Daring raid: 2 Cdo Coy members storm a building amid a haze of smoke during a demonstration in front of spectators at the company’s open day.

Fighting fit at 50

By Peter Johnson

2 CDO Coy celebrated 50 years of service to the nation by showing the community that it is strong, committed and has a proud history.

The unit opened the doors of Fort Gellibrand, Williamstown, to the public on February 5 and demonstrated an impressive range of skills and equipment.

Section attack and close quarter combat demonstrations attracted interested crowds, including an excited dog of indeterminate origin which, if unrestrained, clearly would have dealt with the “bad guys” before 2 Cdo Coy did.

The company impressed another segment of the Melbourne community by showing its watercraft skills at the Boating Industry Association of Victoria’s Melbourne Boat Show.

Mates reunited: Among those to attend the open day were former members Dick Cara and Roman Stuczynski, shown at right with Cpl Glenn Ludeman.

Photos by Cpl Sean Burton, SOHQ

It demonstrated COW and F470 Zodiac operational inflatable craft handling in Victoria Harbour each day of the boat show from February 4-6.

The jubilee celebrations were a reminder that military heritage is the foundation for the future – a fact of which Dick Cara and Roman Stuczynski can attest.

Two original members of 2 Cdo Coy met at the Fort Gellibrand open day for the first time in many years, although they had spoken by phone. Roman’s tongue-in-cheek impression of Dick was: “He hasn’t grown very much.”

But he added: “When you create a friendship with someone, years mean nothing.”

Dick said: “I was on the first parade in 1955.

The depot was on the cliffs at Sandringham then.

We had trouble with our employers; I gave up two jobs because of my involvement in the unit.”

He remained with 2 Cdo Coy until 1960 and said he received more injuries playing rugby than serving with the commandos.

Roman was living in Numurkah in country Victoria when he answered a newspaper advertisement seeking recruits for the newly-formed 2 Cdo Coy.

He was told he lived too far away, so he moved to the Melbourne suburb of Seddon and joined up. He served until 1967.

Coincidentally, Seddon was also the name of the inaugural OC. Former Maj Peter Seddon, who attended the 50th anniversary celebrations, said his appointment as OC came as a bolt from the blue after he was summoned to HQ Southern Command.

He was ushered into a room that contained only a table and a phone. “I didn’t have any troops or equipment, but some ARA staff were appointed and they were splendid,” he said.

“We didn’t have any special equipment, we were basically a CMF infantry unit but had to be different.

Slowly but surely it worked.” A highlight of the celebrations was a diamond jubilee dinner at which Governor-General Maj-Gen Michael Jeffery was the keynote speaker.

Also attending were the Commander Special Operations Command, Maj-Gen Michael Hindmarsh, and former CDF and one of the original 2 Cdo Coy OCs, Gen Sir Phillip Bennett.