Going fast have you got yours a full record of 2001 all pages(weeks) are included, so catch up on all that's been happening.
Wednesday 3 April 2002
STORIES OF THE DEFENCE OF AUSTRALIA - 1942
In 1942 the people of Australia were called upon, for the first time, to
defend their own shores. Throughout that year, supported by their allies,
Australians fought to turn the initial defeats of 1942 into the beginnings
of victory in the Pacific. This series, issued by the Minister for
Veterans' Affairs, Danna Vale, to mark the 60th anniversary of the defence
of Australia, highlights some of the key events of those 12 momentous
months.
THE WAR IN THE AIR
To members of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) went the distinction of
being the first Australian servicemen to go in to action in the Pacific war.
At about 8pm on 6 December 1941, two days before the Japanese attacked
Malaya, a Hudson bomber of No 1 Squadron RAAF, flying out of Kota Bharu,
Malaya, saw the Japanese invasion fleet steaming south. Another Hudson was
fired upon by a Japanese cruiser. From that point on the RAAF was to be
heavily involved in many of the great air battles of the south-west Pacific.
One of the most significant of these battles was the struggle for supremacy
in the skies over Papua New Guinea. Between March and May 1942, Kittyhawk
fighters of No 75 Squadron RAAF, with the support of ground anti-aircraft
units, took on the defence of Port Moresby from incessant Japanese bombing
raids.
Throughout 1942, Catalinas of Nos 11 and 20 Squadrons and the Hudsons of No
32 Squadron flew from Port Moresby to bomb Japanese bases at Rabaul and
other locations. In September, Beaufighter aircraft of No 30 Squadron
arrived in Port Moresby and began highly effective operations against the
supply lines of Japanese forces fighting the Australians along the Kokoda
Track.
One of the of the best remembered stories of the RAAF in Papua New Guinea is
the defence of the airstrips of Milne Bay by the Kittyhawk fighters of 75
and 76 Squadrons. The Japanese landed at Milne Bay on 25 August 1942 with
the intention of capturing the airstrips. So close did the enemy troops
come to the strips that RAAF pilots were taking off and opening fire almost
immediately in support of the Australian ground troops. The eventual defeat
of the Japanese at Milne Bay was very much a cooperative effort between the
Australian Army and the RAAF. Indeed, the RAAF has been described as
playing a 'decisive' role in the Allied victory. One of the Kittyhawk
fighters flown at Milne Bay - Polly - is among the Australian War Memorial's
key exhibits from the war in the Pacific.
While war raged in the Pacific, thousands of other RAAF airmen fought on
against the Germans and Italians in Europe, the Middle East and the
Mediterranean. From Britain, Australian squadrons flew in Bomber, Fighter
and Coastal Commands while many other members of the RAAF fought with
British squadrons. In the Middle East, the Desert Air Force included a
number of Australian squadrons. Other Australians served with British
squadrons in Burma and Ceylon.
In Australia itself, the airfields of the Northern Territory became advance
bases from which RAAF bombers took off to harass the Japanese in Timor and
the surrounding islands. During November 1942, Hudson bombers from Nos 2
and 13 Squadrons attacked targets in Timor almost every day. From southern
airfields, the RAAF operated daily sorties throughout 1942, mainly maritime
patrols to protect troopships and merchant vessels and to search for enemy
submarines.
As a Military Skills Instructor (MSI), you are a trainer, you impart service knowledge, military skills, ground defence instruction and discipline to recruits, trainees or officer cadets. In order to do this you must be a role model, believing in, and projecting the RAAF values.
The work is challenging, so you will need to be highly motivated, inspiring, and have a great deal of self discipline. At times your patience will be driven to the limit, remember you are dealing with a raw product, a group of individuals from all walks of life. Above all, you will need very good interpersonal skills as teaching and counselling will make up a large proportion of your daily duties. MSIs are currently employed at 1RTU, RAAF Wagga, the Australian Defence Force Academy, Officer Training School (OTS) and the Defence Force Corrective Establishment. MSIs are required to instruct in a wide range of subjects ranging from weapon instruction and ground defence to aircraft and bases, as well as developing, motivating, organising and leading your course or intake.
The MSI course is designed to give you the grounding needed to perform your duties. The first two weeks of the course are dedicated to Instructional Technique (IT). RAAF School of Management and Training Technology (SMTT) personnel carry out this phase either at 1RTU or RAAF Wagga. This course will equip you with the confidence and ability to structure and present informative lessons. Following completion of the IT course, the next two weeks are allocated to instruction in weapon training. This is carried out by Airfield Defence Guard staff from the RAAF Security and Fire School, and will equip you with the skills essential to training Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel in safe handling of the F88 Austeyr.
