29 years on, Townsville’s forgotten soldiers might be recognised

A group of brave Townsville-based soldiers risked their lives to ensure people in a war-ravaged country had access to vital supplies. Almost 30 years later, their service could be recognised.

Townsville soldiers who braved gunfire, landmines and ambushes as they protected aid services providing food to war-torn Somalians may finally get their due.

The service of 1RAR in the early 1990s as part of a UN-driven Unified Task Force – dubbed Operation Solace – covered just five months at the start of 1993, but left some soldiers with scars forever.

A recent report conducted by an independent statutory body to consider the honours awarded to Australian Defence Force personnel may finally pave the way for the soldiers who served as peacekeepers to be recognised.

An Australian politician on a guided tour of Ufurow, 40km outside of Baidoa, poses here with local children. He is accompanied by Lieutenant Colonel David Hurley (left) who was the Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion. Picture: Australian War Memorial

The Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal was directed last year to evaluate the service of Australian Defence Force personnel from 1RAR during their time in Somalia.

An ADF spokesman confirmed the tribunal recommended that 1RAR receive the Meritorious Unit Citation.

“The Australian Government recently received the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal Inquiry report into unit recognition for Australian Defence Force service in Somalia between 1992 and 1995,” the spokesman said.

“The report includes a number of key findings and makes six recommendations, including for the award of the Meritorious Unit Citation to 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment Group and other ADF units.

“A decision to award the Meritorious Unit Citation is ultimately up to the Governor-General.”

The 1RAR unit were recognised with a Chief of General Staff Commendation in November of 1993, but the report found that the commendation “did not suitable recognise“ the performance of these troops.

A photo is one piece of the Somalia memorabilia at Jezzine Barracks.

Among the submissions presented to the inquiry are first-hand perspectives of veterans who felt their experiences had been “written off” as “just peacekeeping” despite the arduous conditions and longstanding mental health issues they suffered.

Many said their service in Somalia was just as dangerous, if not more so, than other missions they undertook.

Veteran Brian Little told News Corp in 2014 of his time in the country, where he came close to losing his life twice and witnessed the horrors of the civil war up close.

“It’s deeply frustrating for a lot of Somalia veterans to not get a mention every Anzac Day,” he said.

Eight years on, he said there was finally an end in sight.

“I am happy with the outcome,” Mr Little said.

“A lot of hard work was done behind the scenes to get to this stage.

“I am proud to be associated with the First Battalion and our deployment to Somalia.”

Brian Little served in the Australian Defence Force's 1RAR for six years and he was among those soldiers deployed to Somalia for Operation Solis in 1993. Picture: Brendan Radke

“As a group we considered ourselves the forgotten deployment.

“With the approval of the MUC I hope attitudes will change.

“Our deployment was at times demanding due to our battalion working long hours and days due to limited resources available to complete complex task.

“We all handled our tasks with professionalism, so I believe the outcome justifies our award.”

The conflict in Somalia, which led to the Black Hawk Down incident that sparked the Battle of Mogadishu in October of that year, saw around 1600 Australians deployed as peacekeepers.

One Australian soldier, Lance Corporal Shannon McAliney, was killed by an accidental shooting while on patrol.

Four other servicemen were wounded during fighting with Somali gunmen.

Originally published as 29 years on, Townsville’s forgotten soldiers might be recognised