Former SAS soldier Vando says releasing the new documentary on the SAS experience is the “right thing to do” in changing perceptions of soldiers. “We are doing this really for two reasons; first of all it’s the right thing to do, secondly it’s the right time to do it,” he told Sky News host Erin Molan. “The story of the SAS and our experience in Afghanistan has not been told in its entirety, and it certainly has not been told by us.”

ADF Media

From July to September, Australian Defence Force (ADF) members and civilian personnel are participating in Pacific Partnership 2024, deploying across four countries in the Indo-Pacific region. This initiative, led by the United States, is the largest annual multilateral mission for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) preparedness in the region.

Australian Defence personnel have already contributed to activities in Vanuatu and are set to extend their support to Vietnam, the Philippines, and Yap in the Federated States of Micronesia.

Vice Admiral Justin Jones, Chief of Joint Operations, emphasized the importance of this commitment, stating, “The ADF is proud to support this annual activity, which followed the multinational HADR response to the Banda Aceh tsunami of 2004.”

Around 20 ADF and civilian personnel are involved, providing medical, dental, and engineering support, along with expertise in HADR. An Australian officer is serving as the deputy commander for this year’s mission, and ADF personnel will participate in medical workshops in Southeast Asia and the Federated States of Micronesia.

“Pacific Partnership enhances our cooperation and interoperability with regional partners, improves regional crisis responses, and benefits local communities,” VADM Jones added.

Australian participation in Pacific Partnership 2024 commenced on July 18 in Vanuatu with a humanitarian and disaster relief workshop, supported by the Australian Civil-Military Centre. This year marks the 20th iteration of the Pacific Partnership.

Conflict in Burma (Myanmar) Escalates: Urgent Call for Change from Foreign Minister Penny Wong

Vientiane, Laos — Foreign Minister Penny Wong has issued a direct plea to Burma’s military rulers amidst escalating violence, urging them to adopt a different path. Speaking on the sidelines of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) regional gathering, Senator Wong expressed deep concern over the worsening situation in the country.

Since the military seized control from Aung San Suu Kyi’s government in 2021, Burma, a nation of over 50 million people, has been engulfed in conflict. Senator Wong highlighted the dire economic conditions, rampant violence, and mounting casualties as evidence of an unsustainable situation.

“This is not sustainable,” Senator Wong told reporters in Vientiane on Saturday. “We see the increase in illegal narcotics, the economic trajectory is very poor for the people, and the security situation is declining. My message from Australia to the regime is that it is not sustainable for you or for your people, and we urge them to take a different path.”

The ongoing conflict pits Burma’s well-equipped military against a loose alliance of ethnic minority rebel groups and an armed resistance movement, which has been gaining ground and challenging the junta’s governance. An estimated 2.6 million people have been displaced by the fighting.

The junta has faced international condemnation for excessive force in its air strikes on civilian areas and allegations of atrocities, which it dismisses as Western disinformation.

Senator Wong reaffirmed Australia’s support for ASEAN’s efforts to stabilize Burma, including the implementation of a “five-point consensus” for peace.

In addition to the conflict in Burma, tensions in the South China Sea were a key topic during the three days of high-level talks. Senator Wong expressed concern over “very disturbing incidents” involving the disputed territory of Second Thomas Shoal.

“We continue to support international law and are very concerned about any actions that are destabilizing,” she said.

1104 Japanese POW armed with knives, baseball bats, club studded with nails and hooks and garrotting wires raided the garrison wire. 231 were killed 108 wounded, 339 made it out into the country side where a further 25 died. All POW’s were recaptured or accounted for after 9 days 5 Australians died as a result of the breakout:-

1. a) Hardy and Jones on the Vickers gun 2
2. b) Sgt Thomas Roy Hancock died as a result friendly fire (outside the camp)
3. c) Private Charles Henry Shepard, stabbed to death at the guard’s living quarters.
4. d) Lieutenant Henry Doncaster, beaten to death searching for prisoners.

When the POW’s escaped the government and people of Australia were just getting brief reports on how the Japanese treated our POW so the government decided that any search party for the escaped Japanese POW were not to be armed with firearms in case the soldiers retaliated against their POW.

