Victory carved

By CPL Simone Liebelt

SQNLDR Wes Perrett displays the wooden emblem he carved at Camp Victory while deployed on Operation Catalyst.

Photo by CPL Simone Liebelt

A LITTLE bit of Aussie craftsmanship now hangs within the Australian headquarters at Camp Victory, thanks to an ADMINO who wanted to continue his woodworking hobby while deployed on Operation Catalyst.

SQNLDR Wes Perrett, from RAAF Base Williamtown, crafted a wooden plaque of the Headquarters Joint Task Force emblem, a replica of the patch worn by personnel deployed to the HQ in Baghdad.

“The routine here can get a bit monotonous as you live and work in a relatively small area. You need something to do in your down-time to break the rhythm of getting up, going to work and going to bed,” explained SQNLDR Perrett.

“You just look for things to keep you motivated and focused.”

He said during more than 15 years of woodworking, he’s carved lots of models and plaques, including a scale Roulette PC-9, which is on display at RAAF Base East Sale.

“I chose to do this project to keep myself busy and to also leave a bit of a legacy when I’m gone,” he said.
It took him more than 40 hours to complete, or about two months worth of evenings chiselling in the accommodation block known as the ‘round house’.

“It was a really good release each evening and it gave the guys something to whinge about when I left shavings throughout our accommodation area,” he said.

The JTF Commander was so impressed with the end result that he asked SQNLDR Perrett to present it to him officially so it could be recognised as a special dedication to the HQ.

“I would have been happy just to screw it on the wall,” he said with a smile.

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