Birds of a feather meet at SCG

The recent AFL match in Sydney also saw celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the end of the Battle for Australia. Photo: ABPH Helen Frank

By Graham Davis

A Seahawk got mixed up with some Swans and Crows the other night.

However, no feathers were ruffled. The occasion was a pageant marking the 60th anniversary of the end of the Battle for Australia, conducted before the Swans/Crows AFL match at the Sydney Cricket Ground on the night of July 10.

A crowd of more than 25,000 attended. As a finale to the pageant, Tiger 83, a Seahawk helicopter from 816 Squadron, Nowra, hovered eight metres above the pitch.

The aircraft was flown by the squadron commander, CMDR Brad White with the support of his XO, LCDR Shane Craig and crewman WO Josh Tahn.

As the umpires for the main game ran on to the field, a radio message was given and four members of AUSCDTONE fast roped from the aircraft.

The four, LEUT Chris White, AB Robert McDonald, AB Simon Cole and LEUT Chris Leece, had the game balls for the match.

With the balls safely delivered, the helicopter, which had earlier collected the divers from HMAS Penguin, returned home.

Members of all three services took part in the pageant.

There was a parachute jump by the Army’s Red Berets, performances by the Federation Guard Precision Drill team and renditions by the Army Band Newcastle.

A vehicle cavalcade of veterans around the boundary of the playing surface was also carried out.

The veterans were escorted by serving ADF members.

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