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Canberra Survey Corps Association
Canberra Newsletter
In this issue 2/20 – April 2020
From the Editor/President 1 Why Do We Need to Spend Money on Maps? 3 The 1944/45 Secret Mission to Seize Nazi Germany Geodetic and Map Records 4 Fortuna’s Secrets 4 RAAF Systematic Air Photography for Standard Mapping in the 1920s 7 Robert Hoddle – the Corps of Royal Surveyors and Draughtsman – and the Ginninderra 9 Plains of Canberra 10 Postcards
Forward Base Mitchell Plateau Bushfire 1971 revisited Again 11 Vale 11 Erratum 11 1st Topographic Survey Squadron – International Force East Timor (INTERFET) 12 1999/2000 41 Our Associations Calendar 2020 – the fridge magnet
From the Editor/President
Welcome to the second newsletter of 2020 of our Canberra Survey Corps Association. As you are all well aware life at the moment is extraordinarily far from ‘normal’. From the Australian War Memorial website: “In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year the Memorial will hold a private, nationally televised Anzac Day commemorative service. This service will be held in the Commemorative Area and Hall of Memory at 5.30 am on Anzac Day. The traditional Dawn Service, National Ceremony and veterans’ march will not take place. The event will not be open to the public but will be broadcast live across Australia by the ABC and streamed online. Full details are being finalised. Please refer to this website www.awm.gov.au and the Memorials social media channels for updates.” Unfortunately the Government’s directives for ‘social distancing’ also means that our Anzac Day lunch is cancelled. We gladly do that in the interests of public health.
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This newsletter includes a special article which is the commander’s diary of the deployment of 1st Topographic Survey Squadron with the UN endorsed multinational force INTERFET to East Timor in 1999/2000. The diary was provided by Brigadier Shaun Hoffman who was commander of the Geomatic Support Group. This was the first time since the Second World War that a topographic survey unit of squadron (-) strength of about 50 personnel, deployed as part of a military force to ‘restore peace and security’ in a foreign country. And it was the first time that an Australian topographic survey unit had deployed as the main topographic unit of a large multi-national force. In the previous three years 1 Topo Svy Sqn had been reorganised and increased significantly in strength. This deployment allowed the concept of operations at formation and force levels to be tested and validated in a warlike environment. The diary reveals that although technology, methods and functional names change, the role and tasks of deployed topographic survey units (at Force or Corps troops levels) was still much the same as it was with the Anzac Corps Topographic Section in the First World War, that being; to create, update/maintain and distribute the theatre grid and the variety of topographic based maps/databases, to backload new and updated topographic information to rear agencies for production and update of standard mapping and to undertake miscellaneous military survey tasks. For this issue I also thank Gary Hunter, Norm McMurtrie, Noel Sproles, Bob Skitch, Don Swiney, Ken Lyons and Dave Anderson for their contributions which go to making an interesting newsletter. Please keep sending to me for publication biographical sketches, anecdotes, diaries, photographs and stories of what we did, how we did it and who did it, or anything which you believe is of interest to our members. In the last newsletter I asked for anything which you may have about the Corps’ Aerodist (Airborne Electronic Distance Measurement) years. Thank you to Charlie Watson for his reports on 1 Fd Svy Sqn Aerodist operations in Gulf of Carpentaria (1972) and Cape York (1973). So if you had anything at all to do with Aerodist; technical, administrative, logistical, operations, training from 1964 to 1975 please send to me your stories, memories and photographs. Please add the events for 2020 (see the Fridge Magnet) to your diaries and please note my new email address below. I hope that we will be able to get together to celebrate the Corps’ 105th anniversary. Stay safe, heed official advice and directives, KEEP CALM AND READ ON.
Peter Jensen Editor/President [email protected]
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Why Do We Need to Spend Money on Maps? By Peter Jensen
Army Commanders Kitchener, Washington, Meade, Lee and Macarthur would have understood the effect of the topography on theirs and the enemy’s plans and operations. The Generals all shared a common background in that they had all worked on land or topographic surveys early in their careers. Field Marshall Kitchener, Royal Engineers, made his military debut as a young lieutenant surveyor in Palestine and then as Director of the Survey of Cyprus, General George Washington was appointed surveyor of Culpeper County in Virginia at age sixteen, Generals George Meade (US Army of the Potomac) and Robert E Lee (Confederate Army of Northern Virginia) both conducted surveys as US Army Corps of Engineers officers and General Douglas Macarthur’s (US Army Corps of Engineers) first regimental appointment was survey officer in an engineer battalion in the Philippines.
In the late-1990s the Director of the US National Imagery and Mapping Agency (previously the Defense Mapping Agency and now the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency), I think it was then Lieutenant-General James C King, US Army, said something like – everything is geospatially related and if you don’t understand that you will never win the war.
But as a staff officer in Army HQ and HQ Australian Defence Force in the mid-late 1990s and early 2000s, I seemed to be forever answering the question ‘why do we need to spend money on maps?’ especially for capability proposals and around budget time. I would love to sit in those meetings now and say ‘Sir, please pass me your phone. I will switch off your location and map update services and you will see that your essential apps don’t work very well or not at all. That is why we need to spend money on maps.’
Paul Dibb’s 1986 report of the Review of Australia’s Defence Capabilities recognised the fundamental importance of mapping of the natural and man-made terrain for planning and conduct of military operations and noted with some concern the timeframe to achieve a satisfactory map coverage of Australia (Report p64). The subsequent 1987 Defence White Paper went on to identify priority areas for military preparedness as the area of direct military interest as Australia and its Territories, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and the South West Pacific and the wider area of primary strategic interest as South East Asia and the South Pacific. In relation to the survey force, the White Paper noted that the availability of comprehensive and up to date military geographic information of Australia and our area of direct military interest was fundamental to the effective conduct of military operations, and that although new technologies improve productivity the mapping of priority areas of the north will still take many years. Although the primary focus of defence planning was on the defence of continental Australia and its offshore territories, map coverage would be required for other than Australian territory.
Now thirty-five years later Professor Paul Dibb has again offered his opinion in the ‘old’ media about potential Defence capabilities and the importance of geospatial information. In the newspaper The Weekend Australian 22-23 February 2020, a page 6 article ‘Strategist Calls for Top End Missiles’ by Ben Packman quotes Professor Paul Dibb as suggesting a capability of Australia’s own intermediate range missiles as a powerful deterrent to potential adversaries “Modern missiles are highly precise but only when you have access to the most advanced targeting information in the world, which we do, through the Americans, Pine Gap and our Geospatial Intelligence Organisation.” So, in the opinion of one informed Defence strategist one of the Corps’ successor organisations has made the most valuable player list.
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The 1944/45 Secret Mission to Seize Nazi Germany’s Geodetic and Map Records The Editor
Thank you very much to Don Swiney and Ken Lyons for sending to me the link (below) to this most fascinating story. If after reading the previous article, ‘Why Do We Need to Spend Money on Maps?’, there are any doubts about the military value of geodetic and map data, this story should quell that concern. As the Allies advanced into Germany from the west in 1944 and 1945, a secret US Army team of individuals with diverse backgrounds and specialities, led by a geodetic engineer Major Hough of the US Army Corps of Engineers, went with the forward combat troops to find and capture the geodetic and map records of Nazi Germany. He was told to be on the first tank into Berlin. What they found included trigonometric lists, covering current German held territory, which were rushed to the front line for the advancing artillery to improve targeting, extensive Soviet geodetic records which the Germans had captured in their failed advance into the Soviet Union and which the Americans used later against the Soviets in the Cold War. Hough coerced cooperative German geodesists to include the German triangulation chains into a broader Central European Net geodetic adjustment which led a few years later to the broader European Datum 1950. Until then, each country had their own national geodetic system but Hough recognised the value of having one system especially also having the Soviet data in the emerging era of long range and inter-continental guided missiles. This was all leading to the need for a world geodetic system. Here are the links to this most intriguing story: https://amerisurv.com/2020/03/0 3/behind- the-lines/ also to the original Smithsonian article bit.ly/hough-smithsonian This story was little known until recently and in 2018 Major Hough was posthumously recognised being inducted into the US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Hall of Fame.
Fortuna’s secrets The Editor
From contributions by Norm McMurtrie and his family, Aust War Memorial manuscript assession number MSS1985, written by Lieutenant GK Mackenzie, ‘Z’ Special Unit, and unit history Special Operations Australia Vol 2 Operations NAA Series A3269 Control 08/A barcode 235327
We all have different stories of our military service in different times, different circumstances, different people, different places, different tasks, different conditions and different experiences. As the Editor of this newsletter I am always seeking different stories especially those accounts which have links to military survey units or more generally military survey activity wherever and however that was done. This is one of those personable stories. I was recently contacted by Norm McMurtrie, who was a member of RA Svy as a National Serviceman 1970-1971. Norm served in AHQ Survey Regiment, Fortuna and was intending to get together with Survey Corps mates around Anzac Day this year for a 50th Anniversary
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celebration. A family matriarch heard of Norm’s reunion and asked if she could attend. A surprise for Norm, but after some questions of the 96 year old lady, she said that she had served at ‘Fortuna’ as a member of the Australian Women’s Army Service (AWAS) in the Second World War. Eighteen year old Elizabeth Noel Drummond of Bendigo, a graduate of the Bendigo Business College, enlisted in the AWAS in 1943, was trade tested as a Clerk Administration, and after recruit training at Bacchus Marsh was posted to Army Headquarters, Victoria Barracks, Melbourne. Arriving there Elizabeth was told to report to 39 Acland Street, South Yarra being a house by the name ‘Harbury’. This was the headquarters of the Services Reconnaissance Department (SRD which was previously titled the Inter-Allied Services Dept), which was the cover name for the most secret Special Operations Australia (SOA) a joint Allied organisation responsible for covert intelligence, reconnaissance and sabotage behind Japanese lines across the South West Pacific Area. The only officers of the Australian high command who knew of the existence of SOA were the Prime Minister and General Thomas Blamey, Commander-in- Chief Australian Military Forces and Commander Allied Land Forces. Army personnel attached to SRD for operations were posted to ‘Z’ Special Unit for administration. Similarly, the Australian Intelligence Bureau controlled longer-term coastwatch type operations behind enemy lines to provide intelligence about Japanese troop and naval movements around New Guinea and Solomon Islands. ‘M’ Special Unit was the holding unit for these personnel. Elizabeth worked in the SRD Orderly Room and had a desk facing the main entrance door of the house, so she saw all of the comings and goings. At one stage Elizabeth lived at a house named ‘Fortuna’ at Elwood. At the end of the war SRD was closed, ‘Z’ Special Unit was disbanded and Corporal Drummond was posted to LHQ Cartographic Company, Fortuna, Bendigo, on 25th January 1946, working there until her discharge on 9th September 1946. In Elizabeth’s written notes about her wartime service she remembered the Bendigo ‘Fortuna’ for the beautiful villa, the large gardens and man-made lake and the trusted Italian Prisoners of War who lived there and who tended the gardens with some making miniature ornaments in their spare time. She also remembers that her future husband Lieutenant Gilbert Mackenzie, a ‘Z’ Special Unit officer, arranged for her to be posted to her hometown Bendigo. In mid-1942 he had worked with ‘survey’ on maps at HQ New Guinea Force, Port Moresby. Eighteen year old Private Gilbert Mackenzie enlisted in the militia 55th Infantry Battalion at Marrickville, Sydney on 5th January 1942. Soon after he was assigned to the Battalion Intelligence Section perhaps because he was undertaking accountancy studies which required good ‘attention to detail’, an attribute needed for intelligence work. In May 1942 the Battalion was sent to Port Moresby and Mackenzie was selected along with a soldier from each of the other five battalions to be assigned to the HQ New Guinea Force working under Captain Sam Carey GSO3 Intelligence Topographic. At that stage there was no survey staff on HQ New Guinea Force. Maps then being used by the headquarters were the 1 inch to 4 mile maps produced by LHQ Cartographic Coy. There were many village names on the maps and the job of the Section was not only to add the topographic intelligence updates but to index all of the villages by name with geographic and grid references. As that map work came to a close, Captain Carey asked Gilbert if he would like to volunteer for special duties if the Japanese captured Port Moresby. Gilbert had no idea what special duties meant, nor that Captain Carey was a ‘Z’ Special Unit officer. Carey had been a geologist in New Guinea before the war. One day Sam, Gilbert and another officer (also ‘Z’ Special Unit unbeknown to Gilbert) went out to a ship recently sunk by Japanese aerial bombing in Port Moresby harbour, with the plan that in the event of Japanese occupation, Gilbert would swim to the wreck at night, then report Japanese harbour/wharf movements the next day by radio.
