Since the Last Post......

G'day Reader,

Since I last looked on here so much has happened.
The USA and we Australians as well as many other lands are still involved in Afghanistan and Iraq and although we're hurting for every one of our men and women, sons and daughters who are harmed or suffer the supreme sacrifice at our nations' bidding it's good to know they are still there doing their best. The thing is we who are at home in our varying countries, although it's not front page anymore must keep these people as our personal Front Page. All those serving away from home need to know every day that it's not just their immediate family and friends that cares and supports them, but that we all do.

This has no need to be a long post.

Just REMEMBER to spare a thought for our combined men and women each day.

Images From Operation Slipper

07 July 2008
Reconstruction Task Force 4 - latest operations

Reconstruction Task Force 4 is expanding its operations north from its base in Tarin Kowt, building a series of patrol bases for use by ISAF and the Afghan National Police and Army. The Task Force is now operating regularly north of Tarin Kowt, an area of great strategic significance to the Taliban Extremists in Oruzgan Province.

A section of mortars fires on likely enemy positions during a night mission at the new joint patrol base north of Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan.
A section of mortars fires on likely enemy positions during a night mission at the new joint patrol base north of Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan.
Who you gonna call? Corporal Shane Brown mans the radio in a sniper hide at the new joint patrol base north of Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan.
Private Shane Cavagnino maintains security as soldiers from the Reconstruction Task Force searches a deserted building north of Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan.
Lance Corporal Simon Eustace from the Reconstruction Task Force searches an abandoned building whilst on patrol north of Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan.
Soldier from the Reconstruction Task Force search an abandoned building whilst on patrol north of Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan.
Soldiers from the Reconstruction Task Force patrol in the Green Zone north of Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan.
Soldiers from the Reconstruction Task Force patrol in the Green Zone north of Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan.
Corporal Russell Page from the Reconstruction Task Force on patrol in the Green Zone north of Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan.
Private Nicolas Espie provide security as soldiers from the Reconstruction Task Force talk to an Afghan Bedouin north of Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan.
A soldier from the Reconstruction Task Force search an abandoned building whilst on patrol north of Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan.
Soldiers from the Reconstruction Task Force search an abandoned building whilst on patrol north of Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan.
A section of mortars fires on likely enemy positions during a night mission at the new joint patrol base north of Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan.

RIP Signaller Sean McCarthy...

These are the posts that no one ever wants to have to write. When I fire up about something a post will flow and be out in 20 mins but these ones, I just never really know what to say.

For Australians, every loss of a Digger is a devestating blow. Many of us can still name every Soldier lost in combat since 2001. The national news still reports on the losses as does our mainstream media. For a country whose very identity was founded on the legend of the ANZACS and our Diggers, we sometimes find it hard to fathom that our Diggers are people just like us. But each loss reminds us they are human, they fall, they bleed and they do die.

THE Australian soldier killed in a roadside bombing in Afghanistan was a "top bloke" who had been looking forward to returning for his second combat tour of the country, close friends say. SAS Signaller Sean McCarthy, a 25-year-old rugby-mad soldier from the Gold Coast, was killed when a bomb exploded near his vehicle, the Defence department has said. Two other Australian special forces soldiers were injured, along with a soldier from another country. Personnel who served with Signaller McCarthy, also known as "Seano", told NEWS.com.au he was a "bloody good bloke" and a talented soldier. One army mate, Aaron Pearce, said Signaller McCarthy loved a joke, loved taking care of children and would never let down a friend. "He was a big family dude - he used to play with my kids when they came around to the barracks,” Mr Pearce said. “He wasn’t a dad himself, but he certainly carried himself like that." He also had a great sense of humour and was very quick-witted, he said. Another former colleague told NEWS.com.au: "Sean was a great bloke who was very talented, he rarely complained and did his job to the best of his ability." Pte of Perth said: "It was nice knowing ya Seano, we will continue the struggle and do you proud. RIP mate." CPL MJP of Canberra said: "Catch you later Seano. All out love. Certa Cito."

Biography - Sean McCarthy BIOGRAPHY OF SIGNALLER SEAN McCARTHY - SIG Sean Patrick McCarthy was born on January 5, 1983 in Auckland, NZ. - He enlisted into the Australian Defence Force (ADF) on July 10, 2001. - Posted to 7 Signals Regiment on July 14, 2003. - Posted to (Special Air Service Regiment) SASR on January 15, 2007 and was an active member of the regiment up until his death. Operational service includes: - Special Operations Task Group (SOTG V) Afghanistan, 2007 - Operation Astute in East Timor, 2008 - Redeployed to Afghanistan, 2008 Awards and commendation for service: - SOCAUST commendation - Australian Defence Medal for service - International Coalition Against Terrorism Clasp - Afghanistan Campaign Medal - NATO Medal

My deepest condolences to the family and friends of Sean McCarthy. May they find peace in the knowledge that Sean will not be forgotten.

Rest easy Digger...

AC

Another Digger Lost...

Let us not forget those lost before Signaller Sean McCarthy in Afghanistan...

Australians killed in Afghanistan

2008
July 8 - Signaller Sean McCarthy, 25, from Perth-based Special Air Service Regiment

April 27 - Lance Corporal Jason Marks, 27, from 4RAR commando unit in Sydney killed in battle with Taliban fighters in Oruzgan province. Four other commandos wounded

2007
November 23: Private Luke Worsley from 4RAR commando unit in Sydney killed in battle with Taliban fighters in Oruzgan province

October 25: SAS Sergeant Matthew Locke killed by Taliban fighters in Oruzgan province

October 8: Trooper David Pearce killed and another soldier seriously injured in roadside bomb attack in Oruzgan province

2002
February 16 - Sergeant Andrew Russell, 33, killed when his vehicle struck a landmine in southern Afghanistan

AC

Inspiration...

If you have but one opportunity, make it count.




The strength to persist, the courage to endure.




Continuous effort is the key to unlocking our potential. -Winston Churchill

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well of ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and the success of liberty. -John F. Kennedy

See beyond the ordinary.



"Patriotism is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and staedy dedication of a lifetime." - Adlai E. Stevenson



Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well of ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and the success of liberty. -John F. Kennedy





We will not waver; we will not tire; we will not falter; and we will not fail. Peace and Freedom will prevail. -George W. Bush



True greatness comes when you're tested. -Theodore Roosevelt



We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Prosperity..



Together they gave to the nation the undying proof that Americans possess the pride of the patriot soldier.



Gold is tried by fire, brave men by adversity.



The ability to face danger for the greater good.



It is the strongest who prevail.



It takes an extraordinary person to face danger and maintain composure.






The power to impress - the design to conquer & the ability to command respect.



The reward of one duty is the power to fulfill another. –George Elliot



The process of directing one's scattered forces into one powerful channel.

Sharing The Burden Of Deployment...

Another great share for you...

Trish Grace

There aren’t many Army wives who get to experience what their husbands go through when they’re deployed overseas and conversely not a lot of soldiers know what it’s like to keep the fires burning on the home front for months at a time while a spouse is serving on operations.

David and Trish Grace know what it is like to walk in each other’s shoes, having both served in Iraq over the past year as well as doing a stint alone with their two children on the home front.

David and Trish, both Corporals in the Australian Army, are now based in Darwin; David as a medic with the 5th Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment and Trish in the repair parts store at the 1st Combat Service Support Battalion, a workplace she describes as being “like an Army version of Repco”. Over the past two years, the couple has spent just four months together at home as a family with children Monique (14) and Dylan (10).

