Veterans Archives - CONTACT magazine

An M1A2 Abrams tank arrives at Lavarack Barracks, Townsville on 14 November 2024. Photo by Corporal Guy Sadler.

Letters to the Editor Veterans

What Will the Chief of Army’s Reply be?

17/05/202517/05/2025 Bruce Cameron 862 Views 1 Comment

The following is the letter I sent to Lieutenant General Simon Stuart on 10 May 2025: “Dear General, I have

Australian Army soldiers from the 1st Armoured Regiment conduct manoeuvre training on an M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank in Puslatpur, Indonesia during Exercise Super Garuda Shield 2023. Photo by Corporal Dustin Anderson.

Letters to the Editor Veterans

“Publicly criticising an official Army position amounts to insubordination”

09/05/202509/05/2025 Bruce Cameron 553 Views 0 Comments

1st Armoured Regiment has been stripped of its tanks, reduced to one third of its strength and made a ‘new

An Australian Army Abrams M1A2 SEPv3 main battle tank fires during a training serial as part of a soldier qualification course at Puckapunyal Military Area, Victoria. Photo by Corporal Jacob Joseph.

Letters to the Editor Veterans

List of ‘Firsts’ for Australian Armour

06/05/2025 Bruce Cameron 501 Views 0 Comments

“The Australian Army has officially welcomed a second tank squadron to the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, marking the first time in

Commander 3 Brigade Brigadier Ben McLennan addresses executives from the Australian Industry Group (AIG) during a visit to Lavarack Barracks, Townsville on 13 March 2025. Photo by Major Gabrielle Taylor.

Letters to the Editor Veterans

Update for Commander, 3rd Armoured Brigade

06/05/202506/05/2025 Bruce Cameron 577 Views 0 Comments

Brigadier Ben McLennan, Commander 3 Brigade, congratulated two of his Brigade’s units in his ‘X tweet’ for 27 April 2025

Brigadier Dave McCammon and W02 Robert Munro conduct a lap of 3rd Brigade in an M1A2 at Lavarack Barracks, Townsville, Queensland. Photo by Private Jess Gray.

Letters to the Editor Veterans

What’s the Chief of Army up to?

04/05/202504/05/2025 Bruce Cameron 1204 Views 0 Comments

Once upon a time … the Chief needed a ‘unit’ to come on-line quickly and manage ‘emerging technologies’. 1st Armoured

An Australian Centurion Mk V/1 tank of the 1st Armoured Regiment, Royal Australian Armoured Corps, guarding the approaches to the 1 Australian Task Force base located at Courtenay Hill. A hootchie has been set up over the turret as a sun screen and a sand bagged observation post is visible on the hill top. Photo by Brian Wood – AWM P07256.031

Letters to the Editor Veterans

The Plight of Australia’s Military: Its Armour at least

02/05/2025 Bruce Cameron 1287 Views 0 Comments

The Plight of Australia’s Military was the title of an email to me from Professor Geoffrey Blainey, AC, arguably Australia’s

The railway embankment which ran parallel to the Hindenburg Line south east of Bullecourt. The tank shown in the distance broke down above the shelter which housed the Headquarters of the 48th Battalion (Lieutenant Colonel R. L. Leane) during the first assault upon the Hindenburg Line (11 April 1917). The embankment was also the position of Brigadier General Gellibrand's Headquarters (6th Infantry Brigade) during the second assault (3 May 1917). AWM : E01408 COURTESY OF - Australian War Memorial

Australian Army Europe News Veterans

Four unidentified Aussie WWI soldiers found

26/04/2025 Posted by Brian Hartigan 3200 Views 1 Comment Bullecourt, Unrecovered War Casualties – Army Unit

The remains of four Australian soldiers have been found in northern France, almost 108 years since they died during the

An Australian Army soldier from the 1st Armoured Regiment with an uncrewed ground vehicle equipped with a prototype communications system and experimental drone launcher during Project Convergence Capstone 5 at Fort Irwin, California. Photo by Corporal Nakia Chapman.

Letters to the Editor Veterans

Why Hasn’t the Australian Public Been Told?

26/04/2025 Bruce Cameron 1282 Views 3 Comments

Extracts from the 2023 Defence Strategic Review: “Army’s combat brigades must be reroled and select capabilities postured in northern Australia.”

An Australian Army M1A1 Abrams Tank is loaded onto a Royal Australian Navy light landing craft, during Exercise Sea Explorer, Cowley Beach, Queensland. Story by Photo by Leading Aircraftwoman Jacqueline Forrester.

