More Defence news: 12 January 2009 - 18 January 2009
| Victoria Cross Awarded to Trooper Mark Donaldson | The Funeral Of Private Greg Sher | Senior Taliban Insurgent Commander Killed | HMAS Sydney II Public Hearing commences | |
Victoria Cross Awarded to Trooper Mark Donaldson 16 January – Today Trooper Mark Donaldson was awarded Australia’s highest military honour – the Victoria Cross. The Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, saluted the Trooper as the first Australian in almost forty years to be presented the Victoria Cross. Trooper Donaldson was awarded the Victoria Cross for acts of bravery in Afghanistan. His actions ensured the safety of his comrades, and saved the life of a coalition force interpreter. Tradition holds that even the most senior military officers salute a Victoria Cross recipient, as a sign of respect for their act of gallantry. Air Chief Marshal Houston said it would be his honour to salute Trooper Donaldson. More: Trooper Mark Donaldson |
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The Funeral Of Private Greg Sher
12 January – Yesterday, mourners gathered at Melbourne’s Chevra Kadisha Cemetery in Lyndhurst for the funeral of Private Gregory Sher, who was fatally wounded in Afghanistan on 4 January, 2009. Private Sher’s family, partner and friends joined members of Melbourne’s Jewish community to honour the memory of a great Australian who passed the toughest of trials to earn the title of Australian Army Commando. Among the many dignitaries to pay their respects to Private Sher were the Prime Minister, the Hon. Kevin Rudd MP; the Minister for Defence, the Hon. Joel Fitzgibbon MP; the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. Malcolm Turnbull MP; Acting Chief of the Defence Force, Lieutenant General David Hurley; Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie; Special Operations Commander Australia, Major General Tim McOwan; and Commanding Officer 1st Commando Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Vance Khan. At the request of Gregory’s family, members of the 1st Commando Regiment were present at the funeral, comforting the family and providing the formal military ceremonial contribution. More: Media release | Image gallery |
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Senior Taliban Insurgent Commander Killed 12 January – During a recent operation in Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan, the Special Operations Task Group killed a senior insurgent commander. Mullah Abdul Rasheed was involved with the importation of foreign fighters, Improvised Explosive Device (IED) experts and potential suicide bombers. He had been identified as a primary IED facilitator, responsible for coordinating IED emplacement in Uruzgan Province. The laying of IEDs was a preferred tactic of Rasheed’s. Rasheed is believed to have been the organiser of the rocket attack that killed Private Gregory Sher last weekend. More: Media release |
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HMAS Sydney II Public Hearing commences
12 January: Today, public hearings into the Commission of Inquiry into the loss of HMAS Sydney II recommenced in Sydney, led by the President of the Commission, the Honourable Terence Cole AO, RFD, QC. Following the discovery of the wrecks of HMAS Sydney II and HSK KORMORAN by The Finding Sydney Foundation in March 2008, the Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal A.G. Houston AC, AFC, established a Commission of Inquiry. In support of these Terms of Reference, the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) of the Department of Defence in collaboration with the Australian Division of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA) were appointed to provide expert advice and opinion bound by a number of assumptions concerning the battle sequence, the environmental factors and other operational aspects. These assumptions were provided by the Commission of Inquiry. In the provision of expert advice and opinion, DSTO and RINA personnel used a number of scientific analysis tools. Aside from a physical examination of video imagery and a large number of historical documents, photographs and other publications, their analysis utilised modern computer codes. More importantly, advanced analysis techniques including a series of visualisations, have been used to determine the effects of the weapons damage on Sydney. Naval architectural assessments were used to determine the probable final demise of HMAS SYDNEY. On 19 November 1941, the Royal Australian Navy Modified Leander Class light cruiser HMAS SYDNEY II, en route to Fremantle, intercepted the disguised German raider the HSK KORMORAN about 100 nautical miles west of Steep Point off the coast of Western Australia. In the ensuing battle, HMAS SYDNEY was sunk with the loss of her entire crew of 645 men. The HSK KORMORAN was subsequently scuttled with the loss of 81 lives. |
