REVEille caring for the veteran community | SPRING edition 2012
The Newsletter of the RSL of Aust (QLD) Maroochydore Sub Branch
The price of liberty is eternal vigilance
RSL House
Ex-Service Organisations
106 Memorial Ave, Maroochydore Phone: 07 5443 1719 Fax: 07 5443 7551 email: rslhouse@maroochyrsl.com.au
These groups meet regularly in RSL House, please feel welcome to attend.
Office Hours Monday to Thursday 9.00am - 4.00pm Friday 9.00am - 1.00pm
Museum Hours Monday to Thursday 9.00am - 2.00pm Friday 9.00am - 12.00pm
Monthly General Meetings Third Monday of the month at 2.00pm 17 September 15 October 19 November 17 December
For more information about upcoming meetings refer to page 22. Women’s Auxiliary - first Monday, 9.30am chat, 10.00am meeting EDA Association - third Thursday at 9.30am Legacy Laurel Club - fourth Friday at 9.00am War Widows Guild - fourth Monday at 9.00am Ex-Service Women’s Association - first Thursday, 10.00am chat, 10.30am meeting National Service Association - second Tuesday in September and November, 9.00am chat, 10.00am meeting TPI Association - third Wednesday at 10.30am Naval Association - second Sunday at 10.30am
Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor (preferably typed or printed and no longer than 200 words) should carry the sender’s full name, address and contact phone number, and will not necessarily express the opinion of the Editor or of this Sub Branch. The Editor reserves the right to edit or refuse to publish any submission. Email: rslhouse@maroochyrsl.com.au 02 | caring for the veteran community
Contents Reminder to all Sub Branch Members........... 3 President’s Report.......................................... 4 CEO’s Report................................................. 5 Welfare Report................................................ 6 Kokoda Track - Life Changing Experiences.... 8 Defence Force Recruiting............................ 10
Reminder to all Sub Branch Members Please note that your membership is due for renewal from 1st December 2012 to 28th February 2013. The fees are $20.00 per annum. If you pay after the end of February you will need to fill out a membership form and apply as a rejoin, and you will lose your continuity status. If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact either the membership officer, Frith Hasler, or sub branch administration manager, Pip Hindle. We also offer ‘life subscription’ fees. For the cost of these fees please contact the sub branch. Life subscription is costed according to your age, and takes away the hassle of having to remember to pay each year.
Honouring Vietnam Veterans Day................ 11 Kapooka Army Barracks Tragedy 1945....... 12 Battle of Long Tan........................................ 12 Remembrance Day...................................... 14 Celebrating 80 Years.................................... 16 Current ADF Global Operations................... 18 A Soldier’s Diary........................................... 20 Meetings....................................................... 22 Joke.............................................................. 23 The Badge.................................................... 24
Wishing you all well for the future and hope to see you soon.
Frith Hasler
Membership Officer
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAILING LIST If you wish to receive emails about current Veteran related issues and Sub Branch League information, please subscribe through the link on our website at: www.rslmaroochydoresubbranch.com.au
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President’s Report The amalgamation is now complete, but there is still much to be done on the administrative side. The first Interim Board meeting has been held and attended by a number of invitees to ensure representation across all groups. The Chief Executive Officer (Harvey) and his team have done an excellent job in bringing things together and we sincerely thank them for their efforts. You will all note that there are a few changes in the sub branch and at the last monthly meeting of the members, a number of resolutions were confirmed for the new entity. I have asked some of the younger veterans from Timor-Leste, Iraq and Afghanistan to visit our offices and talk with our volunteers. If we are to grow our service membership, we need the younger veterans to come on board and we must embrace their membership. Please don’t forget that Harvey is still conducting his briefing sessions on the amalgamation on the last Sunday of each month at 10am. Likewise the 11th November looms closer and I expect this year to be bigger than last. Best wishes to all Les D’Alton President
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CEO’s Report Hello Everyone, This is the new edition of the Reveille. The Reveille has been the Journal of the Maroochydore RSL Sub Branch for many years, and I consider it a privilege for me to be able to make a contribution as the Chief Executive Officer of the new Sub Branch. Although we are a new Sub Branch, in legal terms, this organisation has existed for 80 years! Legions of fine, dedicated and committed men and women with Armed Service experience have built this Sub Branch into what it is today, a dynamic and active Sub Branch, well equipped to provide for the welfare of veterans now and well into the future. As your Chief Executive Officer, I pay tribute to the men and women who built this Sub Branch over these many years. They have done bloody good work, and these buildings plus the current volunteers who come here to assist many veterans, are a suitable monument to them all. The work they did then, lives on in the work being done here today. I am responsible to you all for the profitable operation of our commercial enterprise, the sound and efficient conduct of the affairs of the League and the proper strategies for the protection of your assets, which now amount to many millions of dollars. Interesting and exciting times are ahead of us, as we grow into our new role, I look forward to working with you and I welcome any of you to contact me with your ideas and thoughts on how we can make our Sub Branch a better place. Ubique Harvey Fewings CEO
