ON THE SCENE: ONN THE SCEENE - Department of Defence

AIR FVol. 54, No. 13, July 19, 2012 The official newspaper of the Royal Australian Air Force

RCE

INSIDE: BOMBER COMMAND COMMEMORATIVE LIFTOUT

July 19, 2012RCEAIR FF

Bomber Command Commemorative Mission

HONOURED SERVICE

SPECIAL LIFTOUT

Veterans make

pilgrimage to London

for Bomber Command

Memorial dedication

D

1

A week to

remember

Air Force’s support

in London P2-3

Their amazing

stories P6-7

P4-5

Photo: Australian War Memorial

TOP COVERTOP COVERPC-9 crew answers mayday call by civilian

aircraft caught in mid-air emergencyaircraft caught in mid-air emergency P5

ON THE SCENE: ARDU PC-9 crew FLTLT Pete Nugent, left, and SQNLDR Steve Bekker with their aircraft at RAAF Base Edinburgh. During a routine flight on July 2 the pair came to the assistance of a civil Lancair propjet aircraft which suffered an airborne emergency on approach to Adelaide Airport. Photo: LACW Nicci Freeman

Vol. 54, No. 13, July 19, 2012 he official nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwsssssssppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaappppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppper of the Royal AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuusssssssssssssssssstttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttrrrrrrrrrralian Air ForcTh

ONN THE SSCEENE:ARDUU PPC-C 9 crew FLFLFLFLTLTLTLTLT TTT T PPePePePetetetetete NNNNNugugugugugenenenene t,tt,t,t,left, and d SQSQNLLDR Steve Bekker with their aairrcraft at RAAF Baase Edinburgh. During a rooutine fligght on Juuly 2 the pair camee to the aassistaanceof a civil Lancairpropjet aircraaft

2 July 19, 2012RCEAIR FNews

Air Force online

AirForce.gov.au

youtube.com/AirForceHQ

facebook.com/RoyalAustralianAirForce

twitter.com/AirForceHQ

RCEAIRAIR F

feeds.feedburner.com/ RoyalAustralianAirForce

DirectorDavid Edlington: (02) 6265 4650

EDITORIAL TEAMEditor/Deputy DirectorSimone Liebelt: (02) 6265 2253Deputy Editor John Martin: (02) 6265 7219Production Editor/Sports EditorSharon Palmer: (02) 6266 7612ReportersSGT Andrew Hetherington: (02) 6266 7614CPL Mark Doran: (02) 6265 1304CPL Nick Wiseman: (02) 6265 4140CPL Max Bree: (02) 6266 7608 LAC Bill Solomou: (02) 6265 1355Andrew Stackpool: (02) 6266 7611

LS Paul Berry: (02) 6266 7606Michael Brooke: (02) 9359 2494CONTACT USEmail: [email protected]: (02) 6266 7701Mail: The Editor, Air Force News, R8-LG-048, PO Box 7909, Department of Defence, ACT 2600Website: www.defence.gov.au/news/raafnews

ADVERTISING and SUBSCRIPTIONSAdvertising ManagerTim Asher: (07) 3332 7651 or 0459 842 551Email: [email protected]

Assistant Manager Advertising/SubscriptionsTrish Dillon: (02) 6266 7607Email: [email protected]

DISCLAIMERAir Force News is published fortnightly by the Directorate of Defence News. It is printed under contract by Capital Fine Print. The material published is selected for its interest. The views expressed in published articles are not necessarily those of Defence or Air Force News. Every adver-tisement is subject to Directorate of Defence News approval and the Directorate of Defence News may, at its discretion, refuse to accept an advertise-ment. The Directorate accepts no responsibility or liability in relation to any loss due to the failure of an advertisement to appear or if it appears in a form not in accordance with the instructions received by the Directorate of Defence News. The fact that an advertisement is accepted for publication does not mean that the product or service is endorsed by the Department of Defence or Air Force News.

CDF GEN David Hurley has called on all ADF members to keep an eye out for each other following the public release of the DLA Piper Review into allega-tions of inappropriate behaviour.

“My primary concern at this time is for the welfare and wellbeing of all those who are affected by the DLA Piper Review,” GEN Hurley said.

“Defence has put in place support arrangements to assist serving and former ADF members who may be experiencing difficulties as a result of this review.”

The review identified 775 plausible allegations dating back to 1951. While these allegations are yet to be tested, the CDF said any form of abusive behaviour in the ADF was unaccepta-ble.

“I have said publicly that there is no place for inappropriate behaviour in Defence and any serving member who is proven to have engaged in abusive behaviour will be dealt with,” he said.

The CDF said given the nature of the allegations it was critical that they be addressed as soon as practicable.

“Australians need to be assured that when they choose to enlist in the ADF they will be afforded every oppor-tunity to pursue a rewarding military career in a safe and supportive work environment.”

It is GEN Hurley’s strong belief that the review does not define the ADF.

“I have served in the ADF for 40 years and I know that the ADF is not characterised by abusive behaviour.

“While the overwhelming majority of ADF members live up to the high standards expected of us, at times, some members have acted in a man-ner that has harmed people. This is not acceptable and as members of the ADF we must ask ourselves ‘how could this happen?’ and ‘how do we ensure this does not happen again?’ ”

Government is considering a num-ber of options presented in the review which may be adopted to address plausible allegations of past abuse.

The final report of the review has been under consideration since April and the Government is expected to announce a response in the near future.

For volume one of the DLA Piper Report and for more information on the review visit http://www.defence.gov.au/culturer-eviews/Docs/DLAPiper/

Who to call

AIR Force was involved in bring-ing home the 33rd soldier killed in Afghanistan.

Special Air Service Regiment patrol commander SGT Blaine Diddams was shot during a small-arms engagement while on a mission targeting a known insurgent commander in the Chorah Valley on July 2.

The patrol’s advanced first-aider provided immediate first aid.

A helicopter evacuated SGT Diddams to the Role 2 Medical Facility for further treatment, but he succumbed to his wounds.

On July 5, members of the Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) farewelled SGT Diddams with a traditional Memorial Service and Ramp Ceremony at Camp Russell at the Multinational Base at Tarin Kot.

Soldiers from SOTG and other Australian, Afghan and coalition per-sonnel lined the route to salute SGT Diddams as his casket was carried to a waiting C-130 ready to fly him to Al Minhad air base in the United

Arab Emirates in preparation for his final flight to Australia.

The commander of the Australian Defence Forces in the Middle East, MAJGEN Stuart Smith, said the loss of SGT Diddams was deeply felt by all ranks.

“SGT Diddams was an elite sol-dier, working with a professional team, on a vital mission to support security and safety for the people of Uruzgan,” MAJGEN Smith said.

SGT Diddams’ journey home ended on July 9 when a 36SQN C-17A landed at RAAF Base Pearce in front of his family, friends, members of the SASR, CDF GEN David Hurley, Defence Secretary Duncan Lewis, DCA MAJGEN Angus Campbell and Special Operations Commander MAJGEN Gus Gilmore.

SASR soldiers formed a guard of honour and bearer party to escort SGT Diddams’ casket from the aircraft.

MAJGEN Campbell said the impact of SGT Diddams’ death went far beyond his unit.

“Today, Blaine returned to the

Sad return Sad return for 33rd for 33rd fatalityfatality

care of his family and loved ones,” MAJGEN Campbell said.

“My deepest sympathies are extended to Blaine’s family, but also to all those in the wider Army family who came to know this remarkable, selfless and dedicated soldier.

“Today, both families recognise the sacrifice this fallen soldier has made in service to his country.”

SGT Diddams was born in Canberra in 1971. He enlisted in the Army on April 24, 1990, and was post-

ed to 1RAR on 2 November 1990. He subsequently completed his SASR selection course and was posted to the regiment in 1995.

This was his seventh tour to Afghanistan since 2001.

He had deployed four times pre-viously – to Somalia, East Timor and the Solomon Islands.

At the time of going to print, SGT Diddams’ funeral was scheduled to be held in Perth on July 14.

SALUTE TO A MATE: Above, soldiers from the Special Air Service Regiment salute as the casket of SGT Blaine Diddams is marched off the C-17 at RAAF Base Pearce. Photo: CPL Chris Moore

LOSS DEEPLY FELT: Left, SGT Blaine Diddams who was killed during an engagement with insurgents in Uruzgan. It was his seventh tour to Afghanistan and he had also served in Somalia, East Timor and the Solomon Islands.

CDF calls for caring in wake of review

Counselling or assistance is available for current and former Defence members:ADF personnel: 1800 628 036Former ADF and APS employees: 1300 361 008 Defence APS employees: 1300 361 008

3July 19, 2012RCEAIR FF News

The world is complex. Your decisions don’t have to be.

Military aerospace and combined battlespace CONOPS are becoming

increasingly complex. Experienced across fixed-wing and helicopter

platforms, Thales solutions enable you to focus on your core missions,

make decisions and act quickly. Supporting aerospace operations we

provide a range of avionics systems, training and simulation solutions

and mission management systems. Our proven track record and

commitment to delivery offer reduced risk, scalability and low lifecycle/

whole-of-life costs.

To find out more visit thalesgroup.com.auImage © Australian Department of Defence

Eamon Hamilton and CAPT Bill Heck

ANOTHER chapter has been written in 38SQN’s history of operating in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

From June 23 to July 6, Papua New Guineans went to the polls for their national election – an event partly made possible by 38SQN King Airs flying electoral officials and staff with Combined Joint Task Force 630 (CJTF630).

The King Airs were joined by 37SQN C-130s, Australian Army Black Hawks and Royal New Zealand Air Force Iroquois.

For 38SQN, it was the first major deployment to PNG since the retire-ment of the Caribou in 2009.

FLTLT Matthew Sullivan was part of the 38SQN workforce who transi-tioned from the Caribou to the King Air, and has experienced PNG in both aircraft.

“Due to the geography of PNG, it’s just about impossible to travel any great distance by vehicle, so any time

there is a group of eight or less people needing to get somewhere, we are the ones who take them,” FLTLT Sullivan said.

The first King Air arrived in coun-try on May 20 and a second came on June 5, although 38SQN had intermit-

tently played a role in preparations as early as March.

“At any given time we have had two maintainers, four pilots, and a detach-ment commander,” FLTLT Sullivan said.

“The detachment commander does

all the liaising, while the pilots get to have all the fun of flying.

“The fact that King Airs are so much faster means the country feels a lot smaller.

“We can go from Port Moresby to Wewak and back in a day quite eas-ily, which means much less time away from Port Moresby, which is an opera-tional benefit.”

Despite the all-seating layout of the King Air, they were used to carry elec-toral papers and ballot boxes, and even condoms as part of an AusAid HIV and AIDS awareness program in the country.

Meanwhile, more than 1200 police, 500 soldiers and 170 metric tonnes of stores and election material were flown around the country by the C-130s.

The Commander of the Combined Joint Task Force, COL Andrew MacNab, said the performance of the C-130s had been fantastic.

“Whenever I speak to the Royal PNG Constabulary or the PNG Defence Force they become effusive in their praise for what these aircraft

Triumphant PNG returnFaster King Airs pick up where Caribous left off as ADF lends a hand in national elections

BIG PEOPLE MOVER: Members of the PNG Defence Force disembark from a 37SQN C-130H after arriving in Madang from Port Moresby.Photo: PO Phil

Cullinan

NOW AND THEN: Election officials and materials are moved out to remote polling locations by 38SQN King Air, and above inset, a squadron Caribou in PNG in 2007.

Main photo: CPL Brad Hanson

NOW AND THEN El ti ffi i l

have been able to do for them,” COL MacNab said.

Air Force air planner FLTLT Glen Nelson, of 285SQN at RAAF Base Richmond, said the C-130s were able to be responsive to the needs of the security forces.

“We were able to adapt to chang-es in tasking and carry freight far in excess of what was originally planned for this operation,” FLTLT Nelson said.

“This is most likely the last opera-tion the C-130H will support before its retirement so it is a little bit special for us as well.”

COL MacNab said during the 2007 election the security forces moved to the Highlands by commercial air.

“Commercial air proved expensive, difficult to book and severely limited the amount of stores the security forces could take with them,” COL MaNab said.

“We provided them, through the C-130, with a degree of speed, mass and economy so they could effectively concentrate prior to the commence-ment of their operation.”

CLARIFICATIONEXPLO

RE

ISLANDS

EXPLORE

ISLANDS

The UltimateAmphibiousDeployment

Whitsunday Skipper Yourself Charters

Exclusive ADF Member Specials Free overnight onboard

valued @ $350Free CYA Survival Packs

Suitable for couples,groups & families

Charter YachtsAUSTRALIA

Abel Point Marina,Airlie Beach QLD

Toll Free 1800 639 520

[email protected]


Call 1300 76 35 75 24/7 or visit us online at

www.phatreturns.com.au

Defence Force tax specialists -We have extensive experience across all ranks and specialities, including:

� Members who are currently deployed or have served overseas� Members with investment properties� Members who have fallen behind on lodging their tax returns

Phone consultations - All tax returns are completed over the phone, so you don’t have to leave your base, ship or assignment.

One tax agent - We are not limited by locality so you and your family don’t ever have to look for another tax agent again.

Now the #1 tax agent for ADF membersMaximum returns - We know all the specifi c deductions, so you get a great tax return every year!

IN THE July 5 edition, page 18 featured an article on the passing of WGCDR Stephen Kerr (pictured below), of RAAF Base Edinburgh. The article reported that about 120 people attended WGCDR Kerr's funeral service in Adelaide. More than double that number attended, which reflected the widespread admira-tion for WGCDR Kerr and support for his family. and support for hisfamily.

TWO Bills have been introduced into Parliament to establish a Military Court of Australia and to transition from the current interim system of court martial and Defence Force mag-istrate.

Attorney-General Nicola Roxon introduced the Bills on June 21 with the aim of improving the military dis-cipline system.

They will be debated in Parliament and examined by Parliamentary Committee before the military court can start trying service offences, which is not expected before 2013 at the ear-liest.

The Military Court of Australia will be a new, separate federal court with guaranteed constitutional independ-ence. It will try service offences under the Defence Force Discipline Act 1982 (DFDA).

The Defence Legal Mili tary Discipline Law director, GPCAPT Christopher Ward, said the importance of discipline in the ADF was reflected in the government’s plans to establish the new court.

“Trials of serious service offences by the military court would only rep-resent a small percentage of the total number of trials of service offences,” GPCAPT Ward said.

The Judge Advocate General’s report for 2011 showed 5306 infringe-ments were dealt with by discipline officers, 1452 trials by summary authority and 61 trials by court martial or Defence Force magistrate last year.

Because of the military court’s independence, judges and federal mag-istrates of the military court would not be serving members of the ADF. However, the Bills require that these

judicial officers must understand the nature of ADF service.

The court will be able to sit over-seas and the prosecution and defence of ADF members tried by the court will still be the function of the Director of Military Prosecutions and ADF legal officers provided at Commonwealth expense.

Prosecutions can only begin if they substantially serve the purpose of maintaining or enforcing service disci-pline. However, members charged with a DFDA offence can elect to face trial in the military court, simplifying the current up-front and in-trial elections offered at the summary level.

ADF members will be advised of developments. Commanders and key unit personnel will be trained in how the military court affects them before any changes take effect.

Case for a military court

➤ The military court will be a new, separate federal court with constitutional inde-pendence.

➤ Service offences will be tried under the Defence Force Discipline Act 1982.

➤ Judges and Federal Magistrates of the military court will not be serving members of the ADF.

At a glance

Photo: Bryan Doherty

THREE Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft are being deployed on major joint coalition exercises dur-ing the same timeframe – bringing them closer to initial operational capability.

One of the 2SQN aircraft is participating in Exercise Rim of the Pacific 12 (RIMPAC) off the islands of Hawaii, while two oth-ers are about to participate in Exercise Pitch Black out of RAAF Bases Tindal and Darwin.

For RIMPAC – from June 27 to August 2 – the Wedgetail has joined two 92WG Orions, two RAN frigates and a submarine, clear-ance divers and Army elements as part of the 21 nations and 25,000 personnel participating in the biennial exercise. This includes a

contingent of 78 personnel from RAAF Base Williamtown, including aircrew, maintenance, operations support, administration and logis-tics officers.

The aircraft are conducting surveillance and anti-submarine warfare functions.

Pitch Black starts on July 27 and will end on August 17.

It will mark the first time the Wedgetail, Tanker and Super Hornet will participate, along with assets from Indonesia, New Zealand, Thailand and the US.

More than 80 aircraft and 1500 visiting personnel are involved, making Pitch Black the largest and most intense Air Force exercise to be held in Australia this year.