Trish is currently deployed as part of Security Detachment Baghdad (SECDET), the combat team which ensures the safety and mobility of Australian Government and Embassy staff in the Iraqi capital. Notice of her deployment came soon after David returned from a six month tour of duty with the Overwatch Battle Group. She was a late replacement for another soldier just weeks before the combat team left for Iraq. She runs SECDET’s spare parts shop out of a demountable hut and shipping container, a role that regularly sees her donning body armour and driving through Baghdad on re-supply missions.

Corporal Trish Grace, currently deployed to Iraq as part of Australia's Security Detachment in Baghdad, inside her repair parts shipping container which she likens to an "Army Repco" store.
Corporal Trish Grace, currently deployed to Iraq as part of Australia's Security Detachment in Baghdad, inside her repair parts shipping container which she likens to an "Army Repco" store.
Corporal Trish Grace, currently deployed to Iraq as part of Australia's Security Detachment in Baghdad, prepares to drive her armoured Unimog truck on a resupply mission.
Corporal Trish Grace, currently deployed to Iraq as part of Australia's Security Detachment in Baghdad, prepares to drive her armoured Unimog truck on a resupply mission.
Corporal Trish Grace, currently deployed to Iraq as part of Australia's Security Detachment in Baghdad, prepares to drive her armoured Unimog truck on a resupply mission.
Corporal Trish Grace, currently deployed to Iraq as part of Australia's Security Detachment in Baghdad, prepares to drive her armoured Unimog truck on a resupply mission.
Corporal Trish Grace, currently deployed to Iraq as part of Australia's Security Detachment in Baghdad, talks to her family back in Darwin while watching them live via web-cam.

Just Another Share

You know how sometimes I just see things and want to share them with others. This is one of those times. No build up, just the pics...

Women on the front line

Reconstruction Task Force 4 is expanding its operations north from its base in Tarin Kowt, building a series of patrol bases for use by International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and the Afghan National Police and Army. The Task Force is now operating regularly north of Tarin Kowt, an area of great strategic significance to the Taliban Extremists in Oruzgan Province.

Australia has deployed an ADF Reconstruction Task Force (RTF), consisting of a combined arms team, to the Oruzgan Province in Southern Afghanistan as part of Operation Slipper. The RTF is in partnership with the Netherlands Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) and forms part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force. The RTF has a clearly defined role to work on reconstruction, improvement of provincial infrastructure and community based projects. The RTF also provides trade training to the local population and military engineering training to the Afghan National Army. This type of assistance is designed to benefit the people of Oruzgan Province well into the future and form building blocks of a stable and prosperous community. The RTF contains around 400 ADF personnel from predominately Brisbane and Sydney based units. It includes elements to provide command, security, engineering, and administrative support and is equipped with Bushmaster Infantry Mobility Vehicles (IMV), Australian Light Armoured Vehicles (ASLAVs) and armoured engineer plant equipment. Australia's contribution to ISAF is an important component of the Australian Government's commitment to assist Afghanistan achieve a stable and secure future.

Peek a Boo! Private Lauren Maude becomes a hit with the local Afghan girls during her time on the front line with the Reconstruction Task Force in Afghanistan.
Try this for size. A little Afghan girl finds a new use for Private Lauren Maude Shamarg during her time on the front line with the Reconstruction Task Force in Afghanistan.
Sharing a moment. An Afghan girl becomes fixated with Private Lauren Maude as she meets the locals in Oruzgan Province.
Private Lauren Maude sits with an Afghan farmer’s daughter during her time on the front line with the Reconstruction Task Force in Afghanistan.
Secret girls business. Private Lauren Maude sits with a group of Afghan girls during her time on the front line with the Reconstruction Task Force in Afghanistan.
Setting a trend. Private Lauren Maude lends her ballistic sunglasses to a young Afghan girl during her time on the front line with the Reconstruction Task Force in Afghanistan.
Secret girls business. Private Lauren Maude sits with a group of Afghan girls during her time on the front line with the Reconstruction Task Force in Afghanistan.
Secret girls business. Private Lauren Maude sits with a group of Afghan girls during her time on the front line with the Reconstruction Task Force in Afghanistan.
Hello! A little Afghan girl sneaks a peek in front of Private Lauren Maude as she mixes with a young group of girls during her time on the front line with the Reconstruction Task Force in Afghanistan.
Secret girls business. Private Lauren Maude sits with a group of Afghan girls during her time on the front line with the Reconstruction Task Force in Afghanistan.

AC

New Terrorist Implant..

THE PATRIOT MICRO CHIP is to be implanted in terrorists. The implant is specifically designed to be installed in their foreheads.

When properly installed, it will allow the implantee to speak toAllah instantly.

It Comes in various sizes:

The Implantee may or may not be allowed to choose the size.

The implant may contain some information or precious metals:



The implant may or may not be painless. Some bleeding and or swelling may occur at the injection site.


Please enjoy the security we provide for you.

Best regards,

U. S.Armed Forces

Reflection...

You know how sometimes you want to share something just cos.... For no other reason than because you think it might touch someone as much as it touched you??

The following is one of those posts...

Colour WWI photos from the AWM

In the lead up to Anzac Day in this 90th year since the end of World War I NEWS.com.au and the Australian War Memorial open the archives to bring you extremely rare pictures from the nation's photo record.

'An Australian Light Horseman collecting anemones near Belah in Palestine'. Picture: Frank Hurley, 1918

Squadrons of the 4th Australian Light Horse Brigade in formation at Gaza Picture: Frank Hurley, February 1918

Australians of the Imperial Camel Corps form up at Rafa, Egypt. Picture: Frank Hurley, 26 January 1918

The 3rd Australian Light Horse Regiment machinegun in action at Khurbetha-Ibn, Palestine. Picture: Frank Hurley, New Year's Eve 1917

Four camel ambulances attached to the Imperial Camel Corps at Rafa - used as a base for the attack on Gaza. Picture: Frank Hurley, 1918

The 2nd Australian Light Horse Regiment behind the front line barricades at Nalin in Palestine, one man passing across a grenade. Picture: Frank Hurley, January 17, 1918

Australian Flying Corps planes in Palestine. Picture: Frank Hurley, 1918

Waiting the order to fire a camouflaged eight inch gun from the 1st Australian Siege Battery before the main attack on Polygon Wood in Belgium. Picture: Frank Hurley, September 1917

Official photograph at Gallipoli taken in early 1919 for The Australian Historical Mission showing a landing barge, wire and entrenchments. Picture: George Hubert Wilkins

A thigh bone and other skeletal remains near the Turkish war memorial at the Nek are a grim reminder of the fighting in this photo taken February/March 1919. Picture: George Hubert Wilkins

Stretcher bearers of the 13th Field Ambulance resting at a dressing station on Westhoek Ridge on the Western Front. Picture: Frank Hurley, October 1917

Soldiers, mules and carts stopped on a street in the ruined village of Voormezeele on the Western Front in Belgium. Picture Frank Hurley, August 1917

Statue of the Virgin hanging from the Cathedral of Albert in France. Local superstition held that war would end when the Madonna fell. She collapsed in the spring of 1918 under shellfire. Picture: Frank Hurley, September 1917

The derelict hulk of a British tank on the Pozieres battlefield - a battle in which for Australian troops distinguished themselves but suffered heavy losses while taking the French village and ridge from the Germans. Picture: Frank Hurley, 1917

An Australian Light Horse Field Ambulance wagon on the Philistine Plain, Palestine. Picture: Frank Hurley, 1918

French Premier Georges Benjamin Clemenceau on his only visit to the Australian front at the Somme, pictured with 4th Division command including Brigadier General Thomas Blamey, CMG, DSO, second from left. Picture: Unknown, July 7, 1918

Scattered graves marked by simple white crosses on the old Somme battlefields in France. Picture: Frank Hurley, September 1917

'

Thanks to Deb for sending these pics..