The final weeks of the MSI course are dedicated to preparing you not only to teach all the Military Skills knowledge type lessons, but also to be able to answer and manage the multitude of questions and situations that only a course of 36 recruits could come up with. Your personal drill will be improved to the point where you will be able to give drill lessons and commands with authority and confidence. As part of the course you will be involved in ground training exercises with a recruit course.
Personnel apply for employment as a MSI for any number of varied reasons, but after completing the MSI course and graduating a course of recruits, everybody who has done it will tell you that taking a group of individuals with little or no military background, and developing them into a highly motivated, military focused team is one of the most satisfying and rewarding experiences that you will ever have. The hours can be long, and the work challenging, but all the hard work and frustration pale into insignificance on graduation day.
A message dispatched by Directorate of Personnel - Airmen (DPA) calling for employment as a MSI provides all the administrative guidance to staff your application. If you are interested in becoming a MSI for whatever reason, feel free to contact 1RTU for more information.
Just wanted to stop by and say hello, I was a SSgt Security Police at Phan Rang AB, RVN in 1968 worked and socialized at times with you guys. Welcome Home and God Bless you for what you did.
Thomas Wayne Bodden, SMSgt(ret), USAF
Security Police
G'day Pommie!
Just been 'listening' to my wife on the phone. Pleased to hear you rang home, but sorry I wasn't there to take the call. To tell you the truth, I didn't expect such a speedy and enthusiastic reply to my emails, so I didn't mention I am away in Japan at the moment, and wont be home until 8th. But, once again, I am very pleased to hear from you and Jim, and very much appreciate your reaction to my information.
If it's ok with you Pommie, I'd like to return your call soon after I get home on Monday. Would 2:00 pm (1400hrs) be ok? Maybe then, I can fill you in on what I've been up to. Also, I haven't mentioned this to Jim yet, apparently he will be away for a week, and then return to Brisbane, but I'm planning a trip up there with my wife, to visit the inlaws, so might even pack all my paperwork and try to arrange a meeting with him and any others who might be interested. I'll organise that with Jim when I'm sure what I'm doing.
I'll keep in touch and let you know if there are any further developments. Still haven't heard from Mick yet. I can understand if he has had enough of battling the 'beaurocratic bastards'.
Cheers!
Geoff
Dear Pommie Cornwell,
I'm forwarding the email which I recently sent to Mick Sheean. It is pretty self explanatory, but once again, after checking your website I thought it might also be beneficial to contact your Association directly. I am sending this to you because unfortunately, when I clicked on the 'contact the Association' and 'Jim Gable - National Secretary' lines, I received the Outlook Express letters ok, but no addresses.
I noted the "Last to Leave" article and the general tone of your webpages relating to those who were in Vietnam during that very hectic period. I wonder whether you are aware that RAAF personnel who served in Vietnam at that time are not regarded by Dept of Veterans' Affairs as being Vietnam Veterans? I know Mick did a lot of hard work to gain recognition, and Veterans Entitlements, but I believe there is still a need to push for full acceptance.
I have been in contact with Brendan Lynch, the secretary of RAAF Vietnam Veterans Association in Victoria and is he fully sympathetic, but I believe he is meeting some opposition from other sections of the Vietnam Veteran community. I was hoping to gain official support from the entire Viet Vet Ass'n of Australia, but it seems it is taking longer than Brendan expected. In view of the fact that the upcoming Veterans' Review is to begin in the next month or so, I fear I am running out of time in gaining support, and although my local Member of Parliament agrees there is an anomaly, I doubt whether much can be gained from just one individual.
Would your Association, or even individual members be prepared to consider the situation and perhaps offer assistance by way of a separate approach through official channels? I'm sure there will be greater chance of success if there is more than just my submission.
Anyway, hope to hear from you soon and thank you very much for your time and consideration regarding this matter.
Regards,
Geoff Rose
----- Original Message -----
From: geoffrose
To: sumoatfv@tpg.com.au
Sent: Saturday, March 30, 2002 8:06 PM
Subject: April 1975
G'day Mick,
I found your email address on the ADG's Web page. You don't know me, and I may be assuming a bit too much, but I hope you are the bloke I'm after. I also have a newspaper clipping from the Herald Sun of 26 May, 1997, when a 'Mick Sheean' received publicity for an outstanding job in gaining Veterans' Entitlements, for Service in Vietnam during April 1975.