Speaking about RIMPAC and Pitch Black, OC 42WG GPCAPT

Tracey Friend said the exercises were important in terms of com-plexity and the number of people playing as they got to test the mis-sion system to its full capacity.

“RIMPAC is a maritime-focused exercise, which is important as it’s one of the Wedgetail’s major roles,” GPCAPT Friend said. “The level of com-plex maritime group warfare at RIMPAC just can’t be substituted here in Australia.

“For Exercise Pitch Black, we will be operating out of our Tindal forward operating base with two aircraft, which is unusual, and this will test our dedicated facilities more fully.”

Full coverage of the exercises in future editions.

Wedgetails put to work in exercises

BUSY BEGINNING: 2SQN’s sixth and newest Wedgetail has been put straight to work at RIMPAC in Hawaii. Photo: LACW Katharine Pearson


*The comparison rate is based on a $30,000 loan taken over 5 years. This comparison rate is true only for the examples given and may not include all fees and charges. Different terms, fees or other loan amounts might result in a different comparison rate. Rates are current at the time of publication and are subject to change. Terms and conditions, fees and charges and lending criteria apply and are available at www.adcu.com.au. ^Authorised under NSW permit number LTPS/12/03934 and ACT permit number ACT TP 12/01897. Terms and conditions apply. Subject to funding of an ADCU Personal Loan by 19 October 2012. #Before making a decision about your insurance needs, please refer to the Product Disclosure Statement available at www.adcu.com.au. Insurance products are issued by QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited ABN 78 003 191 035 AFS Licence 239545. Australian Defence Credit Union Limited ABN 48 087 649 741 AFSL 237 988. Australian credit licence number 237 988.

Fixed Rate Personal Loan

Competitive Fixed Rate

12.99%

13.21%* Comparison Rate

p.a.

p.a.

Escape with an ADCU Personal Loanand you could win a dream holiday worth $5,000!^

To find out more, enquire in branch, visit www.adcu.com.au or call 1300 13 23 28.

Heading

Overs

eas?

Purch

ase Q

BE Trav

el Ins

uran

ce# w

ith yo

ur

pers

onal

loan f

or an

extra

chan

ce to

win!

^

WHEN SQNLDR Steve Bekker manoeuvred his P/C-9A to the starboard side of the stricken civil-

ian light aircraft, he saw for the first time the seriousness of the stiuation.

“The starboard gull wing door appeared to be completely missing, with some apparent damage to the structure surrounding the hinge mech-anism,” SQNLDR Bekker said.

“From our formation position, we could look into the aircraft and see the co-pilot’s body from head to toe and part of the rear seats.”

At 12.30pm on July 2, SQNLDR Bekker, a qualified test pilot, and FLTLT Pete Nugent, a flight test engi-neer, were conducting a maintenance test flight in a PC-9/A, Tester 5, in the Edinburgh training area.

Then they received a mayday call from Air Traffic Control at Adelaide Airport.

An inbound civil Lancair propjet aircraft with two personnel on board about 60 nautical miles away report-ed it had lost some fuselage and had a potential structural failure.

The P/C-9A immediately altered

Two Aircraft Research and Development Unit aircrew were in the right place at the right time to respond to an airborne emergency, Andrew Stackpool reports.

course to find the Lancair, which was about 25 nautical miles off the coast.

SQNLDR Bekker said they initially approached the aircraft on its port side and it appeared undamaged.

“We manoeuvred above and behind the aircraft and then flew to its starboard side,” he said.

It was then they saw the door was missing.

“Importantly, however, we could not see any damage to the tail of the aircraft. Had this area been damaged, then the situation would have been potentially much worse as there would most likely be control issues when the aircraft attempted to land.”

FLTLT Nugent said they were sur-prised by the amount of structure that was missing and relieved that it did not appear to have struck the tail plane or critically compromised the integrity of the airframe.

They informed the Lancair’s crew, via Adelaide, as the Lancair pilot advised he was having difficulty hear-ing them.

Tester 5 then escorted the Lancair to Adelaide airport.

On transit, their main con-

cern was that the Lancair would hold together and land safely.

“Our job was to monitor for any deterioration in structure and back up the pilot with respect to naviga-tion, aircraft configuration and any approach anomalies,” SQNLDR Bekker said.

“During the approach and our subsequent overshoot we could see that emergency services were in place and ready to react if required.”

FLTLT Nugent said there was a real element of chance to their response,

Mid-air shockMid-air shock

which began when Tester 5’s flight had been delayed by bad weather.

“Our test flight was serviceable; we wouldn’t have been able or wanted to assist if we had an unserviceable air-craft,” FLTLT Nugent said.

“Also, Air Force test aircrew are trained and proficient in dissimilar air-craft formation and as such were able to assess the situation and join up with the distressed aircraft safely.

“The layout of Adelaide Airport was also fortunate, as the aircraft could conduct a straight-in approach,

meaning it didn’t have to turn, induc-ing unwanted loads or forces on the aircraft,” he said.

This was FLTLT Nugent’s sec-ond experience assisting in a mid-air emergency while posted to the Aircraft Research and Development Unit. On August 31, 2010, he was one of two aircraft and four aircrew who assisted a light aircraft forced to perform a crash landing near Renmark airfield after it developed engine trouble and the pilot realised he would not make the airfield.

ELEMENT OF CHANCE: SQNLDR Steve Bekker, left, and FLTLT Pete Nugent. Photo: LACW Nicci Freeman

10% discount for servingfamilies and reservists*

navyhealth.com.au1300 306 289* Conditions Apply

The natural choice for health cover

6 July 19, 2012RCEAIR FFNews

FLTLT Cath Friend

THE Air Force has five new fighter pilots following the completion of Exercise High Sierra – the culmination of the F/A-18 operational conversion course.

Held at RAAF Base Townsville from June 11 to 29, the exercise represented the last three weeks of the intensive course, which converts pilots from the Hawk 127 Lead-in Fighter to the F/A-18 Classic Hornet.

After three years of intense training to be a fighter pilot, it came down to this exercise, where students were put through their paces to demonstrate the skills they had learnt.

CO 2 Operational Conversion Unit (2OCU) WGCDR Matt McCormack said the exercise was the end result of six months of demanding training on the F/A-18.

More than 150 Air Force person-nel and 12 F/A-18 Hornets deployed to Townsville for the biennial exercise, where live air-to-surface weapons were released in the Townsville Field Training Area during the conduct of strike mis-sions.

The support team to get the jets in the air and graduate the pilots included personnel from operations, supply,

administration, maintenance, armament, non-destructive inspection, training systems, flying instruction, communica-tions and intelligence.

“Everyone in the squadron under-stands how important they are to the team in ensuring these pilots gradu-ate for the future capability of the Air Force,” WGCDR McCormack said.

“Even when the students have the ‘thousand mile stare’ walking up to their jets focusing on their mission, the team are there to help them. I’m very proud of my squadron’s achievements on this exercise.”

Aside from graduating new fighter pilots, the exercise also provided par-ticipants with the high complexity air combat training opportunities needed to test deployment capabilities, such that the unit can operate away from its home base of RAAF Base Williamtown.

The graduating pilots were FLGOFFs Daniel Ross, Matthew Cox, Brent Jones, Spencer Lavers and Daniel Butler. FLGOFF Jones won the CAPT Mike Ryan Trophy for dux of the course, FLGOFF Cox received the Powell Memorial Trophy for aca-demic achievement and the Drummond Memorial Award for best weapons, and FLTLT Mick Perry received the JP Conlan Award for best instructor.

More than 150 personnel and 12 jets deploy to Townsville for Hornet conversion course

Sierra’s high fiveREADY TO FLY: Above, 2OCU student FLGOFF Matthew Cox gears up on the flightline at RAAF Base Townsville before taxiing out for his next mission, above right, during Exercise High Sierra. Right, XO 2OCU SQNLDR Russell Mills (left) briefs the five students of the Hornet operational conversion course on the day’s flying program.

Photos: SGT Ricky Fuller

CHECK LIST: Above, 2OCU pilot FLTLT Chris Baker runs through his start-up checks, while left, ground crew from 2OCU prepare another F/A-18. Photos: SGT Ricky Fuller

C2Ctulfa

Def

ence

Ban

k Li

mite

d A

BN 5

7 08

7 65

1 38

5 A

FSL/

Aus

tral

ian

Cre

dit L

icen

ce 2

3458

2 (0

7/12

)

Great features, great rate > No monthly fees

> 100% Mortgage offset

DHOAS Saver Home Loan

Annual variable rate6.05p.a.

%

Comparison rate6.11p.a.

%*

defencebank.com.au

Call 1800 033 139 or visit your local Defence Bank branch* Comparison rate is based upon $150,000 loan secured loan over 25 years. WARNING: This comparison rate is true only for the examples given and may not include all fees and charges. Different terms, fees and other loan amounts might result in a different comparison rate. Terms, conditions, fees and charges apply and are available on request. Approval subject to the satisfaction of Defence Bank’s lending criteria. DHOAS eligibility criteria also apply. 100% Mortgage offset available on variable rate loans. Interest rates current as at 4 July 2012, and are subject to change. Please refer to defencebank.com.au for current rates.


Eamon Hamilton

FOUR C-130H Hercules will trans-fer from Australia to Indonesia from next year, after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

CDF GEN David Hurley and Secretary General of the Indonesian Ministry of Defence AIRMSHL Eris Herryanto signed the MOU on July 2 during the second annual Indonesia Australia Leaders’ Meeting in Darwin.

The signing followed Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s November 2011 offer to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to transfer the aircraft to Indonesia.

The C-130 heavy lift transport aircraft will contribute to Indonesia’s capacity to

respond to natural disasters and humanitarian crises.

Indonesia will fund refurbishment and ongoing maintenance costs associated with the aircraft.

Commander Air Lift Group AIRCDRE Gary Martin said he looked forward to seeing the aircraft in their Indonesian livery dur-ing future exercises with the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU).

“It is in Australia’s interest to see Indonesia equipped with a strong and effec-tive air mobility fleet which can respond to events within the region,” AIRCDRE Martin said.

“Much like Australia, Indonesia relies on a fleet of transport aircraft to reach remote

communities quickly – in their case, spread over the world’s largest archipelago nation.

“Transfer of these aircraft will further increase the close ties we’ve fostered with our counterparts in the TNI-AU.”

Indonesia already operates a fleet which includes C-130Bs and C-130Hs, as well as the stretched L-100 Hercules.

Australia and Indonesia share a proud his-tory with the C-130 as the two oldest foreign operators of the venerable US-produced trans-port. Australia’s first C-130 was delivered in 1958 and Indonesia followed suit in 1960.

Both countries’ Hercules routinely work alongside each other during the Rajawali Ausindo series of exercises, as well as on humanitarian assistance operations.

Eamon Hamilton

AVIATION maintenance company StandardAero Limited will continue supporting the propulsions system that powers Air Force’s fleet of C-130J Hercules following a 12-month contract extension.

The Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) awarded the contract extension on June 27 at RAAF Base Richmond.

This follows a five-year contract with StandardAero Limited during which the company has provided engi-neering and maintenance support to the C-130J propul-sion system.

Each C-130J is powered by four AE2100D3 turbo-props, with each engine driving a six-blade scimitar propeller.

The engine produces 4600 shaft horsepower, and delivers greater performance than earlier C-130 Hercules powerplants.

StandardAero is responsible for depot level mainte-nance and engineering support of the C-130J propulsion system, which allows Air Force technicians to concen-trate on frontline maintenance.

StandardAero Limited has worked throughout the contract to improve reliability, reduce costs and improve engine availability.

Collaboration between Defence and industry since 2009 has seen dramatic improvements to the AE2100D3’s reliability in Air Force service.

DMO’s Air Lift Systems Program Office (ALSPO) formed a Propulsions ‘Tiger Team’ that worked with StandardAero Limited, along with Air Force and Rolls Royce, to address engine reliability and develop resolu-tions because of a spate of in-flight incidents requiring aircrews to shut down an engine.

SQNLDR Phil Mackie, of ALSPO, said the team worked tirelessly to develop a solution.

“Engine reliability has now significantly improved to where the current average engine time between removals has exceeded 2400 engine hours,” he said.

Propulsion system contract extended

Hercules transfer

WE’RE IN IT TOGETHER: Indonesian and Australian Defence Ministers Purnomo Yusgiantoro and Stephen Smith, and CDF GEN David Hurley, were among the officials at the MOU signing at RAAF Base Darwin.Photo: SGT Shane

Gidall

Mention you saw this fl yer prior to completing your initial contract and we’ll give you a choice of either a Free Portable GPS or a $200 Fuel Voucher when your new vehicle is delivered

LimitedOffer*

Specialists in sourcing Salary Packaged Cars

Quick and easy Finance approvals

Choose the car of your choice

Pay NO GST on your new car purchase or its running costs

Save with national fl eet discounts

Novated Lease set up with your Approved Bureau

Buy a new car with your Pre-Tax Salary and save thousands $$$$RAAF Defence Personnel

Attention

Call us for an obligation free quote NOW www.fl eetnetwork.com.au1300 738 601 www.fl eetnetwork.com.au Lease Package Save

Fleet Network Pty Ltd *To qualify for this offer you must mention this advertisement to Fleet Network prior to the completion of your initial contract. Vehicle must be new and supplied by Fleet Network. Not valid in conjunction with any other current Fleet Network offers. Employees should consult their employer’s salary packaging policy before entering into a contract.

8 July 19, 2012RCEAIR FFAir Force Improvement

A CULTURE of continuous improve-ment (CI) has been at the fore-front of the daily activities at 382 Expedit ionary Combat Support Squadron (382ECSS) for some time.

Recently, CI team members from the Military Working Dog and Explosive Detection Dog sections made savings in the area of kennel waste.

The situation arose when the sec-tion had exhausted its supply of spe-cialised wet bags for kennel waste and standard garbage bags were used as an alternative.

The OIC of Force Protection at 382ECSS, SQNLDR Gary Mott, said the successful use of those bags prompted further investigation from the CI team.

“They contacted the squadron’s procurements cell to find out what the squadron was paying for the wet bags,” SQNLDR Mott said.

They also noticed that although waste disposal contractors provided separate industrial waste bins for wet and general waste, both bins were emptied into the same truck.

“They asked why specialised wet waste bags and a separate bin were required,” he said. “They asked spe-cialists if there were any legal/envi-ronmental reasons for the wet bags but no-one could provide any.”

The team also consulted with Defence Services Group – Amberley (DSG AMB), and the waste dispos-al contractors to ensure there was no requirement to separate the wet waste from general waste.

Wasting no timeno time

Significant cost savings of up to 75 per cent could be made by using the much cheaper heavy-duty garbage bags and there was no requirement for the second waste bin.

As a result, existing orders for wet bags were cancelled, and DSG AMB removed the extra waste bin.

“This simple initiative resulted in an ongoing saving of about $2000 a year,” SQNLDR Mott said.

Meanwhile, Security Police minor criminal investigation staff removed the mandatory ordering of interview transcripts during the conduct of minor investigations, unless specifically

required for a Service Police Brief of Evidence. Transcription services cost $12.11 a page, with typical transcripts being 10 or more pages per interview.

“In an effort to save costs, a DVD recording is now provided to the indi-vidual in place of a copy of the tran-script, thereby allowing for an average minimum saving of more than $120 an interview, while still satisfying evi-dentiary requirements in accordance with Defence investigative policy,” SQNLDR Mott said.

➤ No longer vaccinating older military working dogs against rabies (required for deployment) as there is little chance of older dogs deploying. This provides a saving of about $500 a dog.

➤ The conversion of an isolation kennel bank to an Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service-approved facility. If approved, the kennels could be used by all service dogs returning from overseas deployment, instead of using expensive government-approved kennels, resulting in a saving of about $2000-$3000 a dog in quarantine costs.

Other CI initiatives

“Dependant on the number of inter-views conducted each year, this has the potential to save thousands of dollars on just one base alone.”

Squadron CO WGCDR Andy Lancaster said the 382ECSS force protection flight was applying a “CI mindset” to everything they did.

“The lessons they have learnt and the improvements they have identified will be communicated to all force protection flights,” WGCDR Lancaster said.

WORKING SMARTER: 382ECSS force protection flight at RAAF Base Amberley have embraced continuous improvement initiatives to save money and improve efficiencies so they can concentrate on protecting assets and people on the base, as illustrated above and right. Photos: SGT William Guthrie and LACW Jessica Smith

AArree yyoouuu happpyy witthh

Are yoyyyour ttaaxxx appy withaaaggennt??yyo r taxt x


ALTHOUGH Canberra residents saw no Air Force aircraft in the skies above the city, a recent exercise played an important role in the operational com-mand and control of real and simulated air, land and sea forces operating from bases in Queensland and the Northern Territory.

