Regimental Number: 1204079

DIERY, Rodney George

Enlisted: 17 January, 1972

Discharged: 4 October, 1992

 Corps: Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

What can I say about this painting. It is so emotive. It shows some RAEME personnel in the field in South Vietnam in 1968 repairing a damaged Centurion tank. They undertook a major repair task in the middle of a dangerous tactical operation. Although I didn't ever serve in combat nor in any armoured units, I still feel that this painting shows the corps of RAEME at it's best, maybe not as regimental or "spit and polished" as some would like but getting on with the job anyhow under the most difficult conditions. For the record, the painting came from a photograph of Australian troops in action in the Long Hai Hills in Vung Tau Province in South Vietnam in 1968.

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POSTINGS

 

Jan 72 - Jan 74 Army Apprentices School, Balcombe Barracks, Balcombe, Victoria 

Jan 74 - Jan 78 1st Base Workshop Battalion, Bulimba Barracks, Brisbane, Queensland 

Jan 78 - Jun 81 102nd Field Workshops, Lavarack Barracks, Townsville, Queensland 

Jun 81 - Sep 82 2nd Base Workshop Battalion, Moorebank, Sydney, New South Wales 

Sep 82 - Jan 86 35th Water Transport Squadron, Woolwich Barracks, Sydney, New South Wales 

Jan 86 - Feb 87 4th Field Regiment (RAA), Lavarack Barracks, Townsville, Queensland 

Feb 87 - Feb 88 1st Watercraft Workshop, Woolwich Barracks, Sydney, New South Wales 

Feb 88 - Jan 92 35th Water Transport Squadron, Woolwich Barracks, Sydney, New South Wales

Jan 92 - Oct 92 Perth Logistic Battalion, Palmer Barracks, Guildford, Western Australia

By far the best postings I had in the Army were those to Watercraft units especially 35 Water Transport Squadron. I spent a lot of time as the Marine Engineer on board the LCM8 (Landing Craft Mechanised Type 8 or Mark 8). I got to see all of Australia's east coast and a fair bit of the north and south coasts from Port Keats in the Northern Territory to Whyalla in South Australia on board an LCM8. In early 1984 we took 2 LCM8s on board HMAS Tobruk to Auckland, New Zealand for a six week exercise around Auckland and the very beautiful Great Barrier Island. Crewing an LCM8 was always an adventure and I always felt slightly guilty that I was getting paid for it.

The LCM8 shown high and dry in the above pic belongs to the US Navy. Australian Army LCM8s, although US designed, were built in Australia and the oldest of them is now 30 years old but still soldiering on. When I scan a pic of an Aust Army LCM8 I will post it here.

PROMOTIONS

Jan 1972 Apprentice

Jan 1976 Craftsman

Apr 1981 Lance Corporal

Jul 1981 Corporal

Oct 1987 Sergeant

Jan 1992 Staff Sergeant

 

 

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AUSTRALIAN ARMY LINKS

THE AUSTRALIAN ARMY Go here to find out all about the modern Australian Army.

RAEME A home page for the ROYAL AUSTRALIAN ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS.

OFFICER RANKS in the Australian Army

ENLISTED RANKS in the Australian Army

SMALL ARMS equipment used by the Australian Army

ARMY MAGAZINE An excellent magazine that keeps everyone up to date with what's happening in the Australian Army. Pity they haven't updated their Web Page since December 1996.

Ron Mackenzie is a mate of mine and he has put together a page about his career in RAEME. You should visit him there and you can also find some great links to the Western Australian Police Service.

Care to comment on or contribute to my pages?

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CLICK HERE TO VIEW VISITORS BOOK FOR THIS BASE

 

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