ANZAC Day Commemoration
The bell tolled at precisely 7.27am with a rousing welcome to President Kelly, who then handed over to past President Brian Johnson for his address on this solemn occasion.
"ANZAC
Day (25th April) is the most sacred day for Australians, the
day when we honour all those who have died, been
wounded, who have served, and
those who still serve to defend Australia and our way of life.
We meet today on the land of the Whadjuk people of the Noongar nation.
First Nations men and women have worn the Australian uniform and fought in every conflict since the Boer War.
The Ode of Remembrance is the fourth stanza of the poem
“For the Fallen” by English poet Laurence Binyon, written
shortly after the outbreak of World War 1.
The bugle call 'Last Post' originated in the 17th Century, to
signal the end of the day’s activities and ensure sentry posts
were manned.
The One Minute’s Silence, is a time for reflection and remembrance, it is attributed to Australian journalist and WW1 veteran Edward George Honey in 1919.
The bugle call 'The Rouse' originated as a signal to get soldiers out of bed and ready for duty."
Brian then read out the 'Ode of Rememberance - Lest We Forget'.
“They shall not grow old
As we that are left grow old
Age shall not weary them
Nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun
And in the morning
We will remember them.”
Brian then played the Last post, followed by one minute's silence and lastly 'The Rouse', after which everyone joined in the response and then took their seats.
Guest Speaker : Miquela Riley - Women in the Australian Defence Force (ADF)
improvement specialist and ADF veteran, serving in the Royal Australian Navy for 13 years as a Navigator.
Some of her career highlights include:
- circumnavigating the world as the Navigator of Sail Training Ship Young Endeavour.
- mentoring and leading junior officers at the Australian Defence Force Academy.
- leading teams of sailors on border protection operations and a 12-month deployment to the Middle East as part of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO), monitoring and reporting on peace and ceasefire agreements between Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Egypt.
Since leaving the Navy in 2019, Miquela has worked across a variety of industries and sectors including construction, management consulting and mining.
Miquela holds a Bachelor of Business and two Master’s degrees in Project Management and Business.
Currently, Miquela works as a Program Manager at Rio Tinto and is the Vice-President and a Non-Executive Director of the Returned and Services League of WA (RSL WA) and the WA Ambassador for Women Veterans Australia.
Following a “Fines” item on handbags, Miquela noted on the subject of women’s barriers to involvement – the reason women need to carry handbags is none of their clothes have pockets of any size…
ANZAC Day has almost become our National Day, when Australians are brought together with belonging and unity. Never to glorify war, but an opportunity to reflect upon service and lessons from war, so that we can pursue all possible avenues away from future conflicts.
Miquela said she would like to reflect on service, share some of her experiences and reflect on the contribution of women in the military and some of the challenges that still remain. Each ANZAC Day, she reflects on the service and ultimate sacrifice of her ancestors, the Pinkerton brothers.
William, the eldest, was a Boer War veteran and father of three. He was to die in the second wave of landings at Gallipoli on the 25th of April 1916. His remains lie somewhere on the Gallipoli Peninsula and he is commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial. Miquela was fortunate to participate in the ANZAC Centennary in 2016 and remembers looking up from Anzac Cove and wondering what would have been going through William’s mind as he prepared to jump into the frigid waters prior to scaling the hills.
Walter, following his brother’s footsteps, fought in the Battle of the Somme. During the brutal fighting, Walter was evacuated to England with trenchfoot and ear infections. He recovered and rejoined his unit in France. He lost his life at the age of 32 during the Battle of Ypres.
25 years later during World War II, Vivian Bullwinkle was a nurse on the hospital ship SS Vyner Brooke. She would face her own nightmare, witnessing the rape and murder of many of her comrades, then being held a Prisoner of War in a Japanese camp. Perhaps her greatest challenge was facing the Canberra bureaucracy on her return and being gagged from telling her story.
The human brain likes numbers, statistics and measurable things. In conflict this is easier to do in the form of a body count, less easy than measuring the impact of people and the those that are left behind. Our men and women in the Australian Defence Force regularly undertake highly mentally and physically demanding tasks, at great risk to their own safety.
In 2006, as an eighteen year old Midshipman, Miquela undertook her first sea posting. They were tasked to monitor the unfolding coup in Fiji. As well as the crew, there was a contingent of hundreds of Army soldiers, landing craft and helicopters. It was during this deployment that an Army Blackhawk crashed on landing aboard her ship. Two crew members on the helicopter were killed.
Some years later she was leading a boarding party on Border Protection operations. This was one of greatest privileges of her life to lead such a highly skilled team in a high tempo environment. One evening near Christmas Island, an asylum seeker boat started sinking after they had boarded it. Despite being outnumbered 25-to-1 by panicked people, who most likely couldn’t swim, they safely evacuated the boat. Sadly one of her team never recovered mentally from the experience. Like Bulwinkle before him, he had to fight the Canberra bureauracy. It took seven years to get the support he needed.
By 2017, Miquela was on a 12-month deployment of the Middle East with the UN, monitoring the ceasefire agreements between Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt. For the first three months, she was deployed to an observation post on the Golan Heights. Of the International contingent of 60, only 6 were women. On one patrol, she was almost killed in the crash of her vehicle due to the incompetence of her driver (from a county not normally renown for their driving skills…)
The remaining nine months of her deployment were spent in the HQ in Jerusalem as a staff officer. This came with many challenges, including Syrian Generals trying to marry her off to one of their sons…. Thankfully these experiences have built her resilience, given her courage in adversity and shown that humour can be a useful tool in rather dark circumstances.