AC

I just got through reading this and I have to say, it is something I wholeheartedly support. While many of us take being an Aussie for granted day in and day out, there are still many who fight, and risk much, for that privelige.

Visas for Diggers' offsiders IRAQIS who have worked alongside Diggers in the war-battered country will be offered resettlement visas to live in Australia. The offer to so-called locally engaged employees was made yesterday by Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon and Immigration and Citizenship Minister Chris Evans out of concern for the safety of the Iraqis, many of whom worked as interpreters. It follows the announcement of the withdrawal by mid-year of the 515-strong Overwatch Battle Group from al-Muthanna and Dhi Qar provinces - a key policy pledge of the Rudd Government. "Anti-coalition forces have deliberately targeted individuals working with Australian troops and their partners in southern Iraq," Mr Fitzgibbon said last night. "In response, the Australian Government will adopt a new visa policy to enable the permanent resettlement in Australia of locally engaged employees (LEEs) and their families at risk because of their engagement with the Australian Government." The policy is similar to one offered to South Vietnamese who helped Australian forces during the Vietnam War. It is expected that up to 600 visas will be granted to former Iraqi employees and their families. Visas will be offered first to those deemed to be at the greatest risk following the withdrawal of the Australian troops from the south of the country. These Iraqis had repeatedly shown their commitment to Australia's security and reconstruction operations in Iraq, Mr Fitzgibbon said. Senator Evans said the LEEs and their families would be granted permanent humanitarian visas after undergoing strict health, character and national security checks.

AC

You Aint Gonna Like Losing....

AI just finished reading the following piece and really felt it hit home with alot of my own thoughts about this war.

I have often sat and back and marvelled at the level of ignorance that is displayed today. Yes people, the world is war. It's a simple fact. Just because we haven't stood up and called it a World War, doesn't mean it isn't one. We live in societys drowning in complacency. We all truly believe that we have the bigger Military force, the better weapons, more money and more capability. We ASSUME this to be the case because apparently, there were no WMD's in Iraq. Hell, they can't be a threat if they don't have WMD's right??

WRONG!!!

What they do have is highlighted in the following text. They have a force of true believers. Regardless of what we believe about their cause, they believe it in it so wholeheartedly that they will die for it. How many people do you know would strap on a vest and blow themselves up in the middle of a crowd. I can't think of a single person.

And so we watch the news on tv (doesn't anybody read anymore), we channel surf cos who really cares what's happening in Iraq anyway, and we remain oblivious to a threat that has been here as long as we have. We remind ourselves that the Soldiers knew what they were getting into when they enlisted so we really shouldn't lose sleep over it. And hell, they get paid for it right??

And we wrap ourselves up nice and snug in our cocoon of ignorance, because the war is happening on other shores and we can still maintain it doesn't affect us...

America is not at war. The military is at war. America is at the mall. This is a different war than any we have ever fought before and we did not anticipate it ending up as a global war on terrorism. This war is being fought against an enemy that will kill even their own family and friends to achieve its end. In Iraq, especially, our men are risking their lives to save the people who would normally be safe from attack by the enemy. Asymmetric guerilla warfare with this enemy is different from our experience and should be considered in evaluating our military performance in Iraq and Afghanistan. President Bush did make a bad mistake in the war on terrorism. But the mistake was not his decision to go to war in Iraq. Bush's mistake came in his belief that this country is the same one his father fought for in WWII. It is not. Back then, they had just come out of a vicious depression. The country was steeled by the hardship of that depression, but they still believed fervently in this country. They knew that the people had elected their leaders, so it w as the people's duty to back those leaders. Therefore, when the war broke out the people came together, rallied behind, and stuck with their leaders, whether they had voted for them or not or whether the war was going badly or not. And war was just as distasteful and the anguish just as great then as it is today. Often there were more casualties in one day in WWII than we have had in the entire Iraq war. But that did not matter The people stuck with the President because it was their patriotic duty Americans put aside their differences in WWII and worked together to win that war. Everyone from every strata of society, from young to old pitched in. Small children pulled little wagons around to gather scrap metal for the war effort. Grade school students saved their pennies to buy stamps for war bonds to help the effort. Men who were too old or medically 4F lied about their age or condition trying their best to join the military. Women doubled their work to keep things going at home. Harsh rationing of everything from gasoline to soap, to butter was imposed, yet there was very little complaining. You never heard prominent people on the radio belittling the President. Interestingly enough in those days there were no fat cat actors and entertainers who ran off to visit and fawn over dictators of hostile countries and complain to them about our President. Instead, they made upbeat films and entertained our troops to help the troops' morale . And a bunch even enlisted. And imagine this: Teachers in schools actually started the day off with a Pledge of Allegiance, and with prayers for our country and our troops! Back then, no newspaper would have dared point out certain weak spots in our cities where bombs could be set off to cause the maximum damage. No newspaper would have dared complain about what we were doing to catch spies. A newspaper would have been laughed out of existence if it had complained that German or Japanese soldiers were being 'tortured' by being forced to wear women's underwear, or subjected to interrogation by a woman, or being scared by a dog or did not have air conditioning. There were a lot of things different back then. We were not subjected to a constant bombardment of pornography, perversion and promiscuity in movies or on radio. We did not have legions of crack heads, dope pushers and armed gangs roaming our streets. No, President Bush did not make a mistake in his handling of terrorism. He made the mistake of believing that we still had the courage and fortitude of our fathers. He believed that this was still the country that our fathers fought so dearly to preserve. It is not the same country. It is now a cross between Sodom and Gomorrah and the land of Oz. We did unite for a short while after 9/11, but our attitude changed when we found out that defending our country would require some sacrifices. We are in great danger. The terrorists are fanatic Muslims. They believe that it is okay, even their duty to kill anyone who will not convert to Islam. It has been estimated that about one third or over three hundred million Muslims are sympathetic to the terrorists cause... Hitler and Tojo combined did not have nearly that many potential recruits. So... we either win it - or lose it - and you ain't gonna like losing...

Thanks to Curt from myspace

AC

The ANZAC On The Wall

The Anzac on the Wall

Author Unknown

I wandered thru a country town 'cos I had time to spare,
And went into an antique shop to see what was in there.
Old Bikes and pumps and kero lamps, but hidden by it all,
A photo of a soldier boy - an Anzac on the Wall.

"The Anzac have a name?" I asked. The old man answered "No,.
The ones who could have told me mate, have passed on long ago.
The old man kept on talking and, according to his tale,
The photo was unwanted junk bought from a clearance sale.

"I asked around," the old man said, "but no one knows his face,
He's been on that wall twenty years, deserves a better place.
For some one must have loved him so, it seems a shame somehow."
I nodded in agreement and then said, "I'll take him now."