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Welfare Report Hello from the Welfare Team. As the Reveille takes on a new format and distribution, I would like to take the opportunity to introduce our fabulous team of volunteers within the Welfare office. Firstly, for those of you I have not yet met, my name is Sharon Moore. I am the Welfare Manager and have the pleasure of supporting you Monday through Friday. We have been busy over the last three months with a diverse range of continuing support to our veterans, exservicemen and women. We carry out a diverse range of welfare duties such as home, nursing, and hospital visits, transport requests and follow up calls,
to collating vital information that may be of interest and hopefully benefit you. Alan Bullock who is currently on long term leave is our other welfare officer, he will be back on board in September. We visit four nursing homes each Friday on a four week rotating schedule. They are, Allora Lodge, Tantulla Rise, Immanuel Gardens and Regis Lakeside. Our ex-service residents have the pleasure of a little sing song and chat from Wally, our friendly volunteer nursing home visitor. Wally is a young 90 something, legally blind, ex-Army veteran who every Friday (come sun, rain or hail) brings a smile to the face of many of the residents here on the Sunshine Coast. He has visited these nursing homes 14 times and seen approximately 36 residents
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over the last three months. So I would like to take this opportunity to thank Wally and his good wife Freda for her support to him for all that he achieves every week. Sadly, many of our ex-service community end up in one of our coastal hospitals and they have the fortunate experience of meeting one of our volunteer hospital visitors who pop in every week to say g’day. This small gesture alone brings a glimmer of hope and a smile, furthermore it helps us connect with those forgotten within the community and lets them know the RSL is there for them. Our hospital team members are Jon Welch, Harry Winters, and Alan Bullock who visit Sunshine Coast Private Hospital and have visited 221 patients over the last three months. Additionally, Nev March from Nambour RSL Sub Branch visits Selangor Hospital and has seen 15 veterans and regularly visits one of our long term residents at Nambour Private Nursing Home. Let us know of any veterans in hospital and we will endeavour to include them on our next round. Finally on this note, if you are a member of any other ESO, be sure to let them know as well that you are in hospital. Transport can sometimes be tricky to organise due to the limited community services available and if we can we will help out. Many of our veterans have requested such a service and without the help and support from our drivers we would be unable to carry out this extra support. So I would like to say a huge thank you to the rest of the team who supports this service, our volunteer drivers are: Alan Bullock, Joe McCaffrey, Frank Piper and Roger Moore. Thank you ALL for the work you put in here at the Sub Branch.
Some information that may be of benefit to you: • The Essential Medical Equipment Payment (EMEP), this is a new Government program currently available designed to assist with the additional costs of running necessary medical equipment or medically required heating and/or cooling that will arise from the introduction of the new carbon tax. Items such as electric wheelchairs, home respirator/ventilator, and Apnoea monitor are just a few of the medical equipment items covered. For more information check out the DVA website or contact your local VAN office in Maroochydore on 07 5479 5112. • Gold card holders can access free overseas vaccinations, your GP can access Veterans’ Affairs Pharmaceutical Advisory Centre (VAPAC) to arrange an authority script, additionally any attendant medical appointments required for the said vaccination is also covered by DVA. • 2012 – 2013 Federal Budget – Portability Rules – some applicable changes to DVA and Department of Human Services are to be made in regards to certain benefits. Portability rules are polices in place that direct the outcome on a person’s benefits of being temporarily absent from Australia for longer than the “portability period”. At present this is 13 weeks, however as of 1st January 2013 this will be reduced to 6 weeks. Although, there are a diverse range of portability periods that relate to different benefits, so any queries should be directed to DVA, your local VAN office on 07 5479 5112, or Centrelink. Thank you and I look forward to meeting you all at our next sub branch meeting. Sharon Moore Welfare Manager Reveille spring edition 2012 | 07
Kokoda Track Life Changing Experiences We recently sponsored PTE Daniel Excell to undertake the challenging Kokoda Track as part of his physical and mental rehabilitation.
During this posting, he was deployed as a mentor on operation MTF-1 and based at ATIQ. He was involved in two dismounted IED strikes (both strikes within one metre or closer).
Adventure1000 run a yearly program for Australian soldiers, wounded in active service in Afghanistan, to walk the Kokoda Track as part of their rehabilitation.
Daniel was treated for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder when he returned home.