More than 100 Navy, Army and Air Force permanent and active reserves personnel from around Australia trav-elled to Canberra to participate in Exercise Pozieres Prospect 12-3.

The personnel augmented the Air Force’s Air and Space Operations Centre (AOC) at the Headquarters Joint Operational Command (HQJOC) at Bungendore.

Working with the AOC were per-sonnel from the ADF and Defence Science and Technology Organisation and contractors at the Joint Capability Training Centre (JCTC), Fyshwick, where all the simulation activity for the exercise was conducted.

Lead-in training for the augmented AOC and JCTC personnel started on June 19 and the major effort of the exercise was completed by July 2.

With almost all his pilots deployed to support the exercise, CO 75SQN WGCDR Phil Arms said he was pleased to be involved.

“I saw it as an excellent opportu-nity to expose the 75SQN aircrew, nor-mally involved in the tactical execu-tion of such missions, with an insight into the operational level of command and the work that goes into running such a conflict,” WGCDR Arms said.

“This insight gave them a better understanding of the issues they face daily while flying combat aircraft.”

Set in 2015, the simulated combat operations from RAAF Bases Darwin and Sherger featured Wedgetail, KC-30A, F/A-18 Classic and Super Hornet, and AP-3C aircraft, along with UAVs and ground-based air defence radar systems.

Simulating in silence

At the same time, real Hawk and Super Hornet aircraft supporting Army exercise activity in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area came under AOC direc-tion.

The AOC’s capabilities exercised in Pozieres Prospect 12-3 were assessed and certified as operationally capable, giving Air Commander Australia and Commander Joint Operations confi-

dence the AOC has met the raise, train and sustain, and operational employ-ment requirements.

Director AOC GPCAPT Terry Van Haren was in the thick of the action as the conflict unfolded, sharing his time with exercise activity and emerging real-world issues.

He said it was a challenge taking the permanent AOC staff and inte-

grating a large number of augmented personnel to produce a cohesive and effective team.

“This was an important exercise for the AOC,” GPCAPT Van Haren said.

“Coordination that both integrates and deconflicts with ongoing HQJOC activities has been required. It has been very much a joint effort led by Air Force.”

AT THE CONTROL CENTRE: Above, from left, FLTLT Ivan Saunders, of HQJOC AOC, and MAJ Dale Cooper, of 6th Brigade, Directorate Army Air Support Battlefield Coordination Detachment, talk to US Army Plans Officer LTCOL Curby Scarborough, of the 5th Battlefield Coordination Detachment Joint Base Pearl Harbour. Above right photo, from left, SGT Susheela Mulquiney, of HQJOC AOC, and FLGOFF Jason De Iuliis and SQNLDR Dave Temm, of 75SQN. Photos: LAC Michael Green

Get your seats allocated now!

Never Stand Still

Faculty of Science

Schoolof Aviation

Upgrade your professional

Programs in Aviation ManagementPostgraduate courses offered by distance education

Bachelor of Aviation

management options

Find out more: www.aviation.unsw.edu.au call Jamie on (02) 9385-6767

RAAF Bases Williamtown and Richmond both played host in June to grade 11 and 12 indigenous stu-dents from Western NSW.

A group of 12 students aged 16 and 17 visited Richmond from July 2-5, as part of a program to encour-age indigenous youth towards an Air Force career.

The youths flew to Richmond from Illawarra Regional Airport with the Australian Aerial Patrol, before visiting key locations on base, including a C-130 and simulator.

The trip was coordinated with the Illawarra Aboriginal Corporation, which manages the Boorowa Aviation project as part of a Defence Careers Work Experience Program.

Seventeen students from Mudgee, Narromine and Warren vis-ited Williamtown on June 13.

The students were introduced to fighter pilots from 77SQN and 76SQN, tradespeople from the Mechanical Equipment Operational Maintenance Squadron and 278SQN, and were provided tuition in ground and air defence.

A Hawk jet simulator experience was a highlight for many of the students, while others lauded the character building and new learning opportunities.

Escort officer WOFF Lloyd Hamilton said the base tour ena-bled the students to gain a broader understanding of the career options

available and the formal trade quali-fications to be gained.

“The day involved goal-setting, mentoring, making a commitment and sticking to a plan,” he said.

The students were hosted by the NSW Rugby League Origin Legends, a non-profit organisation, in partnership with the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, and the Defence Careers Work Experience program.

The Defence Work Experience Program offers a variety of work experience placements and is acces-sible via www.defence.gov.au/work-experience

CPL Mark Doran

PAST and present indigenous servicemen and women were honoured and remem-bered at the Australian War Memorial during the 2012 NAIDOC Week annual Defence Indigenous Memorial Service on July 4.

Close to 200 guests and local school children attended the service, which was supported by Australia’s Federation Guard and the Australian Army Band – Sydney.

NAIDOC – which stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee – is a celebrat ion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cul-tures and an opportunity to recognise the contributions of indigenous Australians in various fields.

One of the themes for NAIDOC 2012 was ‘They dared to Challenge’, celebrat-ing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who have championed change.

CDF GEN David Hurley was the guest speaker at the ceremony and was joined by Defence Secretary Duncan Lewis to lay a wreath at the War Memorial’s Armistice Stone.

GEN Hurley said Defence had a proud tradition of engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

“The Aboriginal and Torres Strait flags fly proudly beside the Australian flag and the ADF flag in Field Marshal Sir Thomas Blamey Square at Russell Offices to mark the significance of NAIDOC Week,” he said.

“It’s a small but important gesture to honour the important contributions that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peo-ple have made to our military history and to acknowledge their continued service today.

“It is also a sign of respect and appreciation for the unique relationship Defence has with people of indigenous descent.

“History shows that our indigenous service men and women dared to chal-lenge the system by fighting for their country in a time of great need and were

among the early pioneers of a reconcilia-tion process that continues today.”

The ADF has a long and proud indige-nous history, with indigenous ADF mem-bers having been engaged in all major conflicts since the Boer War.

M o r e t h a n 3 0 0 0 i n d i g e n o u s Australians enlisted during WWII. A fur-ther 150-200 served as de facto service-men and patrolled and performed other military duties along the north Australian coast while an additional 3000 indig-enous Australians supported the WWII defence effort as civilian labourers.

Honouring those who dare Useful advice in

new handbook

PROUD TRADITION: A moment of reflection during the NAIDOC Week Defence Indigenous Memorial Service at the Australian War Memorial. Photo: Lauren Black

Students get ideas for careers

PRECIOUS CARGO: LAC Brendan Hunt, of 37SQN, shows the group of indigenous teenagers how the seating is configured in the cargo hold of a C-130J at RAAF Base Richmond.

Photo: CPL Amanda Campbell

UP CLOSE: LAC Adam Renfree, of 37SQN, shows James Suleski through the flight deck of a C-130J Hercules at RAAF Base Richmond; right, Students with members of 77SQN inside the hangar at RAAF Base Williamtown.

Photos: CPL Amanda Campbell and LACW Katharine Pearson

DEFENCE recently launched the Indigenous Handbook for Defence commanders, managers and super-visors to inform them of Defence’s strategic approach to indigenous affairs.

Issued by the Directorate of Indigenous Affairs, the 20-page pub-lication contains information useful when dealing with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Defence per-sonnel or external communities.

The handbook is endorsed by CDF GEN David Hurley and Defence Secretary Duncan Lewis, and includes the Defence Indigenous Perspectives Affirmations.

As well as information on his-tory, culture and flag protocols the handbook also gives commanders advice on the self-identification process which is a personal and vol-untary decision indigenous Defence members can make to declare their heritage.

The handbook can be down-loaded at http://intranet.defence.gov.au/home/documents/data/DEFPUBS/DEFMISC/INDHANDBOOK/IndigenousHandbook.pdf



Eamon Hamilton

FOR the past 33 years, a flight engineer known throughout the Air Force Hercules community as Boshy has served exclusively on the C-130H.

That era came to a close on June 19 as WOFF John Boshammer completed his final flying task at RAAF Base Richmond.

Days later, he was presented with the Federation Star to his Long Service Medal – a fitting cap to mark 40 years of service.

With the retirement of the C-130H later this year, many of its flight engineers are considering their next career within Air Force, but WOFF Boshammer is thinking about all the things he is going to do in retirement.

“I’m going to go see the places that I’ve flown over, but haven’t actually seen at ground level,” WOFF Boshammer said.

His flying career ended with 15,797 hours on the clock, which equates to travelling nearly 7.9 mil-lion kilometres by C-130H.

WOFF Boshammer’s Air Force career began in 1972 after he left the family farm in the southern Queensland town of Brigalow.

After completing his trade train-ing, he arrived at Richmond as an airframe fitter in May 1974.

He worked on C-130As and Es with 486SQN before a new career beckoned in 1978.

RAAF Base Williamtown identity GPCAPT Warren Cook – a ‘double eagle’ (Air Force and legal) – has called it quits after 51 years in the service.

GPCAPT Cook, who was the Head of Legal Panel for No. 26 (City of Newcastle) Squadron, was farewelled in Newcastle at a din-ner attended by about 40 people on May 10.

For many years, he assisted both commanders and airmen at the base and relief-manned when PAF legal officers deployed.

In his speech at the din-ner, Director Air Force Legal Service GPCAPT Chris Ward said GPCAPT Cook’s Air Force jour-ney began when he joined the Air Training Corps in 1956.

GPCAPT Ward emphasised GPCAPT Cook’s selfless and strong leadership and the pro-longed and unstinting loyalty he gave to Air Force and base per-sonnel, including reserve and per-manent legal officers posted to Williamtown.

“GPCAPT Cook was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2003 for service to the commu-nity, particularly the welfare of chil-dren ‘at risk’ and through the scout-ing movement,” GPCAPT Ward said.

A long-serving NSW magis-trate and coroner, GPCAPT Cook

Double eagle leaves nest

was the president of the Board of Inquiry into the death of PTE Jake Kovco in 2006.

GPCAPT Cook said that the best two decisions he had ever made were to enlist in the Air Force and to marry his wife Ellen in 1967.

On completion of the speeches, the Principal Panel Leader for Air Force, GPCAPT David McLeod, presented the new 26SQN Air Force Specialist Reservist Panel Leader, GPCAPT Greg Tyler, with his pro-motion certificate.

CHANGING Of THE GUARD: GPCAPT Warren Cook, right, with GPCAPT (then WGCDR) Greg Tyler, RAAFSR, who was promoted to the role of new Panel Leader.Photo: SQNLDR Craig Deveney

Sun sets on long career

That year Air Force replaced its C-130As with C-130Hs, and WOFF Boshammer was on the first cadre of C-130H flight engineers to be trained in Australia in June 1979.

He was on flights to Antarctica, humanitarian relief throughout the Asia Pacific, and missions through-out the Middle East.

His final task came during

THE LAST TIME: Hercules A97-002, which carried WOFF John Boshammer on his last task, on the tarmac at RAAF Base Darwin at dawn; left, WOFF Boshammer, right, discusses the pre-flight inspection with 285SQN flight engineer trainee SGT Robert Hobbs. Photos: CPL Colin Dadd

‘Army’s Exercise Hamel, flying from Richmond to Darwin and Williamson Airfield.

“I took a student flight engi-neer along on the flight, which was slightly ironic in a way. I just hope he gained something for his future that was not a result of either awe or shock,” he said.

Admitt ing he would have liked to have flown the C-130H through to 16,000 hours, WOFF Boshammer said he was happy with the quality of his time.

“I’ve had the great fortune to aviate with many talented men and women, some of whom have gone on to bigger and better things – for-mer Chief of Defence Force ACM Angus Houston for one.

“To quote one A.B Facey, ‘it’s been a truly fortunate life’.”

I’m going to go see the places that I’ve flown over, but haven’t

actually seen at ground level.– WOFF John Boshammer

PROUD DAY: WOFF John Boshammer, surrounded by fellow members of 37SQN, displays his ribbons which now include a Federation Star for 40 years of service.

Photo: LAC David Said

D EPLOYING to Afghanistan? Your fi rst stop will be Al Minhad Air Base (AMAB) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

For those suffering jet lag who need to acclimatise to conditions or are having equip-

ment issues, Combat Support Unit 7 (CSU 7) are there to help.

AMAB is the ADF’s base for the reception, staging, onward forwarding and Integration (RSO&I) of all forces deploying into the MEAO, with the exception of the

12 13RCEAIR FF July 19, 2012Centrepiece

AT YOUR SERVICEAT YOUR SERVICE

HEALTH SUPPORT: From left, SQNLDR Jennifer Ireland OIC with CPL

Sara Doore from CSU 7 medical

section.

Whether it be fire and rescue, security, medical attention, or admin support, CSU 7 is there to help you in Afghanistan. CPL Mark Doran writes.

Fighting fit for flight homeFighting fit for flight home

IF IT has wheels and is overseas then the Mechanical Equipment Operational Maintenance Squadron (MEOMS) workshop team are responsi-ble for it.

They conduct scheduled and periodic mainte-nance on all the ground support equipment for the Hercules, Orion and C-17A aircraft.

The unit also supports the base and assists the other coalition units if required.

On his third deployment to the Middle East, WOFF Geoffrey Lever said wherever the aircraft were they needed power, generators and air condi-tioning units.

“The heat makes it impossible to work out-doors during the day so we have adjusted our

working regime to do night shifts,” WOFF Lever said.

“Obtaining spare parts is always an issue here as there is a long lead time to have them sent from Australia because we are so

remote, but we plan our work well ahead to get around the

problem.“It has been a highlight

for me to work with our coalition partners and I have been lucky enough to visit a forward operat-ing base to service our equipment and see how it operates and where all our equipment is being used to support our aircraft.”

LAC Brian Blank’s main role at AMAB is to maintain the general service equip-ment, something he has gained a greater understand-

ing of since being at AMAB. “I have found you have to

get on and work well with your colleagues at all times here – we

are such a close-knit group,” LAC Blank said.

“Going into country and seeing my role in the bigger picture made me feel very small, especially seeing how many troops rely on our aircraft and what we do.”

PATIENTS injured in Afghanistan are stabi-lised for flight by the CSU 7 medical sec-tion before being returned to Australia for rehabilition.

The unit provides medical support to all personnel at AMAB, including Defence civilians, and conducts medical and psy-chological screenings before people are sent home.

The outpatient department has four beds which can transform into resusci-

tation bays and the ward area has another four beds.

SQNLDR Jennifer Ireland, OC CSU 7 medical section, said working in the UAE presented some cultural challenges.

“Once we work through those challenges being here can be a very reward-ing experience,” she said. “Working in this medical facility is fantastic and it has

certainly evolved from when I first came here in 2008.”

An aeromedical evacuation capability from Afghanistan is also provided at AMAB with further care and specialist treatment provided at a local Dubai hospital.

As an advanced medical assistant, CPL Sara Doore helps man-age the outpatients department. They look after the per-sonnel on base for a myriad of issues and assist with preventative health.

“Overall it has been a good deployment with fairly much the same sort of responsi-bilities we would have in Australia,” she said.

ON THE JOB AT AMAB: From top, LACW Sarah Hampton unloads stores; LACW Lauren Marshal controls the vehicle check point; CPL Tianxu “Barry’ Feng in CSU 7’s maintenance store.

FLYING THE FLAG: LACW Belinda Walters, of CSU 7’s Force Protection Section, at AMAB.Photos: CPL Mark Doran

KEEP ROLLIN’: LAC Brian Blank from CSU 7’s MEOMS, works on a truck aircraft loading unit.

‘During the hotter months the temperature can regularly reach in excess of 48 degrees Celsius. – WGCDR David Shepherd

The base command post, or oper-ations centre, acts as the watchkeeper for AMAB and is also the emergency operations centre for aviation or ground-based emergencies.

A logistics team operates the warehouses, which are primarily focused on supplying aircraft spares for the Hercules and Orion with a lim-ited amount of C-17A aircraft spares.

Administrative support is handled by a section of three who look after the 280 members of the air component, including the HQ, maintainers, air crews and CSU 7.

The security section man the vehi-cle check points for the domestic and air sides of the base and security patrols of the Australian compound as well as the coali-tion forces camps.

An Australian PTI works with a con-tracted instructor and a coalition PTI to run the two gyms and multiple classes.

WGCDR Shepherd said one of the best things about the base was its true tri-service environment.

“Because it is Australian led and run, it is a happy camp,” he said.