My nameless digger's photo, well it was a sorry sight
A cracked glass pane and a broken frame - I had to make it right
To prise the photo from its frame I took care just in case,
"Cause only sticky paper held the cardboard back in place.

I peeled away the faded screed and much to my surprise,
Two letters and a telegram appeared before my eyes
The first reveals my Anzac's name, and regiment of course
John Mathew Francis Stuart - of Australia's own Light Horse.

This letter written from the front, my interest now was keen
This note was dated August seventh 1917
"Dear Mum, I'm at Khalasa Springs not far from the Red Sea
They say it's in the Bible - looks like Billabong to me.

"My Kathy wrote I'm in her prayers she's still my bride to be
I just cant wait to see you both you're all the world to me
And Mum you'll soon meet Bluey, last month they shipped him out
I told him to call on you when he's up and about."

"That bluey is a larrikin, and we all thought it funny
He lobbed a Turkish hand grenade into the Co's dunny.
I told you how he dragged me wounded in from no man's land
He stopped the bleeding closed the wound with only his bare hand."

"Then he copped it at the front from some stray shrapnel blast
It was my turn to drag him in and I thought he wouldn't last
He woke up in hospital, and nearly lost his mind
Cause out there on the battlefield he'd left one leg behind."

"He's been in a bad way mum, he knows he'll ride no more
Like me he loves a horse's back he was a champ before.
So Please Mum can you take him in, he's been like my brother
Raised in a Queensland orphanage he' s never known a mother."

But Struth, I miss Australia mum, and in my mind each day
I am a mountain cattleman on high plains far away
I'm mustering white-faced cattle, with no camel's hump in sight
And I waltz my Matilda by a campfire every night

I wonder who rides Billy, I heard the pub burnt down
I'll always love you and please say hooroo to all in town".
The second letter I could see was in a lady's hand
An answer to her soldier son there in a foreign land

Her copperplate was perfect, the pages neat and clean
It bore the date November 3rd 1917.
"T'was hard enough to lose your Dad, without you at the war
I'd hoped you would be home by now - each day I miss you more"

"Your Kathy calls around a lot since you have been away
To share with me her hopes and dreams about your wedding day
And Bluey has arrived - and what a godsend he has been
We talked and laughed for days about the things you've done and seen"

"He really is a comfort, and works hard around the farm,
I read the same hope in his eyes that you wont come to harm.
Mc Connell's kids rode Billy, but suddenly that changed
We had a violent lightning storm, and it was really strange."

>"Last Wednesday just on midnight, not a single cloud in sight
It raged for several minutes, it gave us all a fright
It really spooked your Billy - and he screamed and bucked and reared
And then he rushed the sliprail fence, which by a foot he cleared"

"They brought him back next afternoon, but something's changed I fear
It's like the day you brought him home, for no one can get near
Remember when you caught him with his black and flowing mane?
Now Horse breakers fear the beast that only you can tame,"
"That's why we need you home son" - then the flow of ink went dry-

This letter was unfinished, and I couldn't work out why.
Until I started reading the letter number three
A yellow telegram delivered news of tragedy
Her son killed in action - oh - what pain that must have been
The Same date as her letter - 3rd November 17

This letter which was never sent, became then one of three
She sealed behind the photo's face - the face she longed to see.
And John's home town's old timers -children when he went to war
Would say no greater cattleman had left the town before.

They knew his widowed mother well - and with respect did tell
How when she lost her only boy she lost her mind as well.
She could not face the awful truth, to strangers she would speak
"My Johnny's at the war you know , he's coming home next week."

They all remembered Bluey, he stayed on to the end
A younger man with wooden leg became her closest friend

And he would go and find her when she wandered old and weak
And always softly say "yes dear - John will be home next week."
Then when she died Bluey moved on, to Queensland some did say
I tried to find out where he went, but dont know to this day

And Kathy never wed - a lonely spinster some found odd
She wouldn't set foot in a church - she'd turned her back on God
John's mother left no will I learned on my detective trail
This explains my photo's journey, that clearance sale

So I continued digging cause I wanted to know more
I found John's name with thousands in the records of the war
His last ride proved his courage - a ride you will acclaim
The Light Horse Charge at Beersheba of everlasting fame

That last day in October back in 1917
At 4pm our brave boys fell - that sad fact I did glean
That's when John's life was sacrificed, the record's crystal clear
But 4pm in Beersheba is midnight over here.......

So as John's gallant sprit rose to cross the great divide
Were lightning bolts back home a signal from the other side?
Is that why Billy bolted and went racing as in pain?
Because he'd never feel his master on his back again?

Was it coincidental? same time - same day - same date?
Some proof of numerology, or just a quirk of fate?
I think it's more than that, you know, as I've heard wiser men,
Acknowledge there are many things that go beyond our ken

Where craggy peaks guard secrets neath dark skies torn asunder
Where hoof beats are companions to the rolling waves of thunder
Where lightning cracks like 303's and ricochets again
Where howling moaning gusts of wind sound just like dying men
Some Mountain cattlemen have sworn on lonely alpine track
They've glimpsed a huge black stallion - Light Horseman on his back.

Yes Sceptics say, it's swirling clouds just forming apparitions
Oh no, my friend you cant dismiss all this as superstition
The desert of Beersheba - or windswept Aussie range
John Stuart rides forever there - Now I don't find that strange.

Now some gaze at this photo, and they often question me
And I tell them a small white lie, and say he's family.
"You must be proud of him." they say - I tell them, one and all,
That's why he takes the pride of place - my Anzac on the Wall.

Aussieness!!!!

Love the words to this song...

Ohhhh Hindsight.....

While walking down the street one day a US senator is tragically hit by a truck and dies. His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.

'Welcome to heaven,' says St. Peter. 'Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure wh at to do with you.'

'No problem, just let me in,' says the man.

'Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from higher up. What we'll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity.'

'Really, I've made up my mind. I want to be in heaven,' says the senator.

'I'm sorry, but we have our rules.'

And wit h that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell. The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him.

Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people. Th ey play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and champagne.

Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are having such a good time that before he realizes it, it is time to go.

Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises...

The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens on heaven where St Peter is waiting for him.

'Now it's time to visit heaven.'

So, 24 hours pass with the senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.

'Well, then, you've spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity.'<>
The senator reflects for a minute, then he answers: 'Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell.'

So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell.

Now the doors of the elevator open and he's in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags as more trash falls from above. The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulder.

'I don't understand,' stammers the senator. 'Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now there's just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What happened?'

The devil looks at him, smiles and says, 'Yesterday we were campaigning...... Today you voted.

Empty Words...

Much has been made in recent years of the concept of support for our troops. Some of the blogs that I have read were almost laughable to me. One statement in particular has always stood out... "Supporting the troops means eating PB sanwiches for a week so I can afford to send more care packages". Would you really do that?? I'd be sick by the end of the week, certainly sick of PB sandwiches!!

I spent a considerable portion of my offline time mulling this over. I began to speak to refugees new to our country and a realisation came over me. I am 100% behind supporting the troops, I don't think I need to explain myself there. Yes, I believe a bumper sticker or pin is supporting the troops if that is what you can afford. Of course, I believe that eating PB sandwiches for a week is also supporting the troops, but how many of us support what they are actually doing??