The RSL Soldiers Kokoda Program sees soldiers walk the trail alongside other Australians. Daniel enlisted in 2007, after completing recruit training at Kapooka and IET’s at Singleton. Daniel was then posted to 6RAR were he served in many roles including specialist role as a signaller.
Daniel said he was keen to take on the Kokoda Track to prove to himself that he could overcome any challenges put in front of him even after the life changing experiences he had faced during his postings. “The trip was one of the hardest challenges I have ever done,” PTE Excell said. “But the physical challenge was met with my own mental issues making it a truly unique challenge.
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“I really appreciate Maroochy RSL for sponsoring me and making this trip possible for me.” The program included buglers, bagpipers, a former Australian Army Principal Chaplain, John Butler and many representatives from the Australian community showing their support to the soldiers. Daniel and the other soldiers walked in the footsteps of their forefathers on the trail and hearing the history of the Kokoda campaign. The walk ended in a rousing memorial service at the Commonwealth memorial site at Isurava to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the first battle of Kokoda on 28 July 1942. Daniel received the John Metson award on the trip. “I met so many wonderful and kind hearted friends and overcame a mental struggle that I never thought I would,” he said. “Thanks Maroochy RSL.”
Daniel said he was keen to take on the Kokoda Track to prove to himself that he could overcome any challenges put in front of him even after the life changing experiences he had faced during his postings.
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DEfEncE foRcE REcRuiting Maroochydore RSL Sub Branch is proud to work with the Defence Force Recruiting (DFR) team on the Sunshine Coast. To further their commitment to tomorrow’s generation, the RSL team work alongside local DFR recruitment officers, based at Maroochydore, to get the message out and have been providing rooms free of charge for DFR events. The local recruitment focus is led by Warrant Officer Class 2 (WO2) Brett Bates who has served in the army for around 21 years and completed two tours to East Timor. WO2 Bates said his recruitment region covers from Landsborough to Bundaberg and his aim is to spread the message about the benefits of enlisting with the Navy, Army or Air Force. “I love this job,” WO2 Bates said. “Our biggest focus is to educate people about what it means to enlist in the Australian Defence Force. We work with local schools, TAFEs, Universities and at work expos to spread the message about the job opportunities available.”
Many young men and women aspire to become an officer, with around 300 recruits each January moving to Canberra to attend the Australian Defence Force Academy to complete a degree. Bates said men aged between 18-25 years of age are still the main demographic to register, but women are slowly starting to see the benefits of the Defence Force. “The lure of finishing a degree, while getting paid, without HECS fees is a strong attraction,” WO2 Bates said. “You have access to the best resources and equipment in the country and a studentto-teacher ratio unmatched by any other university in Australia. “One of the best things about studying at ADFA is that you are guaranteed a career in the Navy, Army or Air Force upon successful graduation, and the roles on offer are seemingly endless, from Engineering to Aviation or Logistics,” WO2 Bates said. If you would like to know more about the jobs or ADFA , call the local branch on 5459 8700 or visit defencejobs.gov.au
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HonouRing ViEtnam VEtERans Day The Sunshine Coast Sub Branch of the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia held their commemoration on August 18. At first this special day was known as Long Tan Day, in memory of the epic battle that occurred 46 years ago. Now August 18 is known as Vietnam Veterans Day. Long term member and Secretary of the Sunshine Coast Sub Branch, Peter Veltmeijer, says that each Sub Branch celebrates this day in different ways. Local members decided some years ago to remember VV Day at different RSL clubs in turn across the Sunshine Coast, and this year Maroochy RSL hosted the special event. All Club members were invited to join in honouring the service of our Vietnam Veterans, including the public ceremony at Cotton Tree Cenotaph. Part of the day’s commemoration included celebrating another important milestone for the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia - its 50th anniversary. The 50th anniversary will be commemorated by the State and National bodies of the Association all over Australia with a range
of events. The Queensland State Branch hosted an event on the 16th August. Peter says that the Vietnam Veterans Association is first and foremost a welfare oganisation with a very willing and experienced staff of advocates and welfare officers able to assist veterans of any conflict. Returned service men and women are always welcome to visit the Drop In Centre at the Maroochydore Library on the 2nd floor.
August 18 is known as Vietnam Veterans Day
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KAPOOKA ARMY BARRACKS TRAGEDY 1945 On an afternoon in May 1945, Australia suffered its worse military training accident. An explosion at the Kapooka Army Barracks killed 26 men. Trainee sappers (engineers) and Royal Australian Engineers Training Centre staff were conducting training in the preparation of hand charges when a massive explosion destroyed the dugout they were in, and killed 26 men.
