Quiet time on Nias
Remembering those lost in Shark 02

By Andrew Stackpool
Volume 48, No. 6, April 20, 2006

Air Force Chaplain Robert Paget conducted the blessing during the Sea King memorial service held at the Larrakeyah Open Air Chapel, Darwin.

Photos by LS Ollie Garside

NINE ADF personnel killed in a Navy helicopter accident a year ago were remembered in ceremonies on Nias Island and around the country on April 2.

SQNLDR Paul McCarthy, FLTLT Lynne Rowbottom, SGT Wendy Jones, LEUTs Matthew Davey, Matthew Goodall, Paul Kimlin and Jonathan King, PO Stephen Slattery and LS Scott Bennet died when their helicopter, Shark 02, crashed while delivering aid to the remote village of Tuindrau on the earthquake-ravaged Indonesian island.

Air Force’s CPL Scott Nichols and Navy’s LS Shane Warburton survived the accident.

CAF AIRMSHL Geoff Shepherd, CN VADM Russ Shalders and Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence Bruce Billson, joined five members of 817SQN, 28 family members and 50 other ADF members at the memorial in Tuindrau.

During the service, the two Service chiefs presented family members with service medals and the Humanitarian Overseas Medal. A new stone memorial was also dedicated.

Describing the memorial services as a “recognition of the tragedy and an opportunity to publicly honour the accident victims”, CAF said it was hard to believe that it has been “12 months since the dreadful loss of three of our Air Force family and six of their Navy colleagues.

“We remember SQNLDR Paul McCarthy, FLTLT Lynne Rowbottom and SGT Wendy Jones,” he said.

“Their courage and dedication to duty will continue to live on in the hearts of their families, the Air Force, their ADF friends and colleagues.

“Our thoughts will also be with the accident survivors and their families at this difficult time, as CPL Scott Nichols and LS Shane Warburton continue along their roads to full recovery.”

A Navy bugler played the Last Post and a lone piper the Lament, after which the next-of-kin and ADF personnel laid wreaths at the new memorial.

LS Warburton and CPL Nichols participated in the Canberra memorial service with family members who were unable to travel to Nias. The Naval Attaché to Jakarta, CAPT Jon Dudley, delivered messages to the Nias villagers on their behalf.

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BRAVE HEARTS

When you pass this site,
Hearts that knew what was Right,

Do you feel a slight breeze,
It is not in the trees,

It is the spirits of people,
They knew life on earth was not simple,

To help others in need,
THAT, was their creed,

They will not hurt you,
These are the spirits that help you,

They went to the very end in their Quest,
Now put yourself to the test,

Will your life be helping others,
Can we all become brothers,

This movement of air,
A simple idea of what is fair,

Breathe deep and hard,
Your turn to deal the right card,

REST IN PEACE BRAVE HEARTS,
You are now in OUR HEARTS.

Poem by Mr John McCarthy (father of the late SQNLDR Paul McCarthy) referring to the Shark 02 memorial at Russell Offices in Canberra.

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The land and sea erupted causing chaos across the land
We came by air and sea to lend a helping hand
A mercy mission was sent aloft, from Kanimbla’s deck it flew
Eleven people with just one thought of the work that they must do.

02 went down that fateful day
Nine souls were sent above
They will never be forgotten and will always have our love.

We thank the people of this town for their help that day,

There was not much that they could do but they didn’t shirk the fray.

To those who went up to the plains to help as best they could
By pray and deed they did succeed, their actions were quite good.

So 12 months on in a village small
As we gather to remember the men and women from Shark 02
And the price that they paid for all.

Lest We Forget– CPL Scott Nichols

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