Major General Jeffrey V Rosenfeld AC OBE KStJ (Ret'd)

MB BS (Melb), MD (Monash), MS (Melb)
FRACS, FRCS (Ed), FACS, FRCS (Glasg) ad eundem, FACTM, MRACMA, RAAMC
Professor & Head, Department of Surgery, Central Clinical School, Monash University
Professor & Director, Department of Neurosurgery, Alfred Hospital and Monash University
Chair, Australian Defence Human Research Ethics Committee (ADHREC)

It was with great satisfaction that VAJEX greeted the news that our now Patron-in-Chief, Professor Jeffrey V Rosenfeld AM CStJ, was promoted to the rank of Major General and appointed Surgeon General, Defence Health Services on 15th January 2009. His last promotion to Brigadier was on 9th February 2007.

Professor Rosenfeld graduated in medicine from the University of Melbourne in 1976, completed general surgery training in Melbourne and undertook neurosurgical training. He also trained in Oxford (UK) and at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Ohio (USA). On his return, he was appointed Consultant Neurosurgeon at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Royal Children’s Hospital, and later spent two years on laboratory research at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.

Professor Rosenfeld specialises in cerebrovascular surgery, brain tumour and skull base surgery, minimal access and neuro-endoscopic surgery.

After countless life-saving operations performed over many years, Professor Rosenfeld has been recognised for his excellent skills and knowledge in his field and has been honoured many times by universities and hospitals in numerous countries.

Commissioned Captain in the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps in 1984, he was successively promoted to higher ranks, and deployed no less than seven times on overseas duties with the Australian Defence Force as Surgeon General, Defence Health Reserves. He has served in Rwanda, East Timor, Solomons and Iraq, receiving medals for services rendered. Our Patron has served as Corps Surgeon and District (State) Medical Officer of St John Ambulance and was its Commissioner (Victoria) December 2001 to June 2005; he is a Commander of the Order of St John (CStJ).  It would take many pages to list all of Major General Rosenfeld’s achievements, honours and appointments and published papers.

Our Patron is a man of many talents. He is a great orator and an accomplished musician who is proficient on some 12 instruments.

We wish him great success in his new rank and appointment and extend our good wishes to his family.

Marvin Bude

On 11 July 1968, I enlisted in the Australian Army 3 Base Worksop (RAEME) as a craftsman and was honourably discharged on 27 February 1973, with the rank of Sergeant. My postings were at Bandiana, Puckapunyal and finally at Chapel Street, St Kilda Barracks.

To members who were rising through the ranks to attain their Non-Commissioned Officer Ranks, I became an instructor teaching Class A drill, Class B Navigation and Field Craft, and Class C Military law.

I am a second-generation Holocaust survivor. Between 1963-1968 I was a member and youth leader of Betar.

An author of five books, two are genealogies of my mother’s family and one an auto biography of my mother’s experiences through the concentration camps of Nazi Germany. Another of the books is a genealogy of my father’s family, and the last a biography of my life. All books are published, and copies are available online. They were sent to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, Yad Vashem and Beit Hatfutsot (The Museum of the Jewish People) at the Tel Aviv University in Israel.

When learning of the VAJEX Australia association, I decided to apply for membership. Being willing to assist and contribute to this association’s fine service to Service Members, Non-Service Members and Friends of VAJEX, I was elected as President in 2021.

Natalie Wills

As a qualified and Registered Bookkeeper and BAS Agent with my own Company for the last 11 years, I do auditing and bookkeeping for my clients.

I am the daughter of an ex-service member of VAJEX Australia and it is my pleasure to assist the Hon Treasurer. 

I am happily married and have two wonderful sons.

Garry Fabian

My story spans two continents and a range of different places and life experiences.

I was born in Stuttgart, Germany, a country where my family lived from the beginnig of the 13th Century.

With the advent of the Third Reich in 1933, it became a place that progressively became more hostile and dangerous, and even life threateningly dangerous for those of the Jewish religion, as well as people whose outlook did not conform to the National Socialist concept of the ideal citizen.

