The Royal Australian Artillery LIAISON LETTER Autumn Edition 2009 The Official Journal of the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery Incorporating the Australian Gunner Magazine First Published in 1948 Contents Editors Comment 1 Letters to the Editor 4 Regimental 9 Operations 25 Take Post 32 Professional Papers 35 Personnel 66 RAA Associations & Organisations 89 Next Edition Contribution Deadline LIAISON Contributions for the Liaison Letter 2009 – Spring Edition should be forwarded to the editor at his home postal or emailaddress,bynolaterthanFriday 21st August 2009. ‘Late’ correspondence or submissions after that date LETTER should be forwarded to the editor via the School of Artillery or his defence email address. Autumn Edition LiaisonLetterInColourOn-line If you have access to the defence restricted network you can read the Liaison Letter in colour on the Regimental web-site 2009 found at:http://intranet.defence.gov.au/armyweb/Sites/RRAA/ Publication Information Front Cover: See over page for information Front Cover Designed by: Major D.T. (Terry) Brennan, Staff Officer to Head of Regiment Edited and Compiled by: Major D.T. (Terry) Brennan, Staff Officer to Head of Regiment Published by: Deputy Head of Regiment, School of Artillery, Bridges Barracks, Puckapunyal, Victoria 3662 Desktop Publishing by: Michelle Ray, Combined Arms Doctrine and Development Section, Bridges Barracks, Puckapunyal, Victoria 3662 Printed by: Defence Publishing Service – Victoria Distribution: For issues relating to content or distribution contact the Editor on email [email protected] Contributors are urged to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in their articles; the Royal Australian Artillery, Deputy Head of Regiment and the RAA Liaison Letter editor accept no responsibility for errors of fact. The views expressed in the Royal Australian Artillery Liaison Letter are the contributors and not necessarily those of the Royal Australian Artillery, Australian Army or Department of Defence. The Commonwealth of Australia will not be legally responsible in contract, tort or otherwise for any statement made in this publication. RAA Liaison Letter 2009 - Autumn Edition Top Row: 03 December 2008 Lieutenant Michael Fussell Returns Home Lieutenant Michael Fussell returned home in a solemn ramp ceremony at RAAF base Richmond in New South Wales after he recently lost his life to an Improvised Explosive Device, while conducting a dismounted patrol in Afghanistan. The Soldier, who is the first Officer since Vietnam to lose his life on the Battlefield, was carried from the RAAF A41 C-17 Globe Master, through an honour guard made up of members from the Sydney-based 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (Commando). His colleagues and class mates, slow marched Lieutenant Fussell's casket across the tarmac to the haunting melody of a lone bagpipe to be received by his family and friends. Dignitaries at the ceremony included The Hon. Joel Fitzgibbon MP, Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon. David Johnston, The Shadow Minister of Defence, Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie, AO, DSC, CSM, the Chief of Army, Major General Timothy McOwan, DSC, CSM, Special Operations Commander Australia, Major General Ash Power, AM, CSC, Commander Headquarters Training Command – Army (representing the Royal Regiment Australian Artillery) and The Commanding Officer, 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (Commando). Bottom Row: 04 December 2008 Lieutenant Michael Fussell Memorial Service Family, friends and colleagues gathered together at Holsworthy Barracks today, to pay their respects to Lieutenant Michael Fussell, who lost his life to an Improvised Explosive Device in Afghanistan on the 27th November 2008. Family and fellow Officers spoke to the gathering and reflected on the young Lieutenants career with the Army, in particular his service with the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery and 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (Commando) (4RAR). A Catafalque party took position around 4 RAR's memorial, known as 'the Rock', before Lieutenant Fussell's name was unveiled, and officially added him to the list recognizing those members of the battalion, who had made the supreme sacrifice in battle. RAA Liaison Letter 2009 - Autumn Edition Regiment and the wider Army. It worries me that whilst we seem to be forever striving to improve Editors the standard of our professional training to meet 'civilian accreditation' and enhancing the methods of training delivery through simulation etc I Comment sometimes feel we may be losing our more holistic Regimental direction, especially with regards to Introduction what it means to be a 'Gunner'. We have a rich intrinsic cultural heritage which has evolved over a I would like to thank very long time and has been passed down from everyone who has generation to generation. In my opinion it is this contributed to