A decade later
Townsville’s Black Hawk collision remembered
Volume 11, No. 46, June 29, 2006
By Matt Grant and
Lt Cameron Jamieson

Remembrance: Relatives of a soldier killed in the crash place floral tributes at Campbell Barracks. Photo by Lt Cameron Jamieson

Stark reminder: Aircrew members’ helmets lie in the dust after the crash.

Honour roll: The Townsville memorial to the soldiers who were killed in the 1996 Black Hawk collision. Photo by Sgt Darren Hilder.

Honour: An SASR soldier remembers the fallen. Photo by Lt Cameron Jamieson.

The plaque honours Cpl Baker.

Lest we forget: Lt-Col Kevin Humphreys unveils Camp Baker’s plaque.

Recognition: Flag-raiser Tpr Damian Kilford, 5 Avn Regt, salutes during the last post at the Black Hawk memorial in Townsville. Photo by Sgt Darren Hilder.

FOR the families and friends of the aviators and Special Forces soldiers who died in the Black Hawk accident on June 12, 1996, the memories are still fresh.

Ten years have passed since they lost sons, brothers or husbands in the accident during a night-time counter-terrorism exercise at the High Range Training Area in Townsville.

On the 10th anniversary of the crash, 5 Avn Regt and the SASR gathered in services on opposite sides of the nation to remember the soldiers who perished.

Before the survivors, families of those who died and the troopers who serve in the regiment today, the Acting CO SASR spoke of the professionalism, courage and competence of those who were involved in the minutes, hours and days that followed the accident.

“The actions taken after the accident helped reinforce our belief in the high standards and professionalism of the ADF, the Army and the Special Air Service Regiment,” he said.

“I refer to the immediate response of the soldiers on the ground who, regardless of beret colour or corps, rushed in to assist and recover the injured and killed from the burning wreckage. They acted courageously, professionally and with the single purpose of looking after their mates.

“The military staff back at [RAAF Base Townsville] and the medical staff at Townsville Hospital, while frustrated by isolation from the immediate incident site, successfully dealt with the many challenges calmly and effectively amid confusion and uncertainty.”

At the Townsville service, CO 5 Avn Regt Lt-Col Mick Prictor described the heroism of those who tried to save as many lives as possible at Fire Support Base Barbara 10 years ago.

“What followed was a scene that you would only expect in a war zone. As the survivors struggled to get clear of the wreckage, other soldiers, in acts of extraordinary bravery, rushed repeatedly into the crash sites to rescue their wounded mates, at great risk to their own lives,” he said.

“The first reports of the crash were confusing and the scale of loss only became apparent later that evening – 18 soldiers dead, 12 injured, miraculous accounts of survival, extraordinary acts of bravery, and psychological scars that may never heal.”

Lt-Col Prictor praised the still-strong community support that poured out that night as the magnitude of the accident became known.

“A loss on this scale affected not just the military units involved but the entire communities from which they came. This was a scar the communities would bear for a long time to come,” he said.

“For the families of those who died, the loss has left a permanent emptiness. Many of us lost good mates that night, and we have helped other mates to recover from both the physical and the mental scars of the experience.”

Lt-Col Prictor pointed to the record of service of many of those involved in the accident over the past 10 years as an example of how the aviation and Special Forces communities had learnt their lessons from the tragedy and moved forward.

“The Black Hawk helicopters and the soldiers who protected the Australian community during the Sydney Olympics, Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings, the Rugby World Cup and the Melbourne Commonwealth Games are in many cases the same people and the same equipment that were there that night at Fire Support Base Barbara,” he said.

“They have also served with great distinction in East Timor, the Solomon Islands, Iraq, Pakistan,and in Afghanistan, where the Australian base has been named Camp Baker in honour of Cpl Mick Baker who died that night in Black 1.”

The Acting CO SASR, a 1 Sqn soldier at the time of the accident, spoke of the reception he and other squadron members received on their return to Campbell barracks on the evening of June 14, 1996.

“Members of the regiment, wives, partners, sons and daughters and, incredibly, some of the widows of those who those who had been killed only days earlier were there to welcome us home,” he said.

“It was a display of courage, compassion and generosity of spirit from all those involved that was simply overwhelming.”
After the ceremony, SOCOMD Commander Maj-Gen Mike Hindmarsh said the 10th anniversary memorial service was an important opportunity to remember the sacrifice of the 18 soldiers who were killed in the accident.

“They need to be remembered for what they contributed to Special Operations,” he said. “Many of the things we do now can be traced back to the absolutely driven way that those soldiers performed at the time. They carried the torch of excellence, and we’ve got a lot to thank them for.”

Crash survivor Dominic Boyle, a now-retired SASR soldier who was awarded the Star of Courage for his efforts to help his trapped mates, still clearly remembers how everyone worked together in the rescue effort that fateful night.

“Without doubt it was a squadron effort,” he recalled. “I know that over the last few years the regiment’s squadrons have been very busy and have received accolades from around the world, but I think that night was probably the best night that any squadron has come together and worked together. It was a squadron effort, and without that effort many people wouldn’t have been saved and be alive now.”

At the Townsville service, many family members, stoic throughout the address, were overcome by emotion during the hymn as the strains of Abide With Me echoed through the tranquil park setting and Ecclesiastes 3:1-14 was read as the scripture before the Roll of Honour was called.

As the chaplain intoned the ageless words “A time to be born and a time to die ...” the assembled crowd reflected on the words, and the sacrifice of the 18 a decade before.

The significance of the loss has not faded in a decade, nor can it be expected to fade in the years to come. As with any tragedy of this scale, the pain remains, but with the understated, respectful and heartfelt marking of the first decade, perhaps closure is at hand for those who remain.