THE main body of the Enoggera-based 6RAR Bn Gp has left for East Timor, where they will relieve 1RAR Bn Gp, which has been serving on the border since the middle of May this year.

One hundred and thirty soldiers left RAAF base Amberley recently to join members of the 6RAR advance party, which arrived in East Timor last month.

CO 6RAR Lt-Col Glen Babbington said it was great that the soldiers would be able to see the changes that have taken place in East Timor from when they were there with UNTAET.

"Many of the soldiers leaving have served in East Timor before and they're eager to find out how much the country has changed," he said.

One of the soldiers, Cpl Nathan Allen, is on his third tour of duty in East Timor.

He said that, for him, there was a sense of closure, and that it was going to feel good to be able to be a part of handing the country back to the people of East Timor.

One big difference for Cpl Allen on this deployment will be the way he communicates with the locals in the border area, where English is rarely spoken.

"On my first tour, we mainly communicated using a dictionary, but since then I've been to the Defence School of Languages and learnt Tetum so I'll be able to put that learning to good use," he said.

6RAR are expected to remain on duty on the border in East Timor until mid-2004.

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