She reflects on her time in the Navy with great fondness, unfortunately her experiences are not necessarily universal. Some personnel across the nation are still fighting battles on many fronts. Battles for their reputation, battles for recognition and battles for support. Currently, Servicewomen are fighting the biggest battle of all. The rate of suicide for ex-Servicewomen is 107% higher than for the general population and a whopping 452% higher for women who served in combat or security roles.
Why? Certainly not for a lack of resilience or courage, rather systems and processes that are just not set up to meet the requirements of a changing demographic who are willing to bear arms for their country. Apart from the shocking suicide statistics, 80% of sexual assault victims are women. More female than male veterans are not in the labour force. As recent as 2020, the ADF released a one page statement about female biology and how this impacts physical performance titled “A woman is not a scaled down man”!
In 2015 “She-Wee”s (female urination devices) were only just being discussed as an issue for women in the Army, despite being invented in 1999. A dignified way for women to go to the loo in the field - how novel! A classmate of Miquela was an F/A-18 Super Hornet Weapons System Officer, the first woman to be employed in combat fast jet operations. She recalls having to fly for seven hours without the ability for a “bathroom break”, despite this facility being available to her male colleagues. It might be bathroom talk, but is an easy way to highlight some of the inherent barriers women have faced and still face in the ADF.
122 recommendations from the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicides address this topic. Removing these systemic barriers and improving support will require significant courage and commitment from Government and Defence leaders.
There is some amazing work done by women veterans to recognise and celebrate the differences and experiences of women. Miquela has recently become the WA Ambassador for Women Veterans Australia, an organisation focussed on representing, advocating and empowering women veterans. Last year female servicewomen marched together under a combined banner on ANZAC Day. It was the largest contingent of women to ever march together in Perth. This was about finding belonging.
Through difference, women bring a lot to military capability. This isn’t new, it isn’t “Diversity and Equality”, it is a reality. A warfighting advantage, integrating gender perspectives, enhances operational effectiveness. NATO promotes integration of gender perspectives into military planning. Women play a vital role in conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction. Peacekeeping including women increases effectiveness.
One of our own WA veterans Rabia Siddique played a pivotal role engaging directly with Iraqi officers in the Second Gulf War as an officer in the British Army.
Women generally don’t start wars (Margaret Thatcher and Indira Gandhi excepted). When thinking about Service, we draw inspiration from those who went before us, like the Pinkerton brothers and Vivian Bullwinkle or any of the hundreds of thousands who have paid the ultimate sacrifices.
Directors' Reports and Member Announcements
Kelly :
- It's World Parkinson Day and a time when we recognise and build awareness of the impact of living with Parkinson's. James Parkinson's 'Essay on the Shaking Palsy', published in 1817, recognised Parkinson's as a medical condition for the first time. We mark his birthday every 11 April with World Parkinson's Day, a day to shine a spotlight on Parkinson's and our community.
- The Brainstorming session on Sunday was well attended and a draft list of ideas has been circulated. We are not analysis which ones are relevant for consideration.
David R:
- "Save The Date" for our Changeover - Friday 27 June LUNCH - see Events page for details.
- Endeavour Awards at the Pines Restaurant 3 June - book now only 40 places!
Astrid:
- National Youth Science Forum applications now open for Canberra placements 6-14 January and Brisbane 13-21 January.
- Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment (RYPEN) camp for 14-17 year old applications open for 13-15 September camp.
- Youth Committee meeting after breakfast.
Rick S :
- Linen Project 2.0 all linen being stored at Rapallo (Raelene and Andy's store) sorters meeting today.
- Fundraising committee meeting after breakfast
Gorby:
- Pride of Workmanship Awards will be held at 2 May breakfast. So far we have 4 nominees.
- Unsung Heroes 30 May, get nominations in fast!
Veronica L:
- Membership meeting after breakfast.
- District Grant Applications open 14 April and close 15 June. Please contact me if you wish to apply for a grant.
- Angelo Street Party is on again on Saturday 3 May - the membership team are organising this - please come along and support us - see events page for more details.
Scott D:
- So far Mill Point leading District with 23 Centurions - let's see if we can raise that to 30. See Scott for details.
Lyn M:
- $510 was raised at the Men's Dinner last week plus a bucket load of change from David Tyler.
The Fine(er) details...
- Not sure who the President is this week so a coin from both Brian J and Kelly G.
- All Eagles supporters - they are dwindling fast!
- Mike Collett's phone for ringing inappropriately!
- All Superannuation Suckers for movement this week.
- Vaccinators - who've lost count on the jabs they've had.
- Tricia Smith - running commentary in the background...
- All ANZAC marchers - we salute you but need your cash
- John Tidman pay up or I'll tell your joke!
- Those with grand-parenting duties over the school holidays - in particular John Tidman who has 3.
- Bags, bags, bags - everyone with one (or two) they seem to be multiplying... especially Michelle's which is a work of art!
- Brian J (for the guest speaker who has the biggest bag of all!)
Winner of Heads and Tails
A short one this week with 2 heads then 2 tails and Rick S snagged the booze - much to his delight!
Attendance
50 attendees in all, including guest speaker Miquela Riley, and visitors Katrina Duke, Sherrilyn Shaw-Mills, Dr Eunice Sari, Wendy Longshaw, Lynne McCamey, Rhonda Kremmer and Wing Commander Chris Pittman.
