NEWS UPDATES

NEW VICE PRESIDENT

My name is Fred Guthrie, I am a 30 years Service Member, ex-RAAF and a Vietnam Veteran.  I have been around for awhile, so, I believe that quite a number of the members already know me, however, until recently I had been an active member and Vice President of Cardiff RSL Sub Branch.  About 2 years ago I swapped my voting rights to Toronto and when the time was right I changed my full membership over.  I immediately expressed my interest to the executive of becoming involved in the day to day running’s of the sub Branch and as a  result I was elected as a member of the committee.

 

Then the opportunity arose where the position of Vice President became   vacant and I considered with my previous experience I thought I would throw my hat in the ring for the position and there you have it, I landed the position.

 

I know the visions and intended programs currently set in place by the       executives I am joining and they will have my full support with such ventures and I believe that this Sub Branch has and will continue to set high          standards concerning the welfare, assistance and social activities for our members and their families.  Fred 

 

 

 

IT IS WITH DEEP REGRET THE AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE ANNOUNCES THE DEATH OF
CORPORAL RICHARD ATKINSON
DURING OPERATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN.

   

Twenty-two-year-old Corporal Richard Atkinson was from the Darwin-based

1st Combat Engineer Regiment.


Corporal Atkinson leaves behind his fiancé, Dannielle, his parents Ross and Kate, brother James and sister-in-law Sumah.
Corporal Atkinson was born in Hobart in 1988. He joined the Army in 2007 and in the same year successfully completed his recruit and combat engineer basic training prior to being posted to the 1st Combat Engineer Regiment based in Darwin.
He was promoted to Lance Corporal in 2009 and displayed strong leadership in bringing his section together during their preparation for operations in Afghanistan. His dedication to his section was rewarded with his promotion to corporal just prior to their deployment.
Corporal Atkinson was leading his combat engineer section as a search commander when he was killed in action.
Corporal Atkinson has been awarded the Australian Active Service Medal with clasp: International Coalition Against Terrorism (ICAT), Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the Army Combat Badge. 
During Corporal Atkinson’s service in the Australian Army, he deployed on the following Operations:


25TH JANUARY 2011

TWO MEMBERS TIE THE KNOT

ANDREW WELLS (2 RAR )  & NANCY DREW (VIP driver Lavarack Barracks )

BOTH CURRENT SERVING MEMBERS OF OUR SUB-BRANCH TORONTO

NOW Mr. & Mrs ANDREW WELLS.

CONGRATULATIONS THE BOYS AND LADIES OF OUR CLUB WISH YOU ALL THE BEST

 

The Chief of the Defence Force congratulates
Corporal Benjamin Roberts-Smith, VC, MG

 

The Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, today congratulated Corporal Benjamin Roberts-Smith on being awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia.

 

Speaking at the Investiture Ceremony at Campbell Barracks in Perth, Air Chief Marshal Houston said Corporal Roberts-Smith had brought great credit to himself, the Australian Army, the Special Air Service Regiment and the Australian Defence Force.

 

“Today, we in the military feel great admiration and respect for the extreme valour shown by Corporal Roberts-Smith and we are honoured to call him one of our own,” Air Chief Marshal Houston said.

 

“In choosing to serve our nation, the men and women of the Australian Defence Force display courage, initiative and self-sacrifice every day. But in Afghanistan on the 11th of June 2010, Corporal Roberts-Smith went far beyond what we would ordinarily expect.

 

“In the most dangerous and demanding of situations – when his patrol was outnumbered and his life and the lives of his mates were under extreme threat – Corporal Roberts-Smith cast aside concern for his own safety. He placed his mates’ lives above his own.”

 

Air Chief Marshal Houston said that within the military it was a mark of the utmost respect that all, no matter their rank, saluted a Victoria Cross recipient.

 

“It is a great source of delight to me that, as of today, there are now two serving members of the Australian Defence Force I have the great honour to salute,”

Air Chief Marshal Houston said.

 

“Corporal Benjamin Roberts-Smith, VC, MG, we are enormously proud of you.”

 

Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie remarked on the tremendous humility shown by Corporal Roberts-Smith.

 

“All Australian Soldiers should feel tremendously proud of the actions of Corporal Roberts-Smith, and the recognition that the award of the Victoria Cross represents.  The valour of his actions and those of the other members of his patrol, are exemplars of the very best in Australian soldiering,” Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie said.

 

“He is a soldier who embodies Army’s values of Courage, Initiative, and Teamwork and the ethos of the Special Air Service Regiment.  He is held in the highest esteem by his peers, subordinates and superiors alike for his personal attributes and his professionalism.  

 

Corporal Roberts-Smith said he was honoured and humbled.

