More Defence news: 09 November 2009 - 15 November 2009

Final honour for PNG Diggers

13 November - The remains of two recently identified Australian soldiers killed during World War II will soon be laid to rest at a cemetery in Papua New Guinea.

Greg Combet, Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science said
an Army investigation team recovered the remains near Buna, Sanananda and Popondetta.

“They were Lieutenant Talbot Tim Logan of the 2/12 Australian Infantry Battalion, and Lance Sergeant James Garrard Wheeler of the 2/1 Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery,” Mr Combet said.

Mr Combet said Lieutenant Logan was killed near Buna on 1 January 1943 and Lance Sergeant Wheeler killed near Sanananda on 1 December 1942.

“Lieutenant Logan and Lance Sergeant Wheeler will be buried, with full military honours at Bomana War Cemetery in Port Moresby, PNG on 1 December 2009,” Mr Combet said.

The families of both men have been informed of their identification and are now receiving support from the extended Army family through the Defence Community Organisation.

“These men can now be laid to rest alongside their mates and their burial places formally registered after all these years,” Mr Combet said.

“There were two further sets of remains which the team has been unable to identify. They will also be respectfully buried alongside Lieutenant Logan and Lance Sergeant Wheeler with a headstone marked Known Unto God,” Mr Combet said.

More: Media Release

Soldiers injured in IED attack

13 November - One Australian soldier and three Afghan National Army soldiers have been wounded by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack in southern Afghanistan.

The Australian soldier suffered minor shrapnel wounds and is likely to return to duty within days.

He was aero medically evacuated with two of the Afghan National Army soldiers, one of whom was seriously wounded, to Tarin Kowt for further treatment.

The third Afghan National Army soldier was not seriously wounded and returned to his patrol base on foot with the rest of the patrol.

More: Media Release

PM visits troops in Afghanistan

12 November - Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has made a surprise visit to troops in Afghanistan, marking Remembrance Day at a ceremony in Tarin Kowt.

Mr Rudd was also joined by the Minister for Defence, Senator John Faulkner, and the Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston.

Soldiers from the 2nd Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force (MRTF) shared a barbecue dinner with Mr Rudd, with all guests spending the night at Camp Holland near Tarin Kowt.
Australian injured in IED attack

An Australian soldier is in a stable condition after being wounded by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in southern Afghanistan earlier this week.

Forming part of the 2nd Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force (MRTF-2), the soldier was on a joint Australian and Afghan National Army (ANA) patrol when they were targeted in the IED attack on 10 November.

Receiving minor shrapnel wounds to the leg, the soldier was given immediate first aid before being taken to a medical facility at Tarin Kowt.

The soldier’s wounds are not life threatening and his family have been notified.

More: Media Release | Image Gallery | Video

SAS dog found after year in Afghan wilderness

12 November - An Australian Special Forces explosive detection dog has been found alive and well more than a year after she went missing in action in Afghanistan.

Black Labrador “*Sarbi” was recovered by a US Soldier at an isolated patrol base in Uruzgan Province, after going missing in the same September 2008 battle during which Trooper Mark Donaldson, VC earned his Victoria Cross.

Nine Australian soldiers, including *Sarbi’s handler, were wounded during the fighting.

The US soldier who recovered *Sarbi, who can be identified only by his first name John, was aware that Australian Special Forces were missing one of their explosive detection dogs.

He said it was immediately obvious that *Sarbi was no ordinary canine.

“I took the dog and gave it some commands it understood,” John said.

John said he thanked the man who was with *Sarbi and shook his hand.

*Sarbi was then flown to Tarin Kowt to be reunited with one of her Australian Special Forces trainers.

“I nudged a tennis ball to her with my foot and she took it straight away,” the trainer said.

“It’s a game we used to play over and over during her training. It’s amazing, just incredible, to have her back.”

Currently in the United Kingdom after meeting Her Majesty the Queen, Trooper Mark Donaldson, VC said *Sarbi’s return had closed a chapter of their shared history.

“She’s the last piece of the puzzle,” Trooper Donaldson said.

“Having *Sarbi back gives some closure for the handler and the rest of us that served with her in 2008. It’s a fantastic morale booster for the guys.”

At the time of her disappearance *Sarbi was coming to the end of her second tour of duty in Afghanistan, having previously deployed in 2007.

*Sarbi will now undergo a period of quarantine before a decision can be made about the timing of her return to Australia. A veterinary assessment of *Sarbi’s exposure to diseases has yet to be completed. It is hoped the tests will prove negative and *Sarbi can return home.

