3CER sapper at the cutting edge

Spr Craig Reedman destroys weapons in front of onlookers. Photo by Cpl Sean Burton, Army newspaper

By Cpl Sean Burton

A SAPPER from 3CER was at the cutting edge of the first Op Anode weapons destruction ceremony in Solomon Islands.

Spr Craig Reedman destroyed 25 surrendered weapons in a flurry of smoke, sweat and sparks with an angle grinder in front of appreciative Solomon Islanders. Watching from the crowd of about 200 were Regional Assistance Mission officials including Head of the National Peace Council, Paul Tovua.

Mr Tovua joined Spr Reedman in cutting up the first weapon, which he held aloft to a cheering crowd.

During a speech he said weapons being destroyed had been handed in over the previous three days as the first of approximately 2000 police and troops serving with the RAMSI began arriving in the country.

“Weapons such as these have brought fear to the hearts of our people for far to long,” he said.

“The people have made it clear that they long for peace – the credit for the surrender of these weapons belongs to them.” Mr Tovua expected the further surrender of illegal weapons to speed up when the amnesty was declared on July 31.

Spr Reedman had a chance to inspect the spectrum of weapons before the ceremony began and found them in various conditions.

“There was a lot of basic homemade weapons with hand carved stocks, galvanised metal barrels, crude bolts and a few shot guns in good condition,” he said.

The weapons which caused most interest among the ADF personnel present were six 7.62mm SLRs and a police-issue 40mm grenade launcher, similar to the M79. Spr Reedman said the modern military weapons were all in good condition.

“I think the weapons’ previous owners may have had some sort of military training as they were looked after the same way we would,” he said.

The procedure for destroying the weapons with an angle grinder was straightforward.

“I cut them straight through the action and trigger group because that’s where most of the working parts are, it disables the weapon in one cut.”

As the Military Engineer Group is working flat out, Spr Reedman hasn’t had much time to think about his role the symbolic weapons destruction ceremony until he recently spoke to his partner, Barbie, by welfare phone.

She told him family and friends were calling to say they’d seen him in their newspapers.

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