Edition 6 ~ 2021 Thank You to the Following Companies for Supporting Commando
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Registered by Australia Post ~ Publication No PP100016240 Edition 6 ~ 2021 Thank you to the following companies for supporting Commando. aerodefence.com.au [email protected] • www.delhyd.com.au www.australiandefence.com.au www.aigroup.com.au www.airbus.com www.aidnqld.com.au www.austal.com www.boc.com.au www.boeing.com www.codancomms.com dtc.org.au www.asi.com.au www.serco.com www.synqor.com www.nzdia.co.nz CONTENTS REGISTERED BY AUSTRALIA POST PUBLICATION No PP100016240 Editor’s Word....................................................................3 AUSTRALIAN COMMANDO ASSOCIATION INC. ACA National President ...................................................5 Upcoming ACA Events.....................................................6 LIFE PATRON: Gen Sir Phillip Bennett AC KBE DSO ACA NSW .........................................................................9 PATRON: MajGen Tim McOwan AO DSC CSM ACA QLD........................................................................10 NATIONAL OFFICE BEARERS ACA VIC .........................................................................12 PRESIDENT: MajGen Greg Melick AO RFD SC ACA WA .........................................................................13 VICE PRESIDENT: Maj Steve Pilmore OAM RFD (Ret’d) ACA Veterans Advocacy Update...................................15 SECRETARY: Maj John Thurgar SC MBE OAM RFD (Ret’d) Commando Welfare Trust ..............................................18 TREASURER: Maj Bruce O’Conner OAM RFD (Ret’d) Commandos for Life ......................................................20 PUBLIC OFFICER: Maj Brian Liddy (Retd) Commando Vale .............................................................21 STATE ASSOCIATION OFFICE BEARERS Significant Commando Dates ........................................22 ACA NSW From the Pen of Harry Bell ............................................25 PRES/SEC.: Mr Wayne Havenaar ACA QLD On the Gun since 1941 ..................................................27 PRES/SEC.:: Mr Graham Gough From the ACA NSW Archives........................................51 ACA VIC PRES.: Mr Doug Knight The 2021 Rip Memorial..................................................54 ACA VIC SEC.: Mr Glenn MacDonald ACA WA PRES.: Mr Paul Shearer Recollection of 2 Commando Company........................57 ACA WA SEC.: Mr Steve Butlerr Deadline for next edition (Edition 7, 2021): WEBSITE/MEDIA SUNDAY, 27 JUNE 2021 MANAGER: Mr John Roxburgh All news on members and interesting articles accepted. WEBSITE: www.commando.org.au (Subject to editors’ approval.) Nick Hill FACEBOOK: Australian Commando Association EDITORS: Mr Nick Hill Mrs Marilou Carceller The Australian Commando Association’s membership consists of Registered by Australia Post ~ Publication No PP100016240 Edition 6 ~ 2021 Servicemen & women who have served with WW2 Independent Companies, Commando Squadrons & Regiments, "M" and "Z" Special units, 1st & 2nd Commando Company's, 1st Commando Regiment, 4 RAR Commando & the 2nd Commando Regiment. The Association also consists of Associate Members who have served in units who directly supported Commando units in time of war and peace and Social members who’s direct family member was either Killed In Action, Died In Service or Killed in Training or a member of the ACA who has passed. DISCLAIMER: Opinions expressed within this publication are those of the authors, and are not necessarily those of the Editor, Publisher, Committee Members or Members of our Association. We welcome any input as long as it is not offensive or abusive but if any member has a problem with a printed article we would like to be informed in order that the author may be contacted. We do encourage your opinion. Official Publishers: Statewide Publishing P/L ABN 65 116 985 187 PO BOX 682, SURFERS PARADISE QLD 4217 PHONE: 0432 042 060 FRONT COVER: The Commando Memorial Cairn at Tidal River, Wilsons EMAIL: [email protected] Promontory Victoria with Mount Oberon looming in the distance. Printed by BOOST Design & Print Tidal River is the home and birth place of The Australian Commandos and 2021 marks the 80th Anniversary of the Australian Commando. Web: boostgraphicdesign.com No1 Independent Company (WW2) was raised at Tidal River in May 1941. Email: [email protected] Image courtesy: Mr Richard ‘Dick’ Pelling, ACA-VIC. 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We hope zine or the production of the maga - that you and your families are doing zine. Please feel free to submit an well? article for the magazine regardless of 2021 marks the 80th Anniversary of how small or big they are as we will the formation of the Australian Com - always try to fit them in but this does mando, Happy 80th Birthday to all past come down to the number of pages and present Australian Commandos. allocated per magazine. No1 Independent Company was For those fighting the good fight, raised at Wilsons Promontory in May remember to ‘Keep Your Powder Dry & 1941. This year also marks the 20th Your Sights Straight’ and those back Anniversary of 4 Commando deploy - home in Australia or around the world, ing to East Timor with two Commando Companies, please keep safe & have we hope you all have a great Bravo & Charlie Com mando Companies, two standard ANZAC Day where ever you are in the world. Infantry Companies being Alpha & Delta Companies, Commando 4 Life 126 Commando Signals Squadron & a Logistics Nick Hill Company. Within both Alpha, Delta & Logistic Editor - Commando Magazine Companies were Commando qualified operators. E: [email protected] W: www.commando.org.au We again have some great articles in this edition including our normal reports from Nationals and the States. We have an article on 80 years of the Australian Letters to the Editor Commandos and I will say it is not an exhaustive history Attention all former Commando Regt Pers in the by any means. The French Commando Marines who South Australia Area. The Australia Commando Assn are the only French unit that wear their beret badge on is in the process of forming a South Australia (SA) and the left side in Honour of the UK Army Commandos are looking for members living in SA. Our first event which is where they began. will be this ANZAC Day march. For the first time at the It’s great to see our Commando Family is growing Adelaide march, a ‘Commando Regiments’ group will stronger with the commencement or near commence - form up as part of Group 9. We will form up behind the ment of two new Australian Commando Associations, SASR Group before 10am on Pulteney St, between one in the ACT & the other in SA. Below is to notices North Tce and Grenfell St. So, come and join us this for ANZAC Day get togethers for those who may be year if you have been posted on strength (operator, interested in finding out more in those areas. support staff, signallers etc) in 1 or 2 CDO Regt’s (4RAR Unfortunately, we have lost 8 Commandos during Cdo) or 126 & 301 Sig Sqn etc and live in SA. the April to June period, seven Killed In Action in For further information, please contact Afghanistan and Colonel Hans ‘Ice Man’ Fleer, AM. [email protected] or meet up on DCM. the Honorary Colonel of 2nd Commando ANZAC Day. Please distribute widely. Regiment passed suddenly in 2013 from cancer. In Peter Male – Ex 1 Cdo Regt early March we lost one of the last remaining 2/9th Cdo (Continued on page 5) Sqn members & ACA QLD Life