By joining the infantry, Private Hugo Gosling continues a century-old family legacy that began with his great-great grandfather, Thomas Wood, who served in the British field artillery at the battle of the Somme in WWI. 

The legacy grew during WWII with other great-great grandfathers, Private Joseph Campbell, a Rat of Tobruk, and Corporal Richard Gosling, who both fought across North Africa and the Pacific.

During the Vietnam War, both grandfathers were national servicemen, with Private John Gosling serving with the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, and Corporal Richard Shanahan serving with the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam.

His father, Lieutenant Colonel Dan Gosling, and his uncles carried the tradition through multiple operations in Timor-Leste before he himself joined.

After training, Private Gosling received the ‘Skippy’ badge in front of his family before posting to the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR).

“They were all very proud of me when they came to my march-out,” Private Gosling said. 

“They said it’s a really good thing to see me there, and if it was easy, everyone would do it.”

'It’s important in my family because it’s been going for so long, and it’s special to maintain a history of service.'

While performing duties at 3RAR’s stall during a recent Army birthday open day, Private Gosling was randomly selected by the brigade regimental sergeant major to cut the Army birthday cake with the regiment’s Commander, Brigadier Ben McLennan.

On seeing Private Gosling’s name patch, Brigadier McLennan recognised his surname and revealed that he had served with his father in the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, in Timor.

“It’s amazing to think that even though my dad's not in the Army anymore, he has made a name for himself and that a lot of people around the battalion still recognise the name,” Private Gosling said.

Private Gosling spent eight of his childhood years growing up in East Timor because of his father’s deployments and work.

He recalls climbing the highest mountain with his father and grandfather with armed soldiers from the Timor-Leste Defence Force. 

Now wearing the uniform he admired as a child, he said he was ready to forge his own path.

“It’s an honour and a tradition to just keep it going, and there is definitely a lot of pride in it,” Private Gosling said.

“It’s important in my family because it’s been going for so long, and it’s special to maintain a history of service.”