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Luckily none of that happened. Captain Carey returned to Australia, accidentally leaving behind a security container unlocked for which Gilbert was arrested but released later that day. In late-August he was told to report to HQ New Guinea Force Assistant Director Survey, Major Pat Kennedy (Aust Survey Corps). There he worked in the HQ Survey Section updating maps from Patrol Officer reports and recent US air photography and printing maps by dyeline. These maps were then dropped by air to the forward troops. A month later he was very surprised when Major Kennedy congratulated him on being promoted to Corporal. Just before midnight on 20th December 1942, he was working on the maps when a despatch rider arrived with an immediate movement order for him to fly from Port Moresby to Melbourne the next day and to report to Captain Carey. The order was signed by General Blamey which of course was uncommon for a Corporal’s posting. Gilbert undertook all of the ‘special force’ training for small group covert operations behind enemy lines. Included was how to use the issued cyanide suicide pill – I cannot imagine what a nineteen year old would have thought about that. He was a member of a ten man harbour attack team, led by Captain Carey, which successfully infiltrated Townsville harbour by two man canoes and planted dummy limpet mines on ten ships including two destroyers. The Navy was not happy. Sam Carey and Gilbert paddled the same canoe and planted mines on two US ships. This was a proof of concept rehearsal to attack shipping in the Japanese held Rabaul Harbour, but the operation was cancelled when there was no submarine transport available. The rehearsal showed that a sabotage attack by canoe was possible and this in part led to Operation Jaywick which successfully attacked Japanese shipping in Singapore. Gilbert specialised in developing parachuting from specially modified B24 Liberator Bombers. He was promoted to Sergeant and attended Officer Cadet Training Unit then being commissioned Lieutenant. He worked on planning operations and was himself assigned to Hawk Party to attack the Japanese held Babo Airfield1 (Dutch New Guinea) with entry by parachute into water at night and to destroy as many aircraft, anti-aircraft guns and facilities as possible. The operation in March 1944 was aborted sometime into the long flight from Darwin as the diversionary B24 bomber strike force from Fenton Airfield south of Darwin was cancelled due to bad weather and one of the two B24 parachute transports had serious engine trouble. The other B24 transport crashed into a mountain north of Fak Fak near Babo killing all sixteen on board including ten US aircrew and six ‘Z’ Special Unit members. Gilbert went to Morotai to be a member of a guerrilla team to be parachuted into Borneo before the Australian landings there, but was withdrawn because of the risk of capture and that he knew too much about ‘Z’ Special Unit operations overall. At the end of the war, he and a RAAF Flight Lieutenant were given the task of writing the unit history and to transfer the files to Director of Military Intelligence. This was completed by March 1946 and he was discharged 14th August 1946. Elizabeth and Gilbert were married in 1947. Everyone in these secret organisations was subject to the Official Secrets Act for 30 years after the war. It was not until the first reunion of ‘Z’ Special Unit in 1980 that they were able to talk with each other about what they had done during the war. Unfortunately memories may have dimmed a little over the more than thirty-five years since their remarkably brave and hazardous service which until then had largely gone untold and unheralded.
1 Photos in Newsletter 2-19, May 2019, of Babo airfield visited during survey Operation Cenderawasih April 2020 Videre Parare Est Canberra Survey Corps Association
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RAAF systematic air photography for standard mapping in the 1920s
The Editor For this article I am grateful to Bob Skitch for passing on the following letter sent to him by friend Colonel Mick Nolan (Retd) Royal Engineers Survey (RE Svy) who enjoys researching history which is shared by RE Svy and RA Svy. The August 1927 demi-official letter from Flight Lieutenant G Packer RAAF, Intelligence Officer, to Captain M Hotine (later Brigadier CMG CBE) RE Svy, probably stems from Packer meeting Hotine during a tour of Britain and North America which he and another RAAF officer embarked on in 1926. The geometry of distortions in air photos due to attitude and the terrain was known in the early 1900s along with methods of how to account for them. Then in 1927 Captain Hotine authored a paper on behalf of the British Air Survey Committee on the simple graphical radial line ‘Arundel method’ of accounting for the distortions for map compilation from overlapping air photography. Captain Hotine authored an extension of the method in 1929. Arundel was the name of the English south-coast town/castle between Portsmouth and Brighton around which Hotine had demonstrated his work. RAAF had been involved in air photography for land surveys since 1924 but aircraft and camera equipment were outdated. Survey Section RAE used air photography for mapping of smaller areas to complement, and in some cases supplement, plane-tabling around Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Then the 1928 decision to reequip one flight of both 1 Squadron and 3 Squadron RAAF with new aircraft, special instrumentation for air photography and cameras was to facilitate a new era of cooperation with Survey Section RAE. By 1930 the RAAF and the Survey Section RAE had together developed a capability to the stage where a RAAF detachment, under the command of Packer, with two new Wapiti and one Moth aircraft fitted with Williamson F8 film cameras, based at a temporary airstrip at Bowser just north-east of Wangaratta, completed 1,300 square kilometres of mapping photography around Albury. Then for the first time a substantial part of the Albury 1 inch to 1 mile map around the Murray River, was compiled by the Survey Section RAE using the Arundel method. Cost savings in time and effort, compared with map compilation by plane- tabling, were somewhere between thirty-three and sixty-five percent, depending on factors such as terrain, weather and aircraft operating costs. RAAF and Army continued to develop the capability, and in 1936 the revived Australian Survey Corps published the Sale, Victoria 1 inch to 1 mile map which was compiled entirely from block aerial photography using the Arundel method. In 1927 the Survey Section RAE was organised such that the capacity of the topographic triangulation survey (subsidiary to the State geodetic networks) was commensurate with the amount of map compilation that the plane-tablers could produce which was about five standard 1 inch to 1 mile maps a year, each of area about 500 square miles. In no way was the Section able to provide the geodetic/topographic survey for the aerial photography goal of 50,000 square miles per year or about one-hundred standard maps. The letter addresses this issue suggesting the need for a new government organisation for geodetic surveys. The air photography goal of 50,000 square miles was highly ambitious with about 5,000 square miles actually flown by 1931. In 1929 Army suggested to the States that they contribute to the field survey work as they would benefit from the maps. The states were happy to share existing information but generally were not in economic positions to undertake new work due to the emerging Great Depression.
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Robert Hoddle – the Corps of Royal Surveyors and Draughtsman – and the Ginninderra Plains of Canberra By Peter Jensen
I have walked the seven kilometre sealed track around Lake Ginninderra many-many times. But until a couple of months ago I had never stopped to read a story board at Bimbi Beach on the western bank of Ginninderra Creek. Along with a description of aboriginal life, early- white settlement and eucalypts planted when the creek was dammed to form the lake, the story board has a print of a watercolour landscape painting of Ginninderry (Ginninderra Plains) between 1832 and 1835 believed to be one of the first such landscape paintings of the district. The artist was Robert Hoddle (1794 – 1881) who as a crown surveyor conducted surveys for very early grants of lands in the Canberra district. Near the middle of the painting there is a shepherd with his flock of sheep and his dog, recording land use as well as the topography and the fact that aboriginals lived there. His survey work around Ginninderry included land boundary surveys for Robert Campbell’s sheep property Pialligo which was founded in 1825, later renamed Duntroon and later acquired by the new federal government for the Royal Military College.
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Watercolour landscape of Ginninderra Plains 1832-35 by Robert Hoddle This is the same Robert Hoddle who as the Deputy Surveyor-General of the Colony of New South Wales designed and laid out the Melbourne central business district in 1837 and who was the first Surveyor-General of the Colony of Victoria in 1851. Hoddle Street in Melbourne is named in his honour. In 1809, at age fifteen Hoddle was appointed a cadet-surveyor/draughtsman of the military Corps of Royal Surveyors and Draughtsman (formerly the Board of Ordinance Drawing Room) in the Tower of London, being commissioned in 1812. The Tower Drawing Room had been collecting and drawing maps since 1683. In the 1770s Major-General William Roy, who commenced the military survey of Great Britain in Scotland in 1747, introduced survey training for the Tower draughtsman (An Illustrated History of 250 years of Military Survey by Y Hodson and A Gordon, 1997). Training also included landscape painting as one means of mapping the topography. Duties of the Corps was to make surveys and drawings, both in Britain and abroad, particularly as part of the Trigonometrical Survey. The Corps provided surveys and maps during the Peninsular War and was then disbanded in 1817 after final victory in the Napoleonic Wars. Officers were placed on half-pay. In 1822 Hoddle left for the Cape Colony (Africa) where he conducted military surveys and he then moved on to the Colony of New South Wales in 1823 where he was made Assistant Surveyor to Surveyor- General John Oxley. In that capacity he conducted surveys of many districts of the colony over the next fourteen years before going to Victoria as Deputy Surveyor-General to Thomas Mitchell.
Postcards From Gary Hunter I recently met up with Bob Norwood after last working him in Popondetta, PNG in 1973. I was in a supermarket car park in Frankston, Victoria, when I saw a fellow staring at my car number plate (which is "RASVY" in white letters on a purple background). Anyway, I was about to drive off when he came over to have a talk. It turns out it was Bob Norwood who I worked with in 8 Field Survey Squadron when I was posted there in 1973/74. I wouldn't have recognized Bob except for his distinctive shaped nose. He too didn't recognize me until I told him "I'm Bluey Hunter from Popondetta" - and of course then it all fell into place for both of us.
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Bob is retired now and living permanently in Frankston with his wife, Mayna, and they will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary later this year. Bob talked about his 23 years' service with RA Svy and his retirement as a Major. He then wanted to work in a different area and was employed by a printing company for some years, before taking over a lawn mowing franchise for quite a few years after that. I asked Bob if he had every applied for any the service medals that he would have been entitled to, having been deployed multiple times to both PNG and Indonesia during his service, but he said he wasn't really concerned about them - and I can respect that. I wanted to get his email address, but unfortunately Bob said he wasn't on the internet. Still, I can reassure those of you who have great memories of Bob from years gone by that he's doing well in his retirement.
Forward Base Mitchell Plateau Bushfire 1971 revisited AGAIN The Editor I have been assured by Noel Sproles that the Forward Base Mitchell Plateau 1971 fire was definitely September. Noel’s diary notes include his Investigation Officer report and the cost of stores to be written off. Of course Mike knows his birthdate and arrived at the base with the surrounding landscape looking as though the fire was very recent. On this basis, Noel’s misclose is much better than ‘compass and pace’ more like ‘first order’.
Vale The Editor It is with great sadness that I report on the sudden death of Kevin (Shotgun) Slade, former RAN Hydrographic Survey officer and sailor, on 21st January. Kevin was a great friend of the Survey Corps and admirer of what we did and how we did it. In the 1970s and 1980s the overlap of survey work of RA Svy and the RAN Hydro Service often involved Kevin. In 1975 I very much enjoyed three months on Operation Beachcomber (Beach Survey) with him around Papua New Guinea. At this time he worked with other members of 8 Fd Svy Sqn on inshore route hydrographic surveys south of Port Moresby. He was always the life of the party enjoying ‘runs ashore’. When posted to the Hydrographic School, Sydney he kept in touch with 2 Fd Svy Sqn. On retirement from the RAN he worked with the Hydrographic Office. Kevin was the unofficial historian for the RAN Hydrographic Service publishing a number of articles and was very active pursuing recognition of the work of the Service.
Erratum The Editor In the last newsletter (January 2020) I wrote that Operation Mandau 1970 was conducted by 5 Fd Svy Sqn. It was of course 2 Fd Svy Sqn. Thank you to Dave Anderson, who was on that operation, for correcting that.
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1st Topographic Survey Squadron – International Force East Timor (INTERFET) 1999-2000
Diary provided by BRIG Shaun Hoffmann
Editor: Just over 20 years ago, in mid-September 1999, major elements of 1st Topographic Survey Squadron, based in Brisbane, deployed with the Australian led International Force East Timor (INTERFET) to East Timor. On 30 August 1999 Indonesia allowed a referendum on the future of East Timor, sponsored and organised by the United Nations (UN) (UN Mission in East Timor – UNAMET) resulted in overwhelming support for independence from Indonesia which had annexed the former Portuguese territory in 1975. The peoples’ wish sparked immediate deadly and widespread violence suspected to be by mainly anti-independence militia. Many civilians were killed and hundreds of thousands of people displaced with many of them fleeing across the border into West Timor. On 6 September, Operation Spitfire commenced with Royal Australian Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft evacuating some UNAMET staff, foreign nationals and refugees. On 15 September 1999, the United Nations Security Council expressed concern at the deteriorating situation in East Timor and passed Resolution 1264 calling for a multinational force to restore peace and security to East Timor, to protect and support the United Nations mission there, and to facilitate humanitarian assistance operations until such time as a United Nations peacekeeping force could be approved and deployed in the area. The resolution also welcomed Australia's offer to lead the multinational force in and to make a substantial contribution to the force itself. Indonesia agreed to accept the multinational force. Australian Major-General Peter Cosgrove MC was appointed INTERFET Force Commander with his Brisbane based Deployable Joint Force Headquarters (DJFHQ) assigned to provide force level command and control. The main combat element of the force was the Australian 3rd Brigade (3 Bde) based in Townsville, and Australian, New Zealand and British Special Forces. The force included all three ADF services and services of twenty-two other nations. This was to become the largest Australian military force deployed outside Australia since the Second World War. On 20 September, only five days after the UN resolution, units deployed to East Timor by RAAF aircraft and Royal Australian Navy ships, with entry protection by Special Forces and 3 Bde. 3 Bde MGI Sect (Military Geographic Section) was in theatre in the first 24 hours and a day later 1 Topo Svy Sqn topographic survey sections (Geodetic and MGI) arrived to support HQ INTERFET and the entire force. The collective support was organised as the Geomatic Support Group. The unit/commanders diary below and the photographs are provided courtesy Shaun Hoffmann. Then CAPT Shaun Hoffmann was 2IC 1 Topo Svy Sqn and Commander Geomatic Support Group (GSG). The diary includes all of the exigencies of the operation including: living and working conditions, diversity of the work, relatively new technologies and equipment in challenging conditions, electronic network connectivity in multi-level and multi-national security environments working alike with old allies and nations never before worked with, personnel administration and discipline, logistics, reinforcement, reach-back into other lines of support and those necessary but sometimes frustrating miscellaneous military duties such as security guarding and force protection.