“Force protection at AMAB is a main consideration because although we are in the UAE, we are still within the area of operations, with its varying levels of threat.

“During the hotter months of June and July the temperature can regularly reach in excess of 48 degrees Celsius, which makes the management of work/rest cycles for heat-related inju-ries, especially for personnel working outdoors, a major consideration.

“Having been here now for 10 years we have a robust set of orders and procedures to ensure our people are safe and secure. They are all doing a mag-nificent job. ”

Maritime Forces’ Major Fleet Unit ships company.

Other units based at AMAB include the headquarters for Joint Task Force 633, Air Component Command, Joint Movements Coordination Centre, Force Communications Unit 7 and Force Support Unit 6 (who conduct the RSO&I).

Normally between 500 and 1000 personnel are based at and/or transiting through AMAB.

CSU 7’s two main functions are to provide continuous combat support to all MEAO air operations from AMAB, including logistics and freight distribution, as well as the base command function and combat support element for the base.

The unit’s main sections include the security section, fire and rescue, medical section, a logistics flight and the maintenance workshop.

They also provide force protection, explosive ordnance, base command post and a small but busy admin section, as well as air load teams at AMAB, Kandahar and Tarin Kot.

Australian base commander WGCDR David Shepherd, CO CSU 7, has a similar role and challenges as a base commander in Australia.

“There are additional challenges of meeting the require-ments of the host nation,” WGCDR Shepherd said.

“As host nation, the UAE allows us to use their air base and they have allocated us areas for our accommodation, services and facilities.

“They are naturally still responsible for their base and security and we have to comply with their visa and immi-gration requirements, although our area is run as a mini Australian/coalition base.”

HEALTH SUPPORT: From left, SQNLDR Jennifer Ireland OIC with CPL

Sara Doore from CSU 7 medical

section.

IF IT has wheels and is ovMechanical Equipment OSquadron (MEOMS) worble for it.

They conduct schedulenance on all the ground suHercules, Orion and C-17

The unit also supportsother coalition units if req

On his third deploymeWOFF Geoffrey Lever saiwere they needed power, gtioning units.

“The heat makes it idoors during the da

working regimeLever said.

“Obtaian issue lead timAustra

remowel

pr

fchtieqoeqsu

rothmgai

ing “

get oncolleagu

are such a cBlank said.

“Going into cin the bigger picsmall, especiallyrely on our airc

chological screenings before people are sent home.

The outpatient department has four beds which can transform into resusci-

tation bays and the ward area has another four beds.

SQNLDR Jennifer Ireland, OCCSU 7 medical section, said working in the UAE presented some cultural challenges.

“Once we work through those challenges being here can be a very reward-ing experience,” she said. “Working in this medical facility is fantastic and it has

Sara Doore helps man-age the outpatients department. They look after the per-sonnel on base for a myriad of issues and assist with preventative health.

“Overall ithas been a gooddeployment with fairly much the same sort of responsi-bilities we would have inAustralia,” she said.

W hal

k point; Barry’ 7’s store.

Mechanics on a roll at Al Minhad

Andrea Evans, Director, is an Accredited Family Law Specialist and is one of Canberra’s most experienced, well credentialed and respected family lawyers.

If you need legal advice following the breakdown of your relationship Evans Family Lawyers can help you resolve your problem constructively and effectively, whether it be a parenting or fi nancial matter.

Contact Evans Family Lawyers today.

P: 6247 6147 F: 6247 3707 E: enquiries@evansfl .com.au W: www.evansfl .com.au

Separation & divorce

Parenting matters

Property matters for de facto & married couples

Child & spousal maintenance

Cohabitation & binding fi nancial agreements

Superannuation in family law

Child support

Domestic violence & protection orders

Suite 4, Level 4, 10 Moore Street, Canberra


Edinburgh-Houses For Rent

Choice of three brand new houses, only 6kms from Edinburgh Defence Precinct

all with heating and cooling.

3 bedroom $325 pw2 bedroom $285 pw

Contact: Karen Davis 0407 631 [email protected]

MilitaryMilitary Plaques

Ph: 07 5495 8259Ph: 07 5495 8259Fax: 07 5499 1231Fax: 07 5499 1231

Noel &Sheralyn Vellnagel P.O. Box 1258 , Morayfi eld Qld [email protected] www.spitpolished.com.auwww.spitpolished.com.au

• History Plaques & Boxes•Sculptures Now stocking •Hat Badges •Desk Name Plates •Canes & Stands

SPIT POLISHED PRESENTATIONSSPIT POLISHED PRESENTATIONS

Air Force BandJuly 26: 39th Battalion Association 70th anni-versary luncheon, RACV Club, Melbourne, at 12pm.July 27: Korean

War Cease Fire Commemoration Service, Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne, at 1pm.

RoulettesJuly 25: Make a Wish Walk, Winchelsea, Victoria.

Air Force events

M E M B E R S o f 1 C o m b a t Communications Squadron (1CCS) were joined by health-based agencies on June 14 for a combined barbecue and information campaign.

The day – organised as part of Men’s Health Week – involved stalls and syndicates with information on drug and alcohol awareness, sex-relat-ed health and other health risks.

CO 1CCS WGCDR Nicholas Clarke said the unit placed a strong emphasis on its health. This included making responsible health and lifestyle choices away from the workplace.

Addressing 1CCS members on the day, WGCDR Clarke said, “I can’t generate communications capability anywhere in the world without you all being in good health”.

Presenters included representa-tives from Family Planning NSW, NSW Health, Red Cross, and St John’s Ambulance – and they clicked with the Air Force members.

“The people who came out to con-duct the event were fantastic, as they had a real ability to communicate with the guys and create a comfortable environment,” WGCDR Clarke said.

As one example, NSW Health briefed 1CCS on what to look out for if they were considering a tattoo.

Presenters with the Red Cross Save-a-Mate campaign provided a drug and alcohol awareness work-shop.

Members of Defence’s Alcohol Rehabilitation and Education Program were on hand to provide information

about Defence services available to members.

WGCDR Clarke said he looked forward to running similar events in future, and encouraged other units to do the same.

“Everybody learned something, regardless of whether they were young or old members of 1CCS,” WGCDR Clarke said.

LAC Bill Solomou

NUMBER 114 Mobile Control and Reporting Unit (114MCRU) is ready to strike again, thanks to the award-winning services of Daromont Technologies.

114MCRU – which has the taipan as its mascot – is able to deploy back in the field after Daromont Technologies re-constituted its deployable cabins.

The unit deployed to Kandahar in 2007 for 24 months to undertake the role as the lead Tactical Command and Control agency for air operations in Afghanistan, respon-sible for the provision of 24 hour/seven-

day air battle management of coalition air forces.

During the two-year deployment the operational tempo was extreme, with the Control and Reporting Centre supporting more than 177,000 missions and 4900 calls for close air support for troops in contact with insurgents.

Upon returning from Afghanistan, the unit’s system hardware and operating cabins, which suffered under the harsh environmental conditions, were due for re-constitution.

Daromont Technologies was assigned the task and was recently awarded the per-

petual Essington Lewis Trophy, an annual award that recognises excellence in Defence procurement and project management.

CO 114MCRU WGCDR David Banham thanked Daronmont for its excellent support over the past two years.

He also praised the efforts of his own technical staff in working very effectively with civilian contractors during the re-constitution.

He said he looked forward to deploying the MCRC back into the field.

“The Taipan is back and ready to strike,” WGCDR Banham said.

Award winner puts 114MCRU back on track

WELL DONE: 114MCRU CO WGCDR David Banham and Craig Sweet, project support manager Daronmont Technologies, in one of the unit’s new cabins.

Photo: LS Helen Frank

Men’s health on agenda

TAKING IT ON BOARD: 1CCS members at RAAF Base Richmond took in the information at the Men’s Health Week function.

Photos: LACDavid Said

Helping you own your home sooner with...the lowest standard variable DHOAS rate^.

Terms and Conditions, Fees and Charges and lending criteria apply. ^ As at 4 July 2012, the ADCU DHOAS Value Home Loan has the lowest standard variable DHOAS Home Loan rate. *Comparison rate based on a loan of $150,000 over 25 years with monthly repayments. This comparison rate is true only for the examples given and does not include all fees and charges. Different terms, fees or other loan amounts might result in a different comparison rate. Rates are current at the time of publication and are subject to change. Visit dhoas.adcu.com.au for more details. Australian Defence Credit Union Limited ABN 48 087 649 741 AFSL No. 237 988. Australian credit licence number 237 988.

Talk to someone who will put your needs first.

Go to dhoas.adcu.com.au, call 1300 2 DHOAS or visit your local branch.

ADCU DHOASValue Home Loan

5.996.04

%p.a.

%p.a.

Interest Rate

Comparison Rate*

15July 19, 2012RCEAIR FF

CPL Mark Doran

A MARRIAGE proposal plan was well know by many of those deployed on Operation Slipper – except, of course, the bride-to-be.

When FLGOFF Michael Fox, of Force Support Unit 6 at Al Minhad Air Base, learned he would be passing through Kandahar Airfield, he arranged to surprise his partner, FLTLT Cinda Lyons, with an engagement ring.

FLTLT Lyons is based in Afghanistan with the Heron Remotely Piloted Vehicle Detachment.

FLGOFF Fox said he planned to propose before his deployment, but when he discov-ered that they would both be deploying at the same time, decided to wait for the perfect opportunity.

“I was hoping our paths would cross as I thought it would be an unusual proposal as we are deployed on the same operation,” FLGOFF Fox said. “I had arranged for Cinda to meet me on the flightline but my aircraft arrived early so that plan quickly dissolved.

“We then met at Camp Baker and walked to the boardwalk. I waited for her to return from the coffee shop and then I popped the question.”

FLTLT Lyons said the proposal was a very nice surprise and she was still a bit bewil-dered by it all.

“I had no idea he would propose to me here [in Afghanistan], however, I had con-sidered the possibility of him proposing one day as we have been together now for three years,” she said.

“It was very romantic, a little different from the normal and is typical of the way we operate together.”

CPL Mark Doran

THERE were more shaven heads than usual bobbing about Kandahar Airfield (KAF) when members of the Heron Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Detachment did their bit to raise money for the Leukaemia Foundation.

Ten members deployed with the Air Force detachment were willing to shave their heads on June 14 and in doing so they raised $3374.

A no-fly day gave the fund-raisers an opportunity to hold the shaving extravaganza and FLTLT Julian Garland, who organised KAF’s Greatest Shave, said that Rotation 8 had decided to finish its deployment with a significant event.

“As we are flying nearly every day, it is a bit like ‘Ground Hog Day’ – we just wanted to raise money for a charity and generate a memorable light-hearted moment from our time in Afghanistan,” he

said. “It was difficult to get every-body on board at first, particularly the CO, WGCDR Paul Jarvis, and the XO, SQNLDR Jonathan Polich, who both provided semi-valid excuses as to why they needed to keep their locks.

“Originally they were going to match the donations, but then decided to place a price of $1000 each on their hair. This was raised very quickly as soon as word spread,” FLTLT Garland said.

“We had many laughs on the day, especially when it came to shaving the bosses’ heads and it was a fantastic morale booster.”

The event drew quite a crowd from the various Camp Baker units. CO Rotary Wing Group LTCOL Scott Nicholls started pro-ceedings by removing WGCDR Jarvis’s locks, but it quickly became clear that he made a bet-ter pilot than a barber, so Navy Heron payload operator CPO Steve Cheeseman was called in to neaten up the job.

Heron det Heron det heads go baldbald

“I DO”: Above, FLGOFF Michael Fox, of FSU 6, with his fiancée FLTLT Cinda Lyons, of the Heron Detachment, after she accepted his marriage proposal in Afghanistan. Photo: CPL Melina Mancuso

A hand in marriage

CO WGCDR Paul Jarvis

perations

Classes offered in Sydney and Wollongong. The Master of Management is also available in Loftus, Nowra, Batemans Bay, Bega and Moss Vale.

Hold an ADF Graduate Certificate? You may get credit for subjects completed.

For details visit www.sbs.edu.au/sbscourses or call us on 02 4221 4067.

EDUCATING TOMORROW’S LEADERSCONNECT: SYDNEY BUSINSS SCHOOL

CRICOS: 00102E

Expand your skills with a:Air Force Rings

75 Squadron Rings

Sterling Silver $249.00

9ct Yellow Gold $645.00

18ct Yellow Gold $1545.00White and rose gold also available. Visit www.airforceshop.com.au or call 02 6123 2930 for details.

Air Force Shop at Military Shop 65 Kembla Street Fyshwick Canberraairforceshop.com.au 02 6123 2930

INSIGNIA RINGS

Feature RCEAIR FF July 19, 201216

PROSPECTIVE pilots need to remember three things during the second stage of fl ight training: “Don’t hit lead, don’t hit the ground

and don’t run out of fuel.”That’s the advice of WGCDR

Graham Williams, CO of 2 Flying Training School (2FTS), and the man ultimately responsible for grooming the next generation of Air Force pilots.

But it’s not just the formation lead-er, the ground and fuel that students have to look out for at 2FTS, accord-ing to WGCDR Williams.

“They’re expected to work as a team, they’re expected be prepared for their next mission, and they’re expected to behave as young officers and future leaders,” he said. “We take the skills they have learned on the CT4 at [Basic Flying Training School] Tamworth and take them to the next level.”

Reaching for Reaching for the starsthe stars Following on from our centrepiece in last edition on

the Basic Flying Training School, CPL Max Bree heads to 2 Flying Training School.

UP IN THE AIR: Left, FLTLT Andrew Robinson and OFFCDT Michael Marriner; top and above, former 2FTS students perform a Diamond 9 formation near RAAF Base Pearce. Left photo: CPL Max Bree

CORRECTIONIN THE “Black Panther honour” story on page 21 of the July 5 edition, the history breakout stated that the squad-ron’s role ended in 1989 when it replaced its Mirages with Macchi jet trainers. This was incorrect. It should have said that 76SQN was disbanded on August 24, 1973, and was then reformed on January 1, 1989, with Macchi jet trainers and Winjeel Forward Air Control aircraft. Thank you SQNLDR Dave Burns, of the Office of Air Force History, for correcting this error.

OFFCDT Michael Marriner is more than half-way through his nine-month pilot training and has entered an intense part of the course.

“At the moment it’s flat-out flying for us,” he said. “Earlier in the course you do more classroom work. At the moment it would be about a sortie a day, earlier it would be about three sor-ties a week.”

Each instructor takes on two to three students who each do 130 hours of flight training on the PC-9s at RAAF Base Pearce, near Perth.

FLTLT Andrew Robinson, a flying instructor at 2FTS, said the students’ dedication to the idea of becoming a pilot kept them professional through-out training.

“Because it’s their dream they’re really motivated, they’re really eager and they want to perform at a high standard,” he said.

As a former Orion pilot, FLTLT

Robinson enjoyed developing his co-pilots and transferred to 2FTS for a more specific training role.

“You do take a particular interest in them doing well and seeing them get through the course,” FLTLT Robinson said.

But every student is going to run into difficulty with some aspect of the training, he said.

“It might be formation flying, it might be something to do with check-lists.”

“Some of the things you can pre-pare for on the ground but formation flying isn’t one of them.”

Every student has a set allowance of extra flying hours for remedial training. The CO

has discretion to give more remedial hours but failing students can have their say at an assessment review board.

“For some guys, suspension comes as a relief because they know they’re struggling,” WGCDR Williams said.

“The reason we fail someone is usually because they are a risk to themselves or a risk to others.”

But failed pilots often go on to have Defence careers in other areas.

“It doesn’t make them any less valuable members of the Air Force or Navy,” WGCDR Williams said.

“We don’t walk past them in the corridors and not look them in the eye.”

As a fast-jet pilot himself, WGCDR Williams said his main aim was to train more fighter pilots.

“The Air Force is in a situation where we need to produce more fast- jet pilots,” he said.

“We’ve been providing pilots who are capable of flying our larger multi-engined aircraft but not so much the pilots we’ll need to fly the F-35 or Super Hornets.

“I’m now looking at how we teach the course but our main interest is to ensure we’re getting the absolute best performance to graduate pilots at the highest possible standard.”

Once a student passes the course at 2FTS they are awarded their wings and allocated to further training on fast-jets or transport aircraft.