Last year the UN called on the west for a 19,000 strong force to assist in areas including the Sudan, where there is violence on an almost incomprehensible scale. The call was declined by then Prime Minister Howard and will not likely be heeded by Rudd after he has finished slashing the Defence budget to pieces. The simple realities for many of our countries leaders at that time was that we are already stretched way to thin, primarily across the Middle East, to support this request. I have since followed the situation in the Sudan with sadness and pure frustration. If ever we were to question the true meaning of human misery, we have only to look in that direction and see for ourselves. I get to see it every day. In my line of work we have daily contact with Sudanese, Lebanese and Middle Eastern refugees. One mother told me of growing up in a constant war zone, watching people die, homes burn and people roaming the streets with guns for the first 10 years of her life.

Every war is like any story in that each has 2 sides. There is the conflict and then there are the innocent victims. EVERY Soldier I have spoken to speaks of the heartbreaking sights they witness on a daily basis, displaced families, children killed and maimed or at risk of their lives for venturing outside. We have witnessed Community Centres and schools opened to support the local population as all around them their lives are torn apart by attacks from their own countrymen. How many of us have sent packages in support of these ventures?? I'm guessing there wouldn't be many among us who have not supported these causes in some way.

A couple of weeks ago I was at the plaza doing some shopping before meeting a friend to catch a movie. As I walked down a walkway, window shopping I spotted a stall for UNHCR. I stood for a moment watching them try in vain to catch the attention of people walking by. I must have watched for close to 5 minutes as each person who walked past dropped their head or averted their eyes as they walked past. I actually looked at the bags in my hands and thought about my reason for being there. How good is my life that I have these options?? And so I walked straight to the stall and told them to sign me up. Now, we all know I am no great fan of the UN but this made such an abundance of sense to me. I could send food parcels or clothing or whatever I felt was needed but what I can do with $25 a month and what they can do is so different. This from the UNHCR website......

Single donation $105 can provide enough blankets for seven families $142 can provide a household kit for a displaced family in Darfur $325 can provide fuel efficient stoves for 50 families as well as training on their usage To become an Action Partner and provide ongoing protection and assistance to refugees, please complete details below. $25 per month can provide 50 mosquito nets to protect against malaria $30 per month can provide clean safe water for refugees $50 per month can provide all season tents for 5 families

I have always been sceptical of these aide organisations and in the past it has prevented me from donating, but I can now ask refugees and find out for myself that our donations DO help these people.

This is one of the many refugee camps stretching across areas such as Chad, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, Angola and Zambia.

Many of these camps are surrounded by barbed wire to protect it's inhabitants from Militia and rebel forces.

The War in Darfur (called by some as Darfur Genocide) is a military conflict in the Darfur region of western Sudan. Unlike the Second Sudanese Civil War, the current lines of conflict are seen to be ethnic and tribal, rather than religious.[1] One side of the armed conflict is composed mainly of the Sudanese military and the Janjaweed, a militia group recruited mostly from the Arab Baggara tribes of the northern Rizeigat, camel-herding nomads, who are opposed to religions other than Islam. The other side comprises a variety of rebel groups, notably the Sudan Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement, recruited primarily from the land-tilling non-Arab Fur, Zaghawa, and Massaleit ethnic groups. The Sudanese government, while publicly denying that it supports the Janjaweed, has provided money and assistance to the militia and has participated in joint attacks targeting the black African tribes from which the rebels draw support.[2] The conflict began in February of 2003. Read more here

Iraq Appeal Situational Overview The humanitarian situation in Iraq continues to be dire. UNHCR estimates there are some 2.0 million Iraqis displaced internally, and up to 2.2 million in neighboring states, particularly Syria and Jordan. The internal rate of displacement is continuing at a rate of some 40,000 to 50,000 a month. Many were displaced prior to 2003, but an increasing number are fleeing now. Large numbers of Iraqi refugees are poor and live in low income areas. There are reports of women and young girls forced to resort to prostitution or survival sex and children forced into labour or other forms of exploitation in order to survive. Australia for the UNHCR has launched its Iraq appeal in aid of those displaced by the conflict and ongoing unrest.

So the question I asked myself in those moments before signing up was 'What would $25 a month mean to me'??

• If I was a smoker, 2 packets of cigarettes (so I would be healthier for helping)
• If I was a drinker, that would be 2 1/2 cans of Jacks at the pub (once again I would be healthier for helping)
• 2 large pizzas
• A TShirt
• A latest release cd or dvd
• Half a pair of jeans
• 2 tickets to see a movie

I think I can do without any one of these things to help people.

Success in any one of these regions needs to be a partnership between our military forces and ourselves. Every one of us can become a part of this partnership by assisting in the support of the people injured, displaced and traumatised by the conflicts in their regions. As our forces stabilise their regions, we can assist to stabilise their lives.

AC

Because Some Things Are Just To Funny Not To Pass On

YOU MAY BE A TALIBAN IF….......


1. You refine heroin for a living, but you have a moral objection to beer.



2. You own a $3,000 machine gun and $5,000 rocket launcher, but you can’t afford shoes.



3. You have more wives than teeth.



4. You wipe your butt with your bare left hand, but consider bacon “unclean.”



5. You think vests come in two styles: bullet-proof and suicide.



6. You can’t think of anyone you HAVEN’T declared Jihad against.



7. You consider television dangerous, but routinely carry explosives in your clothing.



8. You were amazed to discover that cell phones have uses other than setting off roadside bombs.



9. You’ve ever uttered the phrase, “I love what you’ve done with your cave.”



10. You have nothing against women and think every man should own at least one.



11. You bathe at least monthly whether necessary or not.



12. You’ve ever had a crush on your neighbor’s goat.

A Time To Stand

Thousands of years ago a young man chose to die a painful death to atone for the sins of many. It was an honorable death, albeit one which occured in the most dishonorable of circumstances. A betrayal, an unecessary uprising that amounted to little more than a witch hunt, a slanted court that allowed this man to be prosecuted by an angry mob and a conclusion that would have led many to openly breathe a sigh of relief. The man who would be the King of Kings was gone, and no longer a threat to those who would rule, perhaps not through the most legitimate of avenues.

Through history we have witnessed this scene play out a thousand and more times. In the majority of cases the reasoning behind that which makes them the threat has changed from one of religious belief to one of political standing.......Until now.

It is interesting to note how closely linked Religion and Politics are. In Australia some years ago there was a campaign by a number of Politicians to stamp out Abortion. We have all seen this, every country has their politicians who are anti abortion. The scene played out as it always has and will always do. The rights of a woman to make the decision about what happens with her own body against the rights of an unborn child to take that first breath. Interestingly all of these Politicians were male and therefore would not have a womans understanding of the need for that right to make often painstaking decisions about whether to terminate that life. The other point that was interesting to note was that all of these men held strong religious conviction. All were actively involved in their churches and making political decisions based on those religious convictions. Now, I am not here to make a judgement over whether they were right or wrong in their beliefs. Each of us is born with the inherent responsibility to make decisions for ourselves about our beliefs, our lives and how our actions will impact on those around us.

Personally, I believe your relationship with your God is a personal matter between you and them and is best kept that way. Yes, I am the first to admit I am rude to any person that stands on my doorstep offering me Salvation and to lead me on the path to eternal life. Quite simply, if I held a desire to attend church I would do so.

