The Top Ender Magazine February March 2021 Edition

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Together, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Australian Army and the Royal
Australian Navy form the Australian Defence Force, an organisation woven
into the fabric of our society. Despite a global pandemic the services each
celebrate significant birthdays in 2021, with its soldiers, sailors and airmen
and women deployed on the front line domestically and abroad.
The Royal Australian
Air Force celebrates 100 years in the air
Celebrating its 100th birthday on 31 st March 2021, Australia’s
involvement in the air began with the formation of the
Australian Aviation Corps in 1911 with a Flying School
opened at Point Cook, Victoria in 1912. In 1914 the Corps
was renamed the Australian Fly Corps. In the First World
War the Australian Flying Corps fought in support of the
Indian Army during the Mesopotamian Campaign in today’s
Iraq against the Ottoman Empire, and later in Egypt, Palestine
and the Western Front. In the inter-war years, the Australian
Air Corps was formed in 1920 and in 1921, the Royal
Australian Air Force (RAAF) was born.
During the Second World War, thousands of Australians
served with Commonwealth Air Forces, most notably the
Royal Air Force in the European theatre. The Second World
War and Japan’s rapid advance in the pacific saw the
threatening of mainland Australia for the first time in its
history. Despite devastating air raids on Darwin, the RAAF
played a crucial role in the Solomon Islands and New
Guinea campaigns, the latter in which the RAAF was
instrumental in inflicting the first decisive victory by allied
forces over the Japanese of the war.
RAAF pilots and aircraft were amongst the first to fly combat
missions in the Korean War and later served in the Malayan
Emergency and the Vietnam War. The RAAF continues to
provide a presence in Malaysia based out of the now Royal
Malaysian Air Force Base at Butterworth. RAAF combat
aircraft were again used during the 2003 Iraq War and the
RAAF would maintain a presence in the Middle East,
sustaining operations in Afghanistan and Iraq for over a
decade. In 2014 RAAF deployed an Air Task Group to the
Middle East as part of the global coalition to combat the
Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. In 2017, RAAF Maritime Patrol
Aircraft supported the Philippines during the Marawi Crisis.
The RAAF personnel and aircraft have provided regular
Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief both
domestically and abroad including Aero-Medical Evacuations
following the Bali Bombing in 2002 and 2005; the 2004
Boxing Day Tsumani; the 2011 Queensland Floods, Cyclone
Yasi, Christchurch Earthquake and Japan Earthquake; and,
various cyclones in Fiji, Vanuatu and the Philippines to name a
few. Of note, the RAAF has been involved in global
operations in response to accidents and disasters including
the search for MH370 and the repatriation of Australians
after the shooting down of MH17. The RAAF continues to
provide support on a global scale in response to disasters
and as part of military operations.
The Australian Army celebrates 120 years
On 1st March 2021 the Australian Army celebrates 120 years
of dedicated service to the nation. Formed in 1901 through
the amalgamation of the six state Colonial Military Forces
following the federation of Australia, it would only be 14
short years until the Australian Army, and the nation, would
face its first true test of quality. The character traits of
Courage, Mateship and Sacrifice shown in the trenches of
Gallipoli would see the birth of the ANZAC legend with the
spirit of ANZAC becoming firmly embedded in the attitudes
of all Australians. Australian soldiers would later go on to
serve in combat during the Second World War, the Korean
War, Vietnam and Iraq and Afghanistan, developing a
reputation across the world as highly respected, capable and
professional force.
The Australian Army’s capability, however, is not limited to
times of conflict. Its officers and soldiers have served with
distinction in peacekeeping restoring and maintaining
stability in Bougainville, East Timor and the Solomon Islands
and continues to deploy peacekeepers to Israel, Mali, the
Sinai, and South Sudan.
Over its 120 year history, the Australian Army has come to
be relied upon to give humanitarian support in response to
120 years at sea – The Royal Australian Navy
turns 120
Initially formed as the Commonwealth Naval Forces on 1st
March 1901, following the federation of Australia with the
integration of the Colonial Navies’ ships and resources, it was
renamed the Royal Australian Navy in 1911. As with the
Army, the Royal Australian Navy served under British Imperial
command during the First World War operating in the
South Pacific and later the Mediterranean and North Seas.
The interwar years saw a dramatic decrease in the size of the
fleet and a shift in focus from defence against invasion to
protection of trade routes.
The outbreak of the Second World War again saw the Royal
Australian Navy fall under British command with its sailors
serving with distinction in areas such as the Mediterranean,
Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. The outbreak of war in
the pacific following the destruction of the allied navy in
South-East Asia saw the Royal Australian Navy begin to
operate more independently or as part of fleets from the
natural disasters at domestically and abroad. At home, fulltime
and reserve soldiers were ever present in the clean-up
and rebuild following Cyclone Yasi and the Queensland
Floods in 2011, Cyclone Debbie in 2017 and the 2020
Victorian and South Australian Bushfires. Likewise, overseas
our soldiers have deployed to areas such as Banda Aceh,
Indonesia in response to the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake
providing critical aid to our near region neighbours and again
in 2020 to Fiji following Cyclone Yasa.
In 2020 the Australian Army deployed domestically to
support local communities combat the Coronavirus
pandemic ensuring the integrity of state border closures and
working with State and Federal Police supervising quarantine
facilities, an operation ongoing today.
United States Navy in the pacific. 2020 was a significant year
for the Royal Australian Navy with the posthumous
awarding of the Victoria Cross to Ordinary Seaman Edward
“Teddy” Sheean, the first Navy crew member to be awarded
Australia’s highest honour Australian Navy. Teddy Sheean
was killed in action with the sinking of the HMAS Armidale on
1st December 1942 after defying orders to abandon ship,
instead strapping himself to an anti-aircraft gun and continually
engaging Japanese bombers despite being wounded.
Following the Second World War, the Royal Australian Navy
again served with British and American sailors as military
operations in Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf
and Indian Ocean. Alongside the Australian Army, the Navy
has deployed on peacekeeping operations in East Timor and
the Solomon Islands.
An integral element of Australia’s Humanitarian Assistance
and Disaster Relief capability, the Royal Australian Navy has
regularly provided assistance to nations within our near region
including the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, the 2005 Banda
Aceh Earthquake and various Cyclones in the Philippines,
Vanuatu, Fiji and Australia. The Royal Australian Navy
continues to deploy ships to the Middle East Region as part of
international efforts to ensure maritime security and counter
piracy. Since 2006, the Royal Australian Navy has been a
leading contributor to Australian Border Protection
operations continually deploying ships and personnel against
threats of illegal maritime arrivals and illegal activity in
protected waters amongst others.
46 The Top Ender | Tri-Services Magazine Incorporated FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021 47