17July 19, 2012RCEAIR FF Flightline

CABIN FEVER: Left, from left, CPL Chris Schulz, LAC Ben Taylor, SGT Mick Herman, CPL Anthony Beasley and LAC Ed Andric on top of a deployable communications cabin while on exercise at Oakey Army Aviation Centre. The members from 3CRU, RAAF Base Williamtown, were working from the cabin to support flying training activities in the RAAF Base Amberley area. Photo: LACW Jessica Smith

GO THE BLUES: Above, NSW may have lost the State of Origin rugby league decider, but leading up to the big game, 2SQN’s WOFF Brett Mahaer showed his support for the Blues while in Alaska for Exercise Red Flag. ZIPPED UP: Right, C-130 technician CPL Peter Beckmann, of 37SQN, during Red Flag. Photos: CPL David Gibbs

CAPITAL LAWYERS

6262-5355

CAPITAL LAWYERS FIGHTING FOR YOU Level 3, 39 London Circuit, Canberra City, ACT 2601 E-mail: [email protected] G.P.O Box 1683, Canberra City, ACT 2601 Web: www.capitallawyers.com.au

THE LAWYER YOU HAVE DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE

KNOW YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS FREE CASE APPRAISAL

We have extensive experience in: � Personal Injury Claims ��Military Compensation Claims ��Compensation for Public Servants (Comcare) ��Veteran’s Entitlements Act Claims

THE ACT’S LEADING LAW FIRM WITH A PROVEN TRACK RECORD

ROGER THAT: Left, LAC Mark Davey, of 1CCS, makes a radio call in Alaska during Exercise Red Flag. Photo: CPL David GibbsELECTION TIME: Below, LACW Nicole Yates, a movements operator with 1AOSS, at Port Moresby airport as part of the ADF’s operation to support Papua New Guinea’s national elections. Photo: CPL Melina Mancuso

LOOK AND LEARN: Right, SQNLDR Stuart Aish, a student with BFTS at Tamworth, takes a close look the internal workings of an aircraft engine, while on the Basic Flying Course.Photo: LAC Bill Solomou

18 July 19, 2012RCEAIR FPersonnel

My wife and I wanted to invest in something to protect our financial future but we really weren’t

sure of our investment options. RMA Property Group sat down with us and helped us develop

a strategy that makes that future look secure. Thanks Tory and RMA. . Phil Mckay

Our clients keep coming back year after year for our advice because we don’t just sell property to

investors. Instead, we carefully assess your investment needs and present the most suitable options.

We also understand every client is different, so we’ve put together a team of experts that can help you

achieve your short and long term investment goals.

Call or email Tory Thurgood to find out more

1800 248 [email protected]

www.rmapropertygroup.com.auMajor sponsor of Defence SportsLice

nce

2504

485

Worked hard protecting your country? Now it’s time to protect your future.yyy

For over 20 years RMA Property Group has been specialising in helping Defence Force personnel create wealth through

property investment. Let us help you too!

Let RMA Property Group show you how to maximise your future

with a detailed personal property investment

strategy

Self service is on the wayRESERVISTS will be able to soon report and monitor their duty periods on the DRN, thanks to an expansion of PMKeyS Self Service coming in September.

The changes will mean reservists can enter their own attendance and some allowance claims directly into PMKeyS Self Service.

This will remove the need to have attendance diary forms filled out, approved and entered into the system by pay clerks. But the diaries can still be sent away for processing by mem-bers without DRN access.

Reservists will be able to view past attendance records on PMKeyS Self Service using the Attendance History Inquire page, along with training day balance and other ongoing allowances.

The new Training Day Summary Inquire page will also give pay details, allocations, expenditure for training days and allowances and the financial year history.

For more information on these changes, including screen shots, go to the PMKeyS Technical Refresh Project website at http://intranet.defence.gov.au/ciogweb/sites/PTRP/

Jessica Whigham

THE government is streamlining its security classification system to remove the outdated distinction between “national security” and “non-national security” information.

The Defence Security Authority’s Acting Assistant Secretary Security Policy and Plans, Pat Burke, said one of the main benefits for Defence would be improved cooperation with other govern-ment agencies.

“The new Australian Government Security Classification System (AGSCS) is designed to help implement the gov-ernment’s vision for effective informa-tion sharing across agencies,” he said.

“While all Australian Government agencies are required to commence using the AGSCS by August 1, due to the considerable amount of work required to align Defence’s ICT systems, Defence has been given until August 2013.”

Most of the security classifications will remain the same as in the current system. The classifications Top Secret, Secret, Confidential and Protected are mostly unchanged – the only change is

to Secret, which will incorporate the pre-vious marking of Highly Protected.

The AGSCS introduces the marking For Official Use Only (FOUO), which will be used for information that may cause limited damage to national security, government agencies, commercial enti-ties or members of the public. In some cases, FOUO may replace Restricted or In-Confidence classifications.

“The AGSCS also introduces the marking of Sensitive, which will be used for information where disclosure is lim-ited or prohibited by legislation, such as the Privacy Act. Sensitive will be used on information that is currently marked as Personnel-in-Confidence or Legal-in-Confidence,” Mr Burke said.

“During the transition period any information you receive from other agencies marked FOUO or Sensitive will not need to be reclassified, but you must protect it as if it is Restricted or In-Confidence respectively.

“Keep an eye on our Transition Management Portal, where we will update our guidance on how to protect information during the transition.”

The portal is at http://intranet.defence.gov.au/dsa/dsm.index.html

Security system set to change

Current – phase out from August 2012

Transition – August 2012 to July 2013

AGSCS – implemented August 2012

TOP SECRET

SECRETSECRET

HIGHLY PROTECTED

CONFIDENTIAL

PROTECTED

CABINET-IN-CONFIDENCE (at least CONFIDENTIAL)

CABINET-IN-CONFIDENCE (at least PROTECTED)

Sensitive: Cabinet(at least PROTECTED)

RESTRICTEDFor Offi cial Use Only

IN-CONFIDENCE

IN-CONFIDENCE Sensitive

AIR Command’s capability management achieved an important milestone on July 2 when the Air Command Capability Framework (ACCF) went live.

It is called ACCF Online.Air Commander Australia AVM Mel Hupfeld

said that the ACCF supported each of his key priorities.

“Air Command’s mission is to conduct operations and generate air and space power,” he said.

“To achieve this mission, Air Command generates combat-ready forces and sustains capability for operational deployment within Air Force, joint and combined environments.”

He said the ACCF supported the achieve-ment of these priorities.

“ACCF Online provides relevant information that informs decisive action. It delivers shared knowledge to all personnel in the Air Force.”

To provide a platform for the ACCF, capabil-ity management and Air Force Improvement staff across Air Command have developed the first version of the application.

“It is important to recognise that ACCF Online will evolve over time as we improve our capability management processes, data and information,” AVM Hupfeld said.

The ACCF will: align all FEG key perfor-mance indicators; incorporate overarching capability performance indicators that inform the Air Force Plan, CAF’s Commander’s Intent and the CAF Preparedness Directives; and track the cost effective transition of new capability, force generation, sustainment and continuous improvement initiatives.

FEATURESReserve attendance management➤ Training day

allocation and usage

➤ Personal details

➤ Attendance and/or allowance claim

➤ Approval

➤ Action/submit

Attendance history➤ Member training

day balance section

➤ Member attendance details section

➤ Other ongoing allowances section

Training day summary➤ Pay details

➤ Training day allocations

➤ Training day expenditure

➤ Allowance expenditure

➤ Financial year history

New capability framework goes online

MORE ACCESS: Reservists will be able to manage many administration tasks on their own when PMKeyS Self Service is expanded in September. Photo illustration: CPL Mark Doran

Visit www.contactgearaustralia.com.auor call 02 6123 2970 to find out where to buy.

ANF Patches

Blood GroupPatches

Embroidered Australian National Flag (ANF) patches in a range of colour options. All

patches have velcro hook backing for easy attachment to clothing.

Size: 75mm x 55mm

Colours• Full colour ANF on DPCU

• Olive outline subdued ANF on DPCU• Black and white ANF on black

RRP $5.00 each

Embroidered blood group patches in subdued tan. Velcro backed.

Size: 70mm x 20mm

RRP $5.00 each

Size: 70

RRP

19July 19, 2012RCEAIR FF Personnel

AN AIR Force program which aims to facilitate mentoring and networking among women and address women’s issues in the ADF is spreading its wings across the service.

The program is known as WINGs – Women’s Integrated Networking Group.

The program, sponsored by the Director General Personnel – Air Force, was established to address the CDF-mandated strategy for the recruitment and retention of women in the ADF.

WINGs was trialled at RAAF Base Williamtown last year and is now being rolled out to all Air Force bases across Australia.

WINGs is open to Air Force and Air Force program public servants, of all ranks and employment groups.

Two-hour sessions are held once a month, scheduled around school holidays and operational commit-ments.

A theme or topic is chosen for discussion at each session and guest speakers are invited to address the groups.

SQNDLR Anneka Deaton, the WINGs coordinator at RAAF Base Edinburgh, said the program had only been running since May but the response by the women on base had been overwhelming.

“New women are coming to each additional session as word

Andrew Stackpool

THE inaugural Air Force Women’s Development Forum in Canberra on June 20 and 21 attracted 115 members from all over Australia.

Organised by Air Force Workforce Diversity and the first of a planned series of annual forums, its theme was “Women in Non-traditional Employment Surviving and Thriving”.

Its aim was to address some of the opportunities, challenges and barriers facing Air Force women who work in areas where they comprise a small component.

Topics covered included how Air Force is examining a range of strate-gies to attract more women into non-traditional roles, with a focus on air-crew, technical trade roles and engi-neering, and removing combat restric-tions from airfield defence guard and ground defence officer roles.

In his opening address, CAF AIRMSHL Geoff Brown said women had made a tremendous contribution throughout Air Force history and now comprised 18 per cent of the organisa-tion.

“This forum is an important step towards helping Air Force to better understand the unique challenges experienced by women working in non-traditional employment fields such as engineering and fire fighting,” he said.

“We need to ‘future proof’ Air Force with targeted programs to attract, recruit and retain the very best, regardless of their gender. By doing this and ensuring Air Force retains the right people with the right skills, we can deliver capability well into the future.”

The event provided a platform for women to meet, build networks, dis-cuss their careers, hear from subject matter experts and contribute to the direction of future gender initiatives for Air Force.

Program coordinator: SQNLDR Jade Deveney, 0459 802 862, [email protected]: SQNLDR September Clare, (07) 5361 3275, [email protected]: WGCDR Barbara Courtney, (02) 6265 5479, [email protected]: WGCDR Desiree Watson, (08) 8923 5934, [email protected] Sale: SGT Amanda Jackson, (03) 5146 6294, [email protected]: SQNLDR Anneka Deaton, 0412 230 499, [email protected]

Pearce: FLTLT Linda Figgins, (08) 9571 5101, [email protected] and Glenbrook: SQNLDR Del Gaudry, 0447 995 487, [email protected]. SQNLDR Tania Hunter, (02) 4726 1256, [email protected]: FLTLT Janine McMullan, 0448 083 972, [email protected]: SQNLDR Tanya Kennedy, (07) 4752 1701, [email protected]/Melbourne: WGCDR Judith McCann, (03) 9256 3089, [email protected]: WGCDR Sue Yates, (02) 4034 7825, [email protected]

Taking flight with WINGs

spreads about how much the ladies are enjoying the program.

“It’s still early days, so I expect we’ll continue to grow in numbers as more and more people find out,” she said.

The last session on Workplace Flexibility and Parenting was extremely popular and she hoped to run a similar session for all Edinburgh supervisors this year.

W G C D R S u e Ya t e s , t h e WINGs coordinator at RAAF Base Williamtown, said that the feedback from women who attended the ses-sions spoke for itself.

“Participants, ranging from aircraftwomen to group captains, described WINGs’ sessions as ‘rewarding’, ‘relevant’, ‘inclusive’ and ‘worth the investment in time’,” WGCDR Yates said.

For more information …

Forum focus on women

Over the two days, the attendees heard presentations from 12 leading men and women in the service and broader community, covering a range of subjects from recruiting and reten-tion to addressing the way ahead.

The attendees also broke into work-ing groups to examine the question of breaking recruiting and retention bar-riers, while a question and answer ses-sion with an Air Force senior leader-ship panel provided valuable insights.

SQNLDR Llani Kennealy, of Air Force Workforce Diversity, said feed-

back from the forum had been over-whelmingly positive.

“Some women said that the event reignited their desire for a long-term Air Force career, while others said it was fantastic to meet and hear from women who have faced similar issues or challenges in their workplaces,” SQNLDR Kennealy said.

Further information about gender diversity initiatives in Air Force can be found at: http://intranet.defence.gov.au/raafweb/sites/DWD/comweb.asp?page=1201855&Title=Home

POSITIVE FEEDBACK: Some of the guests at the inaugural Women’s Development Forum in Canberra; left, CAF AIRMSHL Geoff Brown addresses the gathering.Photos: FSGT John Carroll

PFoiDiCGagP

There’s been a change in the rules for salary

packaging a car – which means you can now

access the savings available from taking up a

novated lease even if you don’t drive very much,

or aren’t a high income earner.

In fact, you could save over $3,000 each year from driving as little as 10,000 kms per annum!* The savings don’t stop there.

Enjoy our buying power - on average our customers save $3,700 on the purchase price of a new vehicle.^

Check out our online novated lease calculator to see the savings you could make at www.airforceleasing.com.au

Now anyone can save by salary packaging a car.

No matter how much you drive...

*Annual savings of $3,000 are indicative only and are based on an annual salary of $45,000 and 10,000 km travelled per annum. ̂given to our customers last month. Actual savings will depend on your tax bracket, vehicle model, lease term, and individual circumstances. Administration fee applies.

Call 1300 116 846 for an obligation free quote.

Watch the video here. Scan this QR code with your

www.airforceleasing.com.au

Apply today and receive a $100 Gift Card

Official and Exclusive

salary packaging

provider for the

Department of Defence

W O L LO N G O N G S Y D N E Y C A N B E R R A M E L B O U R N E T U G G E R A H P E R T H A D E L A I D E G O L D CO A S T S U N S H I N E CO A S T M A L AYS I A S H A N G H A I I S R A E L S I N G A P O R E

Are you paying too much tax?

WHERE REAL ESTATEEARNS REAL RETURNS.

12345

6

ParkTrent Properties

Group can show you how

to legally reduce your tax

and secure your fi nancial

future. ParkTrent

Properties Group is

Australia’s largest private

owned real estate group.

We can show you…

or visit us at

www.parktrent.com.au

and we will help

you secure your

fi nancial future.

Phone NOW on 1800 652 224

30923A

21July 19, 2012RCEAIR FF Finance

IF YOU receive a phone call or email from someone you don’t know offering you a great invest-ment opportunity, be very wary – it

may be a scammer trying to take your money.

Before you invest it is important to check the list of companies you should not deal with on www.moneysmart.gov.au.

Many scams come from overseas. The scammers target Australians because Australian authorities don’t have international jurisdiction to pros-ecute them.

But the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) can warn other people about the scam and notify the authorities in the scammer’s country.

Questions to askAsk the person some questions to

check their legitimacy:➤ What’s your name and what com-

pany do you represent? ➤ Who owns your company? ➤ Does your company have an

Australian Financial Services licence and what is the licence number?

➤ What’s your address and phone number? (then double check in the Yellow Pages as sometimes scammers try to imitate legitimate companies).

Australian Securities and Investments Commission Chairman Greg Medcraft tells us how to avoid the scam traps.

If they avoid answering, it’s prob-ably a scam. Hang up the phone, don’t respond to the email and stop dealing with the person.

If they answer the questions, you still need to do some checks.

Check if their name is on the MoneySmart list of unlicensed over-seas companies - though remember it’s not a complete list and just because a name isn’t there doesn’t mean they

OUT LOOK OHADY FOR SHTORSOPERATver tricks SCAMMERS use cleffers seem to reel you in. The of

efully designed genuine but are careng away your to trick you into gividetails. money or personal dcam if the An offer may be a sc

person:➤ Australian doesn’t have an A

s licence or Financial Serviceseed one;says they don’t n

➤ s and tries to rings many timesphone;keep you on the p

➤ ecide quickly orsays you must den the deal;you’ll miss out on

➤ f or claims to uses the name ofth a reputable be associated witain credibility;organisation to ga

➤ y brochures offers you glossydirects you or certificates, or .to a slick website Remember,

s and profes-glossy brochuresebsites are not sional looking weoffer is a good evidence that an oen a real deal.investment or eve

are legitimate. Always check their licence number if they claim to have one. Go to ‘Check ASIC lists’ on the MoneySmart homepage.

Overseas operators can be regu-lated in their own country.

Check on the International Organisation of Securities Commissions website, www.iosco.org. Then you can contact the over-seas regulator or search its website

to see if the company is registered or licensed by them.

