryan Jeffery was unable to play due to his recent skirmish with chicken pox which has seen him shed 10kgs. However, he did turn up to wear the new Red Championship Jacket designed by Ross McRae and hit a sizzling ceremonial drive off the tee to commence the day’s proceedings.

Other awards went to:

• Hole 1 – Longest Drive – Chris Canty
• Hole 7 – Closest to the pin – Nathan
• Hole 10 – Longest Drive – Domingos
• Hole 18 – Closest to the Pin – Domingos

A great day again for the Swannies in Melbourne.A special mention to Shane Rice who is the Manager at Ivanhoe Golf Course who is a former player for the Tokyo Goannas. Shane shouted each of the Swannies’ players a beer after the round of golf which was greatly appreciated.

Special thanks to Ryan Jeffery, Ross McRae (designer of the jacket), Micky Johnston (the guy who organised the tailoring of the jacket) and the guys who turned up to play.

A very big thank you is also due to the tailor of the Red Championship Jacket, Mr Xe, on the corner of Le Loi St and Nguyen Thai Hoc St, Hoi An, who donated the jacket to the Vietnam Swans.

Photos to follow.

John Carey is a Vietnam Veteran and friend of the Vietnam Swans. John will attend the Swannies’ 5th Annual Cricket Day at the MCG on 28 December 2011.

John has also written an article in the 7th Battalion’s December newsletter promoting the 2012 ANZAC Friendship Match. Below is an extract.

On Saturday 21 April 2012, prior to ANZAC Day, an AFL football match is also played on the Vung Tau Oval, the same ground where servicemen competed in a very active competition during the Vietnam War.

This is now the home ground of the Vietnam Swans Football Club and players involved are all Australian expats who, every two months, play against expat teams from other Asian countries. The event is named the ANZAC Friendship Match and the 2012 match is between the Vietnam Swans and the China Reds.

The official after match dinner is at the lovely Petro Hotel behind the ground. All who come to the game are invited to attend (bookings required).

To read the full article which includes details on ANZAC day itself, click onto .

The National President, Phil Johns, gives an update on this month’s Swannies’ events in Melbourne – Cricket, golf and a celebration soiree all in just two mega days.

Dear Swannies, Sponsors and Supporters

Ah, Ross McRae, You’ve done it again. Ross has designed the graphic for the Swannies’ Triple Header that is coming up in Melbourne on 28 &29 December, after Christmas:

• Wednesday 28 Dec @10.30am: The 5^th Vietnam Swans Annual Cricket Day. Day 3, Boxing Day Test Match. Australia Vs India. MCC Members’ Pavilion, MCG. Entry to MCG and Pavilion – $50.
• Thursday 29 Dec @10am: The 7^th Vietnam Swans’ Annual Ryan Jeffery Golf Classic, Ivanhoe Golf Course. Green Fees – $26. Check out the new Ross McRae-designed Swannies’ Championship Jacket!
• Thursday 29 Dec @4-6pm (after the golf): The Inaugural Swannies’ Celebration Soiree, The Rainbow Hotel, 27 David Street, Fitzroy. Pay as you go. Come along and find out why the Swannies are such a modern day hoot in both Australia and Asia. This is your chance to say that you went to the very first one!

.

So far, we have former Presidents Derrin Limbrick & Fleur (resigned just a week ago from Saigon Chapter of Vietnam Swans with Back to Back Indochina Cups), Willy (Hanoi Chapter of Vietnam Swans, played in first ever Swannies’ game, 2003), Dave Kainey (then Hanoi Swans and played in Swannies’ first ever game, 2003)  and Daryl Taber (then Hanoi Swans and first Swannies’ tour) attending. We also have the former skipper, Danny Monkey. Ryan Jeffery (only person to have played in all seven of his Swannies’ golf days and played in Swannies’ first game, 2003), Dan Hogarth (first Swannies tour back in 2005 to Malaysia). There’s recently retired Johnny Cranfield and current sensations Moggy and Nick Shiells. Ryan Tierney trained with the boys once in Saigon and that’s enough for him to want to come out to the cricket. John Carey is a Vietnam Vet and he will also join us for the cricket with wife, Kaye.