 

“I am so very proud to have taken part in the action with my mates. This award also belongs to them and to the Regiment,” Corporal Roberts-Smith said.

 

“To my family, my beautiful wife Emma and our baby girls, Eve and Elizabeth, thank you for your enduring support and encouragement.”

 

Australian soldier Wounded In Action in improvised explosive device (IED) strike

An Australian soldier and an Afghan National Army colleague have been Wounded In Action in the Chorah Valley region of Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan, in an incident that also claimed the life of a local interpreter supporting the operation. After being aero medically evacuated to the ISAF medical facility at Multi-National Base Tarin Kot, the Australian soldier underwent surgery before being flown to the ISAF medical facility at Kandahar for further treatment.

The incident occurred approximately 4pm AEDT on Saturday 15 January. The Australian soldier, a member of Mentoring Task Force Two, was part of a dismounted partnered Afghan National Army and Australian patrol which struck an improvised explosive device.

Two Australian soldiers have been Wounded In Action in Afghanistan since the beginning of 2011. 166 soldiers have been Wounded In Action since Australia commenced operations in Afghanistan in 2001.

 

 

3RDTH JANUARY 2011

 

Australian soldier wounded in Afghanistan

An Australian soldier is being treated in the ISAF medical facility at Multi National Base Tarin Kot after being wounded by a single shot in the upper left arm in Uruzgan Province yesterday morning.

 

The soldier, from Australia’s Mentoring Task Force - Two (MTF-2), was participating in an Afghan National Army partnered patrol in the Chorah Valley Region of Uruzgan Province when the patrol was attacked with small arms fire.

 

The patrol returned fire, with mortar support, and stabilised the wounded soldier prior to his aero medical evacuation to Tarin Kot.

 

The soldier is now in a satisfactory condition and his family has been notified of the incident.

 

A local man, believed to be an insurgent, was wounded in the leg during the engagement and was treated by the patrol before being aero medically evacuated to the ISAF medical facility at Multi National Base Tarin Kot, where he is receiving further treatment. The engagement will be investigated to confirm the status of the local man.

 

One Australian soldier has been wounded in Afghanistan this year. 165 soldiers have been wounded since the ADF commenced operations in Afghanistan.

 

HMAS Melbourne disrupts pirate attack in Arabian Sea

Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Melbourne has disrupted a pirate attack on a tanker in the Arabian Sea.

 

HMAS Melbourne steamed to the aid of the UK-flagged chemical tanker MV CPO China, which had been boarded by pirates in the Arabian Sea at approximately 1.45pm Bahrain time on Monday, 3 January.

 

When initially alerted to the incident HMAS Melbourne was approximately 267kms north of the MV CPO China but was able to cover that distance in just over six hours.

 

While steaming to the aid of the MV CPO China, HMAS Melbourne’s helicopter launched and on arrival in the vicinity of MV CPO China was able to deter the pirates from attempting to take control of the ship. As a result the pirates aborted the attack and left the vessel when HMAS Melbourne arrived on the scene.

 

The crew of MV CPO China had successfully secured themselves in the ship’s citadel (an anti-pirate stronghold) from where they could maintain satellite communications and control the ship. The engine controls and steering equipment for the tanker are located in the citadel.

 

“This is a terrific example of how Australia’s maritime contribution to the Middle East Area of Operations provides another layer of security for the region and to the conduct of trade and suppression of criminal activities,” said the Commander of Joint Task Force 633, MAJGEN John Cantwell.

 

“One of our objectives for operations in the Middle East is to assist the efforts of the international community in reducing acts of piracy. Our men and women aboard HMAS Melbourne deserve recognition for their role in providing maritime security and countering piracy in the Arabian Sea.

This is one of those occasions where their efforts have become highly visible,” he said.

 

1st JANUARY 2011

Defence establishes wider support to Queensland flood disaster

 

In response to the deepening flood crisis in Queensland, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) has established a Joint Task Force (JTF) for the conduct of Operation QUEENSLAND FLOOD ASSIST.

 

JTF 637 was established today, under the command of Colonel Luke Foster, an experienced Army officer.

 

Colonel Foster’s headquarters has been established at Gallipoli Barracks at Enoggera in Brisbane in order to provide the best possible support to the Queensland Government in their response to the flood crisis.

 

Defence will continue to operate closely with Queensland Emergency Services to provide subject matter expertise, planning and coordination of the ADF support to the civil led flood response.

 

JTF 637 will control the helicopters and units already supporting the Queensland emergency management agency, including the three Army Black Hawk helicopters operating around Emerald.

 

The ADF has already provided support to State and Federal emergency management agencies by assisting with the evacuation of people from the towns of Theodore, Emerald and Condamine, as well as providing emergency food drops and medical supplies to Queensland people isolated by the flood waters.