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The high value of the work done by the unit in supporting all levels of the force, is best said and noted in the diary by senior officers who visited the unit.
The Squadron was raised in 1989, in Brisbane, as a RA Svy unit of 1st Division from 1 Fd Svy Sqn and HQ 1 Div Topo Svy Tp, both RA Svy units and which were disbanded. 1 Div Topo Svy Tp raised in 1980 and redesignated a HQ 1 Div unit in 1985 originated from 1 Topo Svy Tp, RA Svy, whose A Sect served with 1st Australian Task Force, South Vietnam from 1966 to 1971.
1 TOPO SVY SQN (INTERFET) DIARY
(Editor: for the purpose of easier reading and clarity some acronyms and abbreviations are explained in footnotes. Any errors are all mine.)
MON 20 SEP 99. WO1 Hansen departed for Darwin in order to assist JMCO in coordinating the Sqn’s movements through Darwin to Dili. Also WO1 Hansen will coordinate stores, expendables and mapping required by the GSG in East Timor. LT Trainor, CPL Jones, SPR Hammer and SPR Fitzpatrick, who deployed to 3 Bde 2 weeks earlier, arrived in Darwin and were billeted at Robertson Barracks. Later that night they flew to Dili, ET. TUE 21 SEP 99. At 0230 hrs LT Trainor and his section arrived in Dili. By 2000 hrs they were in location with 3 Bde HQ. Also CAPT Seefeld plus 7 deployed to Darwin as part of D + 3. (MGI Sect: SGT Donnelly, CPL Goetz and CPL D Palfrey; Geodetic: WO2 Miller, CPL Sinderberry and CPL Carrol) WED 22 SEP 99. At 1100 hrs CAPT Seefeld arrived in Dili. At 1800 hrs WO2 Miller, SGT Donnelly and CPL D Palfrey arrived in Dili as part of the forward assets of the GSG. LT Dixon deployed to Darwin as part of the D + 3 (DJFHQ) and arrived in Dili also at 1800 hrs. He will be working directly for the Int Cell INTERFET on surveillance tasks. THU 23 SEP 99. CAPT Seefeld secured real estate for the GSG and began liaison duties with the DJFHQ.
CAPT Scot Seefeld with Geodetic and MGI Sect – who are they?
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FRI 24 SEP 99. CPL Goetz and CPL Sinderberry arrived in Dili. CPL Kiker who was detached to 1 Int Coy (MISC) arrived in Dili as their Illustrator. SAT 25 SEP 99. At 2030hrs the deploying elements of the Sqn paraded and moved weapons and kit down to DJFHQ. At 1130 hrs the Sqn (-) along with elements of 1 JSU2 and DJFHQ boarded the buses and departed for Brisbane’s International Airport. The personnel from 1 Topo are as follows:
Serial No. Regt No. Rank Init Name Remarks
1 323730 MAJ P.H. RUFF F ENGR HQ
2 3804913 CAPT S.J. HOFFMANN GSG COMD
3 184348 CAPT M.C. JACKSON CIS
4 180845 WO2 N.J. BRINSMEAD TECH WO
5 320309 WO2 B.F. BUNNEY SSM/SQ
6 325734 SGT P.J. BALL AIR CAM (DWN)
7 320155 SGT B.D.S. JOHNSON FPDP
8 F236926 SGT D.J. MADGE 3 BDE GD
9 323320 SGT G.T. WEATHERALL GEODETIC
10 238883 CPL P.D. BOULTON CIS
11 F329737 CPL C.L. BRAMICH 3 BDE GD
12 2790227 CPL R.D. GRAF AIR CAM (DWN)
13 180688 CPL J. HARTLEY Q STORE/ FPDP
14 454289 CPL G. HUXLEY AIR CAM (DWN)
15 331299 CPL M.J. MUZEEN REPRO
16 186750 CPL I.A. PARSONS REPRO
17 330305 CPL A.J. PURTON AIR CAM (DWN)
18 2805833 LCPL T.L. DOUGLAS FPDP
19 354897 LCPL T.J. MALONE GEODETIC
20 F455803 LCPL G.M. WARNER ADMIN
21 1803900 SPR C.M. GEE MGI
22 2805878 SPR P.J. GROVE FPDP
23 3811728 SPR J.P HARVEY 3 BDE GD
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24 1811576 SPR J.D. MARTIN MGI
25 F1807958 SPR D. O’BRIEN MGI
26 5802342 SPR M. ROSLON MGI
27 4803303 SPR A.J. WILKINSON MGI
28 1807611 SPR G.R. WITHERS 3 BDE GD
SUN 26 SEP 99. At 0045hrs all personnel boarded the Qantas 747 and departed for Darwin. The Sqn arrived at Darwin Airport at 0400 hrs. We retrieved our weapons and kit and boarded a bus to Robertson Barracks. The Sqn was billeted in the South Gym and was met later that morning by WO2 Hansen and MAJ Grey. Discussed with MAJ Grey the MGI Plan and the GSGs Concept of Operations. At 1730 hrs the Sqn, minus the Air Camera Crew who are to remain in Darwin until required in Theatre, boarded the buses and departed to the Ammunition Depot where each man received 210 rounds. The next stop was HMAS Jervis Bay. After loading the Jervis bay with personnel equipment and water the ship departed at 2100 hrs for Dili. Also CPL L Palfrey and CPL Carrol arrived in DILI which rounded out the initial 8 personnel deployed to conduct MGI and Geodetic tasking. MON 27 SEP 99. At 0700 hours the GSG vehicles were loaded onto the MV Lady Valisia. Unfortunately one vehicle was loaded onto a separate ship due to space limitations. At 0800 hrs the Jervis Bay arrived in Dili. 3 CER was tasked to unload half the water supplies. Once completed they disembarked and 1 Topo and 1 JSU completed unloading the water. Once completed at 1030hrs the Sqn was loaded onto MOGs and driven to 1 JSU. At 1100 hrs the Sqn was met by CAPT Seefeld and taken to the 1 Topo Svy Compound. This compound is also shared with the 1 Int Coy (MISC - Psyops3) and an American contingent. Advice from COL Mingo suggest that the Americans will require our real estate in the next two weeks. Formal contact was made with LT Trainor and his det from 3 Bde.
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1 Topo Svy Sqn – who are they?
TUE 28 SEP 99. SGT Madge, CPL Bramich, SPRs Withers and Harvey departed for 3 Bde to round out the Geomatic Detachment. This also included SPR Sapsford. Cleanup began of the building allocated to the GSG however it was suspended until the exact requirements of the Americans were known. There is a possibility that the GSG could relocate to the East Timor University. The OC 1 Topo Svy Sqn was formally allocated to the Force Engrs HQ, INTERFET HQs and map supply began to occur due to the delayed arrival of the GSG vehicles and that Units on departing Australia did not bring their maps which were previously issued. The MGI Cell continued to provide excellent support to HQ INTERFET and the Geodetic Cell was tasked to produce a Site Survey of the HLZ 5 Avn Regt. WED 29 SEP 99. After discussions with COL Joy C24 Plans and COL Mingo (US), it was confirmed that 1 Topo would relocate to the University. Although we did not receive all the requested space for the GSG, the area’s we were allocated were far superior to that of the previous location. Cleanup of the University began in earnest at 0700 hrs and by the end of the day we were ready to move in. 20 locals were used in the cleanup of our portion of the University, however after lunch 21 appeared. Unfortunately we could only pay 20 locals so the GSG Comd ejected one. SGT Johnson and CPL Malone however gave the young lad $5 and some cigarettes just in case he was not the right guy. Morale within the GSG was high given the living and working conditions were considered the best in the area. THU 30 SEP 99. 20 Locals were used again today to continue the cleanup of the University under the direction of CPL Malone who was picking up the language relatively quickly. Apart from the MGI Cell the remainder of the GSG unloaded the vehicles and began setting up their work areas. Further contact was made with the American’s on the remainder of the University being used for accommodation. It is anticipated that 100 to 150 Americans will be accommodated here. Furniture not required by the GSG is continuing to be requisitioned by neighboring units.
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FRI 1 OCT 99. At 0700 two RAAF image analyst, (SGT Cannon and SGT Madden) arrived from INTERFET HQ (C2) to assist the classification of imagery in the MGI Cell. Continued using the locals to clean up the University. Geodetic Survey team began a site survey of the HLZ (5 Avn ) DILI. Printing Press still awaiting Psyops tasking. Air Camera awaiting airframe to be diverted from Bougainville to Dili. SAT 2 OCT 99. At 0745 hrs a 4 round UD5 occurred over at 1 JSU. Focussed the Sqns attention on the importance of correct weapon drills with live rounds. Four personnel from 19 CE Works due to arrive today. Civilian reporter illegally parked his vehicle in our compound. The vehicle was quickly ejected. Phones connected today. SUN 3 OCT 99. 19 CE Works personnel moved into the rooms below the Sqns HQ. CAPT Hoffmann, CAPT Seefeld and CPL Muzeen recce a Print facility behind 1 JSU. Found two Heidelburg Presses in varying (unworking) condition. Would need significant funding to re- enstate the Presses. 3 Bde GD6 experiencing problems with computer equipment, the main cause appears to be dust. Also the Imagine7 dongles require maintenance. MON 4 OCT 99. MAJ McCall from NORCOM8 advised the GSG that the Air Camera will be in Dili tomorrow with an extra Image Analyst. ACC HQ INTERFET advised the GSG that tasking for the Air Frame would go through them. WO1 Hansen advised that Flight 340 (Hercules Tpt) would depart Darwin at 1245hrs with a Land Rover and two pers, and Flight 342 would depart Darwin at 1445hrs with 2 pers and a MOG. Preparations began by moving the Q-Store into the Repro Area and giving the Map Store the Q-Store area. This would also allow for the Repro room to be collocated in the map store and a room to be converted to a Dark Room for the Air camera. CAPT Jackson and CAPT Seefeld visited UNAMET to interrogate their database for the likelihood of using parts of it to populate the GSG Database. The Sqn also carried out Weapons training in response to the numerous UDs occurring in other units and a shower was built in the old laundry lines. TUE 5 OCT 99. Air Camera crew arrived today (SGT Ball, CPL Graf, CPL Huxley and CPL Purton) on two separate Hercules flights. Discussions with SQNLDR Harland (ACC) discussed tasking would be initiated through the Int collection process. C2 prioritize the requests and forward to ACC. ACC select the appropriate airframe, which will generally be the RC10 camera due to the F111 being politically incorrect, and initiate tasking through the GSG HQs. The Air Camera crew are able to process the film, however SQNLDR Harland suggested that if an additional process is required then the RAAF have a developing team that could be utilised. Also he will send a workstation and high quality film negative scanner to assist in the digitising of the films. In other events CPL Jones departed on a recce around the border with 2RAR. The last 4 Personnel arrived from 19 CE Works. Accommodation now tight. And a 15 KVA generator was temporarily loaned to the Kiwi’s (Dili Command) for a two-week period. WED 6 OCT 99. CAPT Seefeld and WO2 Miller visited the LCSG to collect and sort through Indonesian mapping and town plans for the GIS Library. Began planning for the Border survey between East and West Timor as well as personnel for the second rotation. THU 7 OCT 99. CPL Jones returned from 2RAR. COL Mastafa9 and LTCOL Oaten10 arrived from LC Engrs LHQ. They visited the GSG at 1400 hrs and were briefed by the GSG
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Commander. COL Mastafa was impressed with the set up and was keen to assist us where possible, especially on the equipment side. Also the JSU computer equipment finally arrived, and appears to work well at this stage.
FRI 8 OCT 99. Accommodation reaching capacity. Local workforce directed to clean out an extra burnt out room to be used as accommodation. The Air Camera aircraft was pinged and then locked by an American Cruiser near the border. Received. The Sqn was asked to design a Campaign Medal for General Cosgrove. CPL Kiker (Illus), who is detached to 1 Int Coy was tasked with the job.
SAT 9 OCT 99. Two RAAF Image Analysts arrived today (LAWC Edwards and CPL Dales) with a film scanner and works station. Discussions continued between MAJ Ruff, LTCOL Oaten and CAPT Hoffmann on the second rotation. A film night was organised for Sqn personnel courtesy of SGT Einam using a light pro and DVD Player. ……. was returned to Australia today due to compassionate circumstances. SGT McConnell will replace him. Also COL Wheeler, Dili Comd, signed a reinforcement demand for 1 offr and 4 technicians. Still requires approval from INTERFET HQ.
SUN 10 OCT 99. Discussions continued between F Engr HQs and COL Joy (C0) on additional accommodation for 1 Topo, F Engr HQ and 198 Works. This may include additional work areas for 198 Works. The Sqn acquired a Satellite phone to be used by GSG geodetic and route recon tasks. The first formal meeting between F Eng HQ and the subordinate Engr units occurred at 1900 hrs. It was attended by LTCOL Naumann (SO1 Engr Cell), MAJ Shepard (OC 17 Const Sqn), MAJ Burn (OC 198 Works) MAJ Ruff (SO2 Engr Cell) and CAPT Hoffmann (GSG Comd). The 3 Bde GD loaded their vehicle on HMAS Tobruk in preparation for their relocation to Suai. LTCOL Oaten returned to LHQ, Sydney.