How ASIC can helpASIC wants you to report all

investment scams. Even if we can’t prosecute the scammers, we may be able to warn other people.

Generally, ASIC will not be able to help get your money back if you’ve sent it overseas, as the

overseas company is outside ASIC’s jurisdiction.

But it’s important to report scams to help stop them spreading – go to www.moneysmart.gov.au for how to report a scam. If you prevent one person from becoming a scam victim, you’re doing your bit to stop scams.

Email ASIC at [email protected] with topics that interest you

Don’t Don’t fall fall for a for a scamscam

Photo: LAC Bill Solomou

DEFENCE TRANSITIONS

��

www.nextjobnow.com.au Call 1300 112 114

�� • �� • ��• �� • �� !��!"�� • #�� $%�&�'(�� • �)��$�� $��• ��*��+$�� $��• �"�!��!""� ��!$�� ),,)��• -�� $��!�"��#�""��$��%��&��'��#��$��(��)�*��$��+��,�*�$��"��

22 July 19, 2012RCEAIR FHealth

COMPRESSION sportswear garments are infiltrating just about every form of profes-sional, amateur and everyday

sporting and fitness activity. There are various schools of

thought on these exercise accessories. Some say the relatively high cost

(compared with ‘ordinary’ lycra shorts from your nearest department store) is not worth it, while others swear by them.

Compression garments (CGs) are form-fitting garments with strategi-cally placed elasticised support.

They come in a range of items such as shorts, tights, singlets, shirts and body suits.

Information from the manufactur-ers and retailers say the main bene-fits of CGs are that they keep mus-cles warm to prevent muscle strain and fatigue, draw sweat away from the body to prevent chafing and rashes, and may enhance athletic performance.

But does this actually happen?A review published in Sports

Medicine (Vol 41, No. 10, 2011), found no conclusive evidence that CGs aid performance.

“Despite widespread acceptance of CGs by competitive and recrea-tional athletes, convincing scientific evidence supporting ergogenic effects (increased performance) remains somewhat elusive,” the review stated.

It said in regards to after-exercise recovery, CGs have been reported to

A tight fit for sports SGT Brian Hartigan finds out if compression garments really help sporting performance.

NOT ALL ABOUT LOOKS: Compression sportswear garments may not deliver all they promise. Photo: LS Paul Berry

reduce muscle soreness and swelling and, when jumping, CGs have been shown to reduce the amount of muscle vibration.

However, studies have so far not shown any concrete evidence to sup-port the use of CGs to assist perfor-mance, injury prevention or recovery, and the review recommended further investigation.

So should we still wear them?Sydney-based fitness profession-

al Don Stephenson said while he did notice a moderate reduction in post-training muscle soreness after heavy weight training, he believed that per-

formance enhancement during training was either non existent or too small to notice.

“I do agree that compression gar-ments may have some injury-preven-tion benefits, particularly in sports or training that involves repeated jumping or running movements,” he said.

“They also can aid in warming up and wicking away sweat during exer-cise and may help with preventing chafing compared to looser clothing.

“But, for there to be any chance of having a benefit, the tights need to be quite firm.”

However, he said that CGs would

only last about six months before they stretched.

“In that regard, the cost can be quite high and I’m not sure if the ben-efits justify the cost at this stage,” he said.

Of course, there are pure aesthetic reasons for wearing these items too.

Compression shorts are becoming more popular among female athletes, especially those who wear skirts dur-ing games, for aesthetic as much as athletic-benefit reasons.

Compression shorts have increased in popularity among males too, attrib-utable perhaps to their less embar-

rassing look than jockstraps and com-parable function. But then, wouldn’t cheaper, generic lycra do the same?

Well, to believe current research, yes, but brand snobbery and advertis-ing effectiveness come into play in this regard, especially among those who see their favourite sport stars wearing CGs all the time.

So, before spending your hard-earned money, do some extra research, you may find a cheaper, just as effi-cient alternative.

However, if you do choose to wear CGs, wear regular sport shorts over them, for our benefit, not yours.

PUT your aprons on and get ready to sizzle, chop and stir because Dental Health Week is loom-ing and the Defence Dental Recipe Challenge is looking for your best teeth-friendly recipes.

‘Don’t Accept Dental Decay’ is the theme for Dental Health Week, being held from August 6-10.

What we eat and how often we eat are important factors and Air Force masterchefs can help their service colleagues with some mouth-watering delights.

Tips on submis-sions for cooks and taste-testers can be found at: http://web-vic.dsto.defence.gov.au/workareas/HPPD/research/healthy-teeth.php

Recipes are to be submitted by July 27 to LACW Donna Hayes at: [email protected]

CALL FOR RECIPES

FREE CERT IVIN FITNESS

*Conditions Apply.

23July 19, 2012RCEAIR F Sp rt

From Back PageIt is there SGT Purdon will come

face-to-face with 23 other distance runners who also have pacemakers.

The Minneapolis marathon on October 7 is sponsored by pacemaker manufacturer Medtronic, which invit-ed pacemaker patients from around the world to apply to race there under its Global Heroes program.

More than 200 applied and SGT Purdon was among the two dozen winners.

Thirty-five Defence runners took part in the Defence marathon, which was part of a much bigger race that attracted 5748 runners from around the world, including elite runners from Kenya, Ethiopia, Portugal and Japan.

The Gold Coast event was SGT Purdon’s final marathon hitout before Minneapolis. Although that’s going to be a more testing course, he hopes he can crack the three-hour mark.

He’s already doing 80km a week in training, and there are a few cross-country races and a fun run coming up.

Some of his training mates include people preparing for the Melbourne marathon, which is scheduled for a week after Minneapolis.

That means they’ll be on the same page.

For the record, the hand-in-hand finish on the Gold Coast was not pre-arranged.

In fact, Jodie got the jump early in the race and SGT Purdon caught and passed her at the 23km mark. At the 36km mark Jodie caught up with him and they ran together for the rest of the race.

But even then, nothing was decid-ed. Not until just before the end.

“About 1½ km out, we decided to finish together for a change,” SGT Purdon said.

The race commentator trumpeted their achievement as they crossed the line.

Jodie said: “Neither of us had the races which we wanted, but were very happy with how we both finished up.

“We both hit ‘struggle city’ at dif-ferent stages and for various reasons, but to finish a race together was awe-some. In the six years we have raced together, we have never crossed the line together.”

The ADF male champion was LEUT Rowan Walker, who has won the title five years in a row.

➤ The Australian Defence Running and Athletics Association was presented with a trophy as thanks for sending athletes to the Gold Coast event and also making it a Defence championship race.

FLTLT Spencer Cox was a relieved man when he was judged winner of the 35-39 years 100-metre race at the Oceania Area Championships in Cairns from June 27 to 29.

When he crossed the line, he thought he had won.But it was about half an hour before the official result

came through to him – and it was only then he realised just how close it had been.

Just 1/100th of a second separated him from Army reservist LT Daniel Lemoto.

“That’s about 5cm,” FLTLT Cox said. “I hadn’t real-ised it was that close.”

FLTLT Cox, who is also president of the Australian Defence Running and Athletics Association, knows LT Lemoto well.

LT Lemoto had at one stage applied to be part of the official ADF team for the competition. But he left the per-manent Army in April and made his own way to Cairns from Hobart, where he now lives.

The two other ADF members in the team were LT Adon Cadona and PTE Amanda Morris.

They had qualified for the competition, which brought together more than 200 Australians competing against athletes from 22 countries, including Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, the Cook Islands, New Zealand and the Marshall Islands.

Among the competitors were the Australian men’s Olympic 4 x 100 team, the Japanese women’s Olympic 4 x 100 relay team and the Japanese men’s Olympic 4 x 400 relay team.

World record holder for the men’s pole vault Sergei Bubka was at the championships in his role as International Amateur Athletics Federation senior vice-president.

Bubka, from Ukraine, won six International Association of Athletics Federations world champion-ships, an Olympic gold and broke the world record 35 times. The last time was 1994 and it still stands.

Conditions were cloudy with light rain for most of the carnival, but it was cooler than it can be in Cairns, which FLTLT Cox said made competing more comfortable.

LT Adon Cadona competed in the open men’s 200 metres (sixth in western division final and eighth overall in 23.11sec) and long jump (sixth in western division and seventh overall in 5.82 metres).

PTE Morris contested the open women’s 200m (sec-ond in western division, fourth overall in 25.98sec and the open women’s 400m (fourth in western division and fifth overall in 58.45sec).

FLTLT Cox was also scheduled to race in a 200-metre final three hours after his 100-metre race but injured his shin in his warm-up and had to pull out.

ADF trekkers are being sought to participate in the Trek for Timor Blue Mountains in September, which aims to raise money for the community of Hatobuilico in East Timor.

The 2010 trek had 250 walk-ers who raised $61,000 – but this year the goal is 350 walkers and $100,000.

Trekkers in teams of four to six members will step out on September 15 to walk 5km, 13km, 25km or 45km through the Blue Mountains National Park.

Last time two Navy teams entered. This year organisers have already welcomed a team of six entrants representing Navy – Trident Adventure Group. But

they hope Air Force and Army personnel will also sign up, either as trekkers or logistics vol-unteers.

The leaders of Hatobuilico, which is south-west of Dili on the slopes of Mount Ramelau, want to develop education, health and tour-ism – and the Trek for Timor Blue Mountains will make a significant contribution to schools, scholar-ship programs and community learning resources.

Registration is $30 a person and each trekker is encouraged to raise at least $150 in sponsorship.

For more information go to www.trekfortimorbm.org.au or call Anne on 0404 474 907.

Blue Mountains trek beckons

Phew … Phew … it’s too it’s too close for close for comfortcomfort

Togethernessfor couple in ADF marathon

50 for City2SurfTHE Australian Defence Running and Athletics Association (ADRAA) hopes about 50 Defence runners will turn out for the City2Surf race in Sydney on Sunday, August 12. The City2Surf is one of the world’s largest fun runs and about 85,000 runners are expected to line up in the 14km race this year. It starts in the city centre and ends at Bondi Beach. The ADRAA will hold its annual general meeting on Friday, August 10 at BLG 96, Victoria Barracks, Sydney, starting at 2pm.

Defence squash titlesDEFENCE Squash is holding its national championships at RAAF Base Williamtown from August 5 to 10. Entry forms are on the Defence Squash’s Facebook page and the Defence Squash web page on the Intranet, http://intranet.defence.gov.au/pspg/sites/Squash/comweb.asp?page=WhatsNew&menu=16942

IN THE FAST LANE: FLTLT Spencer Cox powers down the track at the Oceania Area Championship in Cairns. Photo: Dominic Chaplin/Pine Creek Pictures

DMO DMO MILITARY RESERVESexciting opportunities Australia wide!

LEAD TWICE THE LIFE

Exciting opportunities are available for Military Reservists in the following trades/ specialisations: » Project Managment » Logistics » Finance » Administration » Technical Trades » Engineering (mechanical & electrical) » Aircrew

DEFENCE MATERIEL ORGANISATION | www.dmojobs.gov.au or call 1800 DMO JOBS (1800 366 562)

SPSP July 19, 2012

RTRTJ

John Martin

IT IS NOT every day you see two marathon runners cross the line hold-ing hands – but then you couldn’t pigeon-hole SGT Lance Purdon as your average athlete.

On July 1, he finished the Gold Coast marathon holding hands with his wife, Jodie Barker.

Their time for the 42.195km was 3hr 5min 15sec, making SGT Purdon

the leading Air Force finisher and making Jodie, a public servant but also secretary of the Navy Running Association, the Defence female mara-thon champion for the third time.

“I wanted to beat three hours, however, four weeks after having my pacemaker changed it wasn’t to be,” SGT Purdon, who is stationed in Canberra, said.

That’s something that sets SGT Purdon aside from many other ath-letes – his pacemaker.

Actually, it’s his second one. The first was fitted in 2003 the day after his 31st birthday. Before he became sick he had played Australian football and then he was told he could never play contact sport again.

Life became much brighter for him when he met Jodie in late 2006.

“Our first official date was an 11km run at lunchtime,” SGT Purdon said. “For Jodie, this was a standard lunchtime run but for me it was a lot more. I pulled up pretty sore the

next day but thought how great it was to get out in the fresh air, enjoy myself and have such wonderful company.”

The rest, as they say, is history.They were married in Hawaii on

October 5 last year – three days before Jodie competed in the Hawaiian Ironman. And they will celebrate their first anniversary in Minneapolis in the US this year just before the marathon there.

To Page 23

About 1½ km out, we decided to finish together for a change. – SGT Lance Purdon

Meanwhile, in Cairns, FLTLT Spencer Cox was burning up the 100-metre track at the Oceania championship.Photo: Dominic Chaplin/Pine

Creek Pictures41P23

TOGETHERTOGETHER

A NEW VOW: A NEW VOW: Husband Husband and wife Jodie Barker and wife Jodie Barker and SGT Lance Purdon and SGT Lance Purdon cross the line to the cross the line to the cheers of the crowd.cheers of the crowd.

Photo: marathon-photos.comPhoto: marathon-photos.com

After After 42.195km, it’s 42.195km, it’s love-alllove-all

July 19, 2012RCEAIR FF


HONOURED SERVICE

SPECIAL LIFTOUT

Veterans make Veterans make pilgrimage to London pilgrimage to London for Bomber Command for Bomber Command Memorial dedicationMemorial dedication

1

A week to rememberAir Force’s support

in London P2-3

Their amazing stories P6-7

P4-5

Photo: Australian War Memorial

July 19, 2012RCEAIR FF SPECIAL LIFTOUT2

Australian Bomber Command veterans completed a mission not to be forgotten, SGT Andrew Hetherington writes.

THEIR mission to London in 2012 was a lot less compli-cated and dangerous than the one they embarked on

as members of Bomber Command during WWII, but it was certainly still memorable.

The 31 Bomber Command vet-erans attended the dedication of the Bomber Command Memorial in Green Park, London, by the Queen on June 28 as part of an official Australian delegation.

The mission party was led by Repatriation Commissioner MAJGEN Mark Kelly, from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA). It also included a support team made up of RAAF and DVA staff and medical personnel, to attend to the day-to-day needs of the veterans, aged in their late 80s and early 90s, throughout the journey.

RAAF members from Australia’s Federation Guard provided ceremo-nial support at official services in

London during the week. Heading the RAAF team was CAF AIRMSHL Geoff Brown, who said Australians needed to remember the steadfast resolve, camaraderie and courage of those who served in Bomber Command.

“More than 4000 Australians lost their lives in the air war against Germany and Italy,” CAF said.

“These casualties make the bomb-ing campaign against Germany and Italy Australia’s costliest combat action of WWII.

“About 10,000 Australians served with Bomber Command. For much of the war they flew only at night. At a time when the body craves sleep, they operated highly technical equipment in the most stressful of environments.

“Every man flew in the full knowledge of just how low his chanc-es of completing a tour of operations were.

“As a modern fighter pilot, I can understand the amount of commit-

ment that was required by the aircrew, but I still find it difficult to imagine the determination to press on to the target against such overwhelming odds,” he said.

“The unveiling of the Memorial is further evidence that Bomber Command will not fade from our col-lective memory.”

More than 2000 Bomber Command veterans and their fami-lies from across the Commonwealth attended the Bomber Command Memorial dedication. The memo-rial was constructed as a tribute to the 55,573 who died during the war, which included 3486 Australians.

During the week, Australian vet-erans also visited the Imperial War Museums in London and Duxford, and the Royal Air Force Museum at Hendon, reacquainting themselves with aircraft they flew in and with during the war.

MAJGEN Kelly said a significant amount of planning went into the trip.

PROUD: AC James De Britt of Australia’s Federation Guard talks with an RAF member at the unveiling of the Bomber Command Memorial.

LASTING LASTING LEGACYLEGACY


IT’S A PLEASURE: CAF AIRMSHL Geoff Brown meets Bomber Command veterans. Photos: CPL Chris Moore

AUSTRALIAN Bomber Command veteran Dr Colin Dudley’s hand-sculptured bronze wreath has reached

its final destination at the Bomber Command Memorial in London. Last February, Dr Dudley handed over the

wreath to the RAAF for transportation to Al Minhad Air Base in a 36SQN C-17A, where a RAF C-17 then col-

lected it and flew it to London. Now, with the memorial dedicated, it stands proudly on an elevated plinth

facing the memorial.

“Bomber Command was one of the costliest campaigns of the Second World War and I am pleased that the government could assist so many veterans in making this important journey,” he said.

The official mission party was selected based on self-nominations or nominations received through ex-service organisations and providing veterans were fit and able to travel.