this inherent sense of 'Gunner' conduct and tradition edition. I continue to that sets us apart from other Corps. receive a most welcome stream of articles on I believe our inherent culture is the envy of the operations, not to Army although you will rarely if ever hear anyone mention excellent admit it, instead many choose to make contributions to the professional papers section on backhanded comments to express their feelings a range of interesting topics which I encourage you towards Gunners. As a Regiment we have always to read. Operationally we have reports from been above engaging in such games! Afghanistan and East Timor, as well as from the It took me some years as a subaltern to fully come United Kingdom where the 1st Field Regiment to terms with the expectations and personal troop is preparing for the next deployment rotation responsibilities this 'Gunner' culture brought with to Afghanistan. An article written by Captain Nick it. As I read about events and observe the Cooper commander of the RAA Troop Afghanistan machinations of the 'modern' Regiment it gives me -1 entitled 'The Ten Things I wish I had known' cause to stop and contemplate whether there has caught my attention and I am in no doubt it will been an erosion of this 'Gunner' culture that has attract the interest of both serving as well as those held us in good stead for many generations. Before more experienced retired Gunners. My immediate some howl me down or simply call me old thought was – Where did our training go wrong? fashioned – I am not referring to our technical Possibily the demise of Headquarters 1st Division ability to solve the Gunnery problem. I will leave Artillery! that to those more qualified than me to comment. A significant step towards better managing the What I am about is the very essence of being a offensive support capability within Army has been Gunner that is being part of the 'Gunner Family'. made with the creation of the offensive support cell Yes, like all robust families it can be dysfunctional within the new Forces Command. I draw reader's at times or at least feel that way. attention to the article by the new Colonel IhavebeenassuredbysomewithwhomIhave Offensive Support Colonel Brian Bailey. raised my thoughts that I am wrong – there is a I cannot emphasise enough the Liaison Letter is 'Gunner Family' in Generation Y. I do not doubt that your very own Gunner forum regardless of rank to the members of this generation who I acknowledge express your opinion, to record your operational are the foundation and future of the present and training experiences and generally contribute Regiment are highly motivated professionals and to the current debate as well as preserve our have their own culture. I appreciate times change history and heritage. Without the efforts of those and we must collectively and individually adapt to who take the time and effort to contribute there remain relevant. My assertion is the outlook and would not be a Liaison Letter especially one people attitude of Generation Y brings does not seem to appreciate and enjoy. always mesh with the implied expectations of what it means to be part of the holistic Royal Regiment. Gunner Family & Generation Y I do not doubt that there is espirt de corps and In the last edition of the Liaison Letter I published a camaraderie across all levels of the modern newspaper interview with retiring Chief of Army Regiment – what I am about is looking for that little Lieutenant General Peter Leahy entitled 'Gen Y set bit more cultural commitment. To highlight my to fight the next war'. This got me thinking about assertion as someone who lived in the Regimental changing generational attitudes within the Royal Officer's Mess at North Head and was involved with 1 RAA Liaison Letter 2009 - Autumn Edition moving to Puckapunyal I can say that we attempted I also commend and encourage you to purchase the to bring as much of the tradition as possible recent Gunner history book 'Gunners in Borneo' by especially the atmosphere of the Mess such as the Alan Smith. It is extremely good value for money Blue Room and Portrait Room and the associated and all profits go to the RAAHC. There is more traditions and expectations including the dress information on both these books in this edition of code. the Liaison Letter. On arrival unfortunately the expansion of the Myths and Legends Regimental Officers' Mess to include non Gunner units, courses and individuals brought with it a On a lighter note I have heard from a reliable clash of cultures and varying standards and source that the red and blue sock tradition of traditions. Sadly I believe this scenario almost medium Gunners may not be as deeply entrenched always results in the lowest standard becoming the in our folklore as I was first lead to believe. It may norm and then shortly there after no one is any the not go back any further than the late 1980's and a wiser of what was the standard. This follows on to few imaginative subbies.