Commando News Winter Edition10 June17

Australian Commando Association
QLD Inc.
www.acaq.org.au
PO Box 185, Sherwood QLD 4075
COMMANDO FOR LIFE
1941 - 1946 1955 -
President: Nick Hill Secretary: Tony Mills Treasurer: George Mialkowski
president.acaq@gmail.com secretary.acaq@gmail.com treasurer.acaq@gmail.com
VALE
CAPTAIN DON ASTILL, OAM (Retd.)
2nd/8th Commando Squadron
11th February 1921 – 26th February 2017
Captain Don Astill was born
on 11th February 1921 to his
parents Joseph and Amy. His
father served in France during
the WW1 and suffered ill- health
post war as a result of his
service. His Uncle Keith served
in the navy on the destroyer
HMAS Stuart, and his other
brother Roy, too young, helped
to keep the home fires burning
at home. All the boys and their
sons attended Yeronga State
School and Brisbane Boys
College.
Don enlisted in the Citizens
Military Forces in September
1939, serving with the 105th
Howitzer Battery, the 101st Anti-
Tank Regt. and the 2nd/4th Anti-
Tank Regt. as a Lieutenant. He was on pre-embarkation
leave, destined for Singapore, but was very fortunate
to have missed the suffering, indignity, and brutality of
imprisonment.
Together with a few friends, he was given the
opportunity of volunteering for Special Forces and,
after a short course at RMC Duntroon and a very
intense officers’ school, he was posted to Wilsons
Promontory, Victoria to assist with the formation of the
2nd/8th Commando Squadron. The unit was destined
to be attached to the U.K. Commando units in Europe
and had even been issued with the “Pommy” battle
dress, when these plans were aborted because of the
worsening situation in the Pacific. The unit was then
moved to Mudgeeraba, Queensland and spent three
month’s training in the Lamington and Springbrook
National Park areas. The Squadron was destined to
assist the guerrilla forces in Timor but serious flooding
in Queensland delayed the move and resulted in 17
months of active patrolling in the Northern Territory, as
far as the Kimberley’s and
Arnhem Land. Some of this
activity was spent in the rescue
of pilots who crashed-landed
after mechanical failure or
enemy action. Don and his 7th
Section Officer were selected to
attend an officers School in the
Northern Territory and it was a
feather in the cap for his mate to
be awarded first and Don
second. The Squadron then
served continuously in New
Guinea, New Britain and
Bougainville for a period of
thirteen months, engaged with
ambushing, raids and recon -
naissance. It was a highly
successful period for the loss,
sadly enough, of only two
officers and six other ranks, whereas the unit was
credited with 1,200 enemy casualties. During this time,
they worked behind enemy lines, supplied by
parachute and free drop, and their success was a direct
result of the intense training in Australia. An account of
all this has been documented in his book –
”Commando –White Diamond”, published in 1990.
At the cessation of hostilities Don returned to
civilian life with a wool company, serving for many years
as their State accountant. Don has been an active
legatee since 1981, including eight years as Treasurer
for the Gold Coast Club. In 2011 Don was awarded a
Medal of the Order of Australia, mainly as the result of
many years working for the development of cricket in
Queensland, co- founder of a kindergarten, his role in
the formation of the Australian Commando Association
(Qld) in 1946 and service as President, Secretary and
Treasurer and in 2014 actively supporting and
organising the amalgamation of Post- World 2
commando veterans into the ACA Qld
COMMANDO NEWS ~ Edition 10 I June 2017 57