Our People in QLD
Brendan Clark - Mateship The Best Memory For Brisbane Reservist
Twenty eight-year-old Brisbane engineer, Brendan Clark, knows something about mateship.
He knows what it means to rely on others and the professionalism of the troops that make up ANZAC Company, which is part of the Australian/New Zealand International Stabilisation Force (ISF) in East Timor.
At the invitation of the Government of Timor-Leste, the ISF has been supporting the East Timor security forces in maintaining a stable and a secure environment.
Lance Corporal (LCPL) Clark has undertaken numerous patrols throughout Dili and regional areas of East Timor with a team of Reservists who have since become good friends.
Along with 160 other troops – all Reservists from Queensland’s 11th Brigade – he is returning home after an eight-month deployment.
“It’s been a great experience,” LCPL Clark said. “It has also been a complete change from what I had been doing in civilian life as Brendan Clark the engineer.”
“It takes someone different to commit to eight months overseas on deployment and I am glad I am among those Australians who are making a difference by grabbing the opportunity to serve.”
LCPL Clark said the best thing about his deployment has been the mateship, built on trust and support, as they went about engaging with the local community.
“The people of East Timor are very friendly and they appreciated, I think, the way we approached our job in visiting their communities and talking with them about their needs and concerns.”
Like many places in the world, sport played an important informal role in diplomacy.
“Myself and the boys are sports-mad anyway and the East Timorese simply love their soccer,” he said.
“Almost everywhere we went, we were able to build up confidences by mixing with the kids and youth with countless impromptu games of kicking the ball around.”
Officer Commanding ANZAC Company, Major Robert Brennan, said soldiers like LCPL Clark can make a real difference.
Major Brennan said the benefit of having Reservists is the extra maturity and life experience they bring to operations and exercises.
“I think Reservists are extremely well-suited to the job we were doing in East Timor,” Major Brennan said. “Their experience and skills learned in civilian life certainly helped them in liaising with communities and mixing well.”