MON 11 OCT 99. The 3 Bde GD departed on HMAS Tobruk late afternoon. Planning continued on the primary geodetic base line survey at Baucau, however it was delayed by 72 hrs due to the COS, COL Kelly, requesting the contact between 2 RAR and the Militia at Motaain be coordinated on Wednesday 13 Oct 99. MGI tasks reached 100 and 24000 maps have been issued since arrival. Problems have been experienced with the red inks on the press mixing with the water. Investigations into the cause are continuing. COLOPS11 approved the re-enforcement demand of …… but did not approve the request for a geomatic detachment to Dili Comd. Discussions still continuing.
TUE 12 OCT 99. COL Mostafa returned to LHQ, Sydney. MAJ Ruff departed for three days on a road Recon. MGI expendables becoming critical, 1 week supplies left. CPL Kiker completed his designs for the campaign medal. They have now been given to MAJ Darragh to brief GEN Cosgrove. Sqn personnel received their third JEV injection. And there appears to be a fault on the air camera. One random frame comes out black. Various components are being replaced on the camera to identify the problem however the camera is beyond its lifespan and the problem may never be resolved. The Sqn has also been requested to provide a guard on a permanent basis to the gaol run by the MPs. This will place restrictions on the workload able to be maintained by the Sqn.
WED 13 OCT 99. Border survey at Motaain delayed by 24 Hrs due to the Indonesians non- attendance at a pre-arranged meeting. Air camera was grounded today due to a RAAF maintenance day. GSG Comd requested COL Wheeler Dili Comd speak to COLOPS about the request being denied for MGI re-enforcements for Dili Comd.
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THU 14 OCT 99. Border Svy Team consisting of CAPT Hoffmann, WO2 Miller, SGT Weatherall and CPL Carrol departed INTERFET HQ at 1030hrs for Motaain. They accompanied the COS12 COL Kelly, LTCOLs Flowers, Joy and Gautou and two MPs. The team established two GPS points and conducted a site survey from west of the border, over the border into ET and along the road where 2RAR contacted TNI13. MAJ Ruff also returned from a Road Recce and CPL D. Palfrey was given a day leave aboard the USS Bellowood as a reward for her continued hard work in the MGI Cell.
FRI 15 OCT 99. Accuracy concerns continued over hardcopy mapping in East Timor. Original hardcopy mapping of East Timor is currently available in two scales, these being 1:25,000 and 1:250,000. The Army Topographic Support Establishment (ATSE) has also produced standard hardcopy 1:50,000 scale maps using 1:25,000 scale data. The significant number of requests for 1:100,000 received by the MGI Det have indicated a distinct requirement for this scale of mapping. The following will address current data limitations and options for production of 1:100,000 scale mapping. East Timor Topographic Data Limitations
MGI Det holdings of digital topographic data currently include 1:25,000 and 1:250,000 scanned raster maps, 1:1,000,000 vector mapping, 100 metre resolution digital elevation model, Land Sat 7 satellite imagery and scattered imagery of various sources. Of these data types, only 1:25,000 and 1:250,000 raster data are suitable for production of 1:100,000 scale maps. The 1:25,000 data has been sourced from 15 to 20 year old Indonesian mapping. The 1:250,000 data has been sourced from 25 to 30 year old US mapping.
1:100,000 Maps from 1:25,000 Data. 1:100,000 scale maps can be produced from 1:25,000 scale data by reducing the format size by a factor of four. Production from 1:25,000 data provides a more detailed and up to date map product, however reduction by a factor of four may render map detail almost unreadable
1:100,000 Maps from 1:250,000 Data. 1:100,000 scale maps can be produced from 1:250,000 scale data by enlarging the format size by a factor of 2.5. This provides a product that is more readable however may be lacking in up to date topographic detail.
Production Options
Production by MGI Det. . Map readability of 1:100,000 maps produced from 1:25,000 data is dependant on plotter capability. The capabilities of the MGI Det plotters are such that small areas can be plotted at a readable level, however plotting of large areas requires that detail is degraded to a point that the product is barely readable. The MGI Det is capable of limited production of 1:100,000 from 1:250,000 data however paper usage may be prohibitive.
Production by ATSE. ATSE are capable of bulk production of 1:100,000 maps produced from either 1:25,000 or 1:250,000 data. A signal has been sent from HQ 1 Topo Svy Sqn through LC Engrs to the Directorate of Strategic Military Geographic Information (DSMGI) requesting priority production of 1:100,000 maps for East Timor. This request is still under consideration by DSMGI. A letter is currently being drafted from HQ
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INTERFET to DSMGI to add weight to this request. This letter will be actioned through the Force Engr Cell. If this request is accepted by DSMGI, it is assessed that a minimum of three weeks would be required for ATSE to complete this task.
Conclusion
Digital topographic data for production of 1:100,000 maps is limited to 1:25,000 and 1:250,000 scanned maps. The MGI Det is capable of producing small 1:100,000 map areas from 1:25,000 data or larger map areas from 1:250,000 data. DSMGI have been requested to task ATSE with production of 1:100,000 maps of East Timor. This request will be reinforced with a letter from INTERFET HQ.
SAT 16 OCT 99. SGT Weatherall departed on a two day GPS recce to SAME. Expendable demands were finalised with the FLSG. The process had been slowed due to the Sqn not being allocated a Priority demand. As expendables stocks were becoming low the FLSG assigned our request as an Op Dem14 Priority 1. However for future demands INTERFET needs to assign the Sqn with a priority for requesting stores. This needs to be pursued through F Engr Hq and C115/C416. Also the Dili Comd MGI Det of 1 + 4 was approved by the COS and 3 Bde Det requested CIS17 support as their Silicon Graphic Box was down due to environmental problems. The Site Survey of Motaain was completed and the INTERFET Comd and the COS were briefed on the specifics of the plan. The Dot Brief is detailed below:
DOT POINT BRIEF ON BORDER SURVEY FOR COMD INTERFET
1 TOPO SVY SQN SITE SURVEY OF MOTAAIN 14 OCT 99
Introduction 1. On 14 Oct 99 a survey party from 1 Topo Svy Sqn conducted a site survey on the topography surrounding the village of Motaain which is situated on the border between East and West Timor. The survey was conducted using Trimble 4000 SSE GPS equipment and a Sokia Total Station. The GPS equipment was used to coordinate two ground points which provided the control for the site survey. A traverse was then run between the two control points using the Total Station to collect topographic and cultural detail. Detail not picked-up during the survey was later annotated using aerial photography.
Site Survey Accuracy
Ground Control Points. The GPS network constructed to position the ground control points at Motaain were positioned by observing from a known point at the Dili Airfield and two AUSLIG Australian Regional GPS Network points (ARGN) located at Jabiru (Northern Territory) and Ceduna (South Australia). After processing the data and adjusting the coordinates the points located at Motaain were positioned to an accuracy of +/- 0.300m.
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Site Survey. The misclosure of the traverse was 0.017m over a traverse length of 312.025m. This gives an accuracy statement of 1:18,350. Required accuracy for site surveys is normally between 1:5,000 and 10,000.
Photography. The aerial photography was flown on 11 Oct 99 and geo-referenced using the site survey data and control points. Plotted coordinates from the photography are positioned to +/- 0 .500m.
East Timor Topographic Mapping Limitations
1:25,000 Maps. These maps were derived from scanned 1:25,000 Indonesian mapping, based on 1992 field surveys and 1981/1982 compilation. These maps provided the best information available at the time to the Department of Defence. The Army Topographic Support Establishment modified these scanned Indonesian maps to incorporate a WGS84 Grid; English translations of, and additions to, marginalia. The WGS84 Grid was incorporated onto the scanned mapping by using a transformation process, which essentially transformed the Indonesian datum 74 coordinates to WGS84 coordinates. This transformation was conducted without known ground control points and therefore the WGS 84 Grid may have inaccuracies in the order of 30 to 100m. As this mapping was Indonesian based, it was not possible to verify the accuracy of the information presented.
The East – West Timor border. The border between East and West Timor cannot be accurately determined from the 1:25,000 mapping due to the limitations and inaccuracies of the mapping, as explained above. To accurately determine the border location, a Title Search of the relevant government lands department would need to be conducted in order to ascertain previous surveys depicting the position of the border. Due to the state of the records kept in the local lands department it is unlikely that such records exist in East Timor today. These would need to be sourced from either Kupang (if available) or Jakarta.
Conclusion
2. The site plan depicting the area in question is an accurate and true representation of the terrain and cultural detail. The plan however does not depict the border, due to the absence of accurate survey records depicting the border. To accurately depict the border, existing records would need to be uncovered in order to perform a re-establishment survey. If this was not possible then a new border survey would need to be undertaken which would involve Indonesian and East Timorese representative surveyors establishing the new border location.
S.J. HOFFMANN CAPT 1 TOPO SVY SQN IFET Tel : 330 1716 / 1717 16 Oct 99
SUN 17 OCT 99. CPL Boulton departed at 0700 hrs for Suai in order to provide CIS support to the 3 Bde. SGT Weatherall returned from his route recce and GPS Recce of Same. The convoy he was in was the first Australians to enter the area. On their arrival the villagers treated them like conquering hero’s as they lined the streets on the convoy’s arrival. Also 6 militia surrendered to the Australian party. SPR O’Brien was treated with a flight with the Air
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Camera crew, however after a short time they had to return to Dili Airport as she had become violently air sick. She proclaimed that it was the worst experience of her life. MON 18 OCT 99. CAPT Seefeld, WO2 Miller, CPL Carrol, LCPL Malone, SPR Roslon and SPR Groves departed for Baucau at 0730 hrs as part of the Geodetic team that will observe a 24 hr GPS point to complete the Dili – Baucau baseline. Discussions continued on rotations, however details are very sketchy. It appears however that personnel posted at the end of the year will continue with their postings. TUE 19 OCT 99. ………….. returned home for 10 days on compassionate grounds. The Geodetic Team returned from Baucau after a successful 24 hr GPS Observation. The data will be sent to AUSLIG for processing. This completes the field phase in establishing the Dili- Baucau baseline. MGI Cell went to three shifts in order to complete the Dili Photo Map and Cantonment Map. WED 20 OCT 99. 68 Americans (signals unit) arrived to occupy the northern half of the University. Discussion occurred between the GSG Comd, SSM 1 Topo, MAJ …., CAPT….., SSM US, and CAPT Murray an Australian exchange officer working for the US, on security and cooperation between the two units. A successful meeting. THU 21 OCT 99. The Americans have stepped up security around the University without tying into the existing security plan. They have also placed a padlock on the front gate at night after running into the gate with one of their vehicles. The Sqn was tasked with producing the 1:100K maps of EM18 from JOG Ed 3 and the Dili photo map at 1:5000. Problems are also being experienced with the Sqn’s output devices. It is unclear as to whether it is the environment or the techniques used by the operators. However some plots are taking up to 8 hrs to process. An Indonesian air conditioner was placed in the MGI room however on moving it from its original location the copper pipe cracked and let out the gas. 17 Const Sqn may be able to provide support to fix the problem. FRI 22 OCT 99. Two local workers made comments to ……….. that they witnessed militia raping and murdering two girls east of Dili 3 weeks ago. The information was reported to Dili Comd however nothing was further was heard. Mr Xanana Gusmao made an historic speech today on his return to EM. MAJ Ruff, CAPT Hoffmann, CAPT Seefeld and SGT Weatherall attended the speech. The Americans have started locking the front gate during the day, however after some negotiations they have agreed to only lock it at night and provide us a key. They also requested Engr support in response to one of their soldiers finding a suspect mine. It turned out to be a piece of plastic. SAT 23 OCT 99. Six personnel (WO2 Bunney, SGT Weatherall, LACW Peters, SGT Cannon, SPR Grove and LCPL Douglas) departed EM University for Baucau at 0630 hrs. At the same time another two pers (WO2 Miller, LCPL Malone) departed for Suai in order to place a GPS triangulation network between Dili-Baucau-Suai. The survey was completed and all personnel returned the same day. Two plotters were sent back to Dwn for repair leaving one 2500 HP plotter working in the GSG. Half the Sqn had their first day off in over a month. To break the monotony of living and working at the University they went to a local beach in the morning. The second half of the Sqn will have Sunday off. SUN 24 OCT 99. Nothing to report. MON 25 OCT 99. A third of the consumables detailed in the OPDEM priority 1 began to arrive. This is the first tangible sign of the JSU provided support to 1 Topo Svy Sqn. The
