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CONTACT magazine

Personal stories

Personal stories 

Digging Up Bones

31/12/2024 Dave Beck 1330 Views 0 Comments HMAS Vampire, USS Barb

In early June of 1966 The USS Barb SSN 596 made a recreational visit to Singapore. While at sea I

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Lieutenant (ret'd) Les Gade, aged 94, a member of the Parramatta subbranch and formally of the Polish Army has recently been made a Commander of the Order of Merit by the Republic of Poland for his service during WWII.
Letters to the Editor Personal stories 

Parramatta RSL member receives Polish award

30/07/202330/07/2023 Parramatta Sub Branch RSL 2333 Views 0 Comments

Dear Editor, Please be advised that Lieutenant (ret’d) Les Gade, aged 94, a member of the Parramatta subbranch and formally

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Studio portrait of ex-Warrant Officer Alfred James Marquis who served during World War 2. Photo courtesy of Australian War Memorial, Accession Number AWM2017.520.1.5994. Story by Private Nicholas Marquis.
ADF People History Lest We Forget Personal stories 

Honouring ‘Rusty’, the last Navy beach commando

27/07/2023 Posted by Mike Hughes 1307 Views 0 Comments AWM, WWII

Private Nicholas Marquis reflects on the colourful life of his grandfather and one of the first Warrant Officers of the

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ADF People News Personal stories Veterans 

Invictus Games Athlete Profile – Brooke Mead

21/04/202321/04/2023 Brooke Mead 3586 Views 0 Comments Invictus Games, Invictus Games 2023

ADF service: I joined the Royal Australian Navy as a Communication Information Systems Sailor at age 18 in 2012. As a

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Lest We Forget Personal stories 

Bangka Island Massacre Podcast

27/03/202327/03/2023 Virtual War Memorial Australia 1287 Views 0 Comments

Discover a riveting new podcast series that offers a haunting and poignant retelling of one of the darkest moments in

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Letters to the Editor Personal stories 

Peas, Beans and Bullets

19/12/202119/12/2021 Russ Morison 2396 Views 0 Comments

HI Everyone, by way of introduction, I spent 40 years in Defence, 27 of them in a baggy green suit,

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The RAAF Roulettes fly under the sun. Photo: Mike Hughes.
Personal stories 

RAAF Centenary airshow – a locals viewpoint

06/04/2021 Posted by Mike Hughes 2042 Views 0 Comments

Organising and then running an airshow is a daunting and frustrating task and if the stars align and the wind

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Two Australian Mirage fighters from 79 Squadron over land near Butterworth. RAAF photo.
ADF Australian CONTACT BLOG SPOT History Letters to the Editor News Personal stories Veterans 

RCB denied Warlike Service appeal

01/06/202001/06/2020 Steven McCulloch 9108 Views 1 Comment

Our appeal [that AASM be awarded for ‘warlike service’ with Rifle Company Butterworth from September 1974 to December 1980] was

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Imagery scanned from Navy Historic Archive – HMAS Junee.
Personal stories 

National Service in the 50s

05/04/202005/04/2020 Mel Austin 2129 Views 0 Comments

FILE PHOTO: Image scanned from Navy Historic Archive – HMAS Junee.   Congratulations on such a successful website Brian. I’m

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Two Australian Mirage fighters from 79 Squadron over land near Butterworth. RAAF photo.
CONTACT BLOG SPOT Personal stories Veterans 

The Deception

03/01/202003/01/2020 Peter Kelly 5371 Views 3 Comments

By Peter Kelly If you asked any soldier, sailor or airman who is even remotely involved in warfighting if they

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HMAS Otama in Sydney Harbour. Photo by Marius Bar Toulon.
CONTACT BLOG SPOT Personal stories Tall Tale or True 

Buddies in Boats

03/01/202003/01/2020 Rick 3398 Views 1 Comment

FILE PHOTO (23 July 1982): HMAS Otama in Sydney Harbour. Photo by Marius Bar Toulon.   Twas February 1978….[might have been

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CONTACT BLOG SPOT Editor's Blog Personal stories 

Happy New Year – 20 years after 1999

02/01/202002/01/2020 Brian Hartigan 2341 Views 0 Comments

I sent the following message to CONTACT DFSW Club members yesterday, and thought it appropriate to pass it on more

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Dave Stafford Finney, RIP 2 February 2019
Dave Finney Lest We Forget News Personal stories Royal Australian Navy Veterans 

RIP Dave Stafford Finney – 3 February 2019

03/02/201919/06/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 14157 Views 6 Comments Dave Stafford Finney

Dave Stafford Finney, a recently retired Royal Australian Navy Petty Officer – is how he described himself when he allowed

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Dave Finney's medals
CONTACT BLOG SPOT Dave Finney Personal stories 

These medals aren’t free

02/12/201719/06/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 10162 Views 5 Comments

The truth is, I use to be tough, at least I thought I was, as a teenager I wanted to

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Photo courtesy Dave Finney collection
CONTACT BLOG SPOT Dave Finney Personal stories 

When I have too much time to think

18/11/201719/06/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 3968 Views 1 Comment

When I have too much time to think… this happens. What will be my legacy? What will I be remembered

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CONTACT BLOG SPOT Dave Finney Personal stories 

I am an Australian sailor

04/11/201719/06/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 5415 Views 0 Comments Australian Sailor

I am an Australian Sailor. I am not only an Australian sailor, but I am also proud – proud of

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CONTACT BLOG SPOT Dave Finney Personal stories 

You will no longer wear that uniform!

20/10/201719/06/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 8774 Views 1 Comment

Well, just short of 20 years, and even though I knew it was coming it is still a tough pill

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CONTACT BLOG SPOT Personal stories 

The Unlikely Patriot?

05/03/201710/06/2019 Posted by Brian Hartigan 3829 Views 1 Comment Patriot

Real patriots don’t necessary wear their national flag as a cape. Real patriots don’t always have to tattoo their love of

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About CONTACT

Contact is an independent veteran owned and operated Australian publishing house that curates this web site and a weekly newsletter – available by subscribing (free) via Patreon.

Write to us via editor@militarycontact.com

 

CONTACT Air Land & Sea plus COMBAT Camera magazines were past publications of this business. Digital copies of both magazines can be viewed or downloaded via our Archives (see menus).

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