Commando Magazine edition 3 2020

Peter McCaffrey
and I had another
great Honour of
visiting LT COL Harry
Smith, SG, MC
(Retd.) at his Sun shine
Coast home to pre -
sent his plaque. Harry
who turns 87 in July,
took a day off from
working down on his
fishing boat to have
morning tea with us
and catch up. I had
come prepared with
Mr Pete McCaffery, ACA QLD (L)
with ACA QLD President
Mr Graham Gough (R) and
Harry Smith SG, MC with his ACA
Plaque for Services to 1 & 2 Cdo Coy
& Army Parachute Training Flight.
Image courtesy of: Graham Gough
some Arnott’s cream biscuits with compliments of the
mess. As many would be aware, Harry was the 2IC of 2
Cdo Coy and also the OC 1 Cdo Coy either side of being
OC Delta Coy, 6 RAR and went on to be the first CO/CI of
the Army Parachute Training Flight at RAAF Wil liams -
town NSW from 1973-1976 com ple ting 499 jumps! He
was offered the chance by PTS Nowra in later years to get
the 500 th jump in, but when they suggested a Tandem, he
told them unless he could jump solo, he wouldn’t bother.
We would also like to thank Harry’s wife Felicia for her
hospitality. We intend to accompany Harry in August for
Vietnam Veterans and Long Tan day at his local RSL.
Foldboat/Klepper
has three men with
paddles. (The Jawick
& Rimau Operations
used two-man fol -
boats). I believe that
approximately 200 of
these may have been
made around the
early 1970’s and a
number were pre -
sented to the families of Op Jawick and Rimau in
recognition of their service. The families apparently
received engraved medals while the rest were sold plain
backed as fund raisers to members. It was widely
supported that the men on these operations should have
all received the VC for their efforts and the medal was
produced in a similar idea to the “Rats of Tobruk”
association medal. I purchased this example from an
auction house in London many years ago and I have only
ever seen three of these in my 30 odd years of collecting.
If anyone has differing details to what I have presented
here, feel free to contact me.
ACA Stubby Coolers
The Victoria Cross (L)
The Commando Cross of Valour (C)
and the CCV Obverse Side (R)
Vale
Sadly, our last 2/2 nd
Aust Ind Coy Timor
Veteran CPL John
‘Jack’ Hanson, passed
away peacefully in late
May aged 98 years.
Our Social Member
Mark Stanieg had
made a special effort to
connect with Jack last
year at his nursing
home in Hervey Bay.
The Association con -
tacted Jack’s nephew
with a message of sup -
port and condolence.
We received a thank
you email and Western
Australian news article
on Jack’s life in return,
CPL Jack Hanson after returning
from Timor in 1943. The Double
Diamonds of the 2/2 nd Ind Coy can
be clearly seen on the upper dleeve
of Jack’s Battle Dress Jacket.
Image courtesy of: Google
with mention of a possible memorial service to be held
once the State has returned to some normality. The article
on Jack and my Vale email to the ACA Qld Members is
available in the Vale Section of the Magazine.
The Commando Cross of Valour
From my personal collection this month comes the
Commando Cross of Valour. It is based on the Victoria
Cross as pictured. A long green ribbon with three bars as
shown and the Word “Valour” on the boomerang. It also
has the Z Special (SRD) emblem and Southern Cross with
a rope border around the center picture. Interestingly the
ACA Stubby Cooler $20ea, including postage.
Our Social Member, Mark Stanieg (Ex 4 Cdo), has put
together a stubby cooler suitable for all Association
members. The stubby cooler is grey in colour with the
Association Badge surrounded by the words AUST -
RALIAN COMMANDO ASSOCIATION ‘COM MANDO
FOR LIFE’ on one side. Opposite is the modern
‘Gunslinging’ version of the Association Badge with the
WW2 Cdo in the left diamond and a Modern Day Cdo in
the Right Diamond surrounded by the words ‘ON THE
GUN SINCE 1941’. Separating the two badges is the
Commando Squashed Moth Wings with a AAS Dagger
directly underneath. Cost is $20ea including postage.
Please Contact Mark Stanieg, our Social member, for
further details at acaqld_social@commando.org.au.
Queensland Commando Businesses
Coffee In Your Corner
For those of you in
Brisbane around the
Northern suburb of
Eagle farm, make your
way out to the “Super
Butcher” meat ware -
house. There in the
car park, you will find
one of our Com -
mando members Tim
Thomas (Ex 2 Cdo
Regt) working hard
Tim at his coffee shop
‘Coffee In Your Corner’
in Eagle Farm, Brisbane.
COMMANDO ~ The Magazine of the Australian Commando Association ~ Edition 3 I 2020 11