CDRE Robertson has a warm welcome from his son Ben on his return from East Timor. With them is Mrs Helen Robertson. Picture: SGT Bob Donohue.

The RAN will continue to provide an important naval presence in East Timor even though the service's Operation Stabilise responsibilities have ended, CDRE Brian Robertson said.

"We are keeping two LCHs in East Timor," CDRE Robertson said on his return home on February 24.

CDRE Robertson had been the senior Australian naval commander on the island since November 21.

He replaced COMFLOT, CDRE Jim Stapleton, who had gone into Dili within hours of the United Nations sanctioning the landing of multi-national INTERFET forces on the strife torn island on September 20.

With AIRCDRE Bruce Wood, CDRE Robertson had been a "right hand man" to the INTERFET commander MAJ GEN Peter Cosgrove.

February 23 saw the completion of the INTERFET operation and the introduction of UNTAET, phase three of the UN mission in East Timor.

MAJGEN Cosgrove handed control to a senior officer from the Philippines.

That day saw the tri-service trio leave Dili in HMAS JERVIS BAY but not before the East Timorese people had given them a tearful farewell.

Then escorted by HMAS MELBOURNE, landing craft, RAAF Caribous and helicopters from the RAN and Army, JERVIS BAY took the three officers to Darwin.

Then it was aboard a RAAF Falcon jet flight to Sydney Airport. Waiting were members of the officers' families, Mrs Lynne Cosgrove, Mrs Helen Robertson and their son Ben, 21, Mrs Deborah Wood and their daughter Stephanie, 16.

Also waiting were the Defence Minister, Mr John Moore, CDF, ADML Chris Barrie, MC, RADM John Lord, and senior Army and RAAF officers.

Minister Moore said he applauded the work of MAJGEN Cosgrove and his team.

CDRE Robertson said everything went very well in East Timor.

"There were no problems. I am very proud of the work done by RAN personnel involved with INTERFET."

Mr Moore announced that about 1500 Australians would make up Australia's presence in the UN force.

Apart from the LCHs, 400 logistic support personnel, 17 UN military observers and four Blackhawk helicopters, for use in nighttime medivacs, will remain with UNTAET until June 30.

By Graham Davis