No Angry Shots ...
returning Home
Thank you for your time sharing this story. It’s pretty basic. Some pretty cool places visited, some weird shit on some of our Exercises, funny stories from our Lines, and some fantastic people. A few stories and hopefully a few lessons to consider. Sure, my Army career didn’t end the way I expected or planned, but that is life. It ended somewhere else that I am proud of. And the lessons and learnings from the Army stood me in good stead.
It’s almost time to return home for another Reunion, back to the Big Blue One for the Battalion Birthday, celebrating 80 years of 1 RAR. That will be the last.
Em Tasol. That is all.
2015, 1 RAR
In 2015 it was time to go home, 20 years after my Discharge.
We returned to our old unit, the diggers and officers from the 80s. Most of us who never deployed on operations. And 250 of us marched with our Battalion onto our Parade Ground to celebrate a unique time. Returning to our home where we grew up. And a chance to revitalise friendships and remember another time. We visited our home, our Unit, our workplace. 250 diggers, four Commanding Officers and two RSMs.
Hosted by the Commanding Officer and RSM of the Battalion. And the RSM, Tas McGinley listened to us when we told him most of the guys had never returned to the Unit. The welcome included the ex-Diggers, led by our Commanders, marching onto the Parade Ground with the Battalion, then having pictures with Seppy Quintus, and Platoon and Company photos from our era. It was a special reunion.
In 2025 we will again return to the Unit we grew up in – as Diggers and men. And reminisce with mates the lives we shared, and the mates we’ve lost. We were lucky. Some weren't. Transition from service is hard work. Separation is brutal.
2024, 7 RAR
In 30 years since leaving the Army, I’ve celebrated Anzac Day with diggers once. A legacy from leaving the Army in 1995 disillusioned.
In 2024 I attended my first Anzac Day drinks with a Unit. At 7 RAR, where one of my ex Diggers from 1994 was the RSM and had invited his peer group to attend the Dawn Service in Adelaide. It was great catching up with some of my diggers from 6 Platoon and Charlie Company – Billy Banks, Fill Erkilla, Jolly, Ashy, Aussie, Brinky, Keights, Macca, Tracker, Liam and Dan.
Gratitude and appreciation for the RSM, WO1 Al Ashman and his Commanding Officer and Unit for hosting us.