SEEKING TION INFORMA
to forward any information they might possess in relation to the accident. The email address is: kapookatragedy1945@hotmail.com. He would be most grateful for any assistance. RSL Museum
On Friday 17th of August 2012, a visitor to the Maroochydore RSL Sub Branch Museum indicated he was researching this dreadful accident and was seeking any information relevant to the accident. His name is Andrew Johnston and he has created an email address which anyone can use
Battle of Long Tan Sunshine Coast’s veterans Allan McLean and Laurie Drinkwater travelled to Canberra to take part in the 46th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan and view the iconic cross, which is in Australia for the first time. The cross is an icon from Australia’s fiercest battle of the Vietnam War and was installed to commemorate the fallen comrades who fought between 108 members of Delta Company of the 6th Battalion (6RAR) and a 2500-strong force of North Vietnamese and Vietcong soldiers in the Long Tan rubber plantation on August 18, 1966. The grey concrete cross, which was installed in 1969 by soldiers on the site of the battle to
commemorate fallen comrades, is on loan to the Australian War Memorial from the Dong Nai Museum in Vietnam until next April. The anniversary was a bittersweet experience for Laurie and Allan. Laurie was a corporal in 6RAR and fought in the Battle of Long Tan and Allan was part of the team who first erected the cross three years later on the site. “The fire fighting lasted around three to three and a half hours,
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but the clean-up lasted a couple of days,” Laurie said. “I predict they had around 2,500 men to our 108, which included three Kiwis. They killed 18 of our men and we had around 26 wounded. I knew all of the men who were killed. I trained with them for 15 months before the battle.” It is reported that at least 245 Vietnamese were known to have died in the battle and hundreds wounded. While Corporal McLean didn’t fight in the battle, he wasn’t far away and lent a hand the next day. “After the battle, reinforcements were sent for from other battalions. That’s were Al came in,” Laurie said. Allan said he remembers the days after the battle vividly. “It was raining so hard and we had to sleep on the new graves of the dead to keep out of the water,” Allan said. “This was an iconic fight in Australian history as we had so few men but still recorded a victory. This was because of good training, a cool head at the top and the best soldiers. The Vietcong picked the worse company to pick on. Any other company and they would have been wiped out with those numbers,” Allan said. Laurie left Vietnam ten months later, while Allan returned for a second tour with 6RAR and in 1969 led the team to erect the cross in honour of the fallen soldiers. “An order came from up top that we had to construct a cross to be erected on the
anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan,” Allan said. “I had men working on that cross every day leading up to the anniversary. It was a full time job. It was made out of reinforced concrete and we had a chopper bring it in the night before. We cut railings under it. It sat on six to eight blocks. We also had a plaque installed and erected white plastic chain around the cross, don’t ask me where we got that from.” Allan said the team also held a full service to symbolise the three year anniversary on August 18, 1969. “It was a very eerie place, I swear there were ghosts in the trees,” Allan said. “While the bugle was playing the Last Post the sun shone through the trees and lit up the cross like a spotlight. We all had shivers.” Maroochy RSL proudly subsidised Laurie and Allan’s trip to Canberra to take part in the anniversary on the weekend (August 18) and to view the cross for the first time in 43 years. ‘We really want to thank Maroochy RSL for sponsoring our trip,” Laurie said. “It means a lot to us to be able to attend, but it was hard as we lost a lot of good mates during that battle. The faces of those men always flash before my mind when I think of the battle, and you think, why I am here and they are not. It’s always hard on these occasions when they read out the names of the men who were killed.”
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Remembrance Day Why is this day special to Australians? At 11am on 11 November 1918 the guns of the Western Front fell silent after more than four years continuous warfare. The allied armies had driven the German invaders back, having inflicted heavy defeats upon them over the preceding four months. In November the Germans called for an armistice (suspension of fighting) in order to secure a peace settlement. They accepted the allied terms of unconditional surrender. The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month attained a special significance in the post-war years. The moment when hostilities ceased on the Western Front became universally associated with the remembrance of those
who had died in the war. This first modern world conflict had brought about the mobilisation of over 70 million people and left between 9 and 13 million dead, perhaps as many as one-third of them with no known grave. The allied nations chose this day and time for the commemoration of their war dead. On the first anniversary of the armistice in 1919 two minutes’ silence was instituted as part of the main commemorative ceremony at the new Cenotaph in London. The silence was proposed by Australian journalist Edward Honey, who was working in Fleet Street. At about the same time, a South African statesman made a similar proposal to the British Cabinet, which endorsed it. King George V personally requested all the people of the British Empire to suspend normal activities for two minutes on the hour of the armistice “which stayed the worldwide carnage of the four preceding years and marked the victory of Right and Freedom”. The two minutes’ silence was popularly adopted and it became a central feature of commemorations on Armistice Day.
