Les Mullans is wanting to make contact with Bill Roon. Bill is a mate of Les’s brother who is near death. Les believes Bill served with 9RAR.
If you know Bill please give Les a call on 03 6344 9082 (Launceston) and pass on any information you may have on Bill.
ED: Request sent by 9RAR.
RUSSIAN VIP air travel is currently fraught with unexpected mystery outcomes.
Flying home to St Petersburg for a well-earned bit of battlefield R&R, oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin provided new meaning to an old Russian proverb, “ashes to ashes, dust to dust, if the devil don’t get you Vladimir must”.
All 10 passengers and their golf clubs perished.
Other leaders were historically more cautious.
CLICK LINK to continue reading …
U.S. and Australian Army soldiers fighting side by side with Afghan nationals against a large group of Taliban
Northern Territory, Australian Senator, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price.
Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs
Speech at the National Press Club
One hour including questions worth listening to.
The 2 RAR Historical Collection is actively reaching out to the relatives or friends of QX26788 and 1/280 SSGT Ron ‘Chad’ Hansen.
We hope you will share this incredible story on your Frontline website and distribute it via email.
We came across an insightful article in our collection, specifically within the 2nd Tour of Malaya (1961-1963) folder. It narrates the journey of a remarkable individual who holds the record for the longest service duration in the Battalion.
Before his illustrious tenure with the Battalion, Hansen proudly served in WW2 with the 63rd Bn, followed by the 2/15 Bn. His subsequent journey began with the 66 Battalion (which later evolved into 2 RAR). This journey took him to various significant locations such as Puckapunyal, Korea (where he distinguished himself as the Sniper SGT), Enoggera, the 1st tour of Malaya, Holsworthy, and then his final mission during the Second Tour of Malaya. Astoundingly, Hansen dedicated a consecutive 17 years to the Battalion, witnessing its formation and all its significant transitions, wars, and relocations.
The article attached indicates that after an impressive 20 years, he retired during the Second Tour of Malaya and made his way back to Brisbane. For those who might recognize the names, Hansen hailed from Moorooka and was originally born in Kilcoy.
We earnestly request anyone who might be related to or knows Chad to get in touch with us. His narrative represents a monumental chapter in the Battalion’s history and deserves to be shared and celebrated.
ED: If you can help, please contact Jason Harrison curator of 2 RAR Historical Collection Email: [email protected]
Jason’s Mobile: 0419 749 198
ED: This 82nd Airborne Choirs was sent to me I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Our revamped Frontline website is now back online. While we’ve adopted a new name, I’m sure that you will not notice many changes with the majority occurring behind the scenes.
Our core mission remains unaltered: delivering vital news and information to veterans, including current events, obituaries, and you still have an opportunity to comment.
Please ensure that you change my email address to: [email protected] my previous address is now closed, and mail will be rejected.
If you have any info, stories, articles, reunions etc. please send them through to me.
Regards
Ray Payne OAM
When browsing through my posts, kindly approach them as you would with a newspaper: read topics that interest and feel free to skip the ones that don’t interest you.
The Ukrainian forces carried out a missile strike on a Russian naval base in Sevastopol, located in Russian-occupied Crimea. While the exact method of the attack remains uncertain, reports from the Ukrainian Telegram channel Insider UA suggest that aviation might have played a role. The Commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, Mykola Oleshchuk, hinted at this but stopped short of revealing specifics about the weapons used. Given his comments, there’s speculation that either the UK’s Storm Shadow or France’s SCALP long-range missiles might have been involved, as they are the only two known air-launched cruise missiles in Ukraine’s arsenal. However, the vagueness of Oleshchuk’s statement might be a strategic move to keep Russian defense forces in the dark.
Furthermore, it’s known that Ukraine has been developing its own range of long-range cruise missiles, including a version of the R-360 Neptune anti-ship missile and the Korshun and HRIM-2 missiles, modern successors of the Soviet-era Kh-55. Any of these could have been deployed in the attack.
The strike had a significant impact on the Russian Black Sea Fleet, igniting fires across a drydock reportedly holding two warships. If not controlled promptly, the fleet risks losing more of its already dwindling number of large ships, especially with the Bosphorus Strait’s closure that prevents Russia from replacing these assets.
The Black Sea Fleet has faced numerous challenges, including multiple successful attacks by Ukrainian forces on its ships. Among the notable casualties are the Saratov, Moskva, Vasily Bekh, and Olenegorsky Gornyak, with the latter possibly being out of commission for good. In addition to these major losses, the Ukrainian navy has inflicted damage on several Russian patrol boats and landing crafts and reclaimed Ukrainian oil platforms that the Russians had occupied.
Despite the setbacks early in the war, where Ukraine even scuttled its only frigate, the Ukrainian navy remains a formidable force. With a combination of domestically-produced Neptune anti-ship missiles, Western-made Harpoon ASMs, missile-armed TB-2 drones, and drone boats, the Ukrainian navy continues to exert pressure on the Russian Black Sea Fleet, frequently pushing it back. As the Ukrainian forces expand their arsenal, including potentially introducing a new thousand-mile cruise missile and possibly acquiring ballistic rockets from the U.S., the Russian fleet’s challenges are only set to increase. The continued successful strikes on Russian ships underscore the efficiency of Ukrainian intelligence in tracking these vessels.
