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CONTACT magazine

Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20

Sapper James Denton and Lance Corporal Stephen Baylis, of 5th Engineer Regiment, prepare to fell a burnt-out tree threatening a road near Wonboyn Lake. Photo by Sergeant Max Bree.
Australian Australian Army News Operations 

Answering trunk call with inside knowledge

16/01/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1649 Views 0 Comments Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20

Sections of chainsaw-armed sappers work to clear residential roads, create bush tracks for firefighters and fell fire-damaged trees in remote NSW towns.

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Australian Army CH-47 Chinook from Townsville-based 5th Aviation Regiment prepares to uplift hay bales to deliver to remote bushfire-affected farms on Kangaroo Island. Photo by Corporal Tristan Kennedy.
ADF Australian News Operations Videos 

Op Bushfire Assist – 15 January UPDATE

16/01/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 2301 Views 0 Comments Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20

Updated at 8am, 16 January 2020 More than 6000 full-time and reserve personnel are now providing direct support in the

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Japan Self-Defense Force personnel walk from their C-130H Hercules after arriving at RAAF Base Richmond to assist in Operation Bushfire Assist. Photo by David Said.
Asia Australian News Operations Videos 

Japan sending two Hercs for Bushfire Assist

16/01/202017/01/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 3525 Views 0 Comments Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20

Japan Self Defence Force is sending two C-130 Hercules and associated personnel to assist in Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20.

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A soldier from New Zealand Army’s 2ER gives water to a Koala while the unit assisted ADF members at Kangaroo Island’s Hanson Bay Wildlife Reserve.
Australian New Zealand News Operations Videos 

NZDF witness devastation and survival on Kangaroo Island

15/01/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 3531 Views 0 Comments Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20

NZDF personnel working on Kangaroo Island have seen first-hand the devastating impact Australia’s bushfires have had on communities and wildlife.

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A bulldozer is landed at HMAS Creswell, Jervis Bay, from HMAS Adelaide.
ADF Australian News Operations Videos 

Op Bushfire Assist – 14 January UPDATE

15/01/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 2845 Views 0 Comments Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20

Updated at 8am 15 January 2020 Watch Major General Jake Ellwood’s brief to media, 14 January 2020… MAIN PHOTO: A

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4th Combat Service Support Battalion Paramedic Private Rod Scanlon and Nursing Officer Captain Phil Barber at the Alpine Health Centre in Bright, where they took charge of community care in the absence of evacuated nurses. Photo by Corporal Sebastian Beurich.
Australian Australian Army News Operations 

Two soldiers thrust into town medical role when locals evacuate

14/01/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 2639 Views 0 Comments Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20

Two soldiers found themselves in a unique position to use their skills to assist a Victorian community during the bushfires.

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Sappers Kane Sorrell (on chainsaw) and David Mercuri from Brisbane-based 2 Squadron, 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment, help make the Monaro Highway safe. Photo by Sergeant Dave Morley
Australian Australian Army News Operations 

Chainsaw crews clearing vital links

14/01/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 2221 Views 0 Comments Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20

Queensland-based Army engineers have cleared a bushfire-affected section of the Monaro Highway between Bombala, NSW, and Cann River in Victoria.

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Lieutenant Kynan Lang from the 10th/27th Battalion, RSAR, is supported by colleagues at the place where his uncle and cousin died in a bushfire on Kangaroo, before placing a memorial in their honour. Photo by Corporal Tristan Kennedy.
Australian Australian Army News Operations Videos 

Army officer called-out to bushfire that killed family

14/01/202027/01/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 8153 Views 0 Comments Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20

A South Australian infantry officer heard of two family members killed by bushfires on the same day he was called out as an Army Reservist to the same fire.

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A Royal Australian Air Force Transportable Air Operations Tower operated by 44WG during Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20 at Bairnsdale Airport. Photo by Chris Loadsman.
Australian News Operations Royal Australian Air Force Videos 

All those choppers need tower support

14/01/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 3220 Views 0 Comments Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20

A transportable air-operations tower deployed at short notice to Bairnsdale in early January has proven invaluable to humanitarian-aid flights in Gippsland.

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A Royal New Zealand Air Force NH-90 helicopter loaded on a RAAF C-17A Globemaster III en-route from RNZAF Base Ohakea to RAAF Base Richmond for Operation Bushfire Assist tasking. Photo by Corporal Nicci Freeman.
Australian New Zealand News Operations Videos 

Help and hardware from across the ditch

14/01/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 3580 Views 0 Comments Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20

Deploying NH90 helicopters overseas is well-rehearsed by the Royal New Zealand Air Force, as bushfire relief operations in Australia have demonstrated.