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y
Remembrance Day Service
On the second anniversary of the armistice in 1920 the commemoration was given added significance when it became a funeral, with the return of the remains of an unknown soldier from the battlefields of the Western Front. Unknown soldiers were interred with full military honours in Westminster Abbey in London and at the Arc de Triumph in Paris. The entombment in London attracted over one million people within a week to pay their respects at the unknown soldier’s tomb. Most other allied nations adopted the tradition of entombing unknown soldiers over the following decade.
11th November 2012
Cotton Tree Cenotaph
Commencing 10.30am
After the end of the Second World War, the Australian and British governments changed the name to Remembrance Day. Armistice Day was no longer an appropriate title for a day which would commemorate all war dead. In Australia on the 75th anniversary of the armistice in 1993, Remembrance Day ceremonies again became the focus of national attention. The remains of an unknown Australian soldier, exhumed from a First World War military cemetery in France, were ceremonially entombed in the Memorial’s Hall of Memory. Remembrance Day ceremonies were conducted simultaneously in towns and cities all over the country, culminating at the moment of burial at 11am and coinciding with the traditional two minutes’ silence.
This ceremony, which touched a chord across the Australian nation, re-established Remembrance Day as a significant day of commemoration. Four years later, in 1997, Governor-General Sir William Deane issued a proclamation formally declaring 11 November to be Remembrance Day, urging all Australians to observe one minute’s silence at 11am on 11 November each year to remember those who died or suffered for Australia’s cause in all wars and armed conflicts.
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celebrating 80 years Maroochydore RSL Sub Branch plays a significant role in several charity and local community groups. Proud to be celebrating 80 years, it has made an outstanding contribution to members and the local community, epitomising the sacrifices of those who served in the defence of the nation and in the traditions of the ANZACs – mateship, courage, loyalty and sacrifice – values on which our RSL and services clubs were founded. As a progressive community orientated association, Maroochydore RSL Sub Branch provides an invaluable service to veterans, ex-servicemen and women and their families. It is considered to be one of the best in Queensland and with a very high success rate in processing claims on behalf of veterans. Founded eighty years ago, Maroochydore RSL Sub Branch Charter was granted in May 1932. Meetings were first held in private homes, the E.S. & A bank premises, or anywhere else the public was kind enough to make available. The Sub Branch and the Women’s Auxiliary provided a great deal of welfare assistance to veterans and widows of World War 1. In January 1939, application was made to the Lands Department for a grant of land to erect a Soldiers Memorial Hall. In April 1939, the erection of the Memorial Hall was approved for the portion of the land reserved as a Memorial Park (bounded by First and Memorial Avenues and George Street). After completion, activities of both business and social nature continued in the Memorial
Hall in a routine manner for some years, focussing mainly on the welfare of veterans and their families. The Club was later established on the land occupied by the Diggers Memorial Hall. The Maroochydore and District Ex-Servicemen’s Club was officially opened in November 1972 and at that point in time the business activities of the Maroochydore RSL Sub Branch and the Maroochydore and District Ex-Servicemen’s Club were arranged as separate entities, however keeping close relations with each other, which still remain today. The most significant event in the affairs of the Sub Branch was the building of RSL House, Sub Branch headquarters opposite the Club in Memorial Avenue. Alteration to the car-park plans gave up the full section of the ground floor for dedication to Sub Branch occupation with all the facilities required. So ‘RSL House’ was born. This great achievement officially opened in 1996. Among the many benefits which the Sub Branch derived from the establishment of ‘RSL House’ was the setting up of a prestigious Memorabilia Collection ‘preserving for posterity, records of the deeds and sacrifices of our veteran brothers and sisters’. So from the humble beginnings Maroochydore RSL Sub Branch stands strong with its main objectives still on the advocacy and welfare of the veteran community while preserving the history of those whom fought for our freedom.
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A code of mateship is the golden thread which links the members of the Returned and Services League of Australia to their past. That enduring link was forged in 1916 by wounded and disabled ex-servicemen who had returned from the Gallipoli campaign. The simple objective motto of those early pioneers of the League was to ‘look after our mates’. Lindsay Wilson MBE OAM, Keeping the Faith 2006
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CURRENT ADF GLOBAL OPERATIONS Operation SLIPPER As touched on in Reveille’s Winter edition, OP Slipper is Australia’s military contribution to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. Australia’s military contribution includes an annual average of 1,550 Australian Defence Force personnel deployed within Afghanistan. These numbers vary depending on operational requirements and shifting seasonal conditions. Approximately 800 personnel provide support from locations within the broader Middle East Area of Operations, including the Australian maritime commitment. In keeping with the ISAF strategy to strengthen civilian engagement in Afghanistan and to better integrate civilian and military efforts, Australia now has around 50 civilians working in Afghanistan, in addition to around ten Defence civilians. Australia’s substantial military, civilian and development assistance focuses on: • Training and mentoring the Afghan National Army 4th Brigade in Uruzgan province to allow transition of lead security responsibility for the province. • Building the capacity of the Afghan National Police to assist with civil policing functions in Uruzgan; • Helping improve the Afghan Government’s capacity to deliver core services and generate economic opportunities for its people; and • Operations to disrupt insurgent operations and supply routes utilising the Special Operations Task Group.
