Below are listed a couple of web links to some Australian military journals. They include essays and articles about land, sea and air warfare from an Australian perspective. I thought that they may be of interest to some of the old and bold (aka the ruthless and toothless) who like to keep up with how their ally on the other side of the big pond is thinking. The Australian Army Journal http://www.army.gov.au/Our-future/DARA/Our-publications/Australian-Army-Journal/Past-issues The Australian Defence Force Journal http://www.adfjournal.adc.edu.au/site/journal_index.asp As an extra tidbit, I have linked to a .pdf file describing Dave Sabben's thoughts on the relationship between subalterns and platoon sergeants. Dave and I served in different companies for a while in the same reserve Infantry Battalion, some time after Dave Sabben concluded his national service obligation and tour of duty as a platoon commander in SVN. DAve Sabben was a Platoon Commander (12 Platoon) in D Coy 6 RAR. He was originally awarded an MID (Mentioned In Despatches) for his role in the Battle of Long Tan and, some 40 years later was awarded a Medal for Gallantry (MG) inlieu of the Military Cross he was originally recommended for, but not awarded.(The MG is awarded above the Distinguished Conduct Medal, but below the Military Cross under the Imperial Honours System applicable at the time of the Battle of Long Tan). The Australian Medal for Gallantry (MG) is roughly equivalent to the US Bronze Star with V Device. Second Lieutenant David Sabben following a battle with the Viet Cong in Long Tan, Vietnam. Photo: Australian War Memorial FOR/66/0658/VN Second Lieutenant David Sabben in Vietnam. Photo: Australian War Memorial FOR/66/0673/VN http://www.sabben.com/sabben.com/images/SabbenOnSubbiesAndSnakes.pdf Battle of Long Tan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
My word, a former Infantry man; the world is full of surprises, Chelly. No L1A1? Edited to remove military reference to avoid insults to it.
Or a whirlwind all expense paid trip to observe the problem they concocted using fiat money and a tax base that has disappeared. A lot like the strawman called William Shakespeare, the man who came from nothing and returned to the same place.
Yes, but the solution is non-military, it will be farmed out, probably to France. No one farms out Military jobs to France.
"Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more; it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. William Shakespeare
They live the Old Testament verse, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said ‘Here am I, send me!” (Isaiah 6:8). They have stood up and answered in the same way. Some are young and idealistic; others are mature and vastly experienced. All have accepted a high calling of putting the welfare of others about their own. I salute them, and you should as well.
Indeed...started as a reservist Sig with the Royal Australian Signal Corps while still in highschool...(which raised a few eyebrows among the teaching staff and among the student pacifists), and retired as a Captain in the RAInf Corps. I preferred the L1A1 to the Steyr, though the Steyr is a nice handy weapon.
My dear Chelly, I am in shock. It does change one's perspective on life. A friend was at the battle of Dong Xoai, same time and AO where your mate fought. Battle of Dong Xoai - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia There so much history on the web, if only one knows the names of the places. Does "Jungle Ghosts" ring a bell? I met a few of them in Vung Tau; we spent the evening getting properly inebriated. The L1A1 is a bit heavy but up to any job. The Steyr would be the F88?
Life...and people can be full of surprises. The L1A1 is a bit weighty to carry, but the 7.62 FMJ Nato round will punch through a lot to do damage to the bad guys...yes the F88, it was just coming into service not long before I retired. It's an accurate little cuss, and I grouped quite well with it. Too many nuts and bolts and sundry ironmongery for my liking...I prefer simple and indestructible. I cut my shooting teeth as it were on .303 SMLE rifles and .303 Bren LMGs as a cadet in the Australian Army Cadet Corps. at the age of 14....in the 1960's we boy soldiers did much the same kind of basic training as reservists, including contact drills, ambush and counter ambush drills etc....after Vietnam finished, the bleeding hearts changed all that, and it has become something of a boy scout kind of an organisation now.
Quite true and usually in an interesting fashion. Even I have a few. 7.62N turns cover into concealment. The SMLE is one of the top infantry rifles of all times. Quite accurate and capable. Did you know they made over 17 million SMLEs? That is a pity, that additional training probably brought many home alive. Was yours a happy L1A1?
