Small group, big job

Night light: Cpl Darren Fearn, 9RQR, and his section conduct night patrols of Honiara as part of their duties as CTF 635’s QRF. Photos by Michael Brooke

Ready: Members of 42RQR and 31RQR get ready for a patrol.

Pleased: Pl Sgt Craig Ruprecht says reservists are doing a valuable job in the Solomons Islands.

On the ball: On patrol with members of 42RQR and 31RQR.

Out and about: Cpl Steven Dowd with a group of local children at a roadside stall.

Under the boardwalk: A patrol on Guadalcanal.

Reservists are playing a key role in maintaining peace and stability in the Solomon Islands, reports Michael Brooke.

When RAMSI arrived in July 2003 the military element, including Australian soldiers, helped to quickly establish law and order by facilitating the arrest of a number of militants and the seizure of weapons.

Such was the success of RAMSI that the ongoing security operations conducted by troops on Op Anode in support of the Participating Police Force (PPF) have been overshadowed by other ADF deployments in the past few years.

However, CTF 635 continues to do a big job with only a small force comprised of both regular and reserve members of the Australian Army.

Keeping an eye out: A random patrol.

In the know: Cpl Darren Fearn briefs the QRF about an incident that might require them to deploy at a moment’s notice.

The Australian-led task force consists of a HQ Group and an infantry element drawn on a rotational basis from Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, Papua New Guinea and Fiji.

The HQ Group comprises the Commander of CTF 635, Maj Jon Heap; Deputy Commander Capt Jason Hutchings, of the Royal New Zealand Army; liaison officers from Fiji, Tonga and Papua New Guinea; as well as Australian support personnel in the areas of intelligence, logistics and signals.

Reservists from 11 and 7 Bdes are currently serving alongside soldiers from Tonga. Together they conduct a wide range of tasks in support of PPF security operations vital to the continuing success of RAMSI.

The Op Anode deployment is a milestone for 11 Bde because it marks its first overseas deployment since World War II.
Maj Heap said the reservists “have been well trained and are doing a fantastic job”.

The sections, on a rotational basis, carry out important tasks such as QRF night patrols of Honiara, provincial presence patrols and cordon and search operations throughout the Solomon Islands, all in support of the PPF.

Pl Sgt Craig Ruprecht said six months of force preparation training, a month of continuous training at Lavarack Barracks and a two-week MRE with the Tongan platoon had enhanced the reservists’ capability to conduct operations not just in the Solomon Islands, but anywhere in the world in support of regular forces.

Sgt Ruprecht said further training conducted in-country had greatly improved their capability to conduct patrols in urban terrain, cordon and search operations, and other security tasks involving the use of Ninox night-fighting equipment.
Cpl Steven Dowd, 31RQR, said his section conducted regular patrols and that all members were skilled in the use of NVG.

The deployment was his crowning achievement after 13 years in the reserves.

“I joined the reserves to do my duty for my country and I have been rewarded with this deployment, where I am constantly reminded by the locals of how the military element of RAMSI is making such a valuable contribution to peace and stability,” he said.

Pte Brenton Nikolsky, 42RQR, said the deployment had opened his eyes to “the invaluable role the ADF plays in peace operations through the Asia Pacific region”.

Another task the reservists perform is providing a QRF that is on a reduced notice to move in response to any incident in the Solomon Islands, with air transport provided by two commercial helicopters.

Cpl Darren Fearn, 9RQR, said the QRF aimed to respond to significant events that proved beyond the resources of the PPF and the Solomon Islands’ police.

The reservists also conduct night patrols of Honiara, which Cpl Fearn said “play an important role in deterring attacks by armed criminals or militants against PPF and the Royal Solomon Islands Police”.

He said it had been “culturally enlightening working with our coalition partners”.

“We conducted an MRE with the Tongans before the deployment so we know each other’s tactics, techniques and procedures pretty well, which has paid huge dividends in terms of force interoperability,” he said.

Many of the reservists said the task they enjoyed most was supporting the PPF provincial outposts, which involved patrols to remote villages.

Pte Simon Palmiter, 9RQR, said CTF 635’s principal role in supporting PPF outposts was to “deter the re-emergence of any form of threat to PPF or local communities” and to reassure local communities.

“… these patrols to the PPF outposts in the Provinces certainly remind everybody of our operational focus,” Pte Palmiter said.

Another 9RQR member, Pte Jason Marsh, said he had been involved in a number of cordon and search operations in support of the PPF.

Like many of the reservists deployed on Op Anode he said he had enjoyed the deployment and hoped to get another one in the near future.

Reserve unit’s largest deployment in 60 years

By WO2 Graham McBean

In the weeds: Pte Garth Cook leads a patrol through close country. Photos by WO2 Graham Mcbean

Stay away: Pte John Rowling remains calm during a mock confrontation as part of the MRE.

More than 40 reservists deployed to the Solomon Islands on October 30 as part of 9RQR’s largest collective operation in the 60 years since World War II.

The 9RQR and 25/49RQR soldiers deployed as the seventh ADF rotation to RAMSI.

Soldiers were relieved that the three months of barrier testing and lead-up training had finally come to a close and were eager to deploy and do the job.

Pte Greg Webb said the preparation “was an experience and a half” but he had felt the contingent was ready to deploy and their individual and collective skills were much more refined.

“It has been a real eye-opener,” Pte Webb said.

No fruit: Cpl Jeff Hague, centre, and Pte Craig Shaw, check out the talents of a local spruiker during the MRE.

“It is a big departure from our normal training because we are not there to fight but to help people. It’s no longer run, down, crawl, observe, aim, fire but help the participating police force.”

The Australian effort is part of a Pacific Island Forum group of nations that have come to the Solomon Islands at the invitation of the Solomon Islands Government.

CO 9RQR Lt-Col Chris Austin said it was an historic occasion for the battalion and spoke volumes of the professionalism and capability of the modern reserve infantry in South Queensland.

“While reserve soldiers have served on operations in East Timor, Aceh and Iraq as well as other non-operational deployments overseas, it is the first time 9RQR has deployed a contingent of this size in 60 years,” Lt-Col Austin said.

“This is an exceptional opportunity for reserve soldiers from 9RQR in their dual civilian and military careers to deploy on an operation.”