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Shoulder patch worn by Kiwi Gunners who served with the 28th ANZUK Field Regiment

28th ANZUK Regiment Boat Race

161 Battery RNZA, 1st Blazer Battery RA, and 106 Battery RAA

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In 1972, New Zealand gunners were stationed in Singapore as part of the 28th ANZUK Regiment, along with the British 1st Blazer Battery and the Australian 106 Battery. One of the sports for Games Day was a boat race between teams from the three countries. The Battery Commander, Barry Dreyer, assigned Mike Subritzky and Barry Oldham the task of building a suitable craft out of local materials. Mike had been a sailor before joining the Army. The resulting masterpiece was a raft constructed from a wooden pallet and about six 4 gallon plastic water cans. For paddles, each crewman had an entrenching tool.

On the day of the race, the Kiwi team arrived at the pool to find that the Brits had designed a flash canoe and the Aussies had built an outrigger made out of a red boat and water cans. Clearly outclassed and disappointed to find that only they had constructed their craft from local materials, the New Zealanders resorted to 'Kiwi ingenuity' to give them an advantage. When the starter's gun went off, all 161 Battery members leapt into the pool and ambushed the other two teams. Bombardier Pete 'Nig' Botica found a rope, tied it to the Kiwi raft and pulled it down to the finish line ... Victory!

Click image to enlargeThe picture (click it for an enlargement) shows Subritzky and Oldham winning the race (top left); left centre of the pool has a bunch of Kiwis jumping on the Blazer's canoe; bottom centre shows more Kiwis dealing to the 'Titanic' of 106 Battery.

The event was followed by a Regimental barbeque.

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