You will recall Jack Montgomery who welcomed us on the steps of Old Parliament House on May 8^th was obviously as passionate about the Links in the Chain as we were. Unbeknown to us, Jack was seriously ill when he made that trip, but it meant so much to him for us to remember what he did in 1951. His ride from Alice Springs on sandy tracks, without support and alone, was heroic.

Sadly, Jack died on Friday, 29^th June. Many people, especially some of the youth present, asked if we could print the speech he made on 8^th May. Although it cannot contain any of the emotion or humour he expressed, the words are thus:

Honourable Minister, members of the official party, ladies and gentlemen And in particular, the "completing cyclists"!

I hope all of you can understand just what this means to me. To be here, 50 years to the day after the completion of my ride from Alice Springs in 1951. It gives me great please to congratulate all of those who have completed a part of the Links in the Chain "re-enactment". There were only three of us. Luke has impressed on me greatly to stress the fact that there were only three of us previously. But look at the host of you here, assembled, which is wonderful. So cycling is on the move.

I would like you to consider "Pride in Achievement" - motherhood, parenthood, a skill or profession, service, a duty; but when you do some achievement that is unique, that is different, such as some of you have done, in a long distance ride… something that is unique, almost like climbing Mt Everest- then this is special. I am sure all of you here with your push- bikes, understand exactly what I am talking about. I would like to dwell for a moment on where achievement is pitted against the elements. Because this is the greatest of all achievements, if you are doing something. I can recall on my ride outside Wyatt Creek, or some other very obscure little place, I encountered a severe storm. Here I am with nothing except my push-bike, a sleeping bag, and water. And it was bucketing down - pouring rain. I had all these loyalty messages which I had to present to the Prime Minister. It is then you realise how realise how helpless you are, soaked to the skin. And pitted against the elements- no shelter, no trees, nothing. And the push bike chain is clogged up with red cement!

Firstly, the choosing of the name which is so ideal. Links in the Chain - it totally personifies cycling.

Secondly, the words of Sir Robert Gordon Menzies when he received me and Les Cecil & Waltham here on these steps fifty years ago. This is what he said in his address:

"When six colonies became one nation, Australia then became significant in the world. This is a great country to live in. And it is for all of us to make it greater in the next 50 years than it has become in the last 50 years"

Jack Montgomery was never a competitive cyclist. He used his bike as transport to get to the outback to paint as an artist. He saw most of the interior on his single gear bike, with just a sleeping bag and his water bottles. Jack kept wonderful scrap books of his rides and in November last year, Luke and I were privileged to visit him and hear about his experiences. It is sad that we only knew him for less than a year, but fortunate that he gave us the gift of his wonderful memories and history that would otherwise have fallen into obscurity. We are pleased that he had the chance to relive his memories- even while in hospital he talked of the great time he had in Canberra with "the cyclists".

Marie Wensing, July 16. 2001

Photo courtesy The Canberra Times, Kate Callas, Jack Montgomery on the steps of old Parliament House, Canberra. May 8, 2001