Picture: Defense Technology Institute of Thailand
The Royal Thai Army is currently testing the D-Iron robotic combat vehicles, marking a significant step towards unmanned ground vehicles’ mass production. The recent trial, a joint effort between the Defense Technology Institute (DTI) of Thailand and the Army, took place in Saraburi province. During these tests, the vehicle’s capability to navigate inclined terrains, traverse water, and adapt to different landforms was examined.
Furthermore, in collaboration with Thailand’s Ministry of Defence Armament Standards Committee, the D-Iron RCV underwent rigorous live-fire assessments under both daylight and night conditions.
This robotic combat vehicle, based on the THeMIS Combat UGV platform from Milrem Robotics, was initially introduced to the public by the DTI in 2019. The D-Iron RCV now boasts an R400S-Mk2 remote weapon station provided by the Australian firm, Electro Optic Systems, and a Northrop Grumman M230LF 30mm machine gun. Moreover, the possibility of incorporating anti-tank guided missiles is being considered.
There are indications that the D-Iron RCV might be optimal for tasks such as border surveillance, reconnaissance, counter-insurgency, anti-tank operations, and logistics.
Additionally, the DTI has previously shown its commitment to unmanned technology by signing an agreement to jointly research and develop unmanned aerial systems and their countermeasures.
Internationally, Thailand’s pursuits in armed robotic vehicles resonate with the technological progress seen in Europe and the US. The US Department of Defense has called for quick prototypes of robotic combat vehicles to cater to the US Army’s need for a nimble, easily movable RCV. These prototypes are anticipated to be ready for an award in early 2025, with deployment and fieldwork set for 2030.
This upcoming award aims to present a semi-autonomous or remote-controlled RCV, enhancing army formation’s tactical capabilities, situational awareness, and lethality. It may also serve in scouting or accompanying manned combat vehicles.
Maj. Gen. Glenn Dean, from the US Army Ground Combat Systems, emphasized the importance of technological advancements for the future army. He stated, “The 2030 Army and those that follow will bank on technological growth and advancements. The combined efforts of both traditional and unconventional business sectors are pivotal in ushering in systems that cater to the Army’s evolving needs for the coming decades.”
Not so some 2,500 National Service conscripts, who, if they choose to or are still able to attend, may face opprobrium and offensive questioning by others, including friends and family, and worst of all, even ostracism as ‘short timers’ from some of their former comrades-in-arms, in clubs and pubs, simply because they do not wear the Republic of Vietnam’s Campaign Medal (RVCM), pictured. That is definitely not right or proper. Must it really continue in this way?
Despite having served just as bravely as their comrades, they have not been equally respected, honoured and recognised and have long been denied the campaign medal which was made available to all military allied personnel who served meritoriously in support of the Republic of Vietnam. Eligibility is determined by Australian authorities. The denial came about due to an unforgivable government blunder many years ago.
This legalistic and bureaucratic denial is solely because they returned home for discharge at the completion of their obligatory National Service period of enlistment, before completing
181 days’ service in the Vietnam War. Contrast this with the fact that even non-combatant philanthropists were given this medal. How unfair and inequitable is that?
From day one in Vietnam, they also faced all the horrors of war. They did their duty to the maximum according to law and had no obligation at all to put off their return back to work, study and family and risk their repatriation entitlements. As highly respected senior army veteran “Warry” George Mansford said: “they were exposed to the battle cry of ‘all for one and one for all.’ In simple terms; to live together, fight together and perhaps die together.” Those who were killed or wounded did, of course, receive the RVCM.
The previous Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel, with agreement from the then-Minister for Defence, had recommended that approval of the issue of the RVCM go to whole of government consideration, when the election intervened. We were nearly there.
After more than a year in office of the current government, today’s Minister is fully aware of this distressing situation and of the hundreds of people: politicians of all colours, ex-service people and especially Australia’s ex South Vietnamese servicemen and the community, who strongly support these men. The now-Attorney General, Mark Dreyfus even wrote: ‘I can assure you that Federal Labor supports your campaign to have the RVCM awarded … … , on the grounds of individual justice, fairness and equity.’ Other Ministers and ex-Ministers and even ex-Prime Ministers all wrote in the same vein. It is unconscionable that it continues even now.
This continued denial and lack of recognition has led to even deeper withdrawal into isolation, contributed to frustration, despair and worse; even for those who were not already suffering from war caused PTSD that is now being aggravated by their own government’s obstinance and unreasonable delay in seeing them equally and properly recognised. This must stop. Time is now of the essence and Minister Keogh has the power to resolve this matter for the benefit of these veterans.
As the sun sets on another Vietnam Veterans’ Day, will their Minister have stood up and made a decision? Did he act equitably and empathetically and show determined leadership to let these veterans now have this medal?
It would be an immense contribution to our armed forces of tomorrow.
Bert Hoebee (Lieutenant Colonel, Retired) Vietnam Veteran