Some search parties took bayonets when they searched, others armed with nothing.

Doncaster was in charge of a group of very young soldiers searching for the POW and when they came upon a group of POW hiding in rocks the young soldiers ran off leaving Doncaster to fight the group by himself. He was last seen picking up a rock off the ground and using his fists and rocks on the POWs that were attacking him. He was overpowered eventually and killed.

Unless you were on duty the firearms in the camp were under lock and key.

On the night of the breakout Shepard was not armed and had just been woken from his sleep. He would have heard the commotion and would have seen the guards, Hardy and Jones being overpowered but fought off the POW at the entrance to his guard house. He was stabbed a number of times and killed by a POW that had escaped over the wire. Shepard was a labourer when he joined. He was not from a well to do family.

The POW camp had three rings of barbed wire. Anywhere within that barbed wire zone was by military standards (and Geneva Convention) a “war Zone”. The guard houses and administration officers were outside the barbed wire enclosure so were not considered to be within the war zone.

When the enquiry was convened it justified a war pension to the family of Hardy and Jones as they classed as being killed within in a “war Zone”. Shepard on the other hand was killed outside the “war Zone” and his family were denied any military pension.

Linda Irene Shepard, his wife, eventually had to sell her possessions (and it is believed adopted her children out) to survive. It is believed she died a homeless pauper.

Makes you proud to serve your country, knowing the Canberra ‘Desk-bound suits’ have your back.

Nothing has changed.

Alistair Pope, psc, CM

Summary of article by Maya Carlin

The Charles de Gaulle (CDG) stands as the only nuclear-powered aircraft carrier outside of the United States Navy. While it is smaller than the U.S. Navy’s Nimitz and Ford classes, the CDG is a formidable warship, equipped with a steam catapult system and an impressive air wing that includes Dassault Rafael M strike fighters, E-2C Hawkeye early warning aircraft, and helicopters.

Summary and Key Points:

• The Charles de Gaulle (CDG) is the sole nuclear-powered aircraft carrier outside the U.S. Navy.
• Despite being smaller than U.S. carriers, the CDG is a powerful warship with advanced systems and aircraft.
• Initial design and funding challenges led to significant refits and upgrades over the years, enhancing its capabilities.
• The CDG has participated in various operations, including Afghanistan, Libya, and Syria, solidifying its role as the flagship of the French Navy.

The role of aircraft carriers became pivotal during the Second World War, establishing them as the premier warships of the seas. While the U.S. Navy leads with 11 nuclear-powered supercarriers, the French Navy maintains the only other nuclear-powered carrier in the world, the Charles de Gaulle (CDG).

Although not as large as the Nimitz or Ford classes, the CDG remains a formidable warship. Its steam catapult system, slightly smaller than those on U.S. carriers, can launch F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets and C-2 Greyhounds. The CDG’s air wing includes Dassault Rafael M strike fighters, E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft, and several helicopters. The carrier has been deployed in numerous combat operations, including Afghanistan, Libya, and Syria.

The Charles de Gaulle’s development began in the 1980s. After completing two carriers, the Clemenceau and Foch, in the 1960s, France sought their replacements. The design for the CDG featured a nuclear-powered propulsion system, an angled deck, and steam catapults, a configuration that allowed for the simultaneous launching and recovery of larger, heavier aircraft, enhancing the safety of carrier air operations.

Since its completion, the CDG has undergone two significant refits and upgrades, in 2007 and 2017. These included refuelling the nuclear reactor and upgrading support and communication systems for the air wing. The 2007 overhaul also replaced the ship’s propellers, as the original ones had been damaged, necessitating the use of spares from the older Clemenceau.

Global, Naval Warfare – Colin Clark

The Royal Australian Navy is sounding the alarm on the nation’s efforts to prepare military facilities for nuclear-powered submarines, including the future SSN AUKUS boat. Rear Adm. Wendy Malcolm warned that Australia’s generational endeavour to acquire and deploy these submarines is “at risk” without immediate and decisive government action on infrastructure.

At the Indian Ocean Defence and Security Conference, Malcolm emphasized the urgent need to prepare Western Australia for AUKUS submarines, stressing that delays in infrastructure planning and funding could cause significant setbacks. The most critical risk, she noted, is the government’s failure to plan and finance a multi-billion-dollar dry dock on the Western Australian coast.