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plotters sent to Dwn for repair are estimated to arrive back in theatre on Thursday. Permission for the consumption of alcohol was given so members of 1 Topo Svy Sqn enjoyed two cans per man at the Amenities block in the old Printing Rooms. Plans are under way for a joint Sqn bar with the Americans in the Uni chemistry lab. Unfortunately the Americans are not allowed to drink due to their national policy however they are more than happy to frequent the bar. TUE 26 OCT 99. Numerous requests were received on mapping for West Timor after the Response Forces insurgence into the Onclave. Confirmation was received from the Sqn back in Enoggera that they had received the Repmat from ATSE and were being production of the 1:100k series. They expect to complete the task by next Thursday. They are also continuing work on the Dili Photo Map 1:12K. Geo-referencing of the Cantonment Map, now called the Precinct Map, is progressing slowly due problems encountered after scanning. Enormous pressure is being exerted onto the Sqn to mass produce the product. It should be complete by the end of the week. WED 27 OCT 99. MAJ Bjarte Solaas (Norweigan Offr on Force Engr HQ) CAPT Hoffmann, WO2 Miller, CPL Dales, CPL Carrol, CPL Graf, CPL Malone and CPL Hartley departed for Baucau in order to densify the primary control network at Viqueque and Los Palos. CPL Malone and CPL Hartley remained behind at Baucau whilst the others departed for Viqueque. On route the Svy Team conducted a route recce and arrived at Viqueque around 1130 hrs. C2 HQ INTERFET briefed the detachment that the Thais were in control of Viqueque, however on arrival the Thailand military were nowhere to be seen. After patrolling the area and visiting the local hospital, the local Doctor advised the team that the Philippinos were actually in control and were positioned at the school. After making contact with the Philippinos, who provided security to the Svy Team in the form of their Special Forces and ended up being excellent hosts, asked CAPT Hoffmann if we would assist in retrieving a woman in a village who had fallen out of a tree. Whilst WO2 Miller and CPL Carrol continued with the GPS Survey the rest of the party departed for the village, ably led by a few locals on motor bikes. On arrival at the village the interpreter lead CAPT Hoffmann and MAJ Solaas on a two Km trek to the farm house where the woman was situated. After a quick examination it was revealed that she had a broken pelvis, ribs and shoulder with also a suspected broken spine. CAPT Hoffmann returned to the vehicles guarded by CPL Graf and CPL Dales. After making a stretcher out of a door from the local school CAPT Hoffmann and CPL Dales returned to the farm house and collected the woman. She was placed in the LR 110 and driven very slowly to the hospital in Viqueque. When the team eventually RV with WO2 Miller it was revealed that the Trimble 4000SSE was US and so no observations were recorded. THU 28 OCT 99. The survey team at Viqueque departed at 0600 hrs on route to Los Palos with the Philippinos providing security until the team reached the limits of their AO. The aim was to conduct a route recce and establish a control point at Los Palos for future observations. The route itself was deemed only passable during the dry season as it resembled more of a goat track at times. The survey party then departed Los Palos and headed for Baucau to collect the remaining members and return to Dili. FRI 29 OCT 99. LT McCarthy, CPL Whiteside, CPL Baker, SPR Bieshaar and SPR Weirauch arrived today. LT McCarthy will be the LO to Dili Comd and the four soldiers will be absorbed into the MGI Cell. Consumables are still creating problems. 3 Bde are low on plotting paper as is the GSG. One third of the OP Dem has arrived however the plotting paper is still outstanding. WO2 Miller was able to repair the Trimble 4000SSE after consultation with Trimble in New Zealand. He performed a re-boot procedure that cleared the problem. Discussions continued with the Americans on the Joint Bar. The Americans may be able to
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drink once a week. If this occurs it will be a first for the US Forces and may be used as a test bed to see if it works. Some bones were found in the Universities ground which were suspected of being human. Dili Comd are investigating. SAT 30 OCT 99. The new 1055 HP Plotters, purchased under TOPOSS, arrived today which will relieve the backlog of tasks awaiting plots. The two plotters originally sent back to Dwn have also been repaired. One will be sent to Dili however the other will be returned to the Sqn. SUN 31 OCT 99. Nothing to report. MON 01 NOV 99. CAPT Jackson, CAPT Hoffmann and CPL Hartley (replacement for ………….who has injured his knee) flew to Suai to visit the MGI Det at 3 Bde. After discussions with LT Trainor and his team, as well as the S219 and BM20 it appears that the Det is providing excellent support to the HQ and has well and truly become an established element of the HQ. The only issue, which is the same problem facing the GSG is the resupply of consumables. The Geodetic Cell once again deployed to Baucau, Los Palos and Viqueque to re-observe the point selected last week. Also the Air Camera crew is experiencing great difficulty in obtaining good photography due the imminent wet season. 17 Const Sqn was also asked to resurface the gravel track surrounding the University as well as clear all the drains. TUE 02 NOV 99. CAPT Jackson and SPR Sappsford was unable to return on the courier from Suai due to flights being booked for IDPs21 and PWs22. The image analysts may return to AS as early as mid Nov due to the lack of photography being flown by the RC10 Camera. This is entirely due to the cloud cover over the island. The Geodetic team returned after a successful two days of observations at Baucau, Los Palos and Viqueque. WED 03 NOV 99. A representative from WFO, Karren Hudlow visited the GSG today and inquired about sharing unclassified segment of the GIS23 with NGOs24. Once INTERFET has transitioned to UNTAET25 it is likely that the unclassified segment of the GIS will be passed on to UNTAET for distribution to NGOs. THU 04 NOV 99. LT McCarthy and CPL Carroll departed with RESFOR on a four day route recce south of Same. The GSG continued to produce MGI Product for the Onclave by producing products such as the 1:100k specials being produced from JOGs, 1:50k special,1:10k special of Acuci and an A3 product of the Warf. Two GISs were created today. One for Dili Comd on their War Crime investigations and other on all imagery obtained by the GSG. At about 1830 hrs a monsoonal rain flooded the area. It became apparent what areas leaked water and what areas need sandbagging due to the poor drainage around the University. The whole area was at least one foot underwater. FRI 05 NOV 99. WO2 Miller and his team departed at 0530 hrs to coordinate GPS points at Suai, Los Palos, Viqueque and Dili. One out of the two vehicles with Dili Comd’s equipment arrived today. Unfortunately the Unimog with the medium maintenance shelter was not loaded onto the Jervis Bay due to a logistics error in the manifest. It will now arrive on
19 HQ 3 Bde Intelligence 20 3 Bde Brigade Major 21 Displaced Persons 22 Prisoners of War 23 Geographic Information Systems 24 Non Government Organisations 25 United Nations Transitional Administration East Timor April 2020 Videre Parare Est Canberra Survey Corps Association
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Sunday compliments of the Royal Malaysian Navy ship ‘The Excellence’. Resup provided to 3 Bde MGI Cell. Unfortunately there were no rolls of paper supplied due to the OP DEM still being outstanding and the Unimog carrying 24 rolls of paper being delayed. ……… will return home (AME) on Monday due to a knee problem. He will be permanently replaced by SPR Costigan who is currently detached to the MGI Cell HQ NORCOM. SAT 06 NOV 99. WO2 Miller and his geodetic team returned at 1600hrs after a successful two days GPS observations. FLTLT Coghill visited the Sqn from ASTJIC26 and inquired about the GSG supplying data to them. It was advised that the GSG sends all its data to NORCOM MGI Cell who are then the distributors of data to the rest of the Australian Military Users. Also Australia won the Rugby World Cup against France 35 to 12. A flogging! SUN 07 NOV 99. At 1900 hrs the Joint Australian and American Bar was opened. It was the first time an American Unit was allowed to drink in an Operational Theatre. The opening proved to be an enormous success, so much so that the Americans will be given permission to do it again. Two thirds of the Op Dem arrived today as did the Unimog carrying the Medium Maintenance Shelter. The GSG and 3 Bde MGI Cell were down to their final rolls of paper for the plotters. The Op Dem (Priority 1) which should take 3 to 4 days to arrive once ordered took 3 to 4 weeks. MON 08 NOV 99. The Unimog was finally offloaded from ‘The Excellence’ and the much needed stores were distributed amongst the sections of the GSG. The air-conditioners were finally installed into the MGI Cell to provide a stable environment for the equipment to work in. The final MOVREQ for personnel posted to other units from the GSG was completed and forwarded to C1/C4. TUE 09 NOV 99. 17 Const Sqn began constructing the hard standing for the carpark as well as resurfacing the road. WED 10 NOV 99. CAPT Jackson and CAPT Seefeld attended the Marine Corps birthday with CAPT Well, Coy Comd 11 Sig Bde. 17 Const Sqn finished constructing the hard standing for the carpark as well as resurfacing the road. WO2 Miller was then tasked to conduct a site survey to determine the effects on drainage and produce a drainage plan. THU 11 NOV 99. The COS COL Kelly and LTCOL Naumann (F ENGR Cell) visited 198 Works and 1 Topo Svy Sqn during the afternoon. The COS was certainly impressed with the diverse capability of the GSG as well as the skill levels required of the soldiers. The COS improved understanding of the Sqn should allow him to make an informed decision when deciding on the type and amount of Topo support the Sqn provides when UNTAET takes over from INTERFET. CPL Cordwell (CIS) arrived today as a replacement for CAPT Jackson. LT Trainor is also visiting today from the 3 Bde MGI Cell. He will be completing CPL PR66s27 and discussing command and control issues with CAPT Hoffmann. The Sqn participated in two Remembrance Day ceremonies. One with the Americans in the morning and one with the JSU and HQ INTERFET at 1045 hrs. FRI 12 NOV 99. There was a reshuffle of the HQ element of the GSG. CAPT Seefeld is now taking over the responsibilities of OPSO. SAT 13 NOV 99. CAPT Jackson was farewelled from the unit today. Besides the unit plaque he was also awarded the first degree from the University of EM.
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The following is an update on connectivity to the GSG: CWAN (Combined Wide Area Network) The Sqn currently has a single CWAN connection located in the foyer of the MGI Cell. This terminal is shared by all members of the Sqn. The pay computer is connected to the CWAN but is not generally available for internet use. Each of the main work areas has an account on the CWAN and it is the responsibility of the Section IC s to ensure that Internet and Email is not abused. It is intended that further CWAN connections be established in the Sqn HQ. IWAN (Interfet Wide Area Network) Connectivity to the IWAN is continuing. The computer is being rebuilt by 1 JSU CIS Sqn. Application forms for accounts are with Comd GSG. Maj White intention is for us to populate Lotus Notes pages with mapping/MGI info. It is intended that this be relatively simple but has good content. JCSS (Australian Joint Command Support System) Discussions with Capt Dave Jefferies (Info Security Officer 1 JSU) have indicated the following:
Full JCSS connectivity of SGT Einam’s equipment will not occur in the short term A single JCSS terminal is achievable OC CIS Sqn & Capt Jefferies are to approach the CO JSU about our connectivity 2 x accounts have been created: C3451 & C3452 for Capt Jackson & Capt Seefeld. C3452 is activated but has not been used yet It may be better to concentrate on the IWAN data and look at using the JCSS terminal for data gathering. Contact with Maj White will need to be maintained to ensure we can get stuff out of JCSS. SUN 14 NOV 99. MAJGEN Cosgrove visited the unit today at 0900hrs. He firstly addressed the soldiers collectively as they were formed up in a hollow square. He then promoted CAPT Jackson to Major. A small ceremony followed in which MAJ Jacksons slides were wet down. This is an old American custom which was adopted by us temporarily given that we are now close neighbours with the Americans and MAJ Jackson is posted to Washington DC next year. The wetting down of the slides symbolises the cleansing of the old ranks in preparation for the new. So with that in mind SSM Emerston and MAJ Lee poured a bucket of water each over MAJ Jackson. MAJGEN Cosgrove then spent the next ¾ hour touring the Unit. He also signed a mural painted on the wall of the Piss House by CPL Carroll. MAJ Jackson also departed at 1630 hrs back to Australia as he needs to prepare for his posting to the US. The Piss House was also denied permission to sell alcohol due to a crackdown by the COS. Hopefully this will be reviewed.
