[BITList] Lost sons returned home - Defence News - Department of Defence

[John Feltham]

This is from my period of time in North Borneo, Sarawak and Brunei.

Lest We Forget




Australian casualties and memorial 
The remains of last two of the 23 Australian casualties during Confrontation were recently repatriated -http://www.defence.gov.au/defencenews/stories/2010/Apr/0414.htm. They were across the border and the Indonesians co-operated fully (and gracefully) in finding the remains and in their disinterment and return. 

In another part of the country, there is a continuing special relationship between Australians and New Zealanders and Sabah, reflected in the SANZAC College in Kota Kinabalu (formerly Jesselton) which was built and supported by WW2 veterans. 

http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/2329/sanzac1.jpg 
http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/8181/sanzac2.jpg 

In 2007, the College and the State of Sabah afforded us the honour of accepting a further memorial, this one to those who served (and particularly to those who died) during confrontation. The plaque is pictured here, in Australia, before it went to KK for mounting and dedication: 

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/2497/dscf0453l.jpg 

It is going back a way now, but I recall the plaque was paid for by the Department of Veterans' Affairs, it was transported free of cost by Qantas and the driving force was Laurie Nelms, a former National Serviceman and Borneo veteran with 22 Const Sqn RAE. All of this was at least one computer ago - I can't seem to locate pictures of the dedication ceremony. 

On the whole, it is my feeling that the Australian authorities have been most accommodating - and the Malaysians, as always, charming, warm and grateful. If the British authorities are capable of shame, this might be an object lesson for them.

_________________
Former 'nasho', RAE Borneo (Confrontation)
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