Soldiers ensure all is shipshape
Volume 11, No. 44, June 01, 2006
By Cpl Andrew Hetherington

All aboard: 3CSSB, 10FSB and 3CSR soldiers prepare to embark on board HMAS Tobruk in Townsville. Photo by AB Brenton Freindr

EMBARKED Army logistics elements on HMA Ships Manoora and Tobruk unloaded personnel, vehicles and equipment last weekend to sustain the initial phase of Operation Astute.

The OC of the Army logistics element on HMAS Tobruk, Maj Brad Robertson, said the unit was formed in two days from three different units and the vessels were loaded in Townsville at short notice.

“It took 15 hours to load all of the personnel and equipment aboard the ship because of the size of the organisation,” Maj Robertson said.

The unit comprises 150 soldiers, with 80 from 3CSSB, 36 from 10FSB and the remaining 34 from 3CSR.
“The majority of the cargo aboard was vehicles to carry fuel, provide basic transport and supply units in the field,” Maj Robertson said.

“Other equipment consisted of communications equipment, health equipment and health supplies.”
The deployment had been a valuable experience for the newly formed unit.

“We feel we have achieved quite a lot by loading and boarding this ship to start with. We have learnt a lot of lessons during this period because we haven’t done something like this for a long time.”

The OC of the Ship’s Army Detachment on HMAS Manoora, Maj Ray Jones, said the ship carried a large and diverse range of cargo, from personnel to helicopter blades.

“We had aboard around 150 soldiers from 1RAR and 3RAR, a significant number of M113 APCs from 2/14LHR (QMI) and engineer support equipment consisting of Unimogs and eight-tonne trailers,” he said.

They also carried aviation support equipment and spare rotor blades to service the four 5 Avn Regt Black Hawks deployed on the operation.

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