Private Ron Cushing, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (2RAR), of Manly, Qld, ...

Private Ron Cushing, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (2RAR), of Manly, Qld, practising on his tenor horn. He joined the Regular Army in November 1950 where his musical talent was quickly recognised and he was posted to the Northern Command Band until he was sent to Korea. He is now a valued member of the Regimental Band of 2RAR.The band has been a tremendous asset to the unit during its service in Korea. During the heavy fighting at The Hook, members of the drum corps and the bandmaster, acted as the local defence section at the battalion command post. The other musicians and the band sergeant augmented the A echelon staff, assisting with supplies and transport. Since the truce it has been as busy as ever practising and playing for ceremonial occasions and for the entertainment of its own and many neighbouring units. Original British Commonwealth Forces, Korea (BCFK) Public Relations caption: Pte Ronald Cushing of Manly, Brisbane is soldiering on in Korea to maintain a family tradition. His father was killed while serving with the 2/10 Field Ambulance in the 8th Division at Johore Bar, in World War II. Young Cushing, despite the fact that he was only 13 years and two months old then, enlisted to take his father's place. He was a well built lad for his age, and he deceived the authorities successfully for six months. "Then they woke up and turfed me out", he said. "But I was determined to do some sort of a wartime job so I joined the VDC and served in it until I was 18 when I joined up again and served in medical units until 1947" Then he went on to the land and worked as a dairy farmer at Gayndah for three years. But the call of the Army proved irresistible and he joined the Regular Army in November 1950. Throughout all these years he had a second love-music. He learned to play the tenor horn at the age of 10 with the Wynnum Band, then under the baton of the late Reg Delov, who was well known throughout Queensland as a bandmaster. Later Cus