Peter Adamis Abalinx 25 December 2016
Who was the flash? Well to know who he was would mean travelling back into time to a bygone era where a bloke called a spade a spade and you stood up for what you believed in. It was a time when the Vietnam War had come to a close and Australia was settling in to a time of relative peace. A Copy of the article may be downloaded by clicking on: PETER CURTIS ALIAS FLASH
This brief article on Flash is but a small reminder that life being what it is we must make the most of it. As always, there are far better people and quailed to write more about Flash and his life. This is my small contribution to a bloke we knew as Flash. Flash joined after the Vietnam War but that did not stop him from enlisting and travelling around Australia and into the jungles of Asia. All the time enjoying himself to the full as all young blokes of his era would do.
Many a story would be said of Flash, but for me he was a young man who came full of beans into the Battalion some time in 1974 along with other blokes such as Bob Gladwin and Eddie Black to name a few. They made them tough as nails in those days that is for sure.
Flash fitted in very well with the rest of us blokes who had recently returned from a stint in Singapore and Malaya and he went onto become a very fine soldier during his time in the Battalion. He loved being a member of the Royal Australian Regiment and being part of an elite group of men who believed in doing the right thing. Was he a hell raiser, was he wild, was he a mate you could rely on and would you go to war with him. The answer is a big yes to all of the above.
Later in life we would be reunited through social media using his lovely wife and lifelong companion Annette to be his eyes and to speak through her. It appeared that somewhere along life’s track, Flash injured himself and subsequently lost sight of his eye sight. This however did not stop him from living life to the full and true to the Australian spirit survived the ravages of time.
Last year and again this year attempts were made to see each other but due to illness it would not happen and I for one regret not putting aside my own illness to see Flash once more. I guess there is a message in it for all of us, that when a mate is ill, we make the time to see him or her.
There is no second chances and we who are left carry on their memories in one form or another. As always, despite the absence of our loved ones, family, relatives and friends, life must go on no matter what the circumstances.
In the case of Flash, he would have wanted Annette and his mates to carry on living and carrying in their heart their memory of him while he was still with us.
That is the Australian way. We do not forget our mates.
Rest in peace my friend. Your duty to Annette, your family, friends and to this nation is done. Rest amongst the stars and say hello to our mates who have gone before us. Until we meet again, have a good journey.
As always, apologies to purists for my poor grammar and savagery of the English language. I wish you all well and hope that this article does not cause ambiguity in the minds of those who read it.
Peter Adamis is a Journalist/Social Media Commentator and writer. He is a retired Australian military serviceman and an Industry organisational & Occupational (OHS) & Training Consultant whose interests are within the parameters of domestic and international political spectrum. He is an avid blogger and contributes to domestic and international community news media outlets as well as to local and Ethnic News. He holds a Bachelor of Adult Learning & Development (Monash), Grad Dip Occupational Health & Safety, (Monash), Dip. Training & Assessment, Dip Public Administration, and Dip Frontline Management. Contact via Email: [email protected]
