Norm won’t walk

By Melissa Meehan
“I’ve been going to rehab and gym, all so I could march in the city and now they say we have to ride in cars.”
The disappointment on Pakenham RSL’s Norm Joseph’s face was clear.
After battling illness for the past six months, Norm was fighting fit and ready to march.
Bumping into him at the Pakenham Dawn Service on Monday before he made his way to Melbourne with his daughter from Canberra and son-in-law, it was not hard to see why he was so disappointed.
“They are making us ride in cars, and are going to put together all of our regiment flags in one clump,” he said.
“We are very proud of our banners and it’s not right to lump them all together.”
The former Rat of Tobruk said he had been to many meetings at Anzac House to make his feelings known, but said march organisers said Victoria Police had made the ruling after an unfortunate incident last year which saw a group of veterans injured when hit by a car.
“I think if we want to march, we should be allowed to.”
Many veterans ignored the rules and marched, refusing to take the soft option.
Did Norm follw suit?
The Gazette has its suspicions …