Tuesday 15th May

Afternoon

• Coral veterans arrive and settle into accommodation under own arrangements.

Evening

Townsville Mayoral Reception for Coral Veterans

• Timing: 1730h to 1930h

• Location: Army Museum North Queensland at Jezzine Barracks on The Strand

• Invited:

• All Coral veterans with partners as guests of honour
• CO 1RAR and President of 1RAR Association
• VVIPs (including past COs and RSMs)
• Representation and Key Appointments of 1RAR and 1RAR Association
• Dignitaries as invited by Mayor of Townsville

• Useful Tips:

• Everyone attending should plan on being at the Army Museum NQ at Jezzine (20m from Kennedy Plaza where the Reception is being held) by 1630. Buses will have you there by 1630h.
• Reception starts 1730h. 
• Dress for most of the civilian guests of the Mayor is 'neat casual', but the dress for all veterans is coat and medals.
• Museum will be open and a special 'Battle of Coral Display' will be on exhibition from 1530h.
• A 'show bag' will be issued to all Coral Veterans attending which will have (among other items):
  • Bus Pass, Schedule and maps for those who indicated they'd use the bus
  • Car Pass for everyone
  • RSL Temporary Pass
• If you are attending the Regimental Dinner on the next night you need to confirm that by checking at the Registration Tent at the Reception to confirm we have your name and payment.
• A history produced by 1RAR for this historic event titled 'First and Foremost' by Bob Breen will be on sale. Only 700 printed.You get first opportunity to purchase! They'll also be on sale at other activities throughout the week. $40 each.
• Mayor Jenny Hill will welcome everyone on behalf of Townsville, Patron LTGEN (Ret'd) John Caligari AO, DSC will welcome on behalf of the 1RAR Association and Mr Rod McLeod AM will respond on behalf of the Coral Veterans. 3min each!

Wednesday 16th May

Morning

Changing of the Colours and Coral Commemoration Parade

• Timing: 0900h to 1130h

• Location: 1RAR Parade Ground, Coral Lines, Lavarack Barracks

• Invited:

• All Coral veterans, partners and families (special seating enclosure)
• VVIPs
• Former COs and RSMs 
• Present and Former members of 1RAR
• the public are also invited

• Useful Tips:

• Dress: Coat and medals
• Principle Guests: Governor General (CO 1RAR 1983-84), Governor of NSW (CO 1RAR 1992-93 including deployment on Operation SOLACE to Somalia in 1993)
• Immediately after the parade, there will be 2 events that will not require you to move, so you are to stay seated:
  • Launch of the history book of 1RAR titled ‘First and Foremost’, by Governor General
  • Unveiling of a painting by Governor General and a senior Thales Representative (Sponsor)
• When these to activities are over, all Coral veterans and families and VIPs will move around to the foyer of BHQ and see the unveiling of the Coral Diorama. Followed by morning tea. Due to the limited space in the foyer area, others will have a chance to see the diorama after the ceremonial unveiling occurs.

Evening

Coral 50 Commemoration Regimental Dinner

• Timing: 1800h for 1830h

• Location: Likely to be on 2RAR Parade Ground due to set up requirements and clash with use of 1RAR Parade Ground for Colours Parade in the morning.

• Invited to attend in the following priority order until capacity is exhausted:

• Coral Veterans who served in 1RAR (all invited, no limit),
• Soldiers of 1RAR who will be designated as escorts for the Coral Veterans one each,
• VVIPs
• Present and Former members of 1RAR as identified by CO 1RAR 
• others on first-to-register and pay, first-seated basis - limited seating drawn from those who indicated a preference to attend and have paid

• Significance for CO 1RAR: This is a 'stag' Regimental event (without partners), and is the only dedicated opportunity during the week for CO 1RAR to gain the maximum benefit for his officers and soldiers to be imbued with the reputation and heritage that is lived, breathed and felt in 1RAR by being in close proximity to those who forged and enhanced it. This is every veterans obligation to 1RAR and we have an ideal opportunity with our Coral veterans in attendance. It is a very important event for the customs and traditions of the Battalion. Duty First!

• Concept: Buffet dinner under marquee with 1RAR Band. Ceremonial ‘march-in’ of Coral veterans with paired soldier escort. Coral veterans seated prominently. Each Coral veteran paired with a digger from 1 RAR as a host. Fireworks display during the evening. 1RAR Band entertaining.

