| Air Force is fully engaged in operations and exercises at home and abroad. But, on Anzac Day, it took time to remember the day Australia came of age. It also took time to reflect upon its men and women who have made the final sacrifice on the battle grounds upon which they have fought.
Anzac Day 2007 is particularly poignant following the recent discoveries of fallen diggers in France and Vietnam.
In addition to participating in the major activities in the capital cities, Air Force bases across Australia supported commemorations in towns and villages big and small, and at schools and aged-care homes with fly-pasts, guest speakers, catafalque parties, wreath layers and other personnel.
RAAF Base Richmond provided speakers to schools and local RSL sub-branches, while catafalque parties mounted guard at a number of local ceremonies and CSU RIC despatched personnel to support activities in Parkes, NSW.
278SQN (RAAF Base Williamtown) participated in the nearby Stockton ceremonies.
In the outback, 1RSU took the opportunity during its deployment to Alice Springs to participate in the Dawn Service and main march, and 38 members of 1RTU from RAAF Base Edinburgh took part in activities at Murray Bridge, while the rest of the unit participated in the base’s ceremonies. JEWOSU fielded 30 personnel at various events, including providing a catafalque party at the base.
RAAF Base East Sale put in a major effort at home and throughout the Gippsland region, with catafalque guards, representative parties and speakers provided to 29 towns, while more attended services and marches in Melbourne and Ballarat. Closer to home, the base provided a major turn-out at the commemorations in Sale.
Meanwhile, at RAAF Base Williams, history was made as the Officers’ Training School conducted its last Dawn Service at the Point Cook parade ground before its move to RAAF Base East Sale, while the Initial Officer Course provided the catafalque party for the service for the first time.
Wagga supported events at 31 towns across the Riverina, as well as providing a tri-Service contingent to Wagga city’s main march.
In south-east Queensland, apart from the main march in Brisbane, the primary Air Force focus was at Ipswich where 40 members, a band and wreath-layer from RAAF Base Amberley took part. Amberley was also active elsewhere, with all other units well-represented at some 69 towns from the Gold Coast to Texas.
6SQN also sent 10 personnel to Sydney, while 3SQN, on deployment to Townsville for Exercise Arnhem Thunder, took time out from operations to participate in the commemorations at Ingham.
Meanwhile, in the air, 76SQN fielded five Hawks for flights over Canberra, Sydney and Newcastle, while a 2OCU Hornet overflew the Anzac Day NRL game in Sydney.
Two 82WG F-111s overflew Brisbane and several towns in south-east Queensland and northern NSW and two Hornets from 3SQN covered Townsville and Ingham.
In the west, 79SQN and 2FTS fielded two Hawks and four PC-9s respectively to cover several services, and in Adelaide, a 292SQN AP-3C flew over the city march.
By Andrew Stackpool
AIR Force personnel deployed overseas made the most of the opportunity to pay tribute to the Anzacs.
Air Force’s Australian Federation Guard (AFG) contingent joined Defence Minister Brendan Nelson, VCDF LTGEN Ken Gillespie and other ADF personnel and thousands of spectators at a range of commemorative services at key Gallipoli sites.
Dr Nelson addressed the crowds at Anzac Cove, Lone Pine and the Turkish memorial at Morto Bay and encouraged them to think about the sacrifices the Anzacs made for the freedom all Australians enjoy today, as well as the bonds of friendship forged with the former enemy.
“No group of Australians has given more nor worked harder to shape and define our identity than those who have worn – and now wear – the uniform of the Australian Navy, Army and Air Force,” Dr Nelson said in his Dawn Service address.
AFG member LACW Jessie Johnson said she was proud but lucky to be at Anzac Cove.
“You have to volunteer to be in the guard, and then there’s a one in ten chance of being chosen to go to Anzac Cove, so I was lucky to get here,” she said. “To be at Anzac Cove on Anzac Day is something else.”
Meanwhile, Air Force deployments in other countries set out to commemorate the day as best as their circumstances allowed.
Among those was the Air Force’s C-130 detachment, who began their day with the traditional Dawn Service complete with special guest, ACAUST AVM John Quaife. A traditional gunfire breakfast was followed by games of two-up and crown and anchor.
At Butterworth, 324ECSS hosted a ceremony at the WWI cenotaph at Fort Cornwallis in Penang, Malaysia. Members of 1 and 75SQNs, who are participating in Exercise Bersama Shield, joined 324ECSS personnel at the ceremony.
Catafalque party member CPL Cassandra Spain said: “Standing at the cenotaph and watching the sun rise over the sea is a pretty moving experience, and one that I shall never forget. It was a great privilege to honour the sacrifices of the past in this way.”
324ECSS CO WGCDR Frank Grigson said: “We had over 300 Service people attend the ceremony – a moving tribute to the sacrifice of those Australian Servicemen and women who made the ultimate sacrifices in war.”
By Andrew Stackpool and SQNLDR Simon Paton
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FAMILY TIES: RAAF parade flight marker Isabelle Francis, 9, with her dad SGT Peter Francis before the Anzac Day parade in Canberra, where more than 120 Air Force members marched. 
EYES LEFT: RAAF Base Amberley members march past the Governor of Queensland in Brisbane. 
GIRL POWER: FSGT Sharon Butt from 395ECSS and her two children Amy and Georgia after the Anzac Dawn Service in Townsville. 
SPECIAL FIRST: Father and son WGCDR Keith Miller and FSGT Scott Miller as they prepare to march together for the first time at Sale.
DAWN DOWNPOUR: 26SQN Reservists brave torrential rain at Nobbys Beach in Newcastle for the Dawn Service. 
SOLEMN: Defence Minister Brendan Nelson addresses the crowd at the Anzac Day Dawn Service in Gallipoli. 
SO PROUD: LACW Jessica Johnson from the AFG at the Mehmetcik Abide Memorial for the Turkish International Service in Gallipoli. 
COMBINED EFFORT: Members from 324ECSS and 1 and 75SQNs join together in an Anzac Day parade at the WWI Memorial Cenotaph at Penang in Malaysia.
PAUSED: FLTLT Adam Rosen after the HQ JTF633 Anzac Day Dawn service in Baghdad. 