|
| |
March a mile in a major’s shoes
By Capt Matt Moran
Edition 1168, June 14, 2007 |
| |
|
 |
|
Dedication: Maj John Caporn has given a lifetime of service to the Army.
Photo by WO2 Wayne Ryan |
|
MAJ John Caporn has probably forgotten more about the Army than most will ever know and after 40 years in the Infantry Corps that’s not surprising.
As a sprightly 18-year-old, he enlisted in the Regular Army in May 1967 and after recruit training was allocated to Infantry and subsequently posted to the 1RAR as a rifleman.
It was with 1RAR that the then LCpl Caporn deployed with the 1st Australian Task Force in South Vietnam.
During that time he saw action in the Battle of Coral.
“One of my best memories of the battle was escorting the Centurion tanks from Coral to Balmoral with various incidents on the way and arriving in the nick of time because 3RAR was hit that night by the NVA,” he said.
After a stint as a corporal instructor with the Infantry Centre in 1969, his posts included 5/7RAR, 11 Independent Rifle Coy, 3 Div HQ and 16RWAR.
After reaching the rank of WO1, he was commissioned as a captain in 1988. But in 1992, 25 years after he first put on a green uniform, he left the ARA and transferred to the Reserve. He then spent the next five years as the 2IC of 11/28RWAR before getting yet another promotion and moving back to 16RWAR as an OC and Battalion 2IC.
In 2004 Maj Caporn was posted to 13 Bde HQ and has remained there ever since.
To mark his 40 years in the Infantry Corps, the CA Lt-Gen Peter Leahy made a special visit to Perth to award a very rare certificate to the old soldier.
“It’s a real achievement for John, and it is a great pleasure to be here to be able to congratulate him,” Lt-Gen Leahy said.
The presentation caught the 58-year-old completely off guard, so did the TV camera filming the proceedings. Reflecting on a career that has spanned four decades, Maj Caporn said there had been many highlights.
“Vietnam was a highlight, a getting to know yourself course, you learn what you can and can’t do.”
One of the other big aspects which keeps the veteran coming back for more is the camaraderie.
“The good memories after 40 years have tended to outweigh the bad – if I didn’t like it I wouldn’t be doing it.” |
|