And this is where my issue with organised religion stems from. More often than not we are born into religion. The beliefs of our parents and family become our own, sometimes willingly, sometimes not. Those who follow organised religion will often be the first to persecute the religions of others because their beliefs differ from their own. Centuries have changed organised religion, pacified it to a small degree. Never again did we believe we would witness the bloody crusades or the enforced acceptance of one religion and it's beliefs. At one time I myself would have fallen victim to the religious beliefs of some due to my looks. Women with red hair, blue eyes and prominent birthmarks were routinely persecuted in the belief that they were witches attempting to lure righteous men from their homes and their wives and enslave them. We can look upon these beliefs now and laugh because the concept of terminating a person based on their looks and your religious beliefs is a now a crime.

And yet, we are now seeing a resurgence in religious fanaticism that has caught us effectively unaware. This is not a new war, simply the latest battle. Christians and Muslims have been at war since the beginning of time. While neither can realistically claim the title of the Religion Of Peace, both believe so strongly in what they stand for that they would die for it. The most prominent difference seems to be that one will die defending their religion while the other will die enforcing it. While one religion glorifies life, the other glorifies death.

Religion has never been the underlying factor with regard to war. That is predominantly greed that is simply masked by religion. If we look at this latest of battles we see the likes of Osama Bin Laden preach the word of Allah to the weak minded and glorify them as they take their own lives and those of innocent victims whilst he hides, amassing a fortune. And all in the name of the Religion of Peace.

Many with no understanding of religion at all will come together to protest against our elected officials and their decision to take a stand against the Middle East. They will further display their ignorance by comparing these elected officials to the likes of Adolf Hitler. These actions merely serve to demonstrate that they also lack any knowledge of history as well. Whether we are willing to accept it or not, religion and politics have become entertwined. All around us those with the courage and conviction to fight deploy to face the enemy on their own soil. Each has their own set of beliefs and convictions, their own reason to fight. These reasons are as individual and personal as the men and women themselves. And yet, they fight for our right to choose our own religion or indeed, our right not to choose religion at all. Their personal beliefs and convictions are so strong that they would die defending them. Their belief in the fundamental right to choose, overwhelms their fear of battle. Their belief in, and love of, their country and their way of life fuels their desire to win.

Each day, these brave warriors face an enemy who equally believe in their religion and their struggle. While the enemy destroys their own cities and murders their own countrymen and women, these warriors will lay down their lives to defend them. They will leave their families, their lives and everything they fight so hard to defend and travel across the world to fight for those persecuted by their own people. They will display on a daily basis, the belief, the hope and the possibility of self sacrifice that many attribute to the Chrisitan faith.

But to many, this is not a fight for religious conviction, merely a struggle for humanity. It is a war fought on many levels, from the battles in the streets of the Middle east, to the random acts of terrorism on our home soil, from the riots in the streets across the world from those who believe they are being persecuted based on their religion, to the enforced lessons on Islam in our childrens schools, from the so called 'Electronic Jihad' that has been threatened in recent months to the propaganda wars in our media. The stark reality here is that no one will escape this struggle. From the innocent victims of these random acts of terrorism and their families to those left behind when Soldiers deploy. To the grieving family and friends of fallen warriors to our children witnessing the war through the media.

In every country, despite religious or political conviction, every person will be touched in some way by this struggle.

Perhaps it is time for us to lay aside our misgivings about our countries Leaders, our reasons for being at war, our lack of faith in those around us. The time for ignorance and denial is long past. We can not allow the senseless bloodshed to continue and through our stubborn denial of the realities of this war, that is exactly what we are doing. If we can educate our children about Islam in our schools, surely we can educate them as to the reasons why people are fighting for them. It is time to show unslanted, fact only views and information. Now is the time for people to seek real answers.

The outcomes of this war need to become the responsibility of everybody.

AC

Just Makin the Point.....

Now, anyone who knows me, knows I'm not a great fan of the UN. I'm still at a loss as to what these people actually do, apart from mouthing off...Like this guy.

Diggers in Iraq symbolic: Blix John Lyons | November 07, 2007 FORMER chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix has described the 500 Australian troops in Iraq, at the centre of the political debate between the two major parties, as being of "political and symbolic value". Hans Blix, who will receive the Sydney Peace Prize from Paul Keating, says Australian troops in Iraq are of "political and symbolic value". Picture: Alan Pryke The reference came yesterday when Mr Blix was asked whether there was any real difference between the policies on Iraq put forward by John Howard and Kevin Rudd. Asked whether 500 soldiers could make a crucial difference to the future of a country such as Iraq, the former Swedish diplomat said: "I don't think so. They (the US) have over 140,000 people in Iraq and then on top of that presumably a lot ofcontracted people, so I don't see quite that it has more than the political and symbolic value." Last night, Labor defence spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon said he would never describe Australia's troops as symbolic but added: "I am not surprised by his comments." "I think Hans Blix has vindicated the Labor Party's position on Iraq," he said. "There is no doubt these resources could be better utilised elsewhere." Mr Blix was the UN weapons inspector who warned against an invasion of Iraq after his team was unable to find any weapons of mass destruction from about 700 searches at 500 different sites. He is in Sydney to receive the Sydney Peace Prize tomorrow. It will be presented by former Labor prime minister Paul Keating. The Opposition Leader has said Labor, if elected, would withdraw the 500 soldiers in the overwatch battle group based at Talil in southern Iraq and move them to neighbouring countries. The Prime Minister has said those troops would be kept in Iraq but dispersed to other parts of the country. "I would have thought the presence of foreign (non-American) troops in Iraq, the value of it is that it somewhat improves the appearance of a multilateral operation, rather than anything else," Mr Blix said. Read more here

And for that we're going to give the guy a medal??? Makes sense.

I am, of course, well aware that our contribution to the Middle Eastern conflicts seems unimportant and in numbers alone insignificant. But let's look at those numbers for a moment...

Australias entire population is approx 20,434,176 (as of July 2007)

The United States population is 301,139,947 (as of July 2007)

Our Military Force has 51,000 fulltime and 19,400 Reservists. Australias entire force is 70,400 Personnel. The United States deploys twice the amount of Personnel in one country at one time. There are currently approx 140,000 United States Service Personnel deployed to Iraq alone. The United States full force is somewhere closer to approx 1,426,713 personnel who are currently on active duty in the military with an additional 1,259,000 personnel in the seven Reserve Components.

It is beyond my comprehension that someone charged with the responsibilities that Mr Blix was, with the threat of war hanging over his head as he searched for WMDs, can not understand that Australia can simply not commit a force as large as that of the United States.

Current operations Current ADF deployments. Deployments of over 1000 personnel are coloured red, deployments of between 999 and 101 personnel are coloured orange and deployments of 100 or fewer personnel are coloured blue. In July 2007 around 3850 Australian Defence Force personnel were deployed on overseas operations. An additional 450 personnel were also deployed on domestic maritime security tasks.[23] While these deployments have placed pressure on some elements of the military, and particularly the Army, the ADF is not currently 'overstretched'.[24] The ADF currently has two-large scale deployments in the Middle East. The ADF's contribution to the rehabilitation of Iraq, Operation Catalyst, forms the largest ADF deployment. As of July 2007, 1575 ADF personnel were deployed to the Middle East as part of this operation. The other main ADF operation in the Middle East is Operation Slipper, Australia's contribution to the international coalition against terrorism. In July 2007 approximately 970 ADF personnel were also deployed as part of this operation.[25] The Australian force in Afghanistan will be expanded to more than 1000 personnel over 2007 and 2008.[26] The ADF also maintains three small contributions totalling 52 personnel to peacekeeping operations in the Middle East and Africa. Read more here

So Mr Blix, whatever the reason the Diggers are there as part of the Multi National Force. They're doing their jobs and they're doing them well. Australia is contributing what they can, where they can and their efforts are far from 'symbolic' for those of us waiting at home for their return. To us, be it 5 or 500, they are heroes. They have our respect and gratitude for any and all of their contributions to our countries future well being.

