Category: Defence

The Australian War Memorial has found rare film footage of Gallipoli. The 45 seconds of grainy shaky black and white 35mm film shows the only known moving pictures of the shoreline at Anzac Cove and of British soldiers massing at Suvla Bay.

Although Suvla Bay was a mainly a British operation there were Australians who died there. SIgnificantly, after suffering 8000 casualties on 9 and 10 August, the British occupied positions only marginally different from those held at daybreak on 7 August.

The more mature among my readers may remember the old tune Suvla Bay that was based on an older song, ‘An Old Australian Homestead’.

In an old Australian homestead, with roses round the door, A girl received a letter, ’twas a message from the war. With her mother’s arms around her she gave way to sobs and sighs, And as she read the letter, the tears fell from her eyes.

Chorus: Why do I weep, why do I pray? My love’s asleep so far away; He played his part that April day, And now he lies on Suvla Bay.

She joined a band of sisters underneath the cross of red, To do her noble duty to a lover who now lay dead. Many others came to woe her, but were sadly turned away, As she told them her sad story of her love on Suvla Bay.

I can remember my Mother singing the song in my youth when Gallipoli Veterans were in their 50s. Some were in their fifties but two of my Fathers uncles were forever in their 20s and still sleep at Gallipoli and France.

UPDATE:  Yesterdays link to the film was with West Australian News and doesn’t work for some. The AWM has now put up the film on their website.  The link above will take you there.

From Defence Media.

Following the successful recovery mission in Fiji last week, Special Air Service Trooper Joshua Porter will be returned home to his wife and family at RAAF Base Richmond on board a Hercules aircraft at 3pm today (Tuesday, 13 March).

A military bearer party comprising of seven of his mates will be on hand to honour their fallen comrade and accompany him on his return home.

Trooper Porter’s wife and family will receive the casket at a private family reception. The family has requested that the reception at RAAF Base Richmond remain a private activity with no media access, and that their privacy is respected during this difficult period.

From Defence Media (no link)

Today at approximately 0850 hours the International Security Force (ISF) responded to a disturbance at the Dili Airport Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp.

During the incident an ADF soldier was attacked with steel arrows which are potentially lethal weapons. He defended himself by shooting the attacker, resulting in the death of one Timorese national.

The ADF regrets any incident that involves the loss of life.

ISF soldiers operate under strict rules of engagement. These rules allow ISF soldiers to defend themselves, and other persons whom they are assigned to protect.

The incident will be fully investigated in cooperation with UNPOL and Timor Leste authorities.

Seems fair enough to me and even though it sounds one-sided, steel arrows and a determined assailant can be just as fatal as a 5.56mm round.

I’m just glad the digger survived.

• Hope all the troops come home safe and help us get rid of the lying scum that sent them there….Dave of Japan
• What? for killing innocent people in an illegal invasion…Muskiemp of Bundaberg Qld
• I question the ethics of anyone prepared to kill-for any reason….Niemoller of Darwin
• David Hicks, you mean?….Holsworthy
• If the army is so great why haven’t Howard’s kids joined up?….smart_kid of Outer Space

• Like many other fine Australians, I’ve been dumped. No longer able to work, forced to sell the house, can’t even pay for the kids school fees. My life is stuffed, over, I’ve lost everything I’ve ever worked for and/or ever had including my sanity. Paul Dignon of Adelaide
• It is a national disgrace the way the Howard Governement treats ex Diggers by way of the indexation of TPI and EDA entitlements and by way of the indexation of the ADF superannuation entitlelements…..Bernie McGurgan of Brisbane

Some of you need to reread the question. It reads..”What do you think of the The Weekend Australian’s choice of Australian of the Year?” not “How can you put down on the Digger as Aussie of the year” or “How can you inject your ideology into the choice of the Digger as Aussie of the year” I’ll answer the question. I think it is well deserved and thank whoever made the decision. As witnessed by some of the above comments the digger does his work in the knowledge that some of his countryment don’t appreciate it yet he still strives to improve the lot of others and to maintain the security of Australia.

From Defence Media

What: Media Opportunity – Flypast and arrival of the Royal Australian Air Force’s first Boeing C-17 Globemaster III aircraft.

Where: No 34 Squadron, Richmond Avenue, Defence Establishment Fairbairn, ACT.

When: Media to arrive no later than 11.00am Monday 4 December 2006.

The media release is for journalists but if you’re moving around the capital on Monday then you will be able to witness the arrival of a significant improvement in the ADF’s deployability.

The victim was pulled alive from the water after the helicopter went down but died as he was being treated for his injuries aboard the Kanimbla. He has not been named.

The New Zealand-led military deployment includes approximately 50 Australian Defence Force personnel. Their mission will be to support the Tongan Security Forces in stabilising the situation following rioting in Nuku’alfoa and to provide a force capable of safely evacuating Australians and other approved nationals if required.

AN elite Australian Special Air Service team of about 20 soldiers has been involved in a joint military operation in the southern Philippines to hunt down Asia’s most wanted terrorists, including two of the 2002 Bali bombers.

The SAS has been participating in a US-Philippines military campaign to eradicate the Abu Sayyaf terror outfit, which is believed to have been sheltering senior Indonesian Jemaah Islamiah terrorists Dulmatin and Umar Patek.

According to Defence, they do not have operational SAS patrols in the Philipines

Greg Sheridan’s statement in The Australian newspaper today is wrong. The ADF has not been involved in counter terrorism operations in the Philippines.

In March this year and at the invitation of the Philippines’ Government, one Special Forces officer observed the joint US and Philippines Exercise Balikatan in Zamboanga, southern Philippines. This exercise undertakes civil-military activities and does not involve operations. The Australian officer was observing the US-Philippines exercise planning process and at no time was he involved in operations of any kind. As announced in October 2005, Defence is working with the Philippines to develop an Army watercraft capability of up to 30 boats suitable for patrolling the riverine and marshland areas of Mindanao. This will not involve ADF operations in the Philippines. Over several years, the ADF has undertaken annual counter-hijack training in the Philippines, as we do with other regional countries. This activity does not involve operations. Australia does not have any ADF personnel deployed to the Philippines on operations. The Australian Government respects the Philippines Constitution which prohibits operations with foreign forces without a treaty level agreement.