As well as the Australian contin-gent travelling as part of the official mission party, a further 70 Bomber Command veterans and their families travelled to London for the service, after receiving assistance from the government, the RAAF Association and the Bomber Command Commemoration Day Foundation.

“The Bomber Command Memorial is a fitting tribute to all those airmen who served and died and a lasting reminder to future generations of their service and sac-rifice,” MAJGEN Kelly said.

He said the mission would not have been possible without the gen-erous assistance from CAF.

“AIRMSHL Brown willingly volunteered to be actively involved,” he said.

“We were grateful for all the support from him and his Air Force personnel, as well as his efforts being present in London as the senior ADF representative on the mission.”

RAAF Bomber Command contingent commander WGCDR Wesley Perrett said the joint opera-tion between Air Force and DVA was memorable for the RAAF members, as well the Bomber Command vet-erans.

“The veterans enjoyed sharing this significant occasion, and their stories, with current serving mem-bers,” WGCDR Perrett said.

“Their acts of bravery in the face of overwhelming odds are the foun-dation of Air Force’s proud legacy, which we seek to uphold to this very day.

“As individuals, we can only hope to demonstrate the same courage and commitment that these veterans showed during WWII, should we find ourselves in similar dire and try-ing times.

“The service was incredibly moving, however, we enjoyed many laughs together and it was an experi-ence that none of us will ever forget,” he said.

Photo: SGT Andrew

Hetherington

I’M HOME

morrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaatttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiivvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiisssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssio

July 19, 2012RCEAIR FF SPECIAL LIFTOUT 3


FEDERATION GUARDERS: Main, CPL Scott Ihle brought his flag from Australia and has flown it in Gallipoli and the United Arab Emirates; top, AC David Anstee presents arms; middle, CPL Ihle hoists his Australian flag; above, LACW Beth Brown is a member of the catafalque party. ON A MISSION: Right, mission support officer SGT Sharryn Zomer watches Bomber Command veteran Steve Flood autograph a Lancaster booklet at the RAF museum at Hendon. Photos: SGT Andrew Hetherington and CPL Chris Moore

Mission: to support veteransSGT Andrew Hetherington

TO ASSIST the 31 Australian Bomber Command veterans on their London journey, the RAAF and Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) sent carefully selected mission support officers

to help them with their daily living.Additional to the 31 veterans in the

official party were a further 70 veterans, who were also provided care and support by the combined RAAF and DVA team. A total of 243 veterans and family members were assisted during the visit.

Their important role had them assisting up to four veter-ans each with daily tasks such as dressing, polishing of boots, accompanying them to meals and helping them on and off the tour bus.

SGT Sharryn Zomer, a 42WG logistics supplier, was chosen for the job after she had a conversation with her OC.

“Before this trip came up I said [to my CO] that one thing I’ve regretted not doing in my career was accompanying veterans to a parade in Sydney,” SGT Zomer said.

“I said I’d love to do that and I was scared someone wouldn’t listen to what the veterans had to say and I knew that I would if I was there. Six months after the conversa-tion, this trip came up and my CO nominated me.”

SGT Zomer said she knew helping the veterans with their daily needs was an important task, but her role had one more significant aspect to it.

“As I listened to them, I learnt so much from them and they’d given voice to many stories they might not have told before,” she said.

“I think this was such a responsi-ble role to have because it couldn’t be taken lightly, I couldn’t be off-hand about anything they said and everything they did say I found extremely important.

“I was afraid if we didn’t listen then maybe some of the history could be gone forever.”

What SGT Zomer also learnt from the veterans was how hum-ble they were about their Bomber Command wartime experiences.

“They don’t think they’ve done anything particularly special and it’s unfathomable to me that they would think this,” she said.

“Especially in this day and age where people do things and expect rewards and pats on the back just for turning up.

“The veterans went off to war because that was what they were supposed to do.

“After I heard them tell their stories, they’d say afterwards ‘gee I hope I didn’t talk it up too much because what I did was no different to anyone else.”

SGT Zomer said being chosen and being entrusted with the veter-ans was a big privilege for her.

“I would take it on as a full-time job if I could,” she said.

“I love them, I’m really sad to have had to let them go back to their homes,” she said.

“I wanted to keep them.”DVA mission support officer

Sarah Kennedy said the Bomber Command mission experience was amazing.

The highlight for the trip for her was the first memorial service the mission attended.

“The next generation can learn so much from the veterans,” Ms Kennedy said.

“During the war they did such an amazing job, with their strength of mind at the time, knowing they were going against the danger and the odds, they did it anyway.”

SGT Andrew Hetherington

THIRTEEN Air Force personnel from Australia’s Federation Guard (AFG) proudly supported the recent commemorative services held for Bomber Command at Runnymede and the Australian War Memorial at Hyde Park in London.

To signify the importance of Bomber Command and its contri-bution during WWII, members of the AFG formed catafalque parties as a sign of respect for those who had fallen.

AFG contingent commander for the Bomber Command Commemorative Mission, FLTLT Peter Evans, said his team of guards had rehearsed for the two months leading up to the com-memorative events in London.

“The guards rehearsed as two separate catafalque parties to ensure we were able to support the two memorial services,” FLTLT Evans said.

Guards were chosen for this important event via a selection process specific to this occasion.

“Due to the importance of AFG’s role during the commem-orative services, we decided to select 10 of the catafalque party members by holding a drill competition,” FLTLT Evans said.

“Those fortunate enough to be selected are the best of AFG and during the competition were judged by AFG Sergeant Major, the Navy Divisional Officer, the OC of AFG and me.”

One of the AFG catafalque party commanders chosen, CPL Scott Ihle, said being selected for the Bomber Command memorial activities was a privilege.

“It was a fantastic trip for me because we were able to share the memorial services with the actual veterans from Bomber Command, unlike other remembrance days such as Gallipoli,” he said.

“They are a fantastic bunch of men and what they did for our country and Bomber Command was sensational. I could never imagine myself going through what they went through.”

WE STAND IN WE STAND IN YOUR HONOURYOUR HONOUR

4 July 19, 2012RCEAIR FF


OLD OLD FRIENDS FRIENDS REUNITEREUNITE

WITH THANKS: Above, Federation Guard Member AC David Anstee hands out an Australian Bomber Command history book to veterans at the Bomber Command Memorial dedication service in London; top left, one million paper poppies are dropped over Green Park from an RAF Lancaster during the dedication service. Poppies photo: SAC Steve Buckley, RAF

IN YOUR MEMORY: Above, Bomber Command veterans during a wreath-laying ceremony at the Air Forces Memorial at Runnymeade, London, above and below, right.

EMOTIONAL DAY: Australian Bomber Command veterans wipe their eyes during a commemorative service at the Australian War Memorial in Hyde Park, London.

WE SALUTE YOU

Australian Bomber Command veterans travelled to London to see their old aircraft and remember the mates they lost in the skies over Europe in WWII, SGT Andrew Hetherington writes.

LANCASTER pilot David Mattingley’s emotional words rang out around the Australian War Memorial in London on

June 30 as he paid tribute to the fallen mates of Bomber Command veterans, reading a telling poem from a memo-rial plaque at former RAF Station Elvington.

“For those of us our friends, our foes also

Lost in those friendless seas of night

Blest by your left hand, may they be

Safely at rest ...”The service marked the emotional

end of a week-long official Australian commemorative mission to London by a group of 31 Australian veterans from Bomber Command.

They departed for London on June 24 as part of an official delegation comprising of RAAF and Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) personnel.

Veterans’ Affairs Minister Warren Snowdon farewelled the group in Sydney as they embarked on the pilgrimage to honour all those who served in Australia’s costliest combat actions of WWII.

The main purpose of the mis-sion was to attend the dedication of the Bomber Command Memorial in London by the Queen on June 28.

The moving event in Green Park was attended by more than 2000 Bomber Command veterans and their families, including about 70 Australian veterans travelling inde-pendently to the official delegation of 31.

DURING their visit to London, two Australian Bomber Command veterans were reunited with the very aircraft which transported them into and out of danger during WWII.

Former observer and bomb aimer Angas Hughes and mid-upper gunner Steve Flood (pictured above) were visiting the RAF museum in Hendon on June 29 – along with the other 29 Bomber Command veterans of the official commemorative mission – when they saw their aircraft ‘S’ for Sugar, a Lancaster bomber, serial number R5868.

A large and graceful looking beast at over 69ft long, the aircraft had a wing span of 102ft and was more than 20ft high. It weighed 37,000lb empty, could carry a load of 28,000lb and could fly at a top speed of 440km/h at 15,000ft.

Before entering service with B flight of the RAAF’s 460SQN in 1943, it was formerly known as ‘Q’ for Queenie, completing 68 pathfinder

missions with RAF’s 83SQN.Mr Hughes’s only mis-

sion in a Lancaster was in ‘S’ for Sugar.

“When I

started it was regarded in the squadron as the aircraft which had flown the most number of missions, at 114,” Mr Hughes said. “So it was known as a lucky aircraft to fly in.”

He recalls the mission he flew on June 12-13, 1944.

“We flew to a French town called Poitiers and it was about six hours long. Our payload was 11,500 pound and three 1000-pound bombs, and the target was mainly railway yards and lines.

“According to the air ministry reports we were told the raid was fairly successful,” Mr Hughes said.

Mr Flood flew two missions in ‘S’ for Sugar as a mid-upper gunner.

“I felt a bit stressed and emotional about seeing it today, because I’m an emotional per-son. It looks in such good condition; they’ve looked after it so well and it’s marvellous,” Mr Flood said.

‘S’ for Sugar was retired in August 1945 after its 137th operation, with more than 800 hours in the air and having dropped 500 tons of bombs. It became an official part of the RAF’s historical aircraft collection in 1956 and on March 12, 1972, it was moved to RAF Hendon where it’s now on display.

After visiting Hendon, on the afternoon of June 29, the 31 Bomber Command veterans attended a short church service and wreath lay-

ing at the RAF St Clement Danes Church in London.

Repatriation Commissioner for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and

the Bomber Command Mission Director, MAJGEN Mark Kelly, said the service was to remember the fallen Australian airmen of Bomber Command.

“It was very special for the veterans and it gave them a period of time to reflect on their mates who they lost during the war and the others who have signed off in the intervening years,” he said.

LEST WE FORGET: A Lancaster bomber flies over the Bomber Command Memorial in London after dropping one million paper poppies over Green Park. Photos: CPL Chris Moore

missions with RAF s 83SQN.Mr Hughes’s only mis-

sion in a Lancaster wasin ‘S’ for Sugar.

“When I

S for Sugar was retired in August 1945 after its 137th operation, with more than 800 hours in the air and having dropped 500 tons ofbombs. It became an official part of the RAF’s historical aircraft collection in 1956 and on March 12, 1972, it was moved to RAF Hendon where it’s now on display.

After visiting Hendon, on the afternoon of June 29, the 31 Bomber Command veteransattended a short church service and wreath lay-

ing at the RAF St Clement Danes Church in London.

Repatriation Commissioner for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and

the Bomber Command Mission Director, MAJGEN Mark Kelly, said the service was to remember the fallen Australian airmen ofBomber Command.

“It was very special for theveterans and it gave them a period of time to reflect on their mates who they lost during the war and the others who havesigned off in the intervening years,” he said.

SHARING STORIES: In a visit to Duxford Museum, WWII RAAF tailgunner Stephen Flood points out to DVA’s Anna Picker where he sat in the Lancaster bomber.

SPECIAL LIFTOUT 5

June 23 – Farewell for veterans in Sydney

June 26 – Visit to Runnymede in London and then Australia House, London

June 27 – Imperial War Museum visit at Duxford airport

June 28 – The Queen opens the Bomber Command Memorial, Green Park, London

June 30 – Service Australian War Memorial, London

June 31 – Veterans fly home to Australia

LONDON ITINERARY

TOGETHER AGAIN: Bomber Command veterans at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford.

“Though I take the wings of darkness

And remain in the uttermost parts of the

skyThy right hand shall hold me From those of usHeld safe by your right hand

Who gratefully saw bright dawns replace

The seemingly endless dark of skies

We give our thanks For those of us our friends, our foes also

Lost in those friendless seas of night

Blest by your left hand, may they be

Safely at restI fly no more On wings of the darknessStill you right hand holding mine Guide me as evening comesAnd days light dims.”

– David Mattingley

Y

Leading up to the dedication, the veterans made some other emotional stops in London.

They visited the Runnymede memorial on June 26, where the names of 20,402 Commonwealth Air Force personnel are etched on the walls, including 1396 Australians, who were lost in WWII after taking off from bases in Great Britain and north-west Europe, and who have no known grave.

The group also visited Australia House in London on the same day, where CAF AIRMSHL Geoff Brown held a reception in their honour.

CAF said for those who survived the fighting that occurred more than 67 years ago, their service with Bomber Command continued to be an important part of their lives.

“The bomber offensive was the longest and the most costly of all WWII campaigns,” AIRMSHL Brown said.

“It required sustained courage for aircrews to take off time and time again in the face of deadly odds and to maintain the air offensive.

“Bomber Command set a high standard, which is an enduring legacy that modern airmen and women of today have a particular duty to remem-ber and aspire to.”

The Imperial War Museum at

Duxford airport was the next stop for the veterans on June 27. It had almost everything an aircraft enthusi-ast would want to see, from modern fighter jets to WWII Spitfires.

Most importantly for the veterans, there was also a Lancaster bomber.

Lionel Rackley was thrilled to see the aircraft. As a 21-year-old flying officer, Lancaster pilot and captain in WWII, he flew 18 missions bombing targets in Europe for 630SQN.

“I loved it; it was such a beautiful plane to fly,” he said.

“It was very stable, the cockpit layout was good, so the pilot could see and easily touch everything he needed to and it was very manoeuvrable.

“I’d have a go flying a Lancaster again. I don’t know how well I’d go, though, as I don’t drive a car that well these days – I’m 90.”

Lancaster rear gunner James

O’Riordan was 18 when he joined the Air Force and flew 30 missions with 550SQN and 100SQN over Europe.

“Our training was absolute, when you trained your mind and body accepted everything that happened to you,” Mr O’Riordan said.

“You also had to believe in what we were doing and we knew Nazi Germany was going to make the world a terrible place.”

He had mixed feelings coming to Duxford for the first time.

“I remember when I first crossed into France and saw a plane get shot down. I thought ‘those boys will never see their parents again’,” he said.

“I said to myself, ‘when I get back I’ll tell everyone how bad it really was’.”

Lancaster bomber mid-upper gun-ner Albert Wallace said it was great to be back in Britain, but he did spend some quiet time remembering those who didn’t return to Australia.

“Back then it was quite dishearten-ing because there were a lot of young blokes who didn’t make it,” he said.

Les Boon, a veteran from Tasmania who joined the RAAF in 1943, said: “When we return home we will have a lot more memories and a lot more tears, new experiences and friends.”

AIRMSHL Brown said the vet-erans were a special group of people who were lucky and part of great crews that managed to bring them home safely.

“They had a less than 50 per cent chance of surviving their missions and yet they continued to go up night after night,” he said.



WWII RECORD HOLDER TELLS OF HIS RISE

DAVID Leicester was once the youngest squadron leader in the RAF or RAAF.

He began his WWII service after joining the RAAF at the age of 18 in August 1942.

His time in Bomber Command had him flying Halifax and Lancaster aircraft in three squadrons, 158, 640 and 35.

He flew 68 missions in total – 31 in the Halifax and 37 in the Lancaster.

“My wing commander was forbidden to fly any more opera-tional missions because he had completed his tour of opera-tional flights and was made a squadron com-mander,” Mr Leicester said.

“But after sitting behind a desk too long he got itchy feet and decided he would break with tradition.”

What this commander did next was to dramatically change Mr Leicester’s war-time role and experi-ence.

“He didn’t have his own crew to go flying, so he formed one with the senior navigation, bomb, gunnery and wireless crew members of the squadron,” he said.

“They went on a mission and they got shot down. So all of the leaders on the squadron were lost and we didn’t have any replace-ments.”

Mr Leicester was then asked, aged 20 and a flight sergeant, to be a replacement flight com-mander.

“At the time I was seen as the most experienced pilot in the squadron and had the most experienced crew, having flown 23 missions in the Halifax,” he said.

“I was asked to be a tem-porary squadron leader until a replacement was found and at the time I was the youngest ever

squadron leader in the RAF and RAAF.”

Mr Leicester’s reaction to his rapid commission and promotion in July 1943 was one of awe.

“It was such an important job and I got a lot of help from two other flight com-manders, one of whom was a New Zealander who took me under his

wing. They got me on the right track,” he said.

