Lieutenant Nigel McIntosh
My one-year in command of 2 Troop has been the busiest period of my life.
2 Troop was first deployed as part of INTERFET, on 29 Aug 99. However, Darwin was the furthest north that we got. With the persistence of the Squadron’s OC, MAJ Dean Herbert; SGT Ian Murphy would be first to be given the opportunity to take a small detachment for a week to Dili, to clear the stores from the airfield. The longest week of their lives was to follow; they departed on the 16 Oct 99 and most did not return until the beginning of Feb 00.The remainder of 2 Troop finally deployed to East Timor in early Feb 00. We had been given the job of running Dili Port. We handed