SUBCON 2025 is Over
Images for the weekend event will be posted ASAP, however all will be supplied by Richard, BZ for a job well done for many years.
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SUBCON 25 is now done and dusted and I would like to thank the SAANSW team for a great weekend in the Gong. It went off smoothly and all had a great time.
For the first time we were able to utilise Zoom for members to not only dial in but also they were able to vote during the AGM.
There were a number of motions voted on during the AGM but as we did not have enough members attending the AGM these will now be passed back to state branches to vote on, these will be out shortly for branches to action.
We now look towards next year, and as announced SUBCON 26 will be in Canberra, we are looking at late Oct or maybe first week in Nov as we try and de-conflict with school holidays, Floriade and government sitting times. This hopefully will help with the prices of flights and accommodation.
ACT SAA will work with our Web master and start the EOI information and continual updates as the plan matures.
Cheers
David Strangward, AM
SAA National
SUBMARINES ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA
NATIONAL AGM
Minutes for the AGM will be posted ASAP
DVA NEWS
There has been a bit of traffic about DVA acceptance of various cancers etc. The bottom line is if you have any form of malignant neoplasm (cancer) DVA will accept it for treatment only under their non-liability scheme NLHC. All you need to do is fill in a simple form with your GP add the histology report and submit to DVA. You can do that via your MyService account. Getting the cancer acceptance under the various acts is a different story with your main tool being the relevant SOP. See rma.gov.au
New history pages for the Oboats are under construction,
Please note crews members on Eternal patrol is going to be updated.
HMAS OXLEY
HMAS OTWAY
HMAS OVENS
HMAS ONSLOW
HMAS ORION
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It is with great sadness that the SAA advises of the passing of Irish Bevan at Saint John of God Hospital in Perth WA on the 17 th of October 2025.
A link to the funeral has been posted
WOMTP3*SM DIARMID DUNCAN (IRISH) BEVAN
The WA SAA has given Irish Bevan a great sent off

It is with great sadness that the SAA advises of the passing of Greg Pennicuik in Hospital in Victoria of the 19th of October 2025.
CPOUCSM GREGORY PENNICUIK
It is with great sadness that the Submarines Association of Australia (SAA) advises of the passing of Commander Ian Hill on the evening of Monday, 20 October 2025, after a long and courageous battle with cancer.
Commander Ian Hill
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Submariners worldwide are a special breed, rarely understood by
mere mortals and never understood by skimmers. Submariners of all
nations understand this and show respect to each other, knowing the
hardship and danger that each has faced to achieve membership to
that elite club to which they belong.
The Association's aims and goals are:
•To keep alive the
unique esprit de corps of the Submarine Service;
•To
establish and maintain a charitable trust, being a welfare
foundation;
•To assist one another as occasion may require
and to encourage social activities;
•To liaise with kindred
organisations, both nationally and internationally; and,
•To
educate members about their entitlements and provide access to
Department of Veterans' Affairs advocates
The
Association maintains a close relationship with several overseas
Submariners' Associations. Membership is open to all submariners, regardless of the Navy in which they served.
SAA National President Message
As the year comes to an end I would like to, on behalf of the National and State Committees, wish all SAA members and their families a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
It has been a busy year for the SAA with a great SUBCON in QLD, our web site back up and running.
On the subject of SUBCON, NSW have stepped in to organise SUBCON 25 and there will be more news on the plans etc in the New Year.
I would also like to take the opportunity to thank the National Committee for all the work they have done this year, much of it behind the scenes.
Our Vice Pres Tony Vine has also worked hard to update our constitution which has needed a lot of work as it has been many years between updates.
Tony has also been able to track down members details and update the Eternal Patrol details as a number of submariners details were incorrect.
Also a big year in the Navy with both senior positions now being filled by submariners, with Mark Hammond as CN and Matt Buckley as DCN so we know the Navy id in good hands.
I was also honoured to be invited to Matt Ritchie’s promotion to CDRE, in early December he has come a long way since his time as a baby greenie in HMAS Onslow.
Of course the AUKUS project is gathering momentum and hopefully in the not too distant future we may have some USN submariners join the association as they move to the West.
Just a reminder that next year is an election year for the National Executive, so please have a think about stepping up and putting your name forward for a position if not for one of the National positions then maybe on your state committees as I see the same names year after year doing a great job in their respective states.
So in closing please keep safe and I look forward to catching up in 2025.
Cheers David Strangward, AM SAA National President
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