This Anzac Day marks a special honour for the Forbes Town & District Band.
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The band has been successful in obtaining a $1,000 grant from the Anzac Community Grants Program administered by NSW Government Veterans Affairs to develop a war history interpretive panel based on devoted Life Member and drummer Don Tweedie, to commemorate Don’s life and history with the band.
The panel will be placed in the Band Hall in Rankin Street.
The application for the grant was supported by Don Tweedie’s son Terry Tweedie who published a biography of Don’s life ‘Don Tweedie: Fighting Bandsman’s Last Stand’ which launched in Forbes on Australia Day 2017 where the Band played a tribute to Don ‘Colonel Bogey’ - Don’s favourite march.
The book features a chapter on Don’s journey with the Forbes Band playing and teaching music, which ultimately helped Don in healing the physical and mental effects sustained in the war and lead to him carrying out a life aspiration of playing in a brass band.
Terry Tweedie has generously agreed to assist the band in the creation of the interpretive panel.
Don commenced duties as a Bass Drummer with the 2/20th Battalion Band in 1941 however was captured in the fall of Singapore and became a prisoner of war and suffered under atrocious conditions and treatment.
After the war he eventually moved to Forbes where he joined the band in 1962 and played in the Band at every Anzac Day for 45 years (except one due to flood) often leading the march as drummer.
Don compiled the history of the Forbes Town Band for the band’s Centenary celebrations in 1983 and was an active committee member and secretary for many years.
Don was awarded Life Membership of the band as well as a long service medal from the Band Association of NSW in 1980 and Rotary Peace Award in 2002.
The band will again provide their musical marching services to the annual Anzac Day ceremony in Victoria Park and will perform ‘Colonel Bogey’ in the march from Cross Street as a tribute to Don and all others who have fought in war.