If you it is you, I have been trying to contact you for some time, because I too, was in Vietnam during that period. I was a member of 37 Sqn, and became a part of HQ Ric Det 'S'. The reason I am contacting you now is to inform you that I am presently conducting my own campaign with DVA re the status of that Service, and to seek your possible assistance.
It was drawn to my attention when I first read Introduction to The Nominal Roll of Vietnam Veterans, and was rather surprised, and disappointed to see that the RAAF Evacuation Personnel are specifically mentioned as not being included. I believe there is an anomaly, in that, although covered by VEA for Warlike Service in Vietnam, they are not recognised as being Vietnam Veterans.
Initial contacts with DVA confirmed the situation, and I have since sent two letters to the Minister's Office. So far the responses have been the same, i.e. DVA considers the Vietnam War to have finished with signing of the Paris Peace Accord and the Agreed Cease-fire, which came into effect on 28 January 1973. Consequently, those who served in Vietnam after that period are not Vietnam Veterans - just veterans of Vietnam. I am trying to convince DVA that the war continued until unconditional surrender of
the South Vietnamese Government, on 30th April 1975. You and I both know, if it wasn't a war, the RAAF wouldn't have been called out in the first place.
My latest move has been to contact my local Member of Parliament, Brendan O'Connor, who has approached the Deputy Minister for Veterans' Affairs. Apparently there is soon to be a 'Veterans' Review', and I have been asked to prepare a submission. I wont go into details now, but if you are interested, or have any thoughts on the matter, I would greatly appreciate hearing from you. Maybe, we could compare notes, or it might even add more weight if they received more than just my submission. Anyway, if you are interested, please email, or call my home number in Melbourne (Sunbury) is 9744 4212.
Unfortunately, over the years, I have lost contact with the other blokes I was with, but if you know of some others who would be interested in pushing this cause, please feel free to pass on this info.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Regards,
Geoff Rose
........................................................................
Gday Geoff.
Well you have caught me without an excuse old mate especily the email addresses to the assoc but that's now been taken care of.
As regards Mick and the boys i'd know that the Vietnam Veterans Association was not recognising them and others in the same boat, i always asumed that they had this recognision but as you point out it is not so, i have forwarded on the correspondence above to the association and look forward to them helping you guys obtain the recognision that you deserve as far as i'm concerned you are Vietnam Veterans and personally would see it no other way.
I don't know how i would have felt when at the end, your fellow countrymen pissed off and left especially the four fellas in the article Mick Sheean / Trevor Nye / Spike Dainer / Cherry boy Hansen left sitting on a pallot at Ton Son Nut and watching at what may have been your last chance at getting out, going without you.
I kinda hope that not only the Vietnam Veterans but the RSL and the Australian Goverment finally make right what they would have proberly preferred to leave under the carpet, In my view you are as much Vietnam Veterans as myself and will always be.
Well fellas come on support Mick and the boys make them proud.
The POM
Aircraft No Call Sign Captain Co-Pilot Crewman Gunner
771 Red 1 Mahood McNamara Payne Weller
770 Red 2 Robbins Puller Russell Gable
110 Red 3 Dahlitz Burgess Bertram Rodda
915 Red 4 Drury Hobson Brown Smith
766 Blue 1 Mitchell Waddy Brown Smith
149 Blue 2 Van Leuvan Dunbar Irvin Smith G
379 Blue 3 Senn Thynne Milstead McLeod
376 Blue 4 Farrell Badgery Pinkerton Hazel
383 Green 1 Dunn Walsh Tait Richardson
455 Green 2 Milne Devine Hatigan Starkie
380 Green 3 Buchanan Forbes Murphy Munce
378 Green 4 Johnson Herbertson Batterham Walters
773 Yellow 1 Goodall Guy Brown Hardy
772 Yellow 2 Duff Hudson Waller Kerr
703 Yellow 3 LeRay Meyer Graham Watson Robson
377 Yellow 4 James Julienne Bielby McPhail
The formation of the number 9 was called the "Giggle Gaggle Albatross Section".
This formation of No. 9 Squadron RAAF Iroquois helicopters, flew over Vung Tau as a final Flypast Formation on 13th December 1971 just prior to being loaded onto the "HMAS Sydney" for the final trip home to Australia. This ended No. 9 Squadron's 6 years in Vietnam, serving The 1st Australian Task Force in Phuc Tuy province.