• Useful Tips:

• Dress: Coat and miniatures or full sized medals. Cost: $40 per head

• Arrival procedures by bus and car will be the same as for the parade earlier on the Wednesday. Buses come in front Rock Gate and go to roundabout and head back to gate dropping passengers on 1RAR side of road for photos. Cars will be directed to parking.
• Before Dinner there will be an opportunity to have group-photos taken on a special stand with Mt Stuart as a backdrop on the 1RAR Parade Ground. Start thinking about your groupings now! Then we move over to 2RAR Parade Ground for dinner.
• At the photo location on 1RAR Parade Ground there will also be chairs and a bar for pre-dinner drinks set up while we wait and socialise.
• Everyone will move over to the 2RAR Parde Ground for dinner together (50m). Coral Veterans will muster near but a short distance away (20m) so that they can 'saunter' into dinner and be recognised by the other veterans and soldiers at the dinner. Every Coral Veteran will have a soldier escort to assist and sit with them for the evening. This is an important part of the Dinner - young soldiers converses and learns from old soldier! 
• Miniatures are to be worn for the Dinner, but if you don’t have them then full sized medals is fine.
• There will be a few toasts. Loyal, Army, RAR, Veterans, The Fallen. And three speaches: GG, CO and John Salter
• The final names on the Attendance List

Thursday 17th May

Morning

Memorial Service

• Timing: 0830h (Step-off for 300m march) for Ceremony 0900h to 1000h

• Location: For those marching form up at Fryer Street Roundabout on the grass on the beach side of the road, 300m march then ceremony held at the Cenotaph on The Strand in ANZAC Park

• Invited: All Veterans and families; and 1RAR.

• Useful Tips

• Dress: Coat and medals
• Concept: All-of-1RAR memorial service with Coral veterans marching under Coral banner at the front, then the remainder of the veterans under the Association banner, with a contingent of 1RAR soldiers between the Coral and Association contingents; and the 1 RAR Band. Normal order of service.
• We are expecting fewer people to use the busses to the Cenotaph given the proximity to many of the hotels everyone is staying at on The Strand and it is only a 10min walk from The Ville too. There is also plenty of car parking available within 100 m of the Cenotaph. Buses will drop those who want to march, on The Strand near the Kids Water Park. For those not wanting to march, the busses will take you on to the Cenotaph.
• Those marching will form up at 0830h, Step off at 0845h and Memorial Service begins at 0900h.
• The section of The Strand we are utilising for the march and the Memorial Service will be closed off by Townsville City Council and Police for the duration of our Service.
• The 1RAR Colours, The Band, The Septimus, a contingent of veterans and a contingent from 1RAR will be marching to the Cenotpah along with the lead contingent of Coral veterans.
• The march is about 250m.
• There are 300 chairs and tents at the Cenotaph for the Memorial Service.

Evening

Reunion Groups Activities (There are 2 Organised)

• Under separate arrangements and costings.

• Coral Reunion Group Memorial Service and Dinner at the Townsville RSL

  • Organiser: Ray Curtis
  • Concept: The evening will follow the format of the function conducted in Hobart last year.
  • Timings: Meet at 1730h. Seated by 1755h. Commence Memorial Service 1800h. Dinner 1900h.
  • Cost: $85 per head or $165 per couple (payable to Ray Curtis - NOT covered by the $40 for the Regimental Dinner on 1RAR Parade Ground on Wednesday evening)

• Somalia + Reunon Dinner at The Ville Resort and Casino Townsville

  • All others attending a reunion, who have registered and paid, will be hosted by the Somalia Veterans at The Ville. This reunion is for everyone but will feature the Somalia veterans being 25 years since they returned to Australia from Somalia. 
  • The Somalia+ Reunion Function at The Ville (for everyone not at the Coral Group Reunion at the RSL).
  • Organiser: Paul von Kurtz (VK)
  • Concept: Seated dinner unless numbers get too large in which case we'll go to buffet style to get more in. If reasonable sized contingents are attending we'll attempt to arrange groups of tables for them. 
  • Timings: Commence 1800h , Dinner from 1900h. Function ends 2300.
  • Cost and Booking: Go to this page of website. (NOT covered by the $40 for the Regimental Dinner on 1RAR Parade Ground on Wednesday evening)

Friday 18th May 

Morning

1RAR Open Day

• Location: Coral Lines

• Timing: 1000h commence, BBQ at 1300, Dispersed by 1500h

• Invited:

• All Coral Veterans, partners and families
• all other ex-1RAR members, their partners and families

• Useful Tips

• Dress: Casual
• There will be vehicles and other equipment displays on the 1RAR parade Ground and the Finale BBQ will be held in close proximity to the Parade Ground so not too much walking. There will be plenty of seats and water available. Commences 1000h.
• 3 x speeches: CO1RAR, Patron 1RAR Association, Ray Curtis (3min each max)
• Museum will be open. It is a 250m walk from the parade ground where all other activity will be held. 

Afternoon/Evening

• Veterans disperse under own arrangements