By
LCDR Dave Lassam
My involvement in the Bali Bombings was reported in Navy News
of October 24, 2002. My posting to HQNORCOM at that time as the
Health Operations Officer required me to liaise with the RAAF
in the Base Command Post at RAAF Base Darwin during this crisis.
I was dealing with the patients who had been medivacced to Darwin
and also on their forward trips to all capital cities of Australia.
I know all the names of the wounded, as I was responsible for
the handover of the patients to the civil authorities and I remember
in particular two young ladies, Nicole McLean and Natalie Goold
and their parents. Natalie’s mother and Nicole’s father
flew to Darwin and returned south with their daughters on board
a C130, after they had been treated at Royal Darwin Hospital.
I decided to contact Natalie, through her mother, to see how she
was faring. Her mum was delighted to receive my letter and thanked
all the Defence personnel who had helped her daughter.
On posting to HMAS Cerberus in February this year, I again contacted
Natalie and her mum and asked if we could meet. I spent a very
pleasant afternoon with Natalie and her family and also Nicole.
Despite their scars, both these young women are dealing with their
situation exceptionally well. I was humbled in their presence
at how they had survived both the bombing and that they had well
and truly begun the healing process and are getting on with their
lives.