The photo was taken by Greg Love (Crewman and RAAF photographer).
The text was supplied by John Gibson (ADG Gunner).
Sorry fellas this information was stolen from another web site to see the origional layout click below.
Well fellas we have been invited over to pay the cops a visit.
Click and your on your way.
Found Ron's entry in the guestbook of 2 Sqn, so welcome in old mate please enjoy the great company of your old mates.
The POM
Sorry old mate ,
This list was supplied by our old mate Lorrie Gay, suppose he can't spell either.
Well mate whats ya been up to long time no hear and its nice to hear from you.
Is it ok if i add your email address to our email page as maybe some of the boys might get around to giving you a quick line or two.
Regards the POM
----- Original Message -----
From: Terry Jackson
To: ozflea@bigpond.com.au
Sent: Friday, March 29, 2002 1:57 PM
Subject: Correction
Hi Pom , Just visited your site for the first time and noticed that you hve my initials wrong. In awards Mention in despatches you have F D Jackson it should be T D Jackson just thought I`d let you know. It looks like you have put in a lot of work. Good job,
Regards Terry Jackson
VA22 Tuesday 26 March 2002
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS GET HANDS ON LOOK AT WWII
Australian high school students will get a hands-on look at the experiences of Australians
during World War II, with the launch today of the Australian War Memorial's latest Memorial
Box by the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Danna Vale.
Minister Vale said the box, Our War in the Pacific, 1942, was a timely look at the historic
events 60 years ago, when Australians for the first time were called upon to defend their
own shores.
"In 2002, we mark the 60th anniversary of historic events in the Pacific campaign, including
the Fall of Singapore, the Bombing of Darwin and many other towns and islands across
Northern Australia, the Battle of the Coral Sea, the attack on Sydney Harbour, the Kokoda
Track campaign and the Battle of Milne Bay, to name just a few," the Minister said.
"High schools are giving an increased focus to World War II and the Pacific campaign and
this box has been developed in response to the needs of this changing curriculum.
"The Memorial Boxes support the all-important task of ensuring young Australians
understand and appreciate the significance of our wartime history and the contribution
made to our country by those who have served in times of war and conflict."
The Minister said the new Memorial Box was designed to be accessible for students of all
ages, combining hands-on materials such as uniforms with written material, film footage
and recorded interviews.
"Sixty years on it is increasingly important to capture the stories from the people who were
there," she said.
"So this box includes a number of case studies and interviews with veterans and the
relatives of veterans of Timor, Milne Bay, Kokoda and the sinking of HMAS Perth.
"Combined with the other materials, these interviews will give students an insight of the
experiences of Australians at war in the Pacific."
Minister Vale said the Federal Government had funded the new Memorial Box through its
commemorations program, along with the refurbishment of the other six titles in the
Memorial Box series.
"Two of the boxes - Australia in the First World War and Australia under attack - have
been duplicated so that more schools can have access to them, especially during the busy
times around Anzac Day and Remembrance Day.
"The teacher's notes have also been updated and expanded to include detailed
information on every Memorial Box item. This ensures that the Memorial Boxes will
continue to an important tool in helping new generations understand the importance of the
Anzac spirit," the Minister said.
Often used by the ADGies to provide safety and security to young children from Phan-Rang orthanage who needed treatment at Cam-Ramh Bay medical facilities.
Taken by Alan Atherton, the above photo's show in inside of the yank's 4 wheel APC's that where part of Heavy Weapons at Phan-Rang, plus a range of mortor rounds to help cure charlies habit of straying to close to the wire perimeter around the base at Phan-Rang.
Well fellas you might be thinkin' that the POM is unearthing a little of a dovious past but then you would be wrong, this photo was taken at the fund raising night held for a mate now long gone.
I believe money was raised to purchase equipment that Ron never got the opportunity to obtain and in true ADGie fashion and enthusiasm the boy's partied how much was raised i do not recall but it was done with gusto for a great cause.
The night in Question was to raise funds for a young fellow ADG called Ron Hewitt whom we lost to cancer not long after his medivac back to Australia, I cannot recall the exact dates but it was during my tour 70-71 at Phan-Rang.
Would any of our members have a photo of Ron that could be used on our Honour roll, as i do not have one to use and i would like to obtain a pic that would remind us of a mate now long gone, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN.
Thanks Fellas the POM.
The POM struttin his stuff and drinking the amber fluid at Ron Hewitt's fund raiser.