Letters to the Editor Veterans

An Open Letter to Prospective new Defence Ministers

23/04/2025 Bruce Cameron 769 Views 2 Comments

Eighteen months ago, the Defence Strategic Review stipulated that an armoured brigade should be located in Townsville. This requirement has

Centurion tanks from 1st Armoured Regiment, and armoured personnel carriers from B Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, move along the main road of Binh Ba village. Over three days, armour and infantry dislodged a strong North Vietnamese Army group that had entered the village, for the loss of one Australian killed in action. AWM BEL/69/0389/VN. Binh Ba.

Letters to the Editor Veterans

Letter to 95-Year-Old Professor Who’s Seen it All Before

22/04/2025 Bruce Cameron 583 Views 0 Comments

Dear Professor Blainey, Thank you for your article (in the Weekend Australian) ‘We were better prepared for war in 1914

Members of Overwatch Battle Group–West get ready to participate in an ANZAC Day Dawn Service at Talil, Iraq, 2008. Photo by Brian Hartigan.

Lest We Forget Letters to the Editor Veterans

Recognising Recent Sacrifices

21/04/2025 Bruce Cameron 788 Views 0 Comments

The NSW government has released the design and location for a new war memorial to honour the service and sacrifice

ANZAC Day Dawn Service at Talil, Iraq, 2008. Photo by Brian Hartigan.

ADF News Veterans

NSW to build memorial to contemporary veterans

18/04/202501/05/2025 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1076 Views 0 Comments

New South Wales government has revealed the designs and location for a new war memorial dedicated to honouring the service

Letters to the Editor Veterans

Army’s Tank Numbers: A Revolving Dance Card

18/04/2025 Bruce Cameron 1433 Views 0 Comments

In terms of the standard organisation, a tank regiment comprises three sabre (fighting) squadrons, each squadron comprises four troops of

Photo of William Henry Belpitt in 1886. Source: USN Memorial Foundation

Lest We Forget Veterans

A BARE PATCH OF GROUND

17/04/2025 Posted by Brian Hartigan 941 Views 0 Comments

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there were hundreds, if not thousands of carefree Australian larrikins craving adventure.

An Australian light-armoured vehicle (ASLAV) negotiates a creek crossing during an exercise at Jungle Training Wing, Tully, Queensland. Photo by Corporal Nicole Dorrett.

Letters to the Editor Veterans

Army Scraps Second Armoured Squadron

17/04/2025 Bruce Cameron 664 Views 1 Comment

I mentioned on 5 April that a squadron of tanks has been removed from Army’s order of battle. It is

An Australian Army M1A1 Abrams at Shoalwater Bay, Queensland. Photo by Private Jacob Hilton.

Letters to the Editor Veterans

Ongoing Campaign to Return 1 Armd Regt to it’s Combat Role

14/04/202517/04/2025 Bruce Cameron 519 Views 0 Comments 1 Armd Regt

“The M1A2 SEPv3 will upgrade the current Australian fleet of M1A1 SA tanks with no changes to Royal Australian Armoured

A newly acquired M1A2 Abrams main battle tank arrives at Lavarack Barracks in Townsville. Photos by Corporal Guy Sadler.

Australian Army Letters to the Editor Veterans

Many problems hindering 3 Brigade’s new roles

11/04/2025 Bruce Cameron 1062 Views 0 Comments 1 Armd Regt

Defence Press Release, 28 September 2023… “The 3rd Brigade, based in Townsville, will be an armoured combat brigade.” The Defence

Family, friends and members of the local and ADF communities attend a 20th anniversary memorial service for the 'Shark 02' helicopter crash, conducted at the Fleet Air Museum, HMAS Albatross. Photo by Petty Officer Peter Thompson.

News Royal Australian Air Force Royal Australian Navy Veterans

Defence commemorates 20th anniversary of ‘Shark 02’ crash

02/04/202503/04/2025 Posted by Brian Hartigan 682 Views 1 Comment Shark 02

The Australian Defence Force today commemorated the 20th anniversary of the crash of Navy Westland Sea King Mk 50 helicopter,

An Australian Army M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank from the 1st Armoured Regiment, drives through the Cultana Training Area, SA during Exercise Rhino Run 24. Photo by Corporal Johnny Huang.

Letters to the Editor Veterans

The Unjust Treatment of 1st Armoured Regiment: Who Should Apologise?

30/03/202530/03/2025 Bruce Cameron 999 Views 0 Comments

FILE PHOTO (May 2024): An Australian Army M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank from the 1st Armoured Regiment, drives through the

The wreck of No 454 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, Baltimore FW282, which was shot down during the conduct of a maritime reconnaissance mission on 3 December 1943. The wreck was located by AegeanTec in July 2024, with confirmation of the identity of the aircraft made in December 2024. Photo supplied by AegeanTec.

New Zealand News Royal Australian Air Force UK Veterans

WWII RAAF bomber found off Greece

27/03/2025 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1398 Views 0 Comments

A Royal Australian Air Force Baltimore bomber aircraft, which was lost while on an operational mission during the Second World

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