Somalia veterans gather in Canberra

of Government House for the over 1,000 guests. The reception was capped off with a C-130 flyover as the guests mixed and mingled.

On Monday 24 April, the NZ veterans attended a Mihi Whakatau at the NZ High Commission to Australia, hosted by Dame Annette King. Both parties performed waiatas and gave speeches capped off with morning tea and a tour.

The Australian Somalia Veterans group held a reunion celebration in Canberra over 22 to 25 April.

Eleven NZ Somalia veterans attended the reunion, with six travelling from NZ, five from within Australia, and with seven family members also in support.

Guided tours of the Australian War Memorial were coordinated over two days for the Kiwi group by Australian Somalia veteran Gary Wilson (ex-RAAF).

On Sunday 23 April, the Australian Governor General, His Excellency General David Hurley (a Somalia veteran himself), hosted a reunion reception on the grounds

After lunch, the veterans attended one of the key reunion events, a function at the Federal Golf Club for personnel who served under UNOSOM 1&2 in Somalia. Australian UNOSOM leads (John O’Grady and Greg Jackson) delivered speeches with WO1 Ray Kareko responding on behalf of NZ before the Kiwi’s performed a waiata Purea Nei, which was well received. For NZ, service in Somalia also created an opportunity to foster the Anzac spirit with the Australian Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) who were offered accommodation at Taniwha Hill, the NZ tented camp. The camp was perched on the ocean side of a large sand dune within Mogadishu airport. The vacant ground for the Australians was at the highest point on the hill exposing them to militia gunfire, RPGs and mortars which occasionally whistled towards the

New Zealand camp. Once this was realized after the first week, a large sand bagged wall was constructed by both nations. This story was cause for friendly banter at the reunion function whereby the Kiwi response was, “the ATC were very brave… for Air Force”.

On Tuesday 25 April, the reunion culminated with attendance at the Anzac Day Dawn Service, followed by the Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders Commemorative Ceremony. The public parade was lead by the reunion group with His Excellency General David Hurley leading the Somalia Veterans group before he broke off to acknowledge the parade march pass.

The New Zealand Somalia veterans who travelled to Canberra would like to extend our gratitude to the Australian veterans and NZDF personnel in Canberra for hosting us and our families, particularly WO1s Tim and Lisa Kareko. Finally, we would also like to acknowledge and thank the generous financial support provided by Veterans Affairs NZ through the Commemorative Travel Contribution given to the 11 veterans.

The NZ Somalia Veterans committee will now prepare to conduct its own reunion in 2024, and to reciprocate the hospitality provided by the Australian veterans. More to follow.