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COMD INTERFET MAJGEN Peter Cosgrove (left) being briefed by COMD GSG CAPT Shaun Hoffmann (with slung Steyr rifle) MON 15 NOV 99. The Geodetic Section departed at 0530 hrs for Suai, Meliana and Betugade in order to complete the Primary Network. The sleave on the printing press is still at RAEME but should be completed by tomorrow. SQNLDR Harland is reviewing all the surveillance and targeting assets in theatre. As the F111 is now flying it is unlikely that the King Air will be tasked by C2 in the future. If it is not utilised, then there is about two weeks of mapping tasks that the GSG will task. MAJGEN Cosgrove promised SPR Grove a hat presented to him by the Indonesians on one of his meetings with them. Unfortunately his name was spelt MAJGEN Grove so in keeping with his promise the hat turned up today. TUE 16 NOV 99. Planning continued on the secondary network. It is anticipated that this network will take two weeks to complete. Approval for JP 12928 to take part in the operation has been denied. A number of hard drives are beginning to fail. This includes a work station at 3 Bde and one in the MGI cell. Unfortunately it takes 8 to 10 hrs to rebuild a machine. The cause of the problem may be due to the environment not being air conditioned or a manufacturing fault. WED 17 NOV 99. John Farnham visited the unit at about 1100hrs to sign the mural that CPL Carroll painted. He also signed a number of personnel items for the soldiers as well as a photo map of Dili. In return the Sqn presented him with a signed copy, by the Sqn, of the Dili photo map. MAJ Bennet also visited the Sqn at 1230 hrs as part of the Land Operations
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Analysis Team (LOAT). His mission was to speak to the Officers and SNCOs about lessons learnt during the Op. THU 18 NOV 99. The PT program commenced this morning at 0500 hrs. Although most personnel are doing their own PT in the mornings this is a chance to get all of the Sqns personnel out of the compound and participate in minor team games. Now that the press has been repaired by RAEME it has been working around the clock. Essentially the press was down for five days due to a disc continually slipping. The maps store has also been working around the clock in order to issue mapping to Ghurkas who are tasked with occupying Atauro Island for a two week period. The MGI Cell has also started producing products for the newly raised CIVPOL29 in the form of image maps and road GIS. FRI 19 NOV 99 ……..is no longer coming as a reinforcement due to failing the BFA, SPR Norrel is coming instead. MAJ McInnes and WO2 Hanily from Psych Corps gave a presentation to the Sqn of the psychological effects of living and working in an Operational Theatre. The Air Camera aircraft was finally repaired today and, however due to the aircraft sitting on the ground for a number of days there was a temporary problem with the fuel lines. The aircraft did manage to fly its scheduled run though. Confirmation was achieved on the rotation of personnel from 3 Bde MGI Cell to the GSG and vice-versa. The rotations will take place on 4 Dec 99, 25 Dec 99 and 03 Jan 00. And finally the four outstanding 100k maps arrived today as well the outstanding OP DEM. SAT 20 NOV 99 The MGI Cell is experiencing major problem due to the failing of the hard drives. The SGI Work station has also US as well as 3 Bde’s NT Box. It appears that the problem is environmental, ie dust and humidity. Replacement drives are being sort as well as air-conditioners for the cell. SUN 21 NOV 99 The COFS finally gave permission for the Piss House to sell alcohol on Sundays between 1900 and 2200 hrs. Two soldiers,……………, volunteered their services for 14 days and 10 days extras30 respectively as well as 14 and 10 days ROP31 for breaching weapon security standing orders. SPR Costigan arrived today as a re-enforcement for ……... MON 22 NOV 99. MAJ Freeman (Legal Offr) spoke to the Sqn today on individual guidance on the use of force, disarmament and apprehension. A security exercise was also played out with the scenario of 4 militia in dark clothing, shooting into the INTERFET HQ. The exercise involved all of the Australian and American occupants in the compound as well as A Coy 2 Royal Ghurka Regiment. The drill went well however the Americans had deployed all their forces and neglected to leave behind a reserve force with ours. Comms between 1 Topo Svy Sqn and 11 Sig Bde BATCON was also poor. TUE 23 NOV 99. Ambassador Holbrook (US Ambassador to the UN) visited at 1400 hrs with BRIG GEN Kelly USAF and signed the Mural by CPL Carroll. A minute for MAJGEN Cosgrove's signature has been drafted for HQ AST regarding both small and large scale remapping for EM. The minute stresses the strategic importance of this mapping and the likely long term involvement of AS in EM. It further states that the 1 Topo assets currently in EM should be used as far as possible to assist this effort before they depart ie air camera and geodetic dets are not included in planned figures for next rotation. The following provides a heads up of what has already been done and what is planned in this regard. Much of this has already been covered on previous sitreps and emails listing current/future tasking.
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AIR CAMERA - The Imagery Acquisition Sect have taken air photos at 1:25K scale of most of the key towns and routes across EM. These are currently being used to construct 1:10K photomaps. Tasking is continuing, and includes the MSR32 from Batugade to Los Palos and any remaining key towns. Other photography to be captured includes key areas of the Enclave and coverage of Atauro Island. This photography may be useful to ATSE for the mapping process. GEODETIC SURVEY - The Geodetic Control Section is continuing with the establishment of the EM Geodetic Network. The primary control network of 7 points has been completed with good adjustment results. The primary control package is due to leave here in the next day or so by hardcopy to DSMGI. Atauro Island and the Enclave will be added soon (subject to water/air tpt avail). Observation of a secondary network of 12 points (more with Enclave etc) commences today and is planned for completion in 3 to 4 weeks. Packages including ident photography, station docs and diagram will be included for all control points. It is assessed that the primary and secondary control networks will be more than adequate to provide mapping control for GPS controlled air photgraphy. PHOTO INTERPRETATION GUIDE (PIG) PRODUCTION - Planning is currently being conducted for production of PIGS to assist the mapping effort. The PIGs will include ground and air photography in addition to diagrams and documentation to assist interpretation of air photography and to provide explanation of Indonesian map symbology. Production of PIGs is not due to commence for at least four weeks (The Geodetic Survey Section will undertake this after the secondary control packages are completed, with assistance from the air cam ops once cloud/weather precludes flying photography). It is not yet clear how extensive the PIGs will be, but it is certainly planned to provide as much assistance as possible to the map production process. It is also planned to carry out limited verification of one/no. of existing 1:25K, if time permits, to provide an overview. WED 24 NOV 99 GEN Smith US Army Pacific visited today and signed the Mural. He also presented CPL Carroll his coin as a gesture of appreciation of his artistic talents. SGT Madden from the Image Analyst Cell departed EM. THU 25 NOV 99. LTCOL Challis (C3I DEV)33 and CAPT Hart (Navy) J2 Canberra and LTCOL Foley CO 1 JSU visited today at 0800hrs. LTCOL Challis was particularly interested in the progress made in relation to connectivity with JCSS, the IWAN and TBS34. Power went down again today due to a plant operator hitting the power cable over at the JSU. Power went out at 1100 hrs and was restored at 1830 hrs. As an interim measure the 15 KVA was used to power the press and an American 16 KVA was used to power up half of the MGI Cell. This incident once again highlights the need to either have redundancy or be totally self-sufficient in terms of power. The SSM met with the CPLs today to listen to any complaints they had. Only minor points came out of it however the major concern was not having a date to return home on. FRI 26 NOV 99. SPR Norrell arrived today as a re-enforcement for …….. HE was heard being detonated to west of Dili. Apparently the Ammo Platoon was disposing of confiscated explosives which were taken off the Militia in the early days. The press broke down again due to the same problem as before. This time the disc was welded to the lever, which appears to have fixed the problem. The Americans have indicated that they may withdraw from Dili on
32 Main Supply Route 33 HQADF Command Control Communications and Information Development 34 Theatre Broadcast System – a communications satellite based system being developed by Defence Science and Technology Organisation for rapid dissemination and distribution of high value information to deployed forces. April 2020 Videre Parare Est Canberra Survey Corps Association
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15 Dec 99. They have indicated however that any items that we may require could be back- loaded to us on their departure eg air conditioners. SAT 27 NOV 99. The beach out near the Jesus Statue was closed due to a high count of pollutants being detected. SUN 28 NOV 99. Nothing to report. MON 29 NOV 99.
DRAWDOWN PLAN : 1 TOPO SVY SQN Introduction 1. 1 Topo Svy Sqn currently has deployed a number of elms in support of INTERFET. This includes an MGI Section, Repro Section, Geodetic Survey Section, Air Camera Section, and Map Distribution in addition to elms in support of Dili Comd and HQ WESTFOR35. All 1 Topo Svy Sqn elms have been consistently tasked at a high rate and it is anticipated this tasking will continue until late January to Mid-February 2000. The following paragraphs detail the current and projected tasking for 1 Topo Svy Sqn elms and a proposed drawdown plan for the transition to UNTAET. Current and Planned Tasking 2. MGI Section. The MGI Section has registered almost 600 tasks since arrival in East Timor and is averaging some 60 new tasks per week. Current tasking includes several image mapping products of key towns required to augment standard mapping in addition to numerous crime investigation and airfield security products. A key component of the MGI Section is the creation and maintenance of Geographical Information System (GIS) databases. Current GIS database creation tasks include the following: a. A crime GIS database to assist investigators to manage a large volume of data and identify possible criminal trends. This GIS database will require continue maintenance and development due to the large volume of continuing investigations. b. An Engineer GIS database to assist Engineer elements in managing imagery and text data and to assist in planning construction tasks. This database will continue to be enhanced with information acquired during field verification. c. An OH & S GIS database to assist the Occupational Safety Team with managing data, identifying safety issues and formulating prevention strategies. d. An Imagery GIS database to assist in the management of the imagery data. This database includes all handheld, air camera and satellite imagery held by 1 Topo Svy Sqn and enables users to readily identify required imagery. e. A Damage Assessment GIS database to identify the level and location of destruction in order to assist the focus rebuilding efforts. 3. The MGI Section currently has the manning and expertise to construct and maintain these GIS databases. Construction of these and other planned GIS databases is anticipated
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to continue until mid-February. The proposed post-drawdown MGI Section will be able to maintain but not construct GIS databases such as these. 4. Repro Section. Current tasking for the Repro Section is dominated by information operations products provided by the MISC in addition to mapping products. To date this has included some 350 000 impressions. Principle amongst these products is the newsletter, “The New East Timor” which has around 50 000 copies printed every week. Tasking for the Repro Section will continue to be high whilst hardcopy information campaign products are required by INTERFET. 5. Geodetic Survey Section. Current tasking for the Geodetic Survey Section includes the completion of a control network for East Timor, field verification and other survey tasks. The control survey network will provide 24 highly accurate surveyed control points that are required for airfield and engineer surveys and in particular are essential for completion of the 1:50 000 remapping of East Timor to be completed by ATSE. Further assistance to the 1:50 000 remapping effort is planned through the conduct of field verification operations. This field verification will provide ATSE with detailed ground truth information to assist in the accurate interpretation of aerial imagery and correct portrayal of ground features. Provision of field verification information will be fundamental to the remapping effort as the personnel at ATSE have little or no imagery interpretation and map feature portrayal experience outside of Australia. The risk of poorly produced maps without this guidance is significant. Further details of the requirement for this mapping is included in Annex A. The projected timeline for Geodetic Survey Section tasks is as follows: a. Completion of control survey network – 3 weeks, b. Completion of airfield surveys, engineer site surveys and coordination with hydrographic survey – 1 week, c. Completion of field verification operation – 4 weeks. 6. Past experience has shown that comprehensive field verification would occupy the entire Sqn for a period of some months. The Geodetic Survey Section is currently manned by four personnel and will be reinforced with a further four personnel from the Air Camera Section for the duration of the field verification operation. Despite this reinforcement, the Geodetic Survey Section will be undermanned to comprehensively complete this task. 7. Air Camera Section. To date the Air Camera Section have taken over 2000 photographs for both surveillance and mapping purposes in support of the INTERFET mission. No further surveillance tasking is required of the Section, however a further seven missions are required to complete outstanding mapping photography tasks. Weather permitting, it is planned to complete these missions by 6 Dec 99. Following completion of these missions a further two to three weeks will be required to develop photographs, produce reprints and sort, archive and digitise existing photography. Upon completion of these tasks, the Air Camera Section personnel will be provided to the Geodetic Survey Section to assist completion of field verification operations. 8. Force Map Distribution. Map distribution has been a vital component of 1 Topo Svy Sqn’s support to INTERFET. To date over 60 000 map products have been issued at an average of 1000 per day. The rate of map issue has remained steady and it is assessed that this will continue for some time. The requirement for bulk issue of maps will become particularly important with the transition to UNTAET. The lead up and early stages of UNTAET will be characterised by many new units and nationalities arriving in theatre, all of which will require bulk map issue. April 2020 Videre Parare Est Canberra Survey Corps Association
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9. HQ WESTFOR MGI Detachment. 1 Topo Svy Sqn has had an MGI Detachment comprising one officer and seven soldiers detached to this HQ from several weeks prior to D- day. This elm has worked directly to the S2 cell and has maintained a particularly high rate of work. Advice from HQ WESTFOR is that this elm is required until 7 Feb 2000, at which time it will return to AS. 10. Dili Comd MGI Detachment. 1 Topo Svy Sqn has provided MGI support comprising one officer and four soldiers since soon after the raising of Dili Comd. For reasons of geographical closeness, these four soldiers are co-located with the 1 Topo Svy Sqn MGI Section. Tasking for this elm has remained high, particularly given the increase of force elms within Dili Comd and the expansion of the Dili Comd AO. Drawdown Plan 11. The draw down plan for 1 Topo Svy Sqn IFET is to reduce the size of the current force from 2 Offrs and 29 ORs to 1 Offr and 15 ORs (Annex B) by the 28 Feb 00. This includes drawing down 1 Offr and 4 ORs at Dili Comd as well as the attachments from 1 JSU and the RAAF (Image Analysts). Given current and projected tasking as detailed above, the Sqn is planning to draw down the RAAF Image Analysts by 13 Dec 00 and the Geodetic Survey and Air Camera Sections by 31 Jan 00. The remaining sections are planned to depart EM by 15 Feb 00, leaving the 1+15 Topo Det in place to provide force level MGI and Mapping support to UNTAET. 12. The HQ WESTFOR MGI Det is planned to rotate back to AS on 7 Feb 00. If AS fields another Bde HQ as part of UNTAET, then an additional MGI Det (1 Offr and 7 ORs) will be required to provide formation level support. If the follow on force to 3 Bde is reduced to a Bn size then a reduced MGI Cell may be required. Conclusion 13. 1 Topo Svy Sqn elms have been consistently tasked at a high rate since deployment to EM and it is anticipated this tasking will continue until late January to Mid-February 2000. Of particular importance is the completion of the control survey network and field verification in order to support ATSE’s 1:50 000 remapping of EM. Also of importance is the creation and maintenance of several GIS databases to assist several key operations in EM. A drawdown plan reducing 1 Topo Svy Sqn elms to 1 Officer and 15 ORs by mid-February for the transition to UNTAET has been developed. It should be noted that reduction of 1 Topo Svy Sqn elms in a shorter timeframe will render the Sqn unable to complete essential tasking. TUE 30 NOV 99. Chemicals becoming critical again for Repro. Unfortunately the manufacturer sent over the wrong plates which react badly with the current batch of chemicals. The plates were reordered on 7 Nov 99 however due to the slow supply system they still have not arrived. The Sqn as an interim has purchased $500 worth of plates out of DUF and should arrive on Thursday or Friday. WED 1 DEC 99. US Senator REED visited the Piss House and signed the mural. 10 personnel from the Sqn were given a joy ride in a black hawk over Dili courtesy of CAPT Seefeld. LTCOL Phillips from UNTAET discussed with the OC the allocation of 1+15 to the transition force. AS is yet to commit geomatic technicians to UNTAET however LTCOL Phillips has included them into his real estate plan. THU 2 DEC 99. Continued discussion between the OC and COLOPS on whether the Sqn can re-deploy back to AS before Christmas. The rational appears to be that if the Sqn is
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producing products for UNTAET then it should re-deploy back to AS ASAP. However if there is MGI tasking which is considered essential to INTERFET’s mission then the Sqn will redeploy as planned in Jan/Feb. It is still uncertain whether AS will offer geomatic support to UNTAET. In other activities the press received the much needed plates to produce the Dili Newspaper. It will now be operating 24hrs to reduce the backlog of tasking. Also the SGI Workstation and the Scanner arrived from the Sqn today. The hard drives are still outstanding. SPR Gee FRI 3 DEC 99. Geodetic cell departed at 0500 hrs for a two day Op to place secondary control in the western side of EM. Discussions continued on the re-deployment of the Sqn prior to Christmas. The following is a Dot Brief presented to the COFS and COLOPS. Brief for COFS/COLOPS HQ IFET Redeployment of 1 Topo IFET
1 Topo IFET currently has 50 personnel in EM, including three (3) detached and nine (9) allocated to HQ 3 Bde. Attached are three RAAF IAs and two 1 JSU geomatic engrs. RAAF personnel are scheduled for departure in mid Dec.