* A recent check of Sarbi's regimental record, revealed that Sarbi’s name has been previously incorrectly spelt in Defence public reporting and the record is now corrected to show the spelling as Sarbi, not 'Sabi'.

More: Media Release | Image Gallery | Video | Audio

Trooper meets the Queen

11 November - Australia’s 97th Victoria Cross winner Trooper Mark Donaldson, VC has met the Queen of England, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Trooper Donaldson said being granted an audience with the Queen was a great honour and something he would never forget.

“I feel very proud to be given the opportunity to meet Her Majesty the Queen,” Trooper Donaldson said.

“It’s something not many people get to do, so I feel very privileged.”

Trooper Mark Donaldson, VC will also play an important role in the Passing of the WW1 Generation Service at London’s Westminster Abbey, as part of the official commemorations marking Remembrance Day 2009.

Trooper Donaldson will join British Lance Corporal Johnson Beharry, VC in laying a wreath during the service.

“Participating in the Remembrance activities and representing Australia and the ADF at the international level is an honour I’m very much looking forward to,” Trooper Donaldson said.

While in London, Trooper Donaldson will also meet with members of the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association of which he is the newest member.

“It will be a learning experience for me to meet with other VC holders through the Association.

More weapons caches destroyed

11 November - ADF soldiers have uncovered a major cache of explosives in southern Afghanistan during a series of search operations.

The cache, one of 10 significant finds in the past few weeks, was uncovered on Friday 6 November and contained 93 individual pieces of military-grade explosives.

Other recent discoveries have included more ammunition, explosives and several 107mm rockets.

Engineers from the 2nd Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force (MRTF-2) also disposed of several concealed improvised explosive devices (IEDs) discovered by patrols in locations north of Tarin Kowt.

The Commander of Australian Forces in the Middle East, Major General Mark Kelly, said the cache and IED finds represented another success for the people of Uruzgan Province.

“Every time we uncover weapons and munitions caches and IEDs like these, we are potentially depriving those who wish to maim and kill innocent people of the means to do so,” Major General Kelly said.

Afghan man wounded

An Afghan was shot in the lower left leg during an engagement with Taliban insurgents on 9 November.

Immediate first aid was applied by Australian forces before the man was aero-medically evacuated to the Dutch military hospital at Tarin Kowt.

The man is now in a stable condition and will be released from hospital soon. He is expected to make a full recovery.

At this stage, it is not possible to determine whether the injury was a result of insurgent or coalition gunfire. Defence has commenced an internal review of the incident.

More: Image Gallery

Remembrance Day

10 November - Defence will commemorate Remembrance Day at various ceremonies across Australia and overseas, as Australians pause to remember those men and women who have died or suffered in all wars.

A Bugler will join a Catafalque Party and Flag Party ceremony at Darwin’s Cenotaph.

In Victoria, four RAAF PC9 aircraft from Central Flying School and a vintage Mustang aircraft from the Point Cook RAAF Museum will conduct flypasts over the Shrine of Remembrance. 

Perth will also see four RAAF PC9 aircraft flypast various landmarks including the Kings Park State War Memorial and the City of Perth Civic Centre.

In Queensland, a poppy laying ceremony will be held Memorial Garden at the main gates of RAAF Base Amberley, as well as a commemoration service at the Shrine in Brisbane’s Anzac Square.

While in Canberra, Headquarters Joint Operations Command will hold a service and dedicate a memorial for the 29 Australian Defence Force personnel who have died on operations in the ten years since the original headquarters was formed.

The Australian War Memorial will also be holding its National Remembrance Day Ceremony.

Australian War Memorial director Steve Gower encouraged local and interstate guests to participate in the ceremony.

“Remembrance Day is an opportunity for all Australians to pay their respects to those servicemen and women who have given their life while serving their nation,” Mr Gower said.

Minister launches ICT strategy

09 November - The Minister for Defence, Senator John Faulkner, has released the 2009 Defence Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Strategy, aiming to increase efficiency and effectiveness within Defence’s ICT portfolio.

Senator Faulkner said the Strategy would strengthen the relationship between Defence’s strategic objectives and its ICT capabilities.

“Through enhanced strategic planning processes and transparent portfolio-based resource allocation, the ICT Strategy will improve Defence’s ability to conduct forward ICT capability planning,” Senator Faulkner said.

“The Defence ICT Strategy is also consistent with the recommendations of the Gershon Review and elements of the Strategy were included in the 2009 Defence White paper.”

Senator Faulkner said the Government was also seeking to improve the publicly-available information relating to the future direction of Defence ICT, and added that Defence would conduct annual reviews of the new Strategy.

More: Media Release | Defence ICT Strategy