Spare a thought for fallen and their mates, says mum

The mother of a fallen Digger is urging people to open their hearts to the private struggles of veterans.

Janny Poate at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra with a photo of her son Robert Poate and his medals. Picture: Gary Ramage

Ninety-nine years after the guns fell silent on the Western Front, the mother of a fallen Australian soldier is urging local communities this Remembrance Day to open their hearts to the private struggles of veterans.

Janny Poate is the mother of Private Robert Poate who, at 23, was killed in a “green on blue” ­attack in Afghanistan. She remembers him as a “smiling, loving, caring son who genuinely cared about his mates”.

She said “Robbie” had always been very gregarious and he was affectionately known among his army mates as a “red-headed larrikin’’ and a warrior.

“According to his commanding officer he was a very professional soldier and the Bushmaster ­vehicle he commanded was the lead vehicle in their patrols, which is always the most dangerous. That will be the first vehicle to take a hit,” she said.

The attack occurred in August 2012 when three Diggers — Lance Corporal Stjepan Milosevic, Sapper James Martin and Private Poate — were killed by a rogue ­Afghan soldier who turned his gun on them.

The three soldiers were relaxing after duty at a patrol base, playing cards and board games, when Afghan National Army soldier Sergeant Hekmatullah opened fire with his M16 from just metres away.

Ms Poate told The Weekend Australian it was important for veterans to feel valued and cared for on Remembrance Day, saying they would be thinking about their war experiences and any mates who had died.

She reflected on a close friend of Robbie’s who had been in the vicinity when the fatal shots were fired, noting he had committed suicide only a few years ago.

“On days like Remembrance Day, Anzac Day and the anniversaries of the deaths, these boys are struggling and they start thinking about their mates and it’s a really sad day for them,” Ms Poate said.

“We should acknowledge the boys who have taken their own lives as well as those who have made the supreme sacrifice in war. They’ve all done the hard yards.

“For those suffering PTSD, the war continues in their minds even though they are back in Australia now ... sometimes all they need is someone to make them feel ­valued. The three important things to show these boys are that you care, understand and respect.”

At 11am today, 99 years since the armistice that ended World War I, Australians will observe a minute’s silence.

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Dan Tehan said Remembrance Day was a chance to “reflect on the lives lost to war, and the service and sacrifice of our defence personnel”. He said the 1918 armistice was a key moment in Australia’s history.

“More than 1.5 million Australians have served in defence of our nation and our values, and more than 102,000 have died.”

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said Australians would remember the “bravery, courage, endurance, honour and sacrifice of those who died or suffered for the freedoms we have today”.