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By George Mansford

Australian National Flag. Courtesy PM&C.
Poets Corner 

Australia Day

20/01/2023 Posted by Brian Hartigan 408 Views 0 Comments By George Mansford

The night before the historic day, campfires were well alight Burning with true blue flickering flames so bright Creeping warmth

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Poets Corner 

The Misery of War Never Ends

12/12/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 466 Views 0 Comments By George Mansford

Soldiers are trained to kill and endure battle din No second chance, no shoulder shrugging or apologetic grin They bayonet,

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Australian Army Sergeant Tarese Heath (operating ventilator) and US colleagues transfer a wounded patient from a medical evacuation helicopter to the Emergency Department of the Air Force Theater Hospital at Balad, Iraq. Photo by Major Patricia Anderson, US Army.
Poets Corner 

Space Age Angels

14/11/202214/11/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 424 Views 0 Comments By George Mansford

You ask this old soldier where I’ve been Oh, to see the space age medics and their teams So many

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Placing a poppy on the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial. Photo by Corporal Nunu Campos.
Poets Corner 

DO WE REALLY HONOUR OUR PAST?

14/11/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 384 Views 0 Comments By George Mansford

Stand tall and proud for all those yesterdays When our flag of unity was first flown to lead the way

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Australian National Flag. Courtesy PM&C.
Letters to the Editor Poets Corner 

Get Rid of the Fool in Green

03/07/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 773 Views 0 Comments By George Mansford

I know this scribble is a touch repetitive but it’s very difficult to ignore such a slur directed at our

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Frank Moffitt Australia Day in Brisbane with 1RAR, 1959.
Poets Corner 

Many salutes to our cobber, Frank Moffitt

03/07/202203/07/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 494 Views 0 Comments By George Mansford

It is nearing 68 years since I returned late at night after leave in WA, and reported to the orderly

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Photo by Warrant Officer Class Two Gary Ramage.
Poets Corner 

THE ANZACS ARE WATCHING

16/04/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 686 Views 0 Comments By George Mansford

Amid constant gloom and distant frowns Increasing debt, and heads drooping down Comes a time when a youngster will ask

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Australian Army soldiers from the 5th Engineer Regiment use earth-moving equipment to clear debris from a flood-affected house in Lismore, New South Wales, during Operation Flood Assist 2022. Photo by Corporal Jonathan Goedhart.
Poets Corner 

Tomorrow we will

21/03/202221/03/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 879 Views 0 Comments By George Mansford

Faith, Hope, Unity and Purpose are Powerful National Weapons When you hear Mother Nature is about to tear us apart

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Major General Ron Grey inspects members of the 5th/7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment on parade at Holsworthy in 1981 – and at a social function in 2012. Uniformed photo by Sergeant Craig Murphy. Social photo by Brian Hartigan.
Poets Corner 

Caesar Still Lives 

23/01/202224/01/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1300 Views 0 Comments By George Mansford

Major General R.A. Grey AO, DSO – a salute from all his centurions, living and dead Find me the soldier who

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Poets Corner 

Keeping the Home Fires Burning

01/01/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 836 Views 0 Comments By George Mansford

I watched as the young widow laid her wreath. I wanted to tell her I was with her husband shortly

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Major (read) James Joseph 'Jock' Smith MC and Bar – RIP 12 November 2021 aged 83.
Poets Corner 

Until we are all together again

15/11/202115/11/2021 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1082 Views 0 Comments By George Mansford

In the mist of time, Jock’s fond familiar image reaches out Fleeting frames of determination, duty and a heart so

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Australian Army soldier Private Clayton Baird from 51st Battalion, Far North Queensland Regiment, ready for a vehicle-mounted patrol during a training exercise in the Townsville Field Training Area. Photo by Major Al Green.
Poets Corner 

Soldiering in the 51st 

19/09/202119/09/2021 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1218 Views 0 Comments By George Mansford

Born on the sands of Egypt, christened with rum, then issued 303s Your sacred Cloths now stitched with proud deeds

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Poets Corner 

The Squadron will never stay buried 

09/09/202109/09/2021 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1077 Views 0 Comments By George Mansford

Can you hear the stirring sounds of band and drums? As ghosts of Two Squadron’s many generations march as one

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Take a Deep Breath – poem by Brigadier (retd) George Mansford
Letters to the Editor 

2 Squadron SASR must be reinstated

26/08/2021 Posted by Brian Hartigan 3226 Views 4 Comments By George Mansford

Along with so many others, I will never understand the decision by Canberra to remove 2 Squadron SASR from the order of battle.

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Photo by Brian Hartigan
Poets Corner 

When will someone in Canberra crack the whip?

31/07/2021 Posted by Brian Hartigan 572 Views 0 Comments By George Mansford

With familiar sounds of whips cracking, Down Under led the Planet’s pack Visionary, bright, united and proud, we never ever looked back

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Group photo of troops involved in a complex assault during combined-arms training near Townsville, including 3rd Brigade, 11th Brigade, Royal Yeomanry and Queens Dragoon Guards. Photo by Major Al Green, digitally altered by CONTACT.
Poets Corner 

Another time – another life

18/07/2021 Posted by Brian Hartigan 506 Views 0 Comments By George Mansford

Such a sacred oath to swear Of duty, discipline, and risk of life itself A proud flag to carry, and the nation’s cloth to wear.

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Soldiers from 7th Brigade are welcomed home from deployments overseas by the people of Brisbane with a parade through the city's streets on 17 September 2016. Photo by Corporal Max Bree
Poets Corner 

There are no winners

04/07/2021 Posted by Brian Hartigan 596 Views 0 Comments By George Mansford

No matter age or season, the God of War is never far away One small chink in a tribe’s armour,

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CONTACT Editor Brian Hartigan (not a Nasho) on the bayonet assault course with SLR, 1990.
Poets Corner 

Bayonet drill for recruits

30/06/2021 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1077 Views 0 Comments By George Mansford

Oh, how old soldiers remember past days with bayonet drill The shrieking orders; “on guard, thrust, parry, feint” “Go for

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

Our leaders of tomorrow

20/06/202120/06/2021 Posted by Brian Hartigan 787 Views 0 Comments By George Mansford

You, precious youth, are our nation’s future Look back beyond yesterday to unfold true history

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Members of Australia's Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) prepare to fly into Oruzgan's Baluchi Valley and Chora regions in support of an MTF1 mission, in 2010. Photo by Lieutenant Aaron Oldaker.
Poets Corner 

THE ANZACS WILL NOT BE HAPPY

26/05/202127/05/2021 Posted by Brian Hartigan 623 Views 0 Comments By George Mansford

We swore sacred vow for very good reason For love of country, not broken promise and false gold Ready to give all, many did in bloody season

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About CONTACT

Contact Publishing Pty Ltd is an independent veteran owned and operated Australian publishing business that curates this daily blog, a fortnightly newsletter and a quarterly magazine – only available by subscribing free (above).

editor@militarycontact.com

+61 (0)408 496 664

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NSW 2533
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