In my 12 short years in The Army I’ve had my fair share of parades in polyesters and DPCUs; however, today I got to view the parade from a perspective that few people get to, from behind a lens. I was asked if I would like to do some photography for my discharging unit for their 20th birthday parade. How could I say no to that?
Gerald joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in 1956 as an engine fitter. After doing his training in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Gerald served in several depots around Sydney and Amberly.
Gerald was posted to 82 Wing, Bombers Sqn for one year, He later posted to Malaya in 1961 to 77 Squadron Fighter Sqn, where he would be servicing F86 Sabres.
During his time in the fighter squadrons which lasted about 10 years, he served in 3 Sqn, 75 Sqn, 76 Sqn, 77 Sqn and 79 Sqn, all which had F86 Sabres.
Gerald’s first war time experience was when he was alerted by the
Southeast Asian treaty Organisation (SEATO) to defend Thailand against Laos, Gerald’s outfit was sent to Ubon Ratchathani, where he spent two tours.
During Gerald’s first tour, he had a red alert and was ordered to prepare fighting pits, he was issued with a SMLE .303 and 30 rounds of ammunition without signing for them. Gerald’s commanders issued orders for them to prepare for immanent action; however, nothing eventuated. The Second tour Gerald describes it as just sitting at base servicing equipment going into Vietnam, the true phase of war, waiting, waiting and waiting some more.
In 1964 Gerald was sent to Singapore as Indonesia had made claims that they would attack Singapore and Australia. Gerald’s unit would be positioned at the Airstrip in Changi where they would be under constant scrambles against the Indonesian Air force.
After returning to Australia, many opportunities arose for Gerald to serve overseas again; however, he would turn them down. After being posted to Darwin, Gerald would now be introduced to a new aircraft, The Mirage, where he stayed until he was posted to Support command.
Many years after leaving the Air Force, Gerald decided to see a Psychiatrist, as the daily reminder of the constant threat of potential frontline combat during his tour to Malaya had taken it’s tole. He was later diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Gerald’s coping mechanism for this prior to seeing the specialist was by masking the problems with heavy alcohol consumption for some 40 years.
Gerald was later sent to the Keith Payne Unit at Greenslopes Private Hospital to undergo intensive rehabilitation and therapy to control his heavy drinking, Depression and PTSD.
I had the privilege of meeting Gerald whilst I to was undergoing my own treatment for PTSD, Major Depression and Attempted Suicide, Gerald was one of those blokes that would take the time to sit down and have a chat no matter what the time of day or business he had to attend to. Gerald is what we call a True Blue Bloke.
Today I headed out to Redcliffe, QLD to partake in Equine Therapy. As a sufferer of PTSD, Major Depression and Anxiety Disorder, this was really a good chance to just bond and get away from what triggers everything.
The Program was created by Wounded Heroes Australia to help soldiers dealing with the stresses of what they’ve been through during their time in the military, a chance to connect with horses and make a bond and connection with these majestic animals. The Idea is this bond allows you to de-stress and unwind from the noise that creates the storm in their heads.
The soldiers at the end of the day are noticeably relaxed and have made a bond that cannot be broken with these majestic creatures. The ability to come back and share this connection, gives the soldiers respite from their otherwise crowded minds.
The Organiser, Peter Riches, is also a returned serviceman and Vietnam Veteran. He volunteers his time to help the soldiers of today, his ability to share similar emotion makes the experience all that more accommodating and pleasant.
The Soldiers feedback from the event has been overwhelmingly positive. For them, it’s not just about getting off base, but that connection that they have made with the horses, it is an everlasting memory that they can go back to and reflect on when times for them are dark.
If you want to know more about Wounded Heroes, you can find more information about them through there website http://www.woundedheroes.org.au/. I look forward to the next time I can bring you more news on what these guys are doing.
Jane Slayer is the President of Riding for disabled association, the associations slogan is Riding Develops Ability (RDA). The venue and the horses for these events are provided by Volunteers at the Redcliffe Showgrounds. Janes team runs a similar program called riding for disabled. The program brings the local community with physical and cognitive disabilities the chance to interact with the horses on a emotional and physical level.
David a volunteer and coach for riding for disabled works tirelessly around the venue to keep it up to date.It’s 4:30 am, and the alarm rings loud; you jump out of bed and try to clear your head.
Time goes by as you sit, ponder and think about the times that have gone by. Tears well, the memories are hard. You think of your family and not your paternal family, but your family forged through hard times, good times and the times you could wish you’d forget.
You make your way to the kitchen, grab the coffee, mug and boil the jug. You pour the rum, mix the coffee for its time for your gunfire breakfast.
The pain gets harder; you try to numb it; the only way you know is to drink and swallow pills. Slowly the pain fades, but it’s only temporary.
You know you have mates, brothers and sisters who you can talk to and confide to, but you still feel like the emptiest and loneliest person alive.
You look up, a blazer, neatly placed with pieces of tin, they represent the past, you think, how? Why? When will it end?
Anzac Day for so many veterans is a fucking lonely day. If you know a veteran, reach out to them, ask them how they are going, sit down with them, take them out for a catch-up; you never know, that little interaction may save someone’s life.
Sitting in an alley way at midnight, only a garbage load away from another bloke shooting heroin.
I think to myself, what is the difference between this man and myself? What brought him to this alley and what makes us so different?
The struggle is real! We are both men with two different lives. In the same alley thinking… where did it all go wrong?
Booval, a eastern suburb of Ipswich, has rubbish left lying on the ground. The suburb resembles what looks to be the deralict resemblance of a low income populas.
This is the excerpt for a placeholder post.
G’day, my name is Chris and I am a new and interesting blogger.
I have served 12.5 Years in The Australian Army as a Advanced Operator Administrative and Fitter Armament Advanced. I have had the opportunity to see most of this great country we call Australia whilst employed by The Army. I have been posted to the Northern Territory, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. I have Deployed on Operations to the Middle East with the 7th Battalion,
The Royal Australian Regiment as part of Security Detachment to the Australian Embassy in Baghdad.
I grew up in a coal mining town called Lithgow, in the central tablelands of New South Wales. Life in Lithgow was different, I grew up in a broken family with a single mother for most of my childhood. The particular part of town I grew up in was rife with Alcohol, Drugs and Violence. As a kid it wasn’t anything for me to come home of an afternoon from the park in tears after one of the older kids would try and bash you or hurt you in some manner. I was lucky enough that we got out of that area after my mother met her new husband, he took us into his house and life got a little easier.
After I finished Year 10, I was encouraged by the principal to not go onto to year 11 & 12 as it was of his opinion I didn’t have the academics to continue with school. His words have stuck with me to this day and I use them to drive me forward, they are ‘I think you will be one of those people that I see on the streets, you will become nothing’. I went on to finish a Certificate IV & III in Engineering -Mechanical, had a successful career in the Military and am now looking at my next steps as a photojournalist.
I am currently studying a Certificate IV in Photography and Photo Imaging and once I have completed the course, I will go onto complete a Bachelor of Photography,
Majoring in Documentary Photography. I look forward to bringing you the most up to date and relevant information from Australia and around the world.
Titan.416 