Bill and Mavis celebrate

Bill and Mavis van Lawick celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary this month.

They were married at St Matthew’s Church on December 21, 1940 at Bondi.

Chapman (Bill) van Lawick was born on September 20, 1914, in Kyogle.

Mavis Alterator was born on January 10, 1922, in Scone.

They had three children: Robert, Christella (deceased) and Irene.

Mr van Lawick joined the army at Bondi in late 1942.

As a shearer, he was classified as being in essential industry and unable to join the armed forces. He told the army that he was a truck-driver.

Mr van Lawick did his jungle training at Canungra and the Tablelands in Queensland. During his time in the Army, he was in the 6^th Division second first light anti-aircraft regiment.

He was assigned to the 7^th Division in late 1944.

He was in the landing of Balikpapan, Borneo, and was stationed at Maccasar in the Celebes.

He finally came back home in the last week of February 1946 because he was one of the troops in the mopping-up of the Islands.

When they retired in 1975, Bill and Mavis moved to the Peninsula.

They had built a two-bedroom house at Umina each weekend during the last few years they were working, to be their home when they retired.

They moved to St Hubert’s Island in 1980 and are still there.

Mr van Lawick joined the Bankstown RSL. sub-branch on February 3, 1972.

He joined as associate member of Woy Woy Ettalong Hardys Bay RSL Sub-Branch in 1974. He has held several positions including patron since 1994, vice-president February 1990 –1999, committee member for the last 15 years, member’s fees and liaison for 14 years to 1999.

He has been awarded Certificate of Appreciation from R.S.L. Woy Woy Ettalong Hardys Bay Women’s Auxiliary 1986 and 1995, Certificate of Appreciation from R.S.L. State Branch 1991, and Life Member of Woy Woy Ettalong Hardy’s Bay Sub-Branch 1996.

Mrs van Lawick joined the Bankstown RSL Women’s Auxiliary in 1975 and became a dual member of Woy Woy Ettalong Hardys Bay RSL Women’s Auxiliary in 1976.

She transferred to Woy Woy Ettalong Hardys Bay. RSL Women’s Auxiliary in 1979 and has held many positions, from committee member to patron.

She was president of the auxiliary from 1984 to 1998 but stood down due to health problems. She is now the patron.

She has been involved in the sales of Anzac and Remembrance Day emblems since 1976 and has organised and attended street stalls and lucky envelope days, hospital visitation and all types of fund-raising since that year.

Since 1984 she has arranged and supervised the Anzac Day breakfasts at the Ettalong Beach War Memorial Club on behalf of the RSL.

These days saw her cater for an average of 500 people.

She was awarded Life Membership of the RSL Women’s Auxiliary in 1990 and was awarded the RSL National League’s Certificate of Merit and Gold Badge in 1992

She joined the Woy Woy Peninsula Lioness Club in 1979 and was named Lioness of the year in 1989.

She was Lioness President for two years 1993 to 1995 and continued to work hard over the years in raising funds for the Lionesses.

Irene van Lawick, December 8