Mr Leicester said the job was not difficult, but the one aspect of it was demanding.

“The worst part of it was allo-cating aircrews to night missions and knowing they might not return home.”

He returned to Australia in August 1945 and retired as a squadron leader.

During his visit to London attending the Bomber Command commemoration activities, he was lucky enough to meet royalty for the second time.

“I was in the front row of the Bomber Command Memorial dedication ceremony and the Queen came up to me and asked me where I was from and I replied I was from Australia,” he said.

“I then told her I had received my DFC and bar from her father

during WWII. “It was absolutely

amazing for me.”

‘The worst part of it was allocating aircrews to night missions and knowing they might not return home.– David Leicester, veteran

Flights to Flights to rememberrememberLionel Rackley Lionel Rackley had a narrow had a narrow escape on his escape on his last operational last operational mission, surviving mission, surviving his falling his falling aircraft, only to aircraft, only to be dragged by a be dragged by a train, train, SGT Andrew SGT Andrew Hetherington Hetherington writes.writes.

LIONEL Rackley nearly didn’t make it home from his 18th mission for Bomber Command in WWII.

Mr Rackley – a Lancaster bomber captain who started flying with 630SQN in 1943 at age 21 – recalls the death-defying mission well.

“The mission was flown over June 20-21, 1944, and it was the first operation to Germany after D-Day,” he said.

“Our target was an oil installation and there were only 130 aircraft on the mission, which was a small mis-sion for us. In the end, 37 of those were shot down. The flight plan had us flying between two enemy fighter beacons and we knew there would be aircraft after us.”

Unknown to Mr Rackley and other Lancaster crews at the time, the Germans had changed their fighter tactics of attacking allied bombers.

The German JU-88 was now equipped with upward firing guns and this, with a change in tactics, sur-prised Mr Rackley and his crew.

“One of them flew underneath us where we couldn’t see him,” Mr Rackley said.

“He tried to fire at our fuel tanks, which were in the wings, and he ended up missing them, hitting all of my control surfaces. I lost my ailer-ons altogether, the rudders and eleva-tors were all badly damaged so I had very little control at all.”

Mr Rackley and his crew quickly dropped their bomb load when they were hit.

What followed was a struggle to keep their crippled aircraft airborne.

“We went into a straight dive and

it took the flight engineer and myself with my feet on the instrument panel to get the aircraft flying straight and level again,” he said.

“We then tried to turn the aircraft around, as we didn’t want to bail out and be prisoners of war. It took us 10 minutes to do a 180-degree turn, coaxing it around, as the rudders were very sluggish.”

After successfully making their turn the right rudder pedal sank to the floor. Mr Rackley had to fly the Lancaster with both feet on the left rudder pedal.

“I flew like this from Germany to England and I thought it was worth the risk, as I thought I had enough engine power,” he said.

“I knew we couldn’t land the air-craft and we decided to bail out most of the crew as we crossed the English coast near Ipswich. The engineer and I continued until we decided that the aircraft wasn’t taking much notice of us and we bailed out near Bedfordshire at 12,000 feet about two in the morning.”

Having thought his ordeal was over, Mr Rackley had to still worry about the crewless aircraft.

“When I bailed out, I pulled the parachute cord, I was floating down and I looked up and could see and hear the Lancaster circling above me,” he said. “The next time it came around it was below me and I stopped worrying.”

The aircraft eventually crashed in a farmer’s field across the road from a village.

Mr Rackley’s descent was in total darkness due to the blackout rules.

“When I was coming down

there was nothing I could see on the ground, so it felt like I was going up at times. Then as I hit the ground I could feel myself being dragged along and I could hear the train wheels beside my ears,” he said.

With his parachute snagged on the train, Mr Rackley lost consciousness as he was dragged along. The next thing he remembered was waking up next to the railway tracks.

He didn’t have to wait long for help, with a goods train chugging towards him.

“As the engine came level with me I called out to the driver and they stopped for me. The engine driver and fireman got out, shone a torch on me and I told them I was RAF,” he said.

The crew of the train decided to assist him and put him in the guard’s van of the train, not really sure of who he was.

“The guard wouldn’t get in with me and later the train stopped at a signal box and they phoned forward to Luton telling them about me. When we got there I was taken in an ambulance with a police escort to the Luton hospital.”

Mr Rackley had a dislocated shoulder, cuts to the head and skin off his body.

He spent four months in hospital recovering and eventually got back to his squadron in November 1944. He didn’t fly an operational mission again.

“I was on light duties and test flew Lancasters after they came out of maintenance. I also flew aircraft with the base air commodore’s flight until I was sent home in April 1945,” he said.

YOUNG GUN: Veteran David Leicester enjoyed looking around the

RAF museum at Hendon with

his son Michael.

MEMORIES: Veteran Lionel

Rackley inspects a Lancaster Bomber at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford.

Photos: SGT Andrew Hetherington

July 19, 2012RCEAIR FF SPECIAL LIFTOUT 7


ROBERT Chester-Master was a rear gunner with 514SQN of Bomber Command during WWII.

He left Australia in 1943 and the next year flew 12½ missions over Europe, working in the cramped con-fines of the rear gunner’s station of a Lancaster bomber.

“People wonder how I did half a mission, but it was because after bombing the target my aircraft got shot down over Belgium behind enemy lines,” Mr Chester-Master said.

At 1pm on August 13, 1944, he bailed out of his crippled Lancaster at 1000ft and landed awkwardly, frac-turing his left ankle.

Then began his efforts to evade capture and get back to Britain with a little help from the French Resistance.

“I landed at a farm and spent the first night in a haystack, not being able to move anywhere,” he said.

“When I woke up I could hear church bells ringing so I knew I wasn’t far from a town.”

The next day a local farmer found Mr Chester-Master and offered to get him medical assistance.

“He spoke as much English as I did Flemish, which was absolutely nothing, but by gesticulating I worked out he wanted to tell the Germans I was there and needed medical atten-tion,” he said.

“But me being a brash 19-year-old I told him, through gesticulating back, what he could do with that idea.”

The farmer finally understood what he wanted and assisted him to the forest to hide.

“I was there for two nights and eventually some food and water was left at the edge of the forest for me,” he said.

“I realised the farmer was a good man and a short time later two men came to help me.

“One of them was a mountain of a man and picked up, put me on his shoulders and carried me to another clearing in the forest.”

Upon reaching the clearing Mr Chester-Master saw something which at the time was a little peculiar, espe-cially considering he had a bad ankle.

“I counted three push bikes and then thought how the hell was I going to ride one of those?” he said.

“But in those days, because the wheels and pedals were fixed, they could strap my injured foot to the pedal.

“We set off with my left leg dan-gling though the country tracks until we got to a farm house, which was my first safe house.”

Mr Chester-Master spent three-and-a-half weeks living in the loft during the day, only coming down-stairs at night.

A group within the Resistance eventually took him to an apartment in Brussels, where he met up with someone he had flown with.

“They had the bomb aimer from my aircraft there and luckily he knew a bit of French and I could speak to them through him,” he said.

“As the Allies were advancing, the Resistance decided we should travel back to Britain via an escape route through France and Spain.”

Mr Chester-Master and his col-

ALBERT Wallace was a Lancaster mid-upper gunner in 467SQN during WWII.

From 1942 he flew 21 missions and spent between 400-500 hours in the air.

He recalled one mission where he nearly lost his life on February 8, 1945.

“We were flying to a place called Stettin and I noticed a German JU-88 come up beside us between the tar-get,” he said.

“If he’d been in the right position I could’ve shot him down, but he was too close to us, just 200 metres away.

“Then he went under us and used his vertical-firing cannon on us, which was up towards me.

“The rounds came close to me and exploded my parachute, setting it on fire, which then burst the hydraulic pipes going to the rear turret, setting them alight, too.”

About 2000 rounds of ammunition began to explode, which set the back half of the aircraft alight. Finally the pilot asked the wireless operator to go back to see what he could do.

“He had one extinguisher with him and put out the fire near me so I could get out and help,” Mr Wallace said.

“The rear gunner couldn’t get out because his hydraulics didn’t work and couldn’t fire his guns, as his ammunition was used up, too.”

The fire continued to burn and could be seen trailing to about 300 feet behind the aircraft.

The wireless operator and bomb aimer managed to put most of the fire out, but to finish it off, an unorthodox decision was made involving every member of the crew.

“We all went back and we took it in turns to piss on the smouldering fire,” Mr Wallace said.

“Uric acid was good for putting

it out and six of us went back there. A fella from Tasmania was the best leaker.”

Even though the fire was out the crew still had five hours to fly in the damaged aircraft before they made it home.

“We headed towards Sweden to try and crash land there or in the sea, but the pilot said to us ‘we aren’t going to bail out and leave Albert in the aircraft on his own without a parachute’,” he said.

“I agreed with that.”The rear gunner eventu-

ally got out of his station and the crew dropped their bombs on a target, a heavily protected oil refinery at Politz, before making its way back to Waddington in England, and landed safely.

FIRE AND FRIENDSHIP

Evading captureA rear gunner shot down behind enemy lines escaped capture with the help of the Resistance, writes SGT Andrew Hetherington.

league followed the plan, although, after reaching the northern part of France, they had to return to Brussels when they found the escape route had been broken.

They then tried to enter into Switzerland, but once again had to return.

“When the Brits came into Brussels they used the public address system the Germans put up through the country to call out to any Allied personnel in hiding to report to the Hotel Metropole,” he said.

“I went and they sent me back to Britain in late September of 1944.”

After medical examinations and questioning by intelligence personnel, he was given the option to be sent on leave or sent home to Australia.

“I wanted to be sent back to the squadron to either re-crew or do some

instructing in Britain, but they said I was to go home,” he said. “When I got back in February, and through to December 1945, I was given the job as 2IC of a transport and movements office in Brisbane.”

He was discharged from the Air Force in December 1945 and finished the war as a flying officer.

Even after his narrow escape he continued to praise the members of the Resistance who gave him back his freedom.

“I still talk about the courage and bravery of members of the Resistance because they gave me a second life,” he said.

“What I do now is celebrate two birthdays a year, my normal birthday on November 30 and on August 13 I celebrate my second life because of those people.”

THE uniform Robert Chester-Master wore to all the Bomber Command functions in London during June also had a story of its own.

“I handed it in at the end of the war and I was recalled to service in 1948 during the Cold War and was retrained on Avro Lincoln bombers,” he said.

“Strangely enough, maybe because of my height, I was issued an old uniform and when I put it on I realised it was the one I’d handed in back in 1945.

“They’d changed the black buttons to gold ones and I knew it was my uniform as there was a mark I recognised inside it and when I put it on it fitted perfectly.”

Mr Chester-Master still wears the uniform in Brisbane when he attends functions with aircrew associations and Air Force cadets.

After being asked how he managed to do up the buttons after more than 60 years, he said: “I’ve been able to do it due to what I call the three Ds – delightful, delicious, dieting,” he laughed.

back there. s the best

was out the o fly in

ore they

Swedeen re or inn

to usut and t on ute’,”

tu-

eir vily

Politz, ck to and

rthday t 13 I se of

laughed.

‘I still talk about the courage and bravery of members of the Resistance because they gave me a second life.

– Former rear gunner Robert Chester-Master

VIVID MEMORIES: LAC Dallas Powell, of AFG, stands with Bomber Command veteran Robert Chester-Master at the Air Forces Memorial in Runnymeade, London. Photo: CPL Chris Moore

THAT UNIFORM

�

‘No single group of Australians from any service did more to help win WWII than the men who fought in Bomber Command.– historian Alan Stephens

BOMBER Command was formed in 1936 as rearma-ment to meet the growing Nazi threat spread across

Europe, the Commonwealth and the US.

When war broke out on September 1, 1939, it comprised five groups; two more were added as the war progressed.

When he assumed command in February 1942, ACM Sir Arthur “Bomber” Harris, led the strategic bombing offensive aiming for the destruction of Germany’s war effort and the morale of its people.

Between 1940 and 1944, Bomber Command, later joined by the US Army Air Force’s Eighth Air Force, provided the only Allied strategic attack capability against German forces on the Western Front, and also the only means for disrupting German infrastructure and industry that supported the Third Reich’s war machine across occupied Europe.

Bomber Command started its campaign by flying daylight raids.

Losses became so high that it switched to night attacks over Germany.

Even then, its casualty rate was enormous.

The attacking bombers faced multiple threats, not only from Germany’s highly sophisticated night fighter and anti-aircraft defence systems, but from the dan-gers of flying at night.

Mid-air collisions, technical problems, and crew fatigue all con-tributed to the very high loss rate.

During the course of the war, about 125,000 men served with Bomber Command.

They included airmen from the UK, Commonwealth nations and Nazi-occupied countries.

Of these, 55,573 were killed, 8403 were wounded in action and 9838 became prisoners of war.

In total, 364,514 operational sor-ties were flown, 1,030,500 tonnes of bombs were dropped and 8325 aircraft were lost in action.

Of the 10,000 Australians who flew with Bomber Command, 3486 died and 592 became POWs.

They represented just over 1 per cent of Australian enlistments in all services during WWII, but accounted for nearly 10 per cent of

all Australian combat deaths during the conflict.

Eight squadrons designated as “RAAF” under the Empire Air Training Scheme served as part of Bomber Command. They were 455, 458, 460, 462, 463, 464, 466 and 467SQNs, but just two of these – 460 and 462SQNs – stayed with the Command for their entire existence.

Twenty-three Victoria Crosses were awarded across Bomber Command, including RAAF FSGT Rawdon Middleton and WGCDR Hughie Edwards, an Australian serving with the RAF.

The bomber offensive was the longest and most costly of Australia’s WWII campaigns.

It required sustained courage for aircrews to take off time and time again in the face of deadly odds, maintain the air offensive to distant targets thousands of miles from the front lines, drop their bombs and then fly home, always in the face of the Luftwaffe’s night fighters and flak, and often nursing seriously crippled bombers with dead or injured crewmen.

As one RAAF veteran said: “Our skipper told us that every day we survived in Bomber Command was a bonus.”

Australian historian Alan Stephens later wrote: “No single group of Australians from any ser-vice did more to help win WWII than the men who fought in Bomber Command.”


BONDS OF FRIENDSHIP: An RAAF Avro Lancaster with ground crew, date unknown. Photo: Australian War Memorial

LANCASTER “G for George” is an aircraft with an extraordinary history.

Avro Lancaster B1 W4873 was delivered to 460SQN RAAF at RAF Station Breighton on October 27, 1942, and given the identity num-bers AR-G.

After her first mission in December 1942, at a time when many aircraft were lost after only two or three missions, G for George flew an incredible 90 missions against some of the most heavily-defended targets in Germany as well as two missions into Italy, one in France and a mining operation in waters off Denmark.

She was severely damaged on more than 20 occasions and had crew members wounded, but she became known as a lucky aircraft as she never had a single crew member killed.

During her 16 months of active service, she was flown by 29 pilots with about 200 crew members and clocked up 664 flying hours with 460SQN.

After G for George’s last mis-

sion against Cologne on April 22, 1944, she was retired from opera-tions. She was presented to the Australian War Memorial and a new life awaited.

After an extensive overhaul, the veteran took off from Prestwick on October 11, 1944, and flew to Australia, arriving at the then RAAF Station Amberley on November 8.

The Lancaster was then involved in a number of Victory tours, includ-ing the Third Victory Loan Tour from March 13 to April 27, 1945.

The highlight was the April 6 flight in formation over Brisbane with nine Beaufighters, six Liberators, nine Mustangs, three Kittyhawks, and a Boston.

“G for George” was finally declared surplus and transferred to RAAF Canberra (later Fairbairn) where it remained in storage until May 1955 when it was finally transferred to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

Lucky, by GeorgeLucky, by GeorgeTOUGH JOB: Left, a 463SQN Lancaster is loaded with 1000-pound bombs before a raid over enemy territory in 1944. Below, Australian ground crew and staff in front of a 460SQN Lancaster, at RAF station Binbrook, in July 1944. Photos: Australian War Memorial

‘The fighters are our salvation but the bombers alone provide the means of victory.

– British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, September 1940


ghters, six Mustangs, three a Boston.e” wwasas finallyy

AAAF Fairbairii n) where orage when itit sferred n War nberra.

HISTORY & HEROISM

LEGENDARY: AFG members AC David Anstee and ACW Nicole Maddison visit “G for George” at the Australian War Memorial. Photo: LAC Bill Solomou

Date post:	28-Oct-2021
Category:	Documents
Upload:	others
View:	1 times
Download:	0 times

ON THE SCENE: ONN THE SCEENE - Department of Defence

Documents