During my recent visit to U.S.A., a friendship which had existed for more than thirty years was terminated by the death of Sylvester Edwin Rohu, or, as he was affectionately known throughout the land, Sil.

I can still picture Sil in the days of the old Sydney Swimming Club with headquarters at the Domain Baths. A great Clubman was Sil, always ready to pull his weight and to lend a helping hand. Full of fun and practical jokes, I can still hear that infectious chuckle when some other member was the victim of a deep laid plot, but it was a tribute to Sil's make-up that when he himself was the victim the chuckle still remained.

I can also still picture him in the happy days of the bachelor camp at North Bond, where Sil and his grand team of mates extended the glad hand of welcome; but, guest or otherwise, everyone had to do his share in the maintenance and order of the camp, and woe betide the man who was allotted washing-up duties if he left one speck of food on the crockery before handing over to the drier.

And so to the first World War. We were members of the same artillery battery, and during those years the full benefit of Sil's sterling worth was so amply demonstrated. He earned the full devotion of his comrades, and, as he was always striving to achieve something of community value, he naturally did not escape the criticism to which all men of that type are occasionally subjected; nevertheless he carried on with his plans undeterred and undiscouraged, deriving no little amusement from critics and cynics, knowing quite well they were seldom serious. The chuckle still continued, and I can still see on his face the mixture of polite conviction, tolerance and amusement when told he was embarking on a mad scheme which was bound to fall.

It was in these circumstances that the regimental paper of the 7th Field Artillery Brigade, the "Yandoo," came into being. Sil said it had to start and, moreover, it had to go on and only finish at the end of the war, a feat which was accomplished under the most extraordinary and difficult conditions on occasions. In this project Sil was fortunate enough to have, amongst others, the able assistance of Eric Harding and Bert Duckworth, and these three really represented the "Board." The history of the "Yandoo" represents a real romance.

The typewriter, paper and duplicator were purchased at Durban on the way to England with the convoy that conveyed the Third Division A.I.F. The equipment was loaded on a rickshaw with the "Board" parked on top, and eventually arrived safely on board the "Argyllshire" with printing plant complete. The staff worked at high pressure collecting and writing copy and then printing it, and the project was a success from the outset.

It was Sil who got the use of the butcher's cabin for an office and who arranged the transfer of the staff to the ship's refrigerator space when the tropical heat caused the wax sheets to melt. He handled all the arguments over space on transport vehicles when the Battery moved from one position to another on the Western Front, arid in his quiet, plodding way he always won out-except in one instance. On that, occasion the Germans were advancing too fast and they overran the complete outfit. With the change in the fortunes of war, however, and the advance of the Allies, it was all recovered, and the old typewriter is now preserved in the National War Memorial at Canberra.

And so in 1919 we were back in civil life. We had often discussed postwar plans and Sil stated on more than one occasion that he was anxious to get into business on his own.

It is a further tribute to his tenacity and perseverance that, having bought a business about which he knew nothing, he had within a very short period of time built this up so successfully that it was known right throughout the length and breadth of Australia. Many famous men have met in those Elizabeth Street premises to exchange experiences and reminiscences.

Sil's next venture was the foundation of the Vaucluse Amateur Sailing Association out of which came the famous "V.J', (Vaucluse Junior) and "V.5" (Vaucluse Senior) sailing craft. Here again many difficulties had to be surmounted before real progress could be made, but such difficulties were taken in his stride by a man of Sil's capacity, and the result is that the Vaucluse Amateur Sailing Association, which was created for the training of youth, stands today as one of the most virile sailing organisations in Australia.

It was largely due to Sil's influence that Sydney Legacy started on the way towards the present highly perfected organisation for caring for the children of deceased soldiers. For years he devoted much of his leisure time and attention to children's welfare work, and infused into his fellow Legatees the doctrine of personal service as an essential of Legatee activity, and the care of children of departed comrades the first target.

Sil married late in life, but again, with his unerring perception, chose a woman who was possessed of the same high ideals as his own, and who ably assisted him in the training of the boys of the Vaucluse Amateur Sailing Association and the children of the Legacy Club. They had no children of their own, but it can be truthfully said that, due to their devotion and untiring efforts in the welfare of both of these Clubs, they were in reality the parents of hundreds.

This impressive career came to a close a few months ago. Towards the end Sil suffered a great deal, but never one word of. complaint, and with his usual stoicism he faced the end quite calmly. He said he had no regrets-that fate had been kind to him in giving him a happy domestic life, a successful business, a great number of friends, and opportunities to help his fellowmen-"so I am ready to go and I can't complain."

And so passed on a truly fine citizen, but his memory and accomplishments should remain fresh in the minds of many generations to come.