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Australian News Operations Royal Australian Navy 

Albatross praised for bushfire support while base smouldered

14/01/202017/01/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 2499 Views 0 Comments Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20

HMAS Albatross and its resident squadrons have made a significant contribution to the aerial component of the NSW Rural Fire

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An injured koala rescued by the Australian Army soldiers, New Zealand Army sappers and RSPCA members are transported await veterinary treatment on Kangaroo Island during Operation Bushfire Assist. Photo by Corporal Tristan Kennedy.
Australian Australian Army News Operations Videos 

Army vet does perfect Drop Bear gag on TV reporter

13/01/202024/01/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 8409 Views 2 Comments Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20

Veterinarian and Army Reservist Captain Garnett Hall pulled off the perfect Drop Bear gag on an innocent Scottish TV reporter on Kangaroo Island this week.

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An Australian Army CH-47F Chinook helicopter loads stores on the flight deck of HMAS Adelaide during Operation Bushfire Assist. Photo by Petty Officer Tom Gibson.
ADF Australian News Operations Videos 

Op Bushfire Assist – 13 January UPDATE

13/01/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 2497 Views 0 Comments Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20

Operation Bushfire Assist continues to grow, with more ADF members joining the operation, and 100 PNGDF engineers touching down in Melbourne this evening.

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Kumul Force 17 personnel pose for a photo before embarking a RAAF C130 for Port Moresby to marry up with 18 Assault Pioneers from 1RPIR, and other elements from HQPNGDF, before being airlifted by two RAAF C130s to Melbourne, for the Operation Halivim Wantok. PNGDF photo.
Australian Australian Army News Operations Pacific 

PNG engineers arrive in Victoria

13/01/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 4839 Views 0 Comments Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20

Around 80 military engineers plus a command and liaison element from the Papua New Guinea Defence Force arrived in Australia today.

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An bird's eye view of the crashed water bomber recovery. ADF video screenshot.
Australian Australian Army News Operations Royal Australian Navy Videos 

Navy clearance divers recover crashed helicopter

13/01/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 3625 Views 0 Comments Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20

Navy clearance divers and an Army recovery mech successfully retrieved a crashed fire-bombing helicopter from a water reservoir near Eden, NSW.

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Private Andrew Cuttler, of the 5th/6th Royal Victorian Regiment, helps a State Emergency Service volunteer use the 'jaws of life' during training at the Bright SES depot. Photo by Corporal Sebastian Beurich.
Australian Australian Army News Operations 

Bright idea to exchange skills

13/01/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1980 Views 0 Comments Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20

Soldiers took the opportunity to learn about Victoria’s State Emergency Service road-crash rescue equipment during a skills exchange in Bright.

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Royal Australian Air Force C-27J Spartan pilots from No. 35 Squadron work in arduous conditions as they approach Mallacoota, Victoria, on a bushfire-evacuation sortie. Photo by Flight Lieutenant Luke Georgeson.
Australian News Operations Royal Australian Air Force 

Spartan and crews pushed to limits in nightmare conditions

13/01/202013/01/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 3381 Views 0 Comments Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20

Despite heavy smoke and poor visibility, 35 Squadron C-27J Spartan crews made essential contributions to airlift missions during the bushfire crisis.

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Republic of Fiji Military Forces, Sapper Gone Ketcee with Australian Army Sappers Tim Flack and David Jones on Koro Island during Operation Fiji Assist. Photo by Able Seaman Chris Beerens.
ADF Australian News Operations Pacific 

Fiji sending engineer platoon to help in bushfire cleanup

13/01/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 3305 Views 0 Comments Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20

The Australian Defence Force has accepted a Republic of Fiji offer to provide a platoon of engineers to help out on Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20.

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CONTACT BLOG SPOT Sir Jeffrey Armiger 

Defence optics suddenly warped by real-life bushfire task

12/01/202012/01/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 2295 Views 0 Comments Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20

Australian and New Zealand Army engineer support teams have begun the gruesome and inevitable task of collecting and burying dead

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An Australian Army Heavy Recovery Vehicle is used to recover a NSW Rural Fire Service-contracted helicopter that ditched in the Ben Boyd Reservoir near Eden, NSW. Photo: Sergeant Bill Solomou.
ADF Australian News Operations 

Op Bushfire Assist – 12 January UPDATE

12/01/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 5286 Views 0 Comments Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20

More than 5000 full-time and reserve personnel are now providing direct support in the field, at sea, in the air and

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