AC

A Genuine Aussie Hero - Matthew Locke

Australia has lost another of its Diggers this week, Sargeant Matthew Locke of the SASR Unit. Sgt Locke died as a result of small arms fire while fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Leaders salute 'genuine hero' of SAS GENERALS and politicians alike yesterday paid tribute to SAS Sergeant Matthew Locke, killed in Afghanistan on Thursday, hailing him as an inspirational leader and a genuine Australian hero. A two-tour veteran of Afghanistan and a Medal of Gallantry winner, the father of one from Perth was fatally wounded in the chest while leading a patrol of SAS soldiers against the Taliban. "The nation today has lost a genuine hero. The army has lost a gallant and respected soldier," said Chief of Army Lieutenant General Peter Leahy. "Our Special Air Service Regiment have lost a comrade and a mate and his family have lost a loving husband and father." Sergeant Locke, who leaves behind a wife, Lee, and a 13-year-old son, had extensive experience in East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan and was one of the finest soldiers in the army, said Australian Defence Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston. Sergeant Locke joined the army in 1992, was posted to the 5/7th Battalion and joined the SAS in 1997, where he quickly earned the respect of his fellow soldiers. "His attention to detail was incredible," one trooper told Sydney's Daily Telegraph. "Matty was one of those blokes that everyone in the army seemed to know -- he was one of those blokes who got on with everyone. "He was a quiet achiever, a good team player and a very smart bloke." The death of the SAS patrol leader -- the second Australian combat fatality in Afghanistan in less than three weeks and the third since 2002 -- will not change the Howard Government's commitment to stay the course in Afghanistan or Iraq. Expressing sorrow at the death of a "very courageous soldier", John Howard said yesterday there would be no weakening of his Government's resolve to continue the war on terror. Taking a pause from campaigning, Mr Howard and his wife, Janette, made a private visit to Campbell Barracks at Swanbourne in Perth, the home base of the SAS Regiment. The Prime Minister said Sergeant Locke, aged in his 30s, had died "fighting for his country in a just cause". "It's not going to alter the attitude of the Government towards the commitment in Afghanistan," he said. "It's very important we contain terrorism in that country, it's very important we contain terrorism in Iraq, and the worst thing this country could do is say it's all too hard and give up." Earlier, Labor leader Kevin Rudd said the thoughts, prayers and condolences of the nation were extended to Sergeant Locke's family. "I have conveyed to the Special Air Service Regiment commander the condolences of the Opposition over the loss of one of their own," he said. "This is a tragedy for the family and a great loss to the nation." Defence Minister Brendan Nelson praised Sergeant Locke as a highly decorated soldier but echoed Mr Howard's comments, saying: "Under no circumstances should the Taliban think this will weaken our resolve." Governor-General Michael Jeffery, a former SAS commander, described the soldier as an "absolute professional". Last December, Major General Jeffery awarded Sergeant Locke the Medal for Gallantry.

Sgt Lockes death has served as a stark reminder of the risks our Service Personnel take every day and yet, the Deaths of Trooper Pearce and Sgt Locke - just 3 weeks apart - have not served to strengthen the resolve of the Australian people. Instead of uniting int heir support of our forces, the country seems to be calling for them to be returned home. How does this honour those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country??

TO BE AWARDED THE MEDAL FOR GALLANTRY SERGEANT MATTHEW LOCKE Campbell Barracks, SWANBOURNE, WA, 6010 For gallantry in action in hazardous circumstances as the second-in-command of a Special Air Service Regiment patrol in the Special Forces Task Group whilst deployed on Operation SLIPPER, Afghanistan, in 2006. During the conduct of an operation, a patrol, with Sergeant Locke as second-in-command, were tasked with establishing an Observation Post in extremely rugged terrain over looking an Anti-Coalition Militia sanctuary. After an arduous ten hour foot infiltration up the side of the mountain, the patrol was called into action to support elements of the Combined Task Force Special Forces patrol that were in contact with the Anti-Coalition Militia in the valley floor to their north. After the engagement, Sergeant Locke’s patrol remained in their location and was the only coalition ground element with visibility of the target area. During the course of the next day the patrol continued to coordinate offensive air support against identified Anti-Coalition Militia positions in order to further disrupt and degrade the enemy’s morale. During the afternoon, the Observation Post became the focus of the Anti-Coalition Militia who made repeated attempts by day and night to overrun and surround the position. In one such incident the Anti-Coalition Militia attempted to outflank the Observation Post and Sergeant Locke without regard for his own personal safety, led a two man team to locate and successfully neutralise the Anti-Coalition Militia in order to regain the initiative and protect his patrol from being overrun. This particular incident was followed by another Anti-Coalition Militia attempt to manoeuvre to attack the patrol Observation Post from another flank. Sergeant Locke, again with little regard for his personal safety, adopted a fire position that was exposed on high ground which dominated the planned Anti-Coalition Militia assault. Whilst deliberately exposing himself to intense rifle and machine gun fire from the Anti-Coalition Militia, he again neutralised the lead assaulting elements whilst suppressing other Militia until the arrival of offensive air support. Whilst still under sustained fire, Sergeant Locke then directed indirect fire to effectively neutralise another Anti-Coalition Militia advance on his patrol’s position. The courageous and gallant actions of Sergeant Locke were instrumental in regaining the initiative from the Anti-Coalition Militia and allowing the successful exfiltration of the patrol on foot prior to first light the next day. Sergeant Locke’s actions of gallantry whilst under enemy fire in extremely hazardous circumstances, displayed courage of the highest order and is in keeping with the finest traditions of Special Operations Command-Australia, the Australian Army and the Australian Defence Force.

Sgt Locke returns home....

CPA 408/07 Wednesday, 31 October 2007 SERGEANT LOCKE RETURNS HOME Fallen SAS soldier, Sergeant Matthew Locke, was returned to Australia today to be met by family and colleagues at RAAF Base, Pearce in Western Australia. In a solemn and dignified ceremony, soldiers from Sergeant Locke’s SAS battalion formed a Guard and Bearer Party on the tarmac where they met the C-130 Hercules aircraft and carried the casket to a private room. The private occasion allowed those close to Sergeant Locke to pay their personal respects to this brave soldier. The Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Peter Leahy, and Commander Australian Special Forces, Major General Michael Hindmarsh, attended the ceremony and paid tribute to Sergeant Locke on behalf of the Australian Army. “We in the Army extend our heartfelt sympathies to Matthew’s family during this difficult time,” said Lieutenant General Leahy. “The Army has lost a courageous soldier, a respected colleague and a mate. We will miss him.” Major General Hindmarsh described Sergeant Locke as a professional and dedicated soldier who was a valuable member of the SAS. “Matthew has made the ultimate sacrifice for the nation. His loss will be felt by all members of the SAS community and he will never be forgotten,” said Major General Hindmarsh. Members of the Special Air Service Regiment carry the casket of their colleague Sergeant Matthew Locke to his family for a short ceremony,after his arrival under escort from Afghanistan.

