Founder visits Jungle Training Wing at Tully
Jungle Training Wing at Tully received a visit from its legendary founder, Brigadier (retired) “Warry” George Mansford, last month.
CAPTION: Major Simon Sullivan and Brigadier (read) ‘Warry’ Mansford at Jungle Training Wing, Tully. Photo and story by Sergeant Dave Morley.
Brigadier Mansford’s name is synonymous with the centre he founded in 1980, resonating with all Royal Australian Infantry soldiers and officers.
Having served in Korea in 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, the Malayan Emergency, Thai Border, Vietnam, New Guinea and Singapore, Brigadier Mansford raised and commanded the Army’s Battle School, now named Jungle Training Wing.
It was designed as a reminder of the rigours faced by Australian soldiers overseas in South-East Asia, providing combat training in some of the most unforgiving environments imaginable.
Officer Commanding Jungle Training Wing Major Simon Sullivan said signs of Brigadier Mansford were scattered throughout the camp and the George Mansford Mess was dedicated to him.
“His quotes adorn the walls and field classrooms as a reminder that the Jungle Training School exists to hone individual and collective skills of all ranks,” Major Sullivan said.
Brigadier Mansford spoke to Diggers about battle discipline and jungle training.
“His speech had humorous anecdotes from his time in service and was delivered with a passion and confidence that only Brigadier Mansford could do,” Major Sullivan said.
“They were his personal stories, all providing a stark reminder of the realities that come when serving within the Army and the infantry.
“Such is the overwhelming respect for this man that soldiers and officers alike still refer to him as Sir.”
Major Sullivan’s own connection to Brigadier Mansford goes back 16 years.
“Brigadier Mansford presented me with my 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, Royal Australian Infantry lanyard on graduating from Royal Military College to the corps in 2004,” he said.
Brigadier Mansford enlisted in 1951, was commissioned from the ranks in 1964 and served for four decades, retiring as a brigadier.
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I trained as an exchange between the AUS and US forces from Hawaii. I remember we would conclude our exercises and he would pop out of the jungle from seemingly nowhere with a complete critique. Although it’s been over 40 years i still remember much of that one week in 1981. Im glad to see he is still inspiring todays leaders.
I first saw SGT/ CPL not sure about rank in MT MEE Qld with a GROUP of men. We were both in 3RAR Echo COY. I was a very young soldier of 17 years. George was a old legend then, I think in Weapons PL. It was Pentropic those days. I went on with the Unit to Malaya .I only met George many years later in The Area Sgts Mess in Lavarak. He was a Colonel then and he was saying he was having problems getting permission to his young officers to do a water jump.
I remember he said he jumped them anyway. WHAT A SOLDIER AND LEADER! I did not know him well or serve under him ,however to me he was the best.(16704 WO2 W O PARRY (RET)
I went through twice in the early 80s, once as a digger and again as a Cpl seco. Yes, the force march into the camp, set the scene for the next two weeks that followed. It rained for every day and night we were out there for both two-week stints until the buses turned up to take us back to 3 Bde. I was certain Warry George arranged the bloody rain…will never forget the snakes, the Tully rats and the leaches….the bloody leaches…..back when I was young and fit!
The sign at the entrance should be taught to every Soldier regardless of Corps. I was part of the newly formed ODF in 1980 and did the Battle School as one the first Platoons 2Pl A Coy 2/4 RAR, to go through. The forced march into the school was just the start of a very arduous fortnight, good memories of Warry George though. Mark 63A
6 bn looked upon maj Mansford as UNCLE GEORGE, he was a legend in the bn, and yes i was a instructor at the school for a 3 months trial was asked to stay on but RSM Wayne Wills said i had to go back to 5/7,