Soldiering on: The Bushmaster team that suffered a roll-over last month are singing the praises of their Combat First Aiders who assisted the injured after the accident. Photo by LS Phil Cullinan
THE Army motto of “courage, loyalty and teamwork” well describes the actions of two Combat First Aiders who rushed to the assistance of soldiers who were injured when Bushmaster 31C rolled over in southern Iraq.
The 5RAR soldiers serving with Overwatch Battle Group (West) 3 were injured when their Bushmaster rolled after losing traction while negotiating a steep railway embankment.
The accident occurred during a route reconnaissance patrol about 10km north of Camp Terendak, at Ali Air Base in Tallil, on June 15.
LCpl Arrin Collins, section commander 31C, said: “There was the shock of impact and then suddenly the section was on top of each other.”
All but one of the occupants of the Bushmaster escaped with relatively minor injuries, in part because of the care rendered by Combat First Aiders (CFA) travelling in the vehicle and with other call-signs in the patrol.
5RAR CFAs Pte Cameron Taite and LCpl Samuel Mosley directed the extraction of personnel from 31C and stabilised the casualties until an ambulance arrived to take them to Tallil Hospital.
Pte Taite dressed Pte Ben Wadley, who broke his arm while securing the rear gunner, Pte Bryan Monkhouse.
Simultaneously, LCpl Mosley put a C-collar on Pte Steed O’Connor, who suffered a broken shoulder blade.
Pte Kevin Cochrane, a 31C gunner, who was treated for cuts to his nose, said “the CFAs did really well, under pressure, in real time”.
Pte Taite said: “Instinct and training took over, we did what we had to do. It’s no big deal.”
LCpl Mosley said the two-week CFA course provided important capability in the section and urged other infantry soldiers to gain the important qualification.
“The skills I learnt on the CFA course proved their worth in Iraq,” he said.
Pte Wadley and Pte O’Connor were flown to a US military hospital in Tallil, where their injuries were properly diagnosed.
Since the accident, Pte Wadley has returned to Darwin, while Pte O’Connor will soon return to full duty.