Components of the Australian Defence Force deployed to Afghanistan Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) Primarily based at the Multi-National base Tarin Kot, at around 300 personnel, the SOTG is one of the largest, most potent Special Forces units in Afghanistan. The SOTG trains, mentors and partners with the Afghan National Police and other branches of the Afghan National Security Forces to help build their capacity and capability to establish and maintain security and stability in the region. SOTG operations are Afghan Police led in order to build confidence in the ANSF and improve the connection between the local people and the Afghan Government. Unmanned Aerial System Detachment Commencing in 2012 and based at Tarin Kot, the Unmanned Aerial System Detachment from 20th Surveillance Targeting Acquisition Regiment operates the Shadow 200 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and provides tactical aerial reconnaissance support to land forces in Uruzgan province. The Multi National Base –Tarin Kot The Multi National Base –Tarin Kot has a Commanding Officer who is responsible for coordinating logistics resupply, aviation, medical and base support functions. The Commanding Officer position rotates between the troop contributing nations that share the base. Currently the Commanding Officer is a RAAF Wing Commander. Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Task Unit (ISR TU) The ISR TU includes two operational crews who fly two AP-3C Orion surveillance aircraft. These aircraft provide maritime surveillance of the Arabian Sea and overland surveillance of Afghanistan.
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Maritime Operations Since the commencement of Operation SLIPPER in 2001, Australia has maintained a maritime contribution to operations in the MEAO. CMF patrols more than 2.5 million square miles of international waters. HMAS Melbourne is conducting maritime security operations across the Combined Maritime Forces’ area of operations. Other components include: • 3 RAR Task Group (3RAR TG) • 3 RAR TG Partnered Mentoring • Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) • Australian Defence Force Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) Support Element • Weapons Intelligence Team (WIT) • Counter - Rocket Artillery and Mortar (C-RAM) system • Role 2 Medical Facility • Role 3 Medical Specialists – Kandahar Air Field • Joint Task Force 633 Air Component Headquarters • Air Mobility Task Unit (AM TU) • Combat Support Unit (CSU) • C-17 Support • Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) Detachment Operation Slipper. (2012). Retrieved Jul 30, 2012, from http://www.defence.gov.au/op/afghanistan/info/ factsheet.htm
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a Soldier’s Diary Original excerpt from the diary of F.E. Favell
Frank Favell’s son, Neil Favell donated his father’s diary to the Maroochydore RSL Sub Branch Military Museum. ‘18097 Corporal Frank Edward Favell, Signal Squadron, Cable Section, Australian Forces. A boilermaker from Sydney, New South Wales and the son of William Edward Favell of St Peters, Sydney. Frank was 20 years old when records show his units departure from Melbourne aboard Transport A30 Borda on 22nd December 1914. At this point his rank was Sapper and he was part of the Signal Company Engineers Reinforcement. Frank was wounded at Lone Pine in August and was evacuated from Gallipoli shortly after. He eventually returned to Australia and was medically discharged in 1916. Twelve months later he re-enlisted, his unit embarked from Sydney on board HMAT Port Sydney on 9th May 1917. At this point he was listed with the rank of Corporal and served in the Middle East, where he was again wounded. He was to return to Australia on 12th July 1918. Frank lived to a good age, passing away in 1967.’ (http://www.favell.org.uk/WW1service.htm and http:// silentheroes199johnreilly.blogspot.com.au/2009_01_01_archive.html)
Events from 25-4-15 Arrived off Gallipoli about 4am Sunday 25-4-15. Warships shell GABA TEPE* forts on our right. Were landed under shell fire at 7am being towed by pinaces. No casualties to our party. Continuous shell fire on both sides. Bde Hd Qrs established at foot of A.C gully on beach. At evening moved to top of hill. Attached to
Staff Capt King for communication purposes. Enemys snipers very busy during night. Third Bde had landed in despite of strong oppositions and took a couple of ridges at the point of bayonet at about 3am. Heavy losses were suffered by our troops. 26-4-15 Was down on beach all day. Three shells from enemys forts fired at beach on dropping in Div Hd Qrs but doing no damage. Under heavy shrapnel all day. Great numbers of wounded being brought in. Bde Hd Qrs moved to top of hill near shrapnel gully. Snipers very troublesome. 27-4-15 Shelling of transports begun at daybreak by (Goeben?) or forts. Some going very near their mark. H.M.S. Majestic also fired at and shells sent sprays of water half as high again as her masts. Had to move to another dugout. Still under heavy gun fire. Both Bde Major (Irvine) and Brigadier (McLauren) were killed this afternoon. Led ammunition column up to First Bde. We were very hard pressed on this evening but our men proved equal to the occasion. Every available man in firing line. 28-4-15 Turned in at 4am up again at 6am and at 8 was attached to my section. Very marked decrease in the number of casualties. Indian Mountains Batteries doing very good work. First Bde relieved by R.M.L.I. about 4,000 strong and at 10pm go into firing line. Raining during night. 29-4-15 Nothing much to report on. General Trotman takes over command of First Bde in the place of Col. Owen (temporally) of 3rd Bn.
