30 August 2023
Retired soldier Rodney Williams presented his first and final unit with an Indigenous representation of 8th Combat Service Support Battalion (8CSSB)'s unit emblem, the ghost bat.
A Ngiympaa man, of the Garul Giyalu clan (Rock Mob), Mr Williams presented the canvas, depicting the emblem, in recognition of his time in the Army, and in particular, with 16 Transport Squadron, where he initially enlisted in 1990 before returning in 2020 for his final posting.
The painting took two months to complete.
Mr Williams said each element of the artwork, entitled Buttaambulla Ceremony – Ceremony of the Bat, held special meaning.
“The blue background represents the water,” he said.
“The white dots are the stars. The grey dots are the mist that fills the water holes. The yellow circle represents the moon. The dots that form the moon represent our ancestors. The moths are a food source. The circle with the U is the different people gathering for the ceremony of the bat.”
Receiving the painting on behalf of the unit in early August, Commanding Officer 8CSSB Lieutenant Colonel Edward Hardy said the painting depicted the relationship between service, commitment and family.
“While Indigenous people make up approximately five per cent of the world’s population, they are protectors and custodians for around 80 per cent of the world’s biodiversity – something that translates into a significant area of land and sea in our own country,” Lieutenant Colonel hardy said.
“8CSSB is proud of our ties to the Ngiympaa, Awabakal and Worimi peoples in the wider Newcastle area.”
A number of Mr Williams’ family attended the presentation ceremony.
“It was wonderful to have my family here with me tonight, to meet my Army family,” he said.
“I feel proud to have given something back to Army, and 16 Transport Squadron in particular, which represents both my heritage and my unit.”
Lieutenant Colonel Hardy acknowledged the importance of the bat at the heart of the painting.
“The ghost bat, Macroderma gigas, is our 8CSSB emblem, and to have it represented through a piece of Indigenous artwork is truly special,” he said.
Mr Williams’ career included postings to 16th Transport Squadron; 7th Field Regiment; 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, 1st Armoured Regiment, 9th Force Support Battalion and 1st Combat Service Support Battalion.
