Our People in SA
Captain Emma Broder - Soldier-settler’s descendant serving in East Timor
Emma was one of the about 850 Australian Defence Force personnel serving in East Timor as part of Operation Astute, the Australian Government response to the Timorese Government request for assistance in restoring peace to their country. The Australians, as part of the International Stabilisation Force, are assisting the Timorese Government and the United Nations Police to provide a secure and stable environment for the people of East Timor.
“My great-grandfather, one of the original soldier-settlers in the Sunraysia district, fought with the AIF in Gallipoli and France; my grandfather served with the Royal Australian Air Force during World War II; and my great-uncle served with the Royal Australian Artillery in Vietnam. I joined the Army because I was proud of my country and wanted to serve in its interest – this deployment has been a great opportunity to do just that.”
Emma served as the Joint Provost Marshal of the International Stabilisation Force, which means that she was the Commander’s staff adviser on Military Police matters, and was responsible for the Military Police elements deployed in East Timor.
Emma said she has greatly enjoyed the opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge gained through training.
“East Timor is a beautiful country, whose people have their sights firmly fixed on a more stable and prosperous future – it is a privilege to serve here and assist them to achieve their goal.
“It has been especially enjoyable to work with personnel from other specialisations, agencies, and nations towards a common goal. As well as our military duties, we have been able to get involved in some community support activities, such as starting Aussie Rules clinics for young people in Dili, which have been very rewarding.”
Emma’s grandfather Terry Anderson was an active member of the Irymple and Red Cliffs RSL Sub-Branch until his death in 2005, and her great-uncle Max Smith remains involved.
She was privileged to march with them on ANZAC Day in 2002 in Red Cliffs. As a memento of the current East Timor operation, Emma has had a special tais (traditional cloth) made for the sub-branch’s Military Museum. Tais are an important tradition in East Timor, with the fabric woven on hand-looms by women using techniques passed down through the generations.
This tais is made in the colours of the East Timor national flag – yellow for Timor’s colonial past, red for the struggle for liberation, black for hurdles yet to be overcome, and white for peace and the future.
Emma was awarded a Conspicuous Service Medal for her work at the Defence Police Training Centre in this year’s Queens Birthday Awards, and was recently privileged to have the insignia of that award presented by the Australian Ambassador to East Timor, Mrs Margaret Twomey.
On her return from this deployment, Emma is looking forward to taking a holiday before moving to Canberra and beginning a new posting as an instructor at the Royal Military College – Duntroon.