Served with honour in life and death





Brig Gerald Cudmore

LET the bell toll amidst the sound of muffled drums to mark the passing of a noble soldier.
Brig Gerald Anthony Cudmore, a previous Principal Chaplain of the Army, passed away late last month.

Chap Cudmore had an eminent and distinguished career with the ADF, serving with many headquarters, units and training establishments.

He was the first Army Chaplain to deploy to Vietnam as a member of 1RAR and is fondly remembered and revered by past members of the unit.

In 1986, he was appointed a Prelate of Honour by Pope John Paul II, and on Australia Day 1988 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia.

In October of the same year he received a Chief of General Staff Commendation for his work as the founding father of the National Australian Memorial to Prisoners of War, which saw the re-erection of a Changi Chapel in the grounds of the Royal Military College, Duntroon (Canberra).

Chap Cudmore retired from the ARA in February 1998 and continued his services to Army through an ongoing commitment as the Roman Catholic representative on the Principal Chaplain’s Committee.

He returned to his own diocese and up until his death he served the archdiocese of Melbourne with distinction.

He was a great soldier, a true Australian and a friend for many in their hour of darkness. He will be sorely missed.

Cpl Thomas Cupka

Cpl Thomas Cupka

CPL Thomas Raymond Cupka, a tank crew commander in C Sqn, 1 Armd Regt, was tragically killed in Palmerston, NT, on the evening of Friday April 30, 2004 when he was hit by a car while jogging.

Cpl Cupka, 29, enlisted in the GRes April 16 1994, serving in 2/14LHR (QMI) for about one year before transferring to the ARA.
His nine years of service in the ARA was spent entirely in 1 Armd Regt as a tank driver, loader, gunner and crew commander, except for a six-month deployment to East Timor in 2000 for which he earned the AASM and the UNTAET medal.

Cpl Cupka excelled at his job, and enjoyed it immensely. He was enthusiastic, hard-working, and maintained an excellent attitude throughout his career. Consequently, Cpl Cupka was due to complete his promotion courses and was likely to be promoted to sergeant this year.

“Cuppy” was well known among his peers for his ability to build model tanks. The precision and patience that went into building these models is synonymous with the effort that went into his work, and testament to his character. He was extremely well-liked and respected by all who knew and worked with him. He will be sorely missed. Cpl Cupka is survived by his mother Delia, father Raymond and brother Ben.

– By Lt Tim Tiller

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