We also have a number of fathers, brothers and friends who are confirmed to attend. Many more have said they are trying to clear their calendar to find a space. We’re set for a few great events over a couple of mega days.

Honk if you love being a Swannie in Melbourne.

Honk! Honk!

• To read the poster in pdf format, click onto

On 28 November 2011, the Tuoi Tre newspaper published an article on .

Below is an extract from this article that makes for very sober reading in the lead up to the festive season.

When Lisa Hamilton received a phone call from Vietnam informing her that her son, Ryan Gallaher, had been involved in a motorbike accident, she says her first reaction was that he had broken a leg or had some other minor injury. But after her son’s friend explained the seriousness of the accident, she was in shock.

Gallaher, 35, sustained severe head injuries when he crashed his motorbike while not wearing a helmet. He had been out drinking alcohol in the southern coastal city of Vung Tau, where he had been teaching English.

Over the next five days, Hamilton struggled to get to Vietnam. She had to apply for a visa and a passport, which she did not have at the time since she had only been out of her native Canada once, before she could get on a plane. She arrived in Ho Chi Minh City on June 9 2010, five days after her son’s accident.

“I guess I must have been naive,” she says. “I thought all I had to do was get to my son and everything would be taken care of, we would come back home and everything would be fine.”

As it turned out, getting her visa and passport then travelling half way across the world was only the beginning. When she arrived in the city her son, who was in a coma, had been transported from the poorly supplied Ba Ria Hospital just outside of Vung Tau to District 5’s perpetually busy Cho Ray Hospital. She found him in the head trauma unit, a large cluttered room with around 40 beds, usually full of patients, from young children to adults. She says she found the conditions horrifying and wanted to get her son out before he became infected.

A team from Family Medical Practice in HCMC helped Hamilton make flight arrangements to Bangkok, where there were better facilities at Samitvej Hospital, and cut red tape that would allow them to get on a plane with medical equipment.

A flight was arranged five days after Hamilton’s arrival. At that point she says she had already spent US$1,800 for the ambulance from Ba Ria to HCMC, US$500 at Cho Ray and US$15,000 for the flight to Bangkok. Gallaher’s friends covered the Ba Ria Hospital bills. Her son did not have any medical insurance.

Typically, a Swannies hat will look good on top of anyone’s scone. And the level of goodness is multiplied when that person happens to be on top of the world. Well, not quite on top of the world – but the next best thing.

A couple of months ago, Swannie, Mark Pleiter went to Nepal and climbed up to the Mount Everest Base Camp where the above photo was taken!

It’s not surprising that some people ask whether Ben Hur was big enough to be a Swannie.

Congratulations to Mark. And, Go you Swannies!

The new Saigon President, Sam Conroy, calls for nominations for the 2012 Saigon Committee.

Dear all.

We are calling for nominations for the 2012 Saigon Committee.  With the departure of key members and the arrival of so many new people to the Club, I hope that we can build a strong committee that includes lots of new faces and new ideas.

The roles open for nomination are:

• Secretary –  Ensuring all information is captured and follow up with Committee and non Committee members on any open tasks.
• Tour Captain – With the assistance of other on and off the committee members, will lead Swans’ tours and touring sides coming to Saigon.
• Merchandise and Gear Manager – Working with the Committee to ensure we have gear available for training and games. Order and arrange merchandise as required.
• Membership. Growing the player and social club membership for the club and maintaining up o data information of all members.
• Coaching Committee. Looking for 4 or 5 members to assist in the coaching of the team. Only require one member of the coaching committee to attend committee meetings.
• Big event manager. Lead the big events on our calendar for next year, mainly ANZAC match and Grand Final
• S.ponsor manager. Development of new sponsors for the club and maintaining relationships with existing sponsors.

Saigon President and Treasurer are not up for nomination at this time with both roles recently appointed by the members of the Club.

Nominations close on the 24^th of December but if you’re interested in any role and need more information let me know and we can discuss further.

Saigon President, Sam Conroy can be contacted by