Given guidance provided by COLOPS IFET on 2 Dec, proposed drawdown of Sqn elements, inclusive of 3 Bde det, is as follows:
15 personnel depart NLT mid Dec 99 – 35 remaining.
Further seven (7) personnel on posting depart, to be replaced during same period given loss of critical skills; tenure five (5) weeks.
Further 16 personnel depart third week of Jan 00 – 19 remaining.
Remainder, less OC (Force Engr Cell), depart NLT first week Feb 00.
Should field press be required beyond this date for info ops further three (3) personnel to remain.
Should UNTAET request geomatic spt, with subsequent approval from AS, seven personnel would remain, with further augmentation from 1 Topo (AS).
Tasking during drawdown is restricted to minimal MGI spt to HQ IFET and HQ 3 Bde, repro spt to` info ops and field verification phase. Focus will be placed on limited field verification by expanded geodetic cell.
Comprehensive reduction delayed due to strategic requirement to field verify existing 1:25K mapping, including photo interpretation guides. Task considered critical given AS long term interests in EM. Data will assist in remapping of country. Field verification provides a detailed assessment of the accuracy of the cartographic portrayal of features and nomenclature, which will complement the positional accuracy afforded by the new control network. With the current AS leadership of INTERFET, now seems to be the opportune time to collect additional MGI to review and upgrade available mapping. Unrestricted transit is currently avail, with all assets in theatre.
Tasks that will not be completed include a variety of GIS’, completion of imagery database, remaining photomaps (for areas flown) and establishment of IWAN/JCSS
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connectivity and subsequent digital database interrogation capability (DJFHQ MGI Trial).
Decision: Request field verification task be approved, and consequent redeployment schedule.
Compiled by: CAPT S.J. Hoffmann 2IC 1 Topo IFET 3 Dec 99 Cleared by: MAJ P.H. Ruff OC 1 Topo IFET 3 Dec 99
SAT 4 DEC 99. GEN Sheldon and Admiral Blair visited the bar today and signed the mural. CPL L Palfrey and SPR Roslon departed for Suai to join the MGI Det at 3 Bde. CPL Jones and SPR Hammer will return to the GSG tomorrow as part of the rotation plan to not only rest the personnel at 3 Bde but to spread the experience around. Today was also the last sorte involving the Air Camera. All photography required by the GSG has now been flown. The Air Camera crew will now process the remaining films and pack-up their kit, including taking the RC10 out of the King Air. Once this is complete the section will be disbanded and the pers will fold into the Geodetic Cell. SUN 5 DEC 99. CPL Jones and SPR Hammer arrived from Suai today. MON 6 DEC 99. MAJ Bennet and a representative from DSTO visited the Sqn to discuss issues involving the air camera. MAJ Bennet also gave a copy of the Geomatic Engineering lessons learnt that he collected on his previous visit. The 3 remaining Image Analyst personnel SGT Cannon, CPL Dales and LAWC Peters departed EM. TUE 7 DEC 99. CAPT Hoffmann and WO2 Brinsmead travelled to Suai to visit the MGI Det at 3 Bde. The Det, the BM, the S2 and Plans were informed of the draw down for Sqn as presented to COLOPS. The BM agreed to the first phase of the plan and tentively agreed to the second phase of rotating the MGI Det back to the GSG on 15 Jan 99. The two personnel identified to return home were CPL Palfrey and SPR Hammer are to depart. They will drive out with a vehicle and generator along route Longblack if weather permitting. The OC also briefed the Sqn on the draw down plan and released the names of the 15 personnel identified to return home. This is on top of the personnel rotating back to the Sqn as part of the Posting Plan. The personnel identified are as follows: a. SGT Johnson, b. CPL Andrews, c. CPL Boulton, d. CPL Douglas, e. CPL Goetz, f. CPL Huxley, g. CPL Palfrey D, h. CPL Palfrey L, i. CPL Sinderberry, j. SPR Day,
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k. SPR Hammer, l. SPR Fitzpatrick, m. SPR Martin, n. SPR O’Brien, and o. SPR Wilkinson.
WED 8 DEC 99. Continued planning on the draw down plan (DPDS). The Americans in the University (11 Sig Bde) are also drawing down in earnest. It is expected that they will have completely vacated the university by 17 Dec 99. The Coy Comd CAPT Wells is hoping to leave behind a number of stores including 6 air conditioners. THU 9 DEC 99. Confirmed with C1\C4 that the 15 personnel will depart on 18 Dec 99. Unfortunately the 5 vehicles identified to return may not depart on the same date due to 2 RAR departing at the same time. The personnel replacing the personnel posted from the Sqn arrived in Darwin today to commence the Pre Deployment Trg Program. It is expected that they will arrive on 13 Dec 99. The personnel are CAPT Sapparth (replacing CAPT Seefeld OPSO), LT Sparkes (replacing LT Trainor 3 Bde), WO1 Hansen (replacing WO2 Brinsmead Tech WO), CPL Arnold (replacing CPL Bramich 3 Bde), CPL Wynn (replacing CPL Graf) and SPR Crowe (replacing CPL Hartley 3 Bde). FRI 10 DEC 99. CPL Palfrey and SPR Hammer arrived from Suai today. Unfortunately the vehicle and generator were denied route access from Suai to Dili (Route Longblack) due to poor road conditions. A MOVREQ was submitted to HQ 3 Bde in order to move the vehicle and generator by ship. SAT 11 DEC 99. Nothing to report. SUN 12 DEC 99 The Geodetic Cell had planned to use Avn Spt to conduct some GPS observations at Suai, Betano and Umaboco. Unfortunately the Blackhawks were experiencing fuel problems and had to cancel the task. MON 13 DEC 99. LT Trainor, CPL Hartley and CPL Bramich arrived from Suai to commence their Pre-Departure administration before departure on 18 Dec 99. MAJ Hersant marched into the Sqn in Brisbane today as the new OC. MAJ Ruff will remain with the F Engr Cell on HQ INTERFET until the transition of INTERFET to UNTAET. TUE 14 DEC 99. COL Joy visited the Sqn at 0830 hrs as the new CO of 1 JSU. He was briefed by the JSU Section and CAPT Hoffmann on how the JSU’s MGI trial had progressed. Particular attention was paid to the problems in gaining connectivity to JCSS and the IWAN. To complete the evaluation of the equipment it is essential to achieve connectivity to the Command and Control Systems. CMDR Wong and a group from DSTO visited the Sqn at 1000hrs to specifically look at connectivity to JCSS. In the interim it was suggested that at creating a web page that displays our products but cannot be interrogated will at least give further visibility to the Unit. The CLCE, COL Mostafa also visited the Unit and was briefed by the OC, 2IC and the Tech WO. CAPT Seefeld who is now posted to DJFHQ and WO2 Brinsmead who is posted to HQ SO were farewelled from the Sqn today. WO2 Brinsmead will return to AS on 18 Dec 99 but CAPT Seefeld will remain in EM and work over at CMOC. CAPT Sapparth, WO1 Hansen, LT Sparkes, CPL Arnold, CPL Wynn and SPR Crowe arrived in EM as part of the posting rotations plot.
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WED 15 DEC 99. LT Trainor, CPL Hartley, CPL Bramich and CPL Graf were farewelled from the Sqn today. They are due to return to AS on the 18 Dec 99 and depart the sqn shortly after on posting. The CGS of the NZ Army MAJGEN Morris Dodson was expected to visit the Sqn and in particular the MGI Cell at 1700hrs. Unfortunately he was held up in a UN meeting and had to cancel the visit. LT Sparkes and CPL Arnold departed Dili for Suai to take up their new positions in MGI Det on 3 Bde’s HQ. THU 16 DEC 99. LT Dixon, SGT Johnson, CPL Andrews, CPL Boulton, CPL Douglas, CPL Goetz, CPL Huxley, CPL Palfrey D, CPL Palfrey L, CPL Sinderberry, SPR Day, SPR Hammer, SPR Fitzpatrick, SPR Martin, SPR O’Brien, and SPR Wilkinson were farewelled at the 1630 brief. MAJGEN Cosgrove promoted CPLs Hartley, Bramich and Jones to SGTs, LCPL Douglas to CPL and SPRs Day, Grove and Norrell to LCPL. FRI 17 DEC 99. The following personnel departed on the Jervis Bay at 1400 hrs: LT Dixon, LT Trainor, WO2 Brinsmead, SGT Johnson, CPL Andrews, CPL Bramich, CPL Boulton, CPL Douglas, CPL Goetz, CPL Graf, CPL Hartley, CPL Huxley, CPL Palfrey D, CPL Palfrey L, CPL Sinderberry, SPR Day, SPR Hammer, SPR Fitzpatrick, SPR Martin, SPR O’Brien, and SPR Wilkinson. SGT Einam and LCPL Bailey (1 JSU) also departed today on the Jervis Bay. It is expected that they will arrive at Amberley RAAF Base on 18 Dec 99. The last American units also departed today after a small ceremony of lowering the flag. The section of the University that the Americans occupied is now being used by the JSU as a transient centre. SAT 18 DEC 99. SGT Parkin arrived today as part of the JSU MGI Cell. He will be absorbed into the MGI Cell of the GSG. CPL Bourne who replaces LCPL Bailey is still in Darwin and is doubtful if he will arrive. SUN 19 DEC 99. WO1 Winner arrived today on the Jervis Bay. MON 20 DEC 99. The plates for the print truck are still in Darwin but should arrive on 22 Dec 99. Tasking for the press has been seriously effected by the lack of plates and chemicals. WO1 Hansen has been given the responsibility for connectivity to the IWAN and JCSS. Although it is unlikely that connectivity will be achieved a Topo Web page should be able to be created manually on the IWAN using notes and JCSS. WO1 Winner has now taken on the role as OPS WO. Entertainers Roy and H.G. and Gena Jefferies visited the unit and signed a number of articles for the soldiers as well as the Mural. TUE 21 DEC 99. The Sqn attended the “Tour of Duty” concert at 1400 hrs with our local workers. CPLs Baker, Warner, Muzeen, Parsons and Carroll and SPRs Bieshaar and Gee were given VIP passes to attend the BBQ with the entertainers at the Governor’s Residence after the concert. CPL Bourne, who is a part of the 1 JSU MGI Cell, arrived on the Jervis Bay today. WED 22 DEC 99. The field verification sections started their 3 week tasking today. The sections are made up of one SGT and 3 OR’s, with each section having a specific AO. Each AO has varying restrictions ranging from road/ bridge conditions to authorised access. For example WESTFORs AO has restricted access until 04 Jan 00. Also the plates for the press did not arrive on the Jervis Bay today. Efforts are being made to track them down however it is unlikely that it will arrive on another ship tomorrow. This will cause significant problems as the press can no longer able be tasked and the MISCs Risographs are low on inks so the newspaper may not get printed. Also the press has a number of outstanding Psyops tasks which need to be completed by the 20 Jan 00 if the press is to return home with the GSG on 24 Jan 00. THU 23 DEC 99. The printing plates have still not arrived and the ogistics group are unsure of their whereabouts. FLSG have now been directed by COL Cousins C1\C4 HQ April 2020 Videre Parare Est Canberra Survey Corps Association
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INTERFET to deliver them as a 1st priority. The security saga continues. COL Wheeler the COFS of Dili Comd is in the process of directing 1 JSU to take on the responsibility of the Boom Gate, leaving us to secure the university. The MGI support to UNTAET (1+15) is in doubt due to the UN not formalising there request for MGI support. A brief is being prepared by F Engr Cell highlighting the capabilities of having an MGI Cell. FRI 24 DEC 99. The field verification sections returned to the University at 1630 hrs in preparation for Christmas. They will depart again after Boxing Day. Inks for the Press and the HP Plotters is also becoming critical. The OP DEM placed in early November has still not arrived. OP DEMs priority 1 should take between 3 to 7 days to complete. SAT 25 DEC 99. The Sqn began Christmas with a games (bin ball and cricket) morning at 0830 hrs down at the local oval. It the decorated a tent and had Christmas lunch with 198 Works, the Operational Safety Team and five civilians from Compaq. The officers served dinner and the warrant officer and officers later cleaned up and dixie bashed. There was a BBQ for dinner and the normal Saturday movie night was shown. Despite not being home for Christmas all members of the Sqn enjoyed the day as best as could be expected. SUN 26 DEC 99. The Sqn had a late start today (1000hrs) on the account that it was Boxing Day. WO1 Hansen and SGT Jones were to be sent back to Darwin to search for the printing plates and inks, however MAJ Grey, OC MGI Det from NORCOM was able to assist the Sqn by chasing up with the logistic units in Darwin on the plates whereabouts. MON 27 DEC 99. At 1300 hrs the Sqn loaded two Unimog’s full of clothing, food and toys and under the direction of the Padre LTCOL Eacott drove to Kakaulidung. There all Sqn personnel participated in handing out toys to the kids and delivered the food and clothing to the local leader. The community itself is particularly poor and is situated near a cemetery where a number of fresh graves were dug to bury those killed during the TNI burning of Dili. The locals themselves buried the victims that had no families to bury them. TUE 28 DEC 99. CAPT Sapparth and WO1 Winner visited HQ 3 Bde and confirmed with the BM that the MGI Det at 3 Bde could depart on 15 Jan 00 and return to Dili as part of the Sqn’s draw down plan. The UN has now been specifically briefed that if they require MGI support from 1 Topo Svy Sqn then it will need to formalise it before the Sqn departs on 24 Jan 99. The printing plates have still not been located despite the efforts of MAJ Grey trying to locate them in Darwin. The Canadian Forces put on a concert in Obligado Bks with entertainers from Quebec at 1930 hrs. WED 29 DEC 99. CAPT Scott from UNTAET visited the Sqn to discuss the geomatic transitional force (1+15) from INTERFET to UNTAET. He was briefed on the proposed Dets capability and intended mission and he discussed, a question posed to UNTAET by Strategic Comd, on whether the Sqn could provide the same capability remotely, i.e. back in Brisbane. A further explanation of how the Det would provide support to UNTAET was given and as a result he agreed that the Det must be located with the UNTAET HQ. Although he did stress that Strategic Comd will need to be convinced of this. THU 30 DEC 99. The field verification teams have been reduced to 2 Sections of 4 pers per section. The excess pers have been redirected to the MGI Cell to continue with the completion of the roads and investigations GIS by 15 Jan 00. The roads GIS will be given to 21 Const Sqn complete with the ARC View software in an attempt to establish GISs in construction squadrons. The investigations and other GIS’s will be handed over to UNTAET.
