Unit Crest and Motto - 3 Telecommunications

UNIT CREST

The initial design for an official Unit crest was a painting by LAC Len Robinson, depicting two Aborigines with spears watching smoke signals in the distance.  This and the eventual design depicting three smoke rings superimposed over a map of Australia, were submitted to RAAFHQ for approval in the early 1950s.  

The initial design depicting the Aborigines watching smoke signals was rejected as ‘too closely reflecting the Unit’s function’.  This resulted in the smoke rings superimposed over a map of Australia being chosen, along with the motto – ‘Djinnang’.

The final design was duly submitted and received Royal approval in June 1953.

The requirement for a motto was for an Aboriginal word meaning ‘Always Vigilant’.  Aborigines in the Beverly district of Western Australia, in 1957, gave the meaning of ‘Djinnang’ as ‘Watchful in case someone (or thing) might come’.  A dictionary of Western Australian Aboriginal languages gives the meaning as ‘To see or perceive’.

Editor’s Notes:   The above is from the 1991 publication ZKJ2
LAC L Robinson was Operator No 325

3 Telecommunication Unit Association (Inc)
Where it all began ...

During the latter years of 3TU's operation, from about the mid 1960s, social organisation was an ad hoc affair.   The various shifts conducted lottery syndicates and these tended to spawn interest in activities of wider application.   Volleyball matches, barbecues and even a few fishing trips were arranged by individuals before the Djinnang Social Club came into being.   That arrangement prevailed throughout the final years of operation.   When the unit closed in 1991 the former members of 3TU who lived in Perth continued to meet socially on a sporadic basis and eventually formed the Djinnang Association in about 1992.

This newly identified body held its AGM at an annual picnic/barbecue on ANZAC Day, usually at Whiteman Park.   At the AGM in 1995 it was proposed that the Association should commission a parade banner and march as a unit contingent on ANZAC Day.   The motion was passed and a banner design presented by John Stewart was accepted.   The banner was then expertly created by Bede Mecham and it was paraded for the first time in 1996.   About that time, a group of ex-3TU personnel in Queensland formed the Djinnang Association Queensland and opened its membership to all former RAAF communication musterings.   This did not rest well with the WA group because the original Djinnang Association was formed only of personnel who had served at 3TU.   A Special General Meeting was held in October 1996 at the 3TU site, where a motion to change the name of the Association was passed.   Hence the present name was born but it was not until December 2017 that the Association became an incorporated body.   The banner remains unaltered and still bears the original Djinnang Association identification.