In 1936 my family decided to emigrate to the Sudenten Land part of the Czech Republic to start a new life. However, this dream was short lived when the area was annexed to Germany in 1938. On 15th March 1939, we fled to Prague, the capital, which was occupied by Germany.

In November 1942, our family was interned in the Terezienstadt Ghetto, which basically was transit camp for deportations to extermination camps in Eastern Europe. We were among the fortunate minority to remain in the Ghetto until liberation in May 1945. Just as background statistics, some 140,000 passed through the camps from 1941 – 1945, and at the time of liberation, about 15,000 survived. During the four years some 15,000 children under 14 years
old passed through the camp and at the end of the war, 120 had survived. (Long odds indeed).

My parents and I arrived in Australia in September 1947 to start a new life a long way from the shadows of Europe. I attend Thornbury Primary School for several months, with practically no or minimal English, but soon picked it up.

In 1948, I attended Preston Technical School, and moving to East Malvern, attended Caulfield Technical School 1949 – 1950 obtaining a Junior Technical Certificate. In 1950 I took up an Electrical Mechanic apprenticeship with Oliver J Nilsen, and after five years became a qualified A Grade electrician, a trade I pursued for several years. I still hold a valid A License to this day.

In 1956 I was called up for National Service and joined the Royal Australian Navy “to wear the Queen’s Uniform”, spending six months at HMAS Cerberus – otherwise known as Flinders Naval Depot; and also on the aircraft carrier HMAS Sydney. Consequently, I also joined NSAA (National Service Association) some 10 years ago to continue the connection.

My late father, who had started a small business in the medical supply field, asked me to join the business as his health had deteriorated. I considered this as short time commitment, however when he suddenly died in 1959, it became a more long-term involvement lasting over the next 20 years.

That year Evelyn and I married (and we recently celebrated our 60th anniversary), our family now consists of two daughters and sons-in-law and five grandchildren.

In 1977 I changed direction, running a small communication equipment firm for two years, and then working for several large companies in the electrical equipment industry. During that period I took up University Studies (off-campus) obtaining a BA at Deakin University followed by an MA at Monash University. I started writing articles which were published in a number of publications, and also worked for several local newspapers. Eventually I took freelance journalism on as a full time basis, an occupation I still follow today, even on a more casual basis.

I joined St Kilda Rotary Club in 1978, but left due to changes of circumstances. In the early 1990s, I joined Caulfield Rotary, and about 15 years ago moved to Glen Eira Rotary Club. During this period I served as President of both of these Clubs.

For more than six decades, I have been involved with a range of community organisations including primary and secondary school councils, was on the City of Caulfield 1988 Bicentenary Committee, held many senior positions in B’nai B’rith, and have served as a Volunteer at the Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance since 2015, involved with Glen Eira University of the Third Age for over a decade, two years as President and a range of other organisations both short and long range.

I served on the Committee of the MEAA (Australian Journalists Association) and two years on the Board of the National Trust (Victoria).

Over the last 30 years I have travelled on many occasions to Germany speaking to schools and other groups about my experiences as a Holocaust survivor and also here in Australia as part of the Courage to Care program. I have written a book on the subject “A Look Back Over My Shoulder” the first edition appeared in 2004, and an updated second edition in 2014, both of which were published in Australia and in a translated version in Germany.

Recently I took up a new interest - as an extra in films, having connected with an agency and to date had several stints in this new pursuit in productions "The Preacher", "Bloom" and "Five Bedrooms". It is a lot of fun and you actually get paid.

I have lived a fortunate life being a part of a small group of Holocaust survivors who were granted a new chance at life denied to six million victims.

Ben Hirsh

Ben Hirsh is a past President of VAJEX Australia was a Board member for over 20 years, serving as Secretary and Vice President.

Ben has assisted in locating graves and memorials of long-forgotten Jewish soldiers who died on active service in Australia, ensuring their commemoration both on our Wall of Remembrance and Memorial, and in the VAJEX Australia Books of Remembrance. In addition, he has assisted the Jewish Holocaust Centre by providing historical data and identifying medals.

