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The John Laffin Travelling Prize is donated by the Families and Friends of the First AIF Inc. (FFFAIF) a non-political, non-profit making charitable organization. The purpose of FFFAIF is to commemorate the service, sacrifice, courage and suffering of the First Australian Imperial Force of the Great War 1914-1918 and their families and friends. The FFFAIF also provides scholarships and prizes, to support younger Australians, to study Australia's participation in the Great War.
One of these prizes, The John Laffin Travelling Prize, was donated to the School of History at UNSW. Mr John Laffin is the father of the current President of FFFAIF and is known around the world as an Historian. He also served as an infantryman in World War 2. The prize was established to commemorate his contribution to the country and Australian history.
A signing ceremony for The John Laffin Travelling Prize management protocol was held on 24 February 2006, to mark this valuable donation to the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. The faculty was honoured by the attendance of the FFFAIF committee members: Mr Craig Laffin (President), Mr Russell Curley (Vice President), Mr Alan Kitchen (Treasurer), Mr Andrew Willetts (Committee member) and Ms Louise Baker. The Dean, Professor Annette Hamilton hosted the event, joined by Associate Professor Rae Frances, Head of the School of History, Associate Professor Bruce Scates and Mr Andrew Evans, the Executive Officer. The Dean commented that through the generosity and enthusiasm of FFFAIF, our students have been given encouragement to undertake historical studies.
The inaugural John Laffin Travelling Prize was awarded to an outstanding student - Sam McSkimming, who also attended the ceremony. Sam has a family connection with the Great War where his maternal great grandfather fought at Poziers. He plans to use his travel prize to visit Poziers in December to research the battle further. FFFAIF committee members were more than enthusiastic in providing advice and assistance in Sam’s itinerary planning process. No doubt, he will keep in close contact with the organisation.
The ceremony was also attended by Ms Gayle Hannan from the UNSW Development Office and Ms Nora Yim from the Dean's Unit, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.
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Last Updated: February 26, 2008