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FRI 31 DEC 99. The security and manning of the Boom Gate was finally resolved with Dili Comd and 1 JSU. 1 Topo will man the Boom Gate until 2400 hrs and then the NZ NCE36 will man it from then on. Other Units in the Precinct will be responsible for manning the Boom Gate also one day a week. The Sqn will secure the Uni compound with one roving picket and a Duty Officer. SGT McConnell, SGT Jones, LCPL Norrell and SPR Costigan located a Falintil forward observation and communication post at 1100 hrs 30 Dec 99. The report identified two youths aged between 10 and 12 looking after the facility. It appeared the sons were the sons of the regional Falintil Commandant. The main building contained 12 sleeping matts and the small building contained three sleeping quarters. Military items found included a home made bomb (tin can with fuse), small radio (freq 500) and chest webbing. On their departure a 25 to 30 year old male East Timorese arrived and identified himself as Falintil. SAT 01 JAN 00. Sqn stood down for New Years Day. SUN 02 JAN 00. 20 cases of Dengue Fever were reported by the Italians for their contingent situated in Dili. Power was again disrupted to the Sqn as the JSU began changing over some units connections from generator power to local power. Unfortunately the power cut required the server to be shut down and as a result crashed the system. MON 03 JAN 00. The Sqn was tasked with purchasing printing plates, inks and activator as the supply system is no closer to delivering the stores that were requested at the end of November 99. The Sqn should be able to have the goods delivered to Dili inside three days. The only problem that will be encountered will be transporting dangerous goods from Darwin to Dili. 21 Const Sqn reported two cases of Dengi Fever. TUE 04 JAN 00. Discussion continued with MAJ Evans from UNTAET about the transfer of Sqn personnel over to UNTAET if approval for 1+15 is given by Strategic Comd in AS. Discussion centred around accommodation, rations vehicles and work areas. A brief to MAJ Evans is being prepared by the Sqn highlighting the Dets requirements. The Sqn in Brisbane purchased the printing plates, inks and activator from a supplier in Darwin and CPL Blake form the Darwin Map Store picked up the stores from the manufacturer and arranged with JMCO to deliver the stores the following morning to Dili by C-130. The OP DEM for the same stores is still outstanding and unlikely to materialise prior to the Sqns departure at the end of January. Two sections from the Geodetic Cell departed to field verify WESTFORs AO. WED 05 JAN 00. The print stores arrived today and the Press has now received a priority tasking list from the MISC of psychological products to be completed, including the newspaper, by 21 Jan 00. C1/C4 advised the GSG that the OP DEMs compiled in mid to late November are still awaiting purchasing from the manufacturers. The INTERFET movement order also arrived today which has the Sqn going through the wash point from 24 – 29 Jan 00, boarding the HMAS Jervis Bay on 30 –31 Jan 00 and the Sqn departing EM on 1 Feb 00. THU 06 JAN 00. A Sqn web site has been developed by WO1 Hansen and downloaded onto JCSS and the CWAN. The web page will require modification prior to being loaded onto the IWAN, due to the IWAN requiring Notes format. The Sqn has also being experiencing power fluctuation problems, especially in the MGI Cell ever since the JSU began converting some units over to local power. The lesson learnt for the Sqn is to pursue independence on power supply. The drought finally broken at around 1500 hrs with probably the second heaviest rain since the deployment began on 27 Sep 99. Due to the construction of the
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hardstanding and the re-levelling of the drains by Geodetic Cell the effects of the rain were minimal. FRI 07 JAN 00. The two sections completed the field verification of WESTFORs AO. This completes the field phase of this task. The only time the Sqn will now leave Dili prior to its return to AS will be to establish geodetic control in Oecussi. The Repro Section printed their one millionth impression. Gang rioting has broken out in Baucau in which one of the field verification sections was caught up in as they drove through Baucau. Apparently a girl had been raped which sparked civil unrest between two gangs. The section escaped the scene without incident. SAT 08 JAN 00. COMAST provided a brief to the AS NCE on the 1600 personnel that would be attached to UNTAET. COL Cognant head of the AS NCE discussed the brief with CAPT Sapparth and confirmed that there was no geomatic engineers in the 1600 personnel identified thus far and it was unlikely that there would be given the composition of the force was now 95% complete. The COFS also confirmed that geomatic support had been taken out of the Op Ord which had been signed by MAJGEN Cosgrove today. SUN 09 JAN 00. …………….entered hospital today with suspected Dengue fever. MON 10 JAN 00. A Japanese delegation from the Japan International Cooperation Ageny (Mr Kumashiro Truyoshi and partner) escorted by Ms Sarah Elkhazin, UNTAET, visited the Sqn to discuss what data they could utilise to assist them in producing a 1:5000 map of the Dili region. TUE 11 JAN 00. Geodetic control was extended into Oecussi (Passabe and Ocussi) today from Suai and Maliana under the direction of WO1 Winner. A signal from the Sqn to all INTERFET forces was sent yesterday advising that the Sqn is return to AS at the end of the month and technical tasking will cease on 21 Jan 00. The last date the Sqn can be tasked will be the 17 Jan 00. A web page was downloaded onto JCSS and finalised today. Initial comments from users on the HQ is positive. …….returned from hospital today. He was not diagnosed with Dengue Fever nor Malaria however the symptoms are similar. WED 12 JAN 00. Power was intermittent and cut out regularly between 0800 and 1000 hrs. Unfortunately the power cuts finally drained the UPS’s of all reserve power thus causing the server to crash. Therefore little MGI work was achieved during the day. The printing press experienced mechanical problems late yesterday. A RAEME fix is in progress however it is likely to take about 12 to 24 hours to repair. LT Morris and SSGT Nichols from the NZ Army arrived today. They are visiting the Sqn for the next few weeks in order to gain an appreciation on how we provide geomatic support to INTERFET at the force and formation levels. The printing press developed a mechanical fault and may be out of action for up to 12 hrs. THU 13 JAN 00. Discussions began with the AS NCE on what will be the mapping policy once the Sqn departs EM. Although the Sqn has received no direction on what it is to do with its mapping it is expected that the mapping held at the FPDP will be handed over to the AS NCE who will probably pass it onto 9 FSB to hold and distribute. The resupply will hopefully be direct to the Darwin Map Store. FRI 14 JAN 00. LTCOL Houston from the Army History Unit interviewed CAPT Hoffmann, SGT Jones, SGT Weatherell, SGT Ball, CPL Parsons, CPL Whiteside and CPL Carroll as representatives from all sections of the Sqn and 3 Bde. LTCOL Oaten arrived today and will take over from LTCOL Naumann on the Force Engr HQ’s on Monday. …………….was again admitted to hospital with the same virus as he had earlier in the week. As the Sqn is due to April 2020 Videre Parare Est Canberra Survey Corps Association
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depart EM on 31 Jan 00 it is likely that he will return home once released from hospital. LT Sparkes and SPR Harvey returned from Suai today as part of the drawdown plan for the MGI Det at HQ 3 Bde. SAT 15 JAN 00. An Engr dinner for all unit commanders, SSMs and WO1s was held at 17 Construction Sqn Mess at 1900 for 1930 hrs. CAPT Hoffmann, WO1 Winner, WO1 Hansen and WO2 Bunney attended as representatives from the Sqn. Training began for a LT from 17 Const and a LT from 21 Const Sqn on ARCVIEW. The concept is for these officers to become proficient with the package in order to maintain the Roads GIS in their Units. The training program runs for two days. SUN 16 JAN 00. Flights confirmed from Darwin to Brisbane for 30 personnel on a QANTAS flight at 1230hrs 1 Feb 00. SGT Madge, CPL Arnold, SPR Withers and SPR Withers returned from Suai today. The MGI Det at 3 Bde has now completely ceased operations and all pers have returned to Dili. …………returned from hospital and is fit for travel. MON 17 JAN 00. The MMS, the MPDP and the LR 110 from the MGI Det at 3 Bde returned to Dili today on the LCH. The 3 Bde Det is now completely drawn down. SGT Parkins and CPL Bourne from the JSU MGI Det, which is currently attached to the Sqn’s MGI Det, will remain in Dili until 28 Feb 00. The will run the Map Store until the UN decide which AS unit will take control of it. Also they will maintain the Roads GIS for 17 Const Sqn and F Engr Cell. Today was also the last day for accepting technical work into the Sqn. TUE 18 JAN 00. The Sqn continued Tech work in the MGI Section and Repro Section with tasking still on schedule to be completed on Friday. All other personnel are employed in cleaning vehicles and equipment. CPL Baker and SPR Weihrauch returned to AS today. ………..was returned home due to a re-occurring illness. SPR Weihrauch returned with him as a chaperone. WED 19 JAN 00. Nothing to report. THU 20 JAN 00. Psych interviews were conducted for all personnel departing on 31 Jan 00.LT Morris and SSGT Nichols departed EM after gaining what lessons the Sqn had learnt on this operation in relation to geomatic support to formation and force level HQ’s. The Sqn is still continuing to receive visits from UN civil agencies inquiring into who is going to provide Geomatic support once the Sqn departs. FRI 21 JAN 00. The Sqn completed all technical tasking in the MGI Cell at 1630 hrs and all printing tasks (Dili Newspaper) by 1900 hrs. The sqn has now ceased in providing Geomatic Support to INTERFET forces. CAPT Hoffmann also attended the last F Engr Conference as the Sqn’s Commander. SAT 21 – SUN 30 JAN 00. The Sqn began and completed the stripping of all stores and equipment from the university and washed all vehicles and equipment under the direction of customs officers at the vehicle wash point. All ammunition was handed into the JSU and all stores were packed into a Connex and inspected by customs. MON 31 JAN 00. The Sqn departs on the Jervis Bay at 1700 hrs after farewelling the former OC MAJ Ruff who is remaining on HQ INTERFET until the completion of Transition to UNTAET. TUE 01 FEB 00. The Sqn arrives in Darwin mid-morning and is met on the docks by MAJ Grey, MGI Det HQ NORCOM. The Sqn overnights in Darwin at Robertson Barracks.
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WED 02 FEB 00. The Sqn flies out of Darwin and arrives at 1 Topo Svy Sqn, Brisbane mid- afternoon and is met by the new OC, MAJ Hersant.
End of Tour
Our Association Calendar 2020 – the fridge magnet
Sat 25th April 2020 Anzac Day service and lunch - CANCELLED Wed 1st July 2020 105th Corps birthday lunch Wed 11th November 2020 Remembrance Day lunch November/December 2020 SNAGA Survey Golf Day Thu 10th December 2020 Christmas Happy-Hour – The Duxton Bar and Restaurant, O’Connor shops at 5pm
April 2020 Videre Parare Est Canberra Survey Corps Association