The Royal Australian Artillery LIAISON LETTER Winter 2019 See Associations & Organisations Section inside for how to join or for more information. The Official Journal of the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery Incorporating the Australian Gunner Magazine First Published in 1948 CONTENTS Editor’s Comment 1 Letters to the Editor 3 Regimental 9 Around the Regiment 33 Professional Papers 55 RAA Capability & Personnel 71 Associations & Organisations 79 LIAISON NEXT EDITION DEADLINE Contributions for the RAA Liaison Letter 2019 – Summer Edition should be forwarded to the LETTER Editor by no later than Friday 27th September 2019. Winter Edition Liaison Letter on‐line The Liaison Letter is on the DRN and can be 2019 found on the Head of Regiment - Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery (RRAA) Share Point Page: Incorporating the http://drnet/Army/RRAA/PublicationsOrders/Pa Australian Gunner Magazine ges/Publications.aspx It is also available on the Royal Australian Artillery Historical Company (RAAHC) & Australian Artillery Association websites. Publication information Front Cover: Gunners Fund Advertisement – Seeking Your Support Front Cover Theme by: Major DT (Terry) Brennan, Staff Officer to Head of Regiment Compiled and Edited by: Major DT (Terry) Brennan, Staff Officer to Head of Regiment Published by: Lieutenant Colonel N (Nick) Wilson, Head of Regiment Desktop Publishing: Major DT (Terry) Brennan & Assisted by Michelle Ray (Honorary Desktop Publisher) Front Cover & Graphic Design: DT (Terry) Brennan Printed by: Defence Publishing Service – Victoria Distribution: For issues relating to content or distribution contact the Editor on email: [email protected] or [email protected] Contributors are urged to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in their articles. The Royal Australian Artillery, Head of Regiment, Deputy Head of Regiment and the RAA Liaison Letter editor accept no responsibility for errors of fact. The views expressed in the Royal Australian Artillery Liaison Letter are the contributors and not necessarily those of the Royal Australian Artillery, Australian Army or Department of Defence. The Commonwealth of Australia will not be legally responsible in contract, tort or otherwise for any statement made in this publication. RAA Liaison Letter 2019 – Winter Edition RAA Liaison Letter 2019 – Winter Edition RAA Liaison Letter 2019 – Winter Edition RAA Liaison Letter 2019 – Winter Edition RAA Liaison Letter 2019 – Winter Edition RAA Liaison Letter 2019 – Winter Edition RAA Liaison Letter 2019 – Winter Edition RAA Liaison Letter 2019 – Winter Edition appear to me as an outsider to the process that Editors Comment these individual(s) did not wish to engage with actual veterans for fear they may dispute their academic interpretation of events – which is Hello and welcome to the Liaison Letter 2019 – exactly what has occurred. Winter Edition. I apologise for the delay in distributing the last edition but please do not In my view the stress and angst created for the shoot the messenger the delay was beyond my Gunner veterans by the poorly researched facts control. We are back on track – enough said. outlined in the initial citation words could have been easily averted by simply consulting the This edition has been well supported by all the leaders within the Veteran community. The Regiments which I am sure you will agree after underlying problem was the apparent absence of reading their respective contributions. The any consultation with the veterans of FSPB significant Regimental talking points will be Coral which at the very least is disrespectful of discussed in the Representative Colonel the veterans and displayed a total lack of Commandant and Head of Head sections. empathy or understanding of what these I would draw your attention to a few key individuals went through because it did not matters. Firstly I must apologise to all Battle of necessarily meet the views of academic military Coral veterans for my unwitting error in the last historians. edition. I reproduced as part of the report on the 50th anniversary commemorations a copy of the I must apologise to all Battle of Coral ‘Synopsis’ that accompanied the Unit Citation veterans for my unwitting error in the for Gallantry signed by the Governor General last edition. I and provided to the Head of Regiment in May last year. The disappointing aspect of this whole saga is that even for the rewrite the veterans were not Unfortunately shortly after the 50th Anniversary consulted, even those who had provided formal week-end during which the award was submissions correcting the facts. (I would have announced by the Minister for Veteran Affairs, I thought that these veterans would have at least was made aware that the accuracy of the been shown a copy of the rewrite to ‘fact check’ wording in the ‘Synopsis’ from a Gunner before it was forwarded to Government House – perspective was vehemently in dispute and that a but unfortunately ‘No’ they did ‘Not’ and ‘Yes’ submission with factual evidence correcting the there are still disputed content in the gazetted citation words had been made had been made to citation although most of the errors have now Army Headquarters. Unfortunately I was guilty been addressed. of a ‘senior’ moment and did not put the two together, the result being I published the original Personally it is bewildering that in the current disputed words. environment where we seem focused on changing staff duties for the sake of it (or I am very happy to report that the ‘revised’ perhaps to make it easier for those who have citation words were published in the grown up writing in abbreviations and emojies) Commonwealth Government Gazette in March that we seem to have lost the art of conducting this year and I have included them after this basic spelling checks, especially in important Letters to the Editor section. and enduring historical documents. In this case on the original UCG citation there were two PLEASE NOTE THE UCG SYNOPSIS spelling mistakes – the date and the name of the PUBLISHED IN THE LIAISON LETTER operation. Sadly even in the revised UCG WINTER 2018 EDITION ON PAGE 61 WAS citation Operation TOAN THANG is still INCORRECT AND HAS BEEN REPLACED incorrectly spelt - specifically THOAN – there is BY THE VERSION IN THIS EDITION. no ‘H’. Personally I am a little perplexed by the I never cease to be amazed how quickly the approach adopted by the Honours and Awards modern Gunners are losing an appreciation of Tribunal staff responsible for researching and the unique intrinsic qualities that being a Gunner drafting the initial citation words. It would brings with it and how that it should be guarded 1 RAA Liaison Letter 2019 – Winter Edition and promoted at all costs. For generations we The ongoing challenge of locating, preserving, have proudly referred to ourselves as ‘The and displaying for long lost trophies and cups is Regiment’ however in recent times I have heard slowly reaping results. The Gordon-Bennett Senior Gunners, who should know better, and Trophy has been located and will now be many others refer to ‘The Regiment’ as ‘The restored and displayed along with its history and Corps’. Further I was disappointed last year list of winners at the School of Artillery for all when a young Major whom I have the greatest members of the Regiment to appreciate. The respect for, mentioned to me that in his view we Pagan Cup remains elusive and the Heath should not refer to ourselves as ‘The Regiment’ Trophy has been added to the list of awards, as his experience was when speaking in non- cups and trophies, shields etc missing, presumed Artillery forums unfortunately the audience did gathering dust in a battery or regimental not understand what it meant. My immediate headquarters. If you know here any are please thought was what is being taught in the Customs contact me. and Traditions presentations at RMC, 1 RTB Thank you to everyone who has taken the time and even ADFA. to support the Liaison Letter. I look forward to … a young Major whom I have the receiving your continued support. greatest respect for mentioned to me that in his view we should not refer to ourselves as ‘The Regiment’ … Everywhere I look there appears to me at least, a ‘dumbing’ down of our differences across Army rather than embracing and celebrating them as a DT (Terry) Brennan point of difference. There are more and more Major examples coming to light which highlight that Editor for convenience our unique traditions and even Email: [email protected] or operational aspects are being approached in an [email protected] infantry way as though there is no other way. Mobile: 0419 179 974 We must be proud of our unique ‘Gunner’ CAN YOU HELP differences, not embarrassed by them and most Good news - The Gordon–Bennett Trophy has been importantly defend them. Many of our customs located – albeit damaged and is now at the School of and traditions are steeped in the traditions of the Artillery and listed on Regimental property. Royal Artillery which only a couple of years ago The Pagan Cup remains elusive – Any information marked its 300th anniversary. There have been regarding its whereabouts would be most appreciated. many modern eras over the last 300 years and Originally the Cup was linked to AD units in 2 MD. The Regiment and its unique customs have not When last competed for (due to the demise of AD in 2 MD) the rules had been amended and linked to the only prevailed and but expanded. Gordon – Bennett Trophy (the G-B was amended to Finally an apology for my own grammatical and battery gunline performance) and the Pagan Cup spelling errors which always seem to sneak into (rules were amended for the OP).