By Alicia Miriklis
 |
| Barney
and Garth Nichols, whose father was the first person evacuated
from Lord Howe Island in a Hercules. |
| Photo
by AB Nina Nikolin |
GARTH
and Barney Nichols know first-hand the importance of the Lord
Howe Island airstrip – it probably saved their father’s
life.
Thirty years ago, Garth, began working for the Lord Howe Island
Board, driving trucks to help in the construction of the runway.
He had no idea that his own family would soon benefit from his
labour when, three years later, his father, Mick, suffered an
aneurysm. He was the first person to be evacuated from Lord Howe
Island in a Hercules.
Since the airstrip was built in 1974, the Air Force has been responsible
for all medivacs from the island. C-130 training is conducted
regularly at Lord Howe, including circuit work and all-weather
operations. It is a challenging place to fly into because of the
short airfield and prevailing weather conditions.
On November 11, the Nichols brothers joined in celebrations to
mark the 30th anniversary of the Lord Howe Island airstrip.
The same day, Air Force, Navy and Army personnel came together
on the island to acknowledge Remembrance Day.
A combined RAAF Air Command band, under music director Flight
Lieutenant John Buckley, and eight members of the RAN Band, led
the ceremony to the island’s cenotaph, as the catafalque
party arrived and the ship’s company of HMAS Tobruk marched.
Giving the two ceremonies a tri-service flavour was a group of
Australian Army pilots from 173 Surveillance Squadron 1st Aviation
Regiment.
The newly-appointed Commander Air Lift Group, Air Commodore Glen
Steed, representing CAF, acknowledged the importance of remembering
those who had fought in wartime and those serving today.
“Now, thankfully, a great many of us have no personal experiences
of war, no way of knowing the anguish of forced separation,”
AIRCDRE Steed said. “It’s time to renew our pledge
here today at Lord Howe Island, to remember all who have been
lost to war and give thanks to their valiant services in defence
of our freedom.”