He is a military historian and consultant on Orders, Decorations and Medals, and has held office in the Military Historical Society of Australia. Ben has also worked as a    provider of historically accurate uniform pieces and given his expertise to television   series such as The Sullivans, My Brother Tom and Fields of Fire. He also provided   military information for the full length film Death of a Soldier which told the story of US Army Private Eddie Leonski.

Ben enjoys public speaking and has often spoken to groups including students at Jewish Day Schools, to members of B’nei Brith, Rotary, Jewish senior citizen groups and Masonic lodges. Some of his favourite topics include, the life of General Sir John Monash, The Zion Mule Corps, Decorated Australian Jewish heroes and the Australian Honours system.  He served as a volunteer in the Royal Australian Artillery (Citizen Military Forces).

Ben is married to Hanna, who supports him in all of his endeavours. They are proud to have two daughters and a son, as well as two grandchildren.

Julie Leder

I have been a Musician, a Senior Constable in the Victoria Police and until a few years ago, a Sergeant in the Australian Army Reserve.

Joining the Army in 1977 means I was a member for 33 years. At that time there were no women permitted in the Band Corp (the first woman couldn’t join full time until 1982) but I had an enlightened Bandmaster who needed an extra musician, so I was told to join another Corp “on paper” but be “temporarily “ posted to the Band.

I did my 2 week annual training with the Regular Army Band in Melbourne and was used as a test case to see if the male soldiers could cope with having a woman in the Band! I was asked to do a promotion course at the new School of Music at Watsonia in 1982 where they had women’s facilities-but still no women! By this time I had completed my 4 year music teacher’s degree in civilian life and was very comfortable conducting a large ensemble.

In 1987 I had had enough of teaching and joined the Victoria Police Band. I had been a member for 26 years. Being in the Army and the Police at the same time meant that I could get experience in one and bring it to the other. I did a lot of singing in the Victoria Police Band-rock, pop, swing and jazz. I was invited to perform with many Army Bands up and down the east coast of Australia. I would have to take “leave” from the Police Band to do this.

In 2000 I was deployed with the Brisbane Army Reserve Band to Bougainville, then to East Timor with the Townsville Regular Army Band and later again to Bougainville with the Brisbane Regular Army Band. We performed for the soldiers and the local villagers in challenging conditions!

I left the Army in 2010 and still performed full time with the Police Band on Baritone Saxophone, clarinet and as a singer until the Vic Police Department decided in 2014 that they didn't need a band anymore and made us all redundant! I am now happily retired.

Ian Mansfield

Ian joined VAJEX in 2003 and was Secretary from 2003-2013 and has served as Treasurer since August 2009.

After leaving Melbourne High School, he joined the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 27th July 1981 as a Seaman SN (Stores). Ian completed Recruit Training at HMAS Cerberus on the 18th January 1982 and was posted to HMAS Platypus (NSW).

Over the next 20½ years in the Navy he had postings to the following places or ships:

HMAS Stuart (DE)
HMAS Waterhen (NSW)
HMAS Cerberus
HMAS Brisbane (DDG)
HMAS Coonawarra (NT)
HMAS Perth2 (DDG)
HMAS Kuttabul (NSW)
HMAS Warramunga (ANZAC Class)

Promotions: SMNSN 17th October 1981
ABSN 14th January 1981
LSSN 30th June 1988

For the duration of Ian’s career many courses were completed including one for promotion to Petty Officer (awaiting vacancy for Promotion).

Whilst posted to HMAS Brisbane deployment also included the Gulf War 1990-91.

The following awards and decorations have been received:
AASM/KUW Australian Active Service Medal with Clasp - Kuwait
LKM Liberation of Kuwait
ASM KUW Australian Service Medal with Clasp - Kuwait
MUC Meritorious Unit Citation
DFSM Defence Force Service Medal (15 years service)
Australian Service Medal

Ian’s hobbies include photography, family genealogy, reading and bike riding just for fun and to keep fit. He joined Freemasonry in 1990 and is still an active member.