right royal visit p2 7 bde's grand send - Department of Defence

Army February 4, 2010
ooking up a feast: RSM WO 1 Darren Murch and CO Lt-Col Andrew Hocking, MRTF 2, cook a barbecue with a
tudent from the trade training school at Camp Holland in Afghanistan. Photo by Sgt Mick Davis
AUSTRALIA DAY 27
Celebrating a
great nation
AS AUSTRALIANS celebrated
Australia Day and ‘threw another
shrimp on the barbie’, so too did
our troops here and overseas.
Sports were a large focus for the
day as soldiers took time out to relax
and celebrate.
Troops in the Middle East
embraced the spirit of Australia Day
with the recognition of their own
ADF ‘Lambassador’, RAAF Cpl
Dean Bickley.
“Thanks to all the lamb farmers
from Gidgegannup to Alice
River for the fare that we barbecued
today,” Cpl Bickley said.
In Tarin Kowt, troops celebrated
the day by pitching the officers
and SNCOs against the soldiers in a
cricket match.
“There was also a bit of international
rivalry when the Australians
took on the Dutch and the United
States in cricket later in the day,”
RSM MRTF 2 WO1 Darren Murch
said.
Similarly in East Timor and
Solomon Islands, troops participated
in various sporting activities and
ended their days with barbecues.
In Australia, the ADF contributed
to the celebrations throughout
the country. The main focus was in
Sydney were Gunners from 23 Fd
Regt and 7 Fd Bty had an auspicious
start to the year when they fired a
ceremonial 21-gun salute at Sydney
Harbour.
The day featured performances
by the 23 Fd Regt band, an aerial
demonstration by the Red Berets,
and a speech by Commander
Forcomd Maj-Gen David Morrison.
In Canberra, the AFG conducted
a royal guard for the Governor
General, raised the flag and fired a
21-gun salute at Regatta Point.
On fire: Gunners from 23 Fd Regt and 7 Fd Regt fire the guns at the
celebrations in Sydney. Photo by Michael Brooke