Commando Edition 17 2023

Jack and his wife Elizabeth migrated to Australia on
retirement.
Following his commando training Phillip’s next
posting was as Officer Commanding (OC) 2 Com -
mando Company in Melbourne with the rank of Major.
Based at Ripponlea it was a CMF unit but many of its
members and Regular Army training staff were WW2 or
Korean War veterans. Some were both. Phillip’s
Quarter master Sergeant was Jack Cousins, who also
served with 3RAR in Korea and was awarded the United
States Bronze Star 'for courage in assaulting the
enemy' during 3 RAR's action near Yongju.
Among other significant Officers and NCOs who
served with Phillip at Ripponlea were John Fletcher,
John Sheldrick, Bruce Fox, George ‘Taffy’ Drakopoulos,
Peter Askew, Col Barbour, John O’Rourke, Ted Malone,
Ray Sanders, Don Bergman and Kevin Collins.
As with all military exercises, Commando training
carried its own dangers. John Anderson, who was to be
Phillip’s predecessor at 2 Commando Company,
drowned while training with the British Marines. A few
months after Phillip took command in July 1958, Peter
Herd drowned at Half Moon Bay during Frogman
activities.
Further tragedy was on the horizon. In February
1960, under Phillip’s command, 74 Commandos and
Amphibious Platoon members set off from Point
Lonsdale in kayaks, DUKWs and inflatable Zodiacs for a
simulated attack on the Officers' Training School at
Portsea, across Port Phillip.
A fierce ebb tide and raging seas caught the raid
party off-guard, washing many craft out through the
Port Phillip Heads. Kayaks, DUKWs and other safety
craft sank or were swamped. Groups of Commandos
clung to overturned craft in the water for hours, some
out in Bass Strait, before being rescued
Just before midnight, the bodies of Warrant Officer
George Drakopoulos and Private Eddie Meyer were
dragged aboard the pilot ship Akuna. Private Roger
Wood's body was never recovered.
Subsequent coronial inquests and a rigorous
military court of inquiry cleared Phillip of any wrong
doing or incompetence. Because of the respect he had
earned in his career his senior commanders supported
him, despite some adverse political pressure.
Later in 1960 Phillip hosted the Commandant
General of the British Royal Marines, Lt- General Sir Ian
Riches, at the Ripponlea depot. Sir Ian presented the
Company with the Commando knife unit emblem, to
mark the alliance between 45 Commando and 2 Com -
mando Company, formalized earlier that year.
After his three year term as the 2 Commando
Company OC, Phillip immediately began advanced
training at the Australian Staff College – the path to
senior military positions. On completion, his next post -
ing was as the Senior Instructor of the Officer Cadet
School at Portsea before carrying out senior manage -
ment duties at Army Headquarters in Canberra.
Inherently an Infantry officer, Phillip then Com -
manded 1st Battalion RAR. During its time in the
Vietnam War its most significant actions were in the
Battle of Coral–Balmoral in mid-1968. The Australian
Task Force, including 1RAR, prevented the advance of
the North Vietnam Army on Saigon, at the cost of
significant casualties, many suffered by the 1RAR
Mortar Platoon. For his service in Vietnam as CO of
1RAR Phillip was awarded the Distinguished Service
Order.
Left: Captain David Gilder,
left, Commandant-General of
the Royal Marines, Lt-General
Sir Ian Riches and Major Phillip
Bennett, on the occasion of
General Riches visit to 2
Commando Company at
Ripponlea in October 1960.
Photo supplied.
Right: Lt-General Sir Ian Riches
presents the boomerang and
dagger plaque to Major Phillip
Bennett, during his 1960 visit
to 2 Commando Company.
Photo supplied.
Left: Sir Phillip with World War 2
resistance heroine Nancy Wake
at 2 Commando Company’s 40 th
anniversary celebrations in 1995.
Photo Graeme Wilson.
Right: Sir Phillip unveils the
Commando Rip memorial at
the inaugural dedication at
Queenscliff in the year 2000.
Photo supplied.
COMMANDO ~ The Magazine of the Australian Commando Association ~ Edition 17 I 2023 57