“A dedicated team is entirely focused on presenting viable options to the government for decision-making,” Malcolm stated. “We don’t have all the answers yet, but we know critical decisions must be made now to meet our milestones. We need to expedite approvals, planning, and access. Some decisions can’t wait.”

Adm. Jonathan Mead, head of the Australian Submarine Agency, echoed Malcolm’s concerns. While less specific, Mead acknowledged the potential for setbacks as the SSN AUKUS program progresses, highlighting the need for strategic patience and a commitment to overcoming challenges.

“We have a long road ahead. Developing these high-end capabilities for effective deterrence is neither easy nor quick, nor cheap,” Mead remarked. “There will be setbacks, but we must remain confident in our generational commitment.”

Their warnings came a day after Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles recognized the need for a new dry dock on the west coast but evaded questions on its completion timeline. “Good question. I’m not going to answer your question, but I count on the fact I’m a politician,” Marles joked, adding, “Western Australia must maintain and sustain all major platforms we operate. A dry dock is essential for this.”

Currently, Australia has only one dry dock, the Captain Cook Graving Dock in Sydney, 2,000 miles from the planned facilities in Western Australia. Marles stressed the importance of developing this infrastructure but admitted the government faces time constraints.

The Captain Cook dry dock, built during WWII, is set for reconstruction, which will take it out of commission for several years. Building a new dry dock for nuclear submarines is estimated to take roughly a decade, highlighting the urgency of starting the project.

Marles mentioned that the government’s primary goal in Henderson has been to consolidate military naval facilities before constructing a new dry dock. In the interim, the Virginia-class submarines, arriving in 2032, will not require immediate depot-level maintenance, giving the government some leeway to build the necessary infrastructure.

Despite the pressing need, Marles avoided setting a timeline for the Henderson dry dock project and did not confirm budget allocations, attributing the lack of funds to the previous Morrison government. Industry experts criticized this approach, pointing out that planning and building a nuclear submarine dry dock takes a decade in the UK and US, underlining the need for prompt action.

Australia’s strategic ambitions hinge on the swift development of critical infrastructure. Without decisive action, the nation risks falling behind in its nuclear-powered submarine program, undermining its long-term defence capabilities.

Specialist jungle warfare instructors from the Australia Army’s Combat Training Centre have been working closely with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force in Tully. The growing partnership between our Army and the JGSDF has led to their inaugural participation in jungle training in Australia, following the largest Exercise Southern Jackaroo to date. The training focused on the development of individual and team-based skills, tactics and interoperability needed to successfully operate, fight and win during combined jungle operations. The Tully training area in North Queensland, Australia, is a premier jungle warfare training facility. It offers a challenging environment that closely replicates the tropical jungles of the Asia-Pacific region.

Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama have officially endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the upcoming presidential election.

• Barack said, “Michelle and I couldn’t be prouder to endorse you and to do everything we can to get you through this election and into the Oval Office.”
• Harris expressed her gratitude and excitement for their support.

The Obamas praised Harris’ vision, character, and strength in their joint statement, stating, “Kamala has more than a resume. She has the vision, the character, and the strength that this critical moment demands.”

Democratic Nomination Process

• The Democratic Party is moving quickly to nominate Harris, with voting likely to begin on August 11.
• The party adopted rules for the nomination process, including ceremonial votes during the Democratic convention in Chicago from August 19 to 22.
• Many have criticized this process as akin to an anointment, noting that Harris has never been elected in a primary. The prevailing question is, if she wasn’t popular enough to be the candidate in her 2020 presidential bid, what makes her qualified now?
• Many Democratic Party members doubt Harris will be accepted on the World Stage.

Vice Presidential Search

• Harris has not yet selected a running mate, with a goal to announce a nominee before August 7.
• A team of lawyers and advisers is conducting an accelerated search for the vice-presidential candidate.

International Doubts While the Obamas’ endorsement boosts Harris’ domestic standing, there are significant doubts internationally regarding her acceptance and ability to handle world crises. Concerns persist about whether she possesses the necessary experience and diplomatic acumen to manage complex global issues effectively