A HIGHLIGHT of the Wagin Apex Club’s 41st annual changeover evening was a talk on the building of the infamous Thai/Burma railway during World War II.
The changeover, held at the Palace Hotel in Wagin, was well attended and included representatives of the Wagin Lions and Rotary Clubs, the Wagin Shire and a number of people who had attended the Quiet Lion Tour, named after Sir Edward Weary Dunlop.
The tour is an annual pilgrimage, based around Anzac Day, to follow the route of the railway in Thailand.
Installation officer for the evening was Wagin Rotary Club president Paul Powell, who inducted Craig Prosser as Apex club president for 2008-09, with Andrew Scanlon elected secretary and Wade Brockway treasurer.
The guest speakers included David Piesse of Wagin, whose father was on the railway, and Eric Wilson of Perth, both organisers of the Quiet Lion Tour and Prisoner of War Bill Haskell.
Mr Haskell had the audience spellbound saying: “It was a shocking experience, the Japs didn’t care how many died, the conditions were terrible, there was no respect for life and they starved and beat us.
“The line was built at a tremendous cost, 100,000 lives were lost in a year due to butchery and starvation, it was a blot on Japanese history.”
Mr Haskell said Weary was a remarkable man, a brilliant surgeon who saved the lives of many POWs on the railway.
Outgoing Apex president Bryan Kilpatrick said one of his main aims was to increase membership.
“I feel we have done this with three prize recruits and several potential members likely,” he said.
The big event of the Apex calendar was the annual Apex Christmas street carnival, this year co-ordinated by Raymond Edward.
“The Woolorama gates is our other big event,” Mr Kilpatrick said.
“First year member Chris Piesse co-ordinated this with the assistance of Woolorama’s Colin Thompson.
“Chris’ job was made difficult with an additional gate and the rodeo on the Saturday night. He did an excellent job.”
Mr Piesse said the job is complicated by the myriad of different passes allocated by Woolorama.
“Generally the holder of such a pass expects to gain entry to Woolorama for both days and not only for themselves, but for their car, dog, extended family and anyone else standing in line,” Mr Piesse said.
“Fortunately our members are highly skilled in sorting out such complicated matters.”
The club’s annual fox shoot was again successful with the proceeds donated to the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
In the past members of Apex have had to retire when they have reached the age of 40.
This would have meant the loss of at least two valuable members and Wagin has fallen in line with other clubs and raised the age limit to 45.
“I leave feeling the club is in good shape with the addition of new members and older members electing to stay on. The current vibrancy of the club can only see the club grow, which is a rarity in these times,” Mr Kilpatrick said.
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