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2-5-15 Good deal of sniping going on. Turkish attack repulsed with heavy losses. It was like shooting rabbits. Hundreds of them. 9-5-15 Nothing sensational happening except have continual shrapnel fired at us. Not doing much damage. Turks do a lot of shooting during the night but aim at nothing. 14-5-15 Took dispatch to Div Hd Qrs which Turks threw into trench last night. In it Turks advise us to give up attempt to get to the narrows as we have no chance. Also heavy losses of French, English and Russian troops. All prisoners will be treated kindly. All rumours about ill treatment by Turks are lies only our men prefer death to capture. The above was not swallowed by our men who are not at all like giving themselves up. All the transports went away today and only a couple of battleships are to be seen where yesterday 30 or 40 liners were seen. A good deal of shrapnel was fired but did scarcely any damage. Shells dropped all round mine sweepers in vicinity. Rumoured escape of submarine accounting for removal of all transports. 15-5-15 On commentator 12-3am. Turks did a little shelling at 2.30am. L.H made a charge at 1.45am in the left flank. Went down to beach to draw clothing but was unsuccessful. General Bridges was shot through leg and taken on board Hospital Ship about 11am. Pretty seriously. Saw Col Green for first time since landing or in fact leaving Egypt. H.M.S. Warspite has taken place or H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth the latter having been called home. H.M.S. Goliath sunk in Dardanelles. Nothing much doing today. Occasional bursts of shrapnel. Very close doing little damage. During early portion of week “Taube” aeroplanes of enemy attempted to drop bombs on our transports several of them dropping very close to “Minnewaska” parts of shell dropped on deck. Had a shave today being first for a month. Heard couple of days ago Capt King had been disabled, shot in both legs. We are looked after very well having biscuits as many as wanted one tin bully beef each, one
tin maconochie ration between two, 1 tin jam between four, a liberal supply of cheese, about half a dozen potatoes and four onions each, being our daily ration. Rum is served out about twice weekly. Cigarettes matches and tobacco once a week. We also receive a daily ration of ham or bacon. Live in holes dug into side of embankment and cook our own meals etc. Are always hearing rifle fire during the night and reconnoitring parties that go out report it is all un aimed. At present the days are very long from about 4am till after 8pm. Being very warm in the middle of the day. General Walker was transferred from 1st Bde to take charge of Division in place of Gen Bridges. 16-5-15 Was on com from 3 till 6am. It is a beautiful day. Three weeks have passed since we landed. Turks are giving us a fair share of shrapnel some of it bursting very well. Col. Owen took over commanding First Bde in place of Gen Walker. A few German and Turkish prisoners come in now and then. They are blindfolded and taken to Div Hd Qrs. Heavy naval bombardments have been heard throughout the nights all last week. Possibly Dardanelles. Was on com from 9-11.15pm and a good deal of bomb throwing was done. English machine gun detachments (16) landed during night. 17-5-15 Officially announced Italy had declared war. Very warm day. A good deal of shrapnel again from Turks who received a warm time from shells of H.M.S. Triumph. Large transport arrived this morning. Head rather heavy lead storm at 7pm. Was on the commutator from 11.15pm to 1.30am. 18-5-15 Several 8” shells began to make a mess of our lines but ceased after a while, a good job too, as dirt stones etc. were knocked 50ft in the air. Went down to beach and drew fresh clothes including pair breeches 2 pair sox 1 pair boots tunic shirts caps etc. Issue of tobacco, cigarettes and matches today. Shells (shrapnel) still continue to break about us but do very little damage on account of… Reveille spring edition 2012 | 21
Maroochydore RSL Sub Branch Inc RSL House 106 Memorial Ave, Maroochydore Phone: 07 5443 1719 Fax: 07 5443 7551 e-mail: rslhouse@maroochyrsl.com.au Monday to Thursday 9.00am - 4.00pm Friday 9.00am - 1.00pm Museum Hours Monday to Thursday 9.00am - 2.00pm Friday 9.00am - 12.00pm 2012 General Meetings Third Monday of the month at 2.00pm 17 September 15 October 19 November 17 December
Naval Association of Australia
The Maroochy Waters Sub-Section Meets at RSL House, Maroochydore second Sunday each month at 10.30am. 2012 Meetings 9 September 14 October 9 December Expressions of interest and all enquiries should be directed to the Secretary at PO Box 615, Maroochydore QLD 4558 Phone: 5443 1719