Sgt Locke is laid to rest...

THE FUNERAL OF SERGEANT MATTHEW LOCKE Mourners congregated at Perth’s Karrakatta cemetery today for the funeral of Sergeant Matthew Locke, who was tragically killed in Afghanistan last week. Sergeant Locke’s wife and young son were joined by their large circle of family and friends and by past and present members of the Perth-based Special Air Service Regiment. On hand to pay their respects to the SAS soldier were His Excellency Major General Michael Jeffrey, Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia, The Hon. John Howard MP, Prime Minister of Australia; Mr Kevin Rudd MP, Leader of the Opposition; The Hon. Bruce Billson MP, Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence and Mr Joel Fitzgibbon MP, Shadow Minister for Defence. The Chief of Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, The Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Peter Leahy and the Special Operations Commander Australia, Major General Mike Hindmarsh, were also present to pay their respects to a fallen hero. During his 16-year military career, 10 years of which was spent in the elite Special Air Service Regiment, Sergeant Locke completed active service in a number of operational theatres as well as being awarded the Medal of Gallantry last year for his gallantry in hazardous circumstances. The cortege carrying Sergeant Locke’s coffin was met at Karrakatta cemetery by an SASR honour guard. At the conclusion of the sombre service, the honour guard fired three volleys and a bugler played the Last Post in tribute to the passing of one of the nation's finest soldiers.

And to truly do Sgt Matthew Locke honor, John Williamson sang 'True Blue'

Hey True Blue, don't say you've gone Say you've knocked off for a smoko And you'll be back later on Hey True Blue, Hey True Blue Give it to me straight Face to face Are you really disappearing, Just another dying race, Hey True Blue. True Blue, is it me and you? Is it Mum and Dad, is it a cockatoo? Is it standing by your mate When he's in a fight? Or will she be right? True Blue, I'm asking you... Hey True Blue, can you bear the load? Will you tie it up with wire, Just to keep the show on the road? Hey True Blue, Hey True Blue, now be Fair Dinkum Is your heart still there? If they sell us out like sponge cake Do you really care? Hey True Blue. True Blue, is it me and you? Is it Mum and Dad, is it a cockatoo? Is it standing by your mate When she's in a fight? Or will she be right? True Blue, I'm asking you... True Blue, is it me and you? Is it Mum and Dad, is it a cockatoo? Is it standing by your mate When he's in a fight? Or will she be right? True Blue ... True Blue. True Blue Steadfast loyal Australian who displays the Aussie ideals of a fair go for all, mateship, having a go, and solving problems.

Rest easy Soldier, knowing you will not be forgotten by a grateful nation.

My deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Sgt Locke

AC

Hotel Rwanda

One of the most often refuted aspects of the War in Iraq is the Wests and specifically Americas reason for being there. The arguement of Liberation versus Occupation, Blood for Oil, the Bush Legacy and on it goes. I wonder, does anyone ever stop to think what would have happened to many who found themselves in the midst of Ethnic Cleansing if the West had never intervened??

For those who found themselves at the wrong end of Ethnic Cleansing the 'Occupation' by America and Coalition Forces is a light, an ongoing reminder that others are aware of their struggle and are willing to intervene. That we will not repeat the mistakes of 1994 when up to a million Tutsi and moderate Hutu men, women and children were slaughtered during a 3 month ethnic cleansing rampage in Rwanda.

I watched the movie 'Hotel Rwanda' tonite. For me it was particularly hard as I looked at the faces of the children on the screen and thought of the Sudanese children I see in my line of work. The 4 year old who told me of the night the police took his father away or the 6 year old who remembers seeing his father shot. The parents who collect their children covered in horrific scars. For those who have no idea what I am talking about here is some information.

The Rwandan Genocide was the 1994 mass killing of hundreds of thousands of ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutu sympathizers in Rwanda and was the largest atrocity during the Rwandan Civil War. This genocide was mostly carried out by two extremist Hutu militia groups, the Interahamwe and the Impuzamugambi, during about 100 days from April 6 through mid-July, 1994. At least 500,000 Tutsis and thousands of moderate Hutus died in the genocide. Some estimates put the death toll between 800,000 and 1,000,000. In the wake of the Rwandan Genocide, the international community, and the United Nations in particular, drew severe criticism for its inaction. Despite international news coverage of the violence as it unfolded, most countries, including France, Belgium, and the United States, declined to prevent or stop the massacres. Canada continued to lead the UN peacekeeping force in Rwanda, United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR). Despite specific warnings and requests from UNAMIR's commanding officers in Rwanda, before and during the genocide, the UN Security Council refused to send additional support, declined UNAMIR's request for authorization to intervene, and even scaled back UNAMIR's forces and authority. The only foreign entity to directly intervene was the French government, which sent troops not to stop the genocide, but rather to protect the genocidal Rwandan armed forces from the invading rebel force that ultimately ended the bloodshed. Link

Essentially the world sat back while up to 1 million people were needlessly slaughtered. One man attempted to take a stand and was responsible for saving the lives of over 1200 Tutsi and Hutu people. His name was Paul Ruseabagina. This unlikely hero became the Manager of the Hotel Des Milles Collines when the previous Manager fled in the wake of the attacks. Desperate to spare his wife and children who were all Tutsi (Paul himself was of mixed heritage being both Tutsi and Hutu), he brought them and some of his neighbours to the hotel. As more fled the war torn country the hotel was left to the refugees. They had little food and anything of value was used to bribe the police forces into protecting them or the Hutu Militia men into sparing their lives. Still, Paul never gave up, he fought for these men, women and children when no one else would.

Paul Rusesabagina (born June 15, 1954, pronounced [ɾusesabagina] or [ɾusesabadʒina]) is a Rwandan who has been internationally honored for saving over 1,000 civilians during the Rwandan Genocide. He was the assistant manager of the Hôtel des Mille Collines, before he became the manager of the Hôtel des Diplomates, both in Kigali, Rwanda. During the 1994 Rwandan genocide, Rusesabagina used his influence and connections as temporary manager of the Mille Collines to shelter over 1,260 Tutsis and moderate Hutus from being slaughtered by the Interahamwe militia. His story was the basis of the Academy Award-nominated film Hotel Rwanda (2004). He currently lives in Belgium with his wife Tatiana, 3 children, and adopted nieces. He drove a taxi in Brussels, and three years after he arrived in the Belgian capital, he opened a trucking company. Link

So with all this in mind did we do the right thing when we entered Iraq??

Bill Clinton later remarked in an interview that he believed sending in a force of up to 5500 Peacekeepers may have saved the lives of up to 500,000 people. His inaction allowed the ethnic cleansing to continue for 100 days.

Faced with the same dilemma some years later a somewhat more astute President Bush decided to intervene and become an active part of attempting to end the ethnic cleansing and genocide in Iraq. It has cost the lives of many brave men and women and saved the lives of countless others. It has given people a sense of hope in a country where fear and despair are a way of life. At least this time we did not take the road of complacency. The West did not turn a blind eye as people died needlessly.

AC