Harry Phillip COGGAN

He was only 16 at the time, but managed to follow his boss into the Civil Construction Corps and spent the next two years travelling and working with the service.

As soon as he legitimately turned 18, Harry joined the Air Force. After his training, he began work as an airframe fitter.

The Air Force took him from Victoria to Queensland, then eventually on to Japanese-occupied Tarakan for the Allied landing there in 1945. He then served in Borneo.

The atrocities of war remain unspeakable and Mr Coggan is quiet about his own service, but each year he has marched to honour service men and women of all wars and asks that we continue to do so.

“I didn’t do it for any glory, I don’t glorify it,” he says, it was what the young men of his generation did. Many of his friends joined the defence forces.

Every year he marvels at the number of young people who turn out to Anzac Day commemorations, a photograph with his grandsons at the local cenotaph has pride of place in his room.

“I sincerely hope that the youth of today will keep going, it’s a very important thing,” he said.

Harry went back to his carpentry boss after his return from World War II but there was no longer work for him there. He joined the police force and spent time in Newcastle, Maitland and Hay.

It was in Hay, purchasing a fundraiser badge for the hospital, that he met his wife Noreen, and with her that he moved to Forbes where they raised three children in the community he loves.

Member for Riverina and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack travelled to Forbes recently to present a special commemorative medallion to World War II veteran Harry Coggan.

Mr McCormack said every living WW II veteran was eligible to apply for a medallion and a certificate, which are being presented by the Federal Government to say “thank you for your service” on the 75th anniversary of the end of the devastating six-year-long conflict.

“Over the past 75 years, time has healed wounds, both physical and emotional, and time has taken many of our World War Two veterans, but it will never take away our eternal gratitude for their service and sacrifices which defended the freedoms we enjoy today,” Mr McCormack said.

Forbes’ traditional Anzac Day harness race meeting – and the Carnival of Cups on the following Sunday – is coming up fast.

Forbes Harness Racing has just appointed a new committee, with Braden Sullivan taking on the presidency. Bob Parsons, who has served four years in the role, did not seek re-election.

Braden, the grandson of club life members Bob and Rosemary Lee, has been described as one of the youngest presidents in the club’s history.

His family forms the backbone of the local harness racing club, says long-time member Bruce Chandler.

Parsons, who remains on the committee, has overseen some major changes in his time as president including the return to TAB racing after a 20-year absence and the introduction of an Anzac service.

“Bob spent many hours overseeing a major upgrade of the track including the surface and configuration changes,” Chandler said.

The club will also miss Sally Spence as canteen coordinator. Her sister Jenny Sullivan will take this on.

“Without doubt the Forbes canteen is one of the best of all harness racing clubs,” Chandler said. “The money that the canteen has raised in (Sally’s) time has gone a long way to keeping the club afloat.”

More than 100 family members and friends gathered at Forbes Sports and Recreation Club on new year’s day to celebrate Harry Coggan’s 90th birthday.

Harry is a very well known former NSW Police Senior Sergeant who was attached to the Forbes command when he retired 30 years ago.

At his birthday celebrations, John Bentick made a complimentary speech and thanked Harry on behalf of the Forbes community for his help and dedication to the community over so many years.

Mr Coggan is still a very active 90 year old and a regular at the Sport and Rec Club.

He served as club president for a term whilst he was in his late 80s.

He was certainly not shy when he made his speech, thanking family and friends who had travelled considerable distances for his birthday and giving a brief autobiography.

Born at Avondale near Morriset, he grew up in this area attending primary school at Morriset and later at the Gosford High School.

After leaving school at 15 he started work as a carpenter. At 16 (during the war years) he joined the ‘Civil Construction Core’ taking him from Morriset to Brisbane, Townsville and Cairns.

At 18 Harry joined the Australian Air Force and was posted overseas from Townsville.

Whilst overseas in Borneo he was involved in the Morotal and landing of Taracan campaigns returning to Australia in 1946.

In 1947 Harry joined the NSW Police Force, following training in Sydney he was posted to Maitland then Hay where he met and married his life partner Noreen Croft.

In his speech, Harry spoke lovingly and at length of his wife, who sadly passed away a few years ago.

After their marriage in Hay, the police department transferred Harry and Noreen to Temora where their daughter Theresa was born, then on to Henty where Phillip was born and later to Corowa where Ann-Maree was born.

The police department continued with the transfers and the family managed to avoid Sydney and continue with country policing, working at Young, Nowra and finally at Forbes where Harry retired at the end of 1985.

It is especially pleasing to see Harry so happy during his lengthy retirement.

He remains very active, likes to follow the local football, especially the “pub draws”.

Harry still has his carpentry tools and he has been known to do the odd bit of wood work.

A big thank you has to go his daughter Ann-Maree who organised the celebration, a most enjoyable and pleasant evening held on the new rear deck at the club overlooking the beautiful Forbes Lake.

* Contributed by Linden Byrne

The contest was tough on the paceway last Friday for the Forbes Anzac Harness Race meeting, but the Diggers Cup was taken, for the first time, by Grenfell driver Mark Hewitt with Bronze Sign.

Bronze Sign is owned by BS and BD Shields.

The mauve sash and sleeves of Hewitt lead all the way in the $1500 race and crossed the finish line 16.5m by a neck.

Second place was Forbes local Terence Hush on Chief Fairman and third was Nathan Townsend, Alectown, on Three Point Turn NZ.

Forbes Diggers Harness Racing spokesman Bruce Chandler said the racing day had a great atmosphere and the recently resurfaced track held up well.

“We’ve had a good crowd and it’s been a beautiful day,” he said.

“The racing has been strong and the new track has held up really well.”

A good crowd took to the sidelines to support the riders and to commemorate Anzac Day, the Last Post was played and the national anthem sung.