 

Additionally, a Royal Australian Air Force C-130 Hercules yesterday successfully delivered a ‘flexible habitat’, a purpose built temporary accommodation module, which is now being used by the people of Emerald.

 

The ADF will continue to review the situation in coordination with Emergency Management Queensland and provide a commensurate level of support within available resources.

 

Saturday, 25 December 2010

Aussie troops celebrate Christmas across the globe


A traditional Christmas feast is a consistent theme linking more than 3600 Australian Defence Force personnel deployed on operations throughout the world this festive season.

Deployed soldiers, sailors, airmen and airwomen have been celebrating Christmas Day in locations as far reaching as Afghanistan, the Middle East, Egypt and Sudan, with others closer to home in East Timor, Solomon Islands and on border protection duties in Australia’s north.

Whilst centred around the Christmas theme, distinct differences have marked the day in each location.

Many personnel in the Middle East had the opportunity to participate in games of cricket and beach volleyball after enjoying a hot meal, giving the day a typically Australian flavour.

Commander of Australian troops in the Middle East, Major General John Cantwell, made a short visit on Christmas Eve to patrol bases near Mirawais in the Chora Valley to bring a Christmas message and, importantly, mail and resupplies. He spent this morning with troops at Multi-National Base Tarin Kot before returning to the Australian national headquarters location at Al Minhad, UAE.

“The men and women principally from the Australian Army have come together to break bread, toast their mates who have been wounded or killed, and to share the common bond that binds all soldiers of all ranks; eating a meal together,” Major General Cantwell said.

Considerable effort was also made to ensure that soldiers serving in the outlying patrol bases did not miss out and enjoyed a special hot meal with tastes of home and an abundance of assorted treats.

Near Africa and the Gulf of Aden sailors onboard HMAS Melbourne embraced the Christmas spirit by hosting a slightly unusual “carols by cyalume” on the flight deck.

Closer to home, Australian soldiers serving in Solomon Islands also commenced festivities with carols on Christmas Eve, followed by a Midnight Mass. On Christmas Day, the command team handed out care packages sent by the Australian public to the troops, followed by an afternoon of sports.

As part of the International Stabilisation Force, Australian Defence Force personnel in East Timor hosted a group of 40 children from Dili’s St Bakhita Orphanage at lunch.

By way of a thank you, the children sang Christmas carols in English before participating in games and activities with the troops. They received a special visit from Santa who delivered gifts bought with money donated by International Stabilisation Force troops.

Commander of Joint Operations Command Lieutenant General Mark Evans said, “During this Christmas period, all Australians should spare a thought for and be very proud of our deployed men and women who are serving their country with distinction on operations at home and on distant shores. They consistently demonstrate Australian values, professionalism and compassion and are held in the highest regard amongst their peers and all whom they encounter

 

19TH DECEMBER 2010

Two Australian soldiers wounded in action in Afghanistan

Two soldiers from Australia’s Mentoring Task Force Two (MTF 2) were Wounded in Action in separate incidents in the Baluchi Valley region of Uruzgan Province

The first incident involved an improvised explosive device strike on a Bushmaster protected mobility vehicle resulting in one Australian soldier being Wounded in Action.  He was treated at the scene before being aero-medically evacuated to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) medical facility at Tarin Kot with suspected internal injuries. Following medical assessment he was then transported to the ISAF medical facility in Kandahar for further treatment. Further assessment, including a CAT scan, revealed no significant injuries, with medical staff listing him as being in a satisfactory condition.

 In the second incident, an Afghan National Army dismounted patrol, partnered with MTF 2, struck an improvised explosive device resulting in an Australian soldier being Wounded in Action, suffering serious blast and fragmentation wounds. After being treated at the scene, he was aero-medically evacuated to the ISAF medical facility at Tarin Kot before also being transported to the ISAF medical facility in Kandahar for further treatment. The soldier remains in a serious condition under the care of ISAF medical staff.

 The families of both soldiers have been notified of the incidents.

 Commander Joint Task Force 633 Major General John Cantwell said, “Despite significant gains in finding and destroying many improvised explosive devices, and munitions caches, insurgents continue to target both Afghan and ISAF patrols, with no regard for innocent members of the local population.

“In each of today’s incidents, the soldiers were quickly attended to by their mates in the field and are being cared for in the ISAF medical facility in Kandahar.”

 Afghan National Army soldiers, supported by their Australian partners, continue to expand their area of operations in order to bring security to the people of Uruzgan.

Sixty-two Australian soldiers have been wounded in Afghanistan this year. 

Since the ADF commenced operations in Afghanistan, 162 soldiers have been wounded