IT may be a cliché but mateship counts for everything on the battlefield and this year’s Australia Day honour recipients exemplify the importance of looking after your mates and knowing the soldiers around you are ready for the job.
For Captain James Fanning, who was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his distinguished leadership in action at the Battle of Derapet in Afghanistan, the award recognised the achievements of all the men serving with him that day.
Four servicemen including CAPTapt. Fanning were recognised for their gallantry and distinguished service at that particular battle which occurred on August 24, 2010.
CAPTapt. Fanning a platoon commander and lead mentor with Mentoring Team Delta with the 1st Mentoring Task Force was in charge of 20 Australian servicemen and 20 members of the Afghan National Army who were on patrol when they encountered a large insurgent force numbering in excess of 100 combatants.
An intense three and half hour battle ensued and although the smaller Australian led force was victorious tragically an Australian soldier, 28 year old Lance Corporal Jared MacKinney, was shot and killed during the battle.
“It was a big day for our team and we achieved our mission but it was also a very very sad day as we lost a good friendmate, ”said CAPTapt. Fanning.
“The team was crazy and brave but our actions were about looking after our mates – it’s always the thing you think about when you are engaged in battle.”
CAPTapt. Fanning joined the army in 2007 after completing a degree in law and international studies. He then went to attended Duntroon the Royal Military College for 18 months before joining the Infantry Corp and was posted to The Sixth Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment 6 RAR. Although he is enjoying his time at Singleton’s School of Infantry he would go back to Afghanistan in the blink of an eye.
Ready to join him on that Afghanistan deployment would be fellow recipient Corporal Brenden Robins, who received a Commendation for Distinguished Service for his distinguished performance of duty in warlike operations.
CPLorp. Robins was combat medic with the 2nd Mentoring Task Force on Operation Slipper in Chora Baluchi Valley, Afghanistan.
While based at Mashall patrol base CPLorp. Robins provided the initial medical assistance to Lance Corporal Andrew Jones, the cook at the base, who was shot by a member of the Afghan National Army on May 30, 2011.
Unfortunately LCPL. Corp. Jones died as a result of the gun shot wound.
Corporal Robins described his time in Afghanistan as hectic and obviously he was well trained before he left for his tour of duty because on only his second patrol out without a mentor he had to deal with a comrade seriously injured with a gunshot wound to the leg which shattered the femur.
His training included 33 weeks at the army medical school and a further 14 weeks of advanced medic training which included time spent in public hospital emergency wards.
Warrant Officer First Class 1, Brian Buskell received a Conspicuous Service Medal for meritorious achievement as Regimental Sergeant Major, Combined Task Force 635 on Operation Anode in the Solomon Islands in 2010.
WO1 Buskell served in the Solomon Islands from July to December 2010 as part of the Regional Assistance Mission Solomon Island (RAMSI).
His work involved training, preparation and handling of sensitive matters for RAMSI.
His team from 8/7RVR was made up of regional Victorian members of the army reserve whom WO1 Buskell described as great volunteer soldiers.
Their work mainly involved support for the Australian Federal Police which was different to previous work WO1 Buskell was involved in during his tours of duty in Rwanda and Tonga and on his multiple tours to East Timor.
Email a friend