QLD TPI Association
(Sunshine Coast Branch)
The Australian Federation of Totally and Permanently Incapacitated Ex-Servicemen and Women (Queensland Branch) Inc. The above organisation is a member of the State and Federal Body operating on the Sunshine Coast and meets on the third Wednesday of each month at RSL House, Maroochydore at 10.30am. 2012 Meetings 19 September 17 October 21 November 19 December Please feel free to come along to the meetings, Partners are most welcome. For any additional information please contact Tony Cresswick-Jackson, Secretary on 5493 4719 or 0400 576 118 e-mail: farmerjaxon@hotmail.com
Legacy Laurel Club
Maroochydore
Meetings are held at RSL House, Maroochydore on the fourth Friday of each month at 9.00am. 2012 Meetings 28 September 26 October 23 November All eligible widows are most welcome. Sunshine Coast Legatees are always available to assist with any concerns members may have. For additional information contact: Nita on 5453 4329 or Barbara on 5445 4768
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Ex-Service Women’s Association
JOKE
Our meetings are happy ones and well attended. We have the occasional guest speaker and all prove most interesting. The ‘Healthy Away’ days, the social activity that takes place between meetings, also have a good turnout at Cotton Tree and continue to be an enjoyable outing for all. New members, from all Services are always welcome. Meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month.
As a group of soldiers stood in formation at an Army Base, the Drill Sergeant said,
2012 Meetings 6 September 4 October 1 November 6 December
The Drill Instructor walked over until he was eye-to-eye with him, and then raised a single eyebrow. The soldier smiled and said, “Sure was a lot of ‘em, huh, sir?”
Where: RSL House, Maroochydore is still the place to be for a cuppa and a chat at 10.00am with the meeting commencing at 10.30am. Cost: $5.00 per annum. We look forward to seeing all the older members and many new. Come and join us. Contact: Janice on 5444 5248 or Margaret on 5445 1584
Women’s Auxiliary
Maroochydore RSL Sub Branch
Meetings are on the first Monday each month at 9.30am for a cuppa and chat, meeting starts at 10.00am. 2012 Meetings 3 September 1 October 5 November 3 December
“All right! All you idiots fall out.” As the rest of the squad wandered away, one soldier remained at attention.
A Platoon Sergeant and his Platoon Leader are bunking down in the field for the night. The Platoon Sergeant looks up and says, “When you see all the stars in the sky, what do you think, sir?” The LT replies, “Well, I think of how insignificant we really are in the universe; how small a piece of such a grand design. I can’t help but wonder if what we do truly means anything or makes any difference. Why? What do you think of, Sergeant?” “I think somebody stole the damn tent.”
For more information call the Secretary, Andrena King on 5496 9081
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the badge The badge is a symbol of a readiness at all times to render service to crown and country, and to former comrades. It is a time honoured emblem – one that has been worn with a deep sense of pride by the most revered in our land and one that glorifies all privileged to wear it. Neither wealth, nor influence, nor social standing can purchase the badge, which may be worn in honour only by those who have rendered service in the armed forces of the crown or its allies. The wattle is symbolic of Australia. The leek, rose, thistle and shamrock are symbolic of and represent the link with Wales, England, Scotland and Ireland respectively. In the badge the red represents the blood tie of war that exists between comrades. White stands for the purity of motives in joining the League – to render service without thought of personal gain or ambition. The blue indicates a willingness to render that service to a comrade anywhere under the blue sky – wherever he or she may be. Depicted in the centre of the badge, and encircled by the name of the organisation, are: a sailor, soldier, airman and service woman marching together with their arms linked in friendship. This is to show that within the circle of the League, all Services and all ranks march together in unity and comradeship. We would ask that you look upon your badge as an inspiration to good citizenship, cherishing it as a symbol of all that is best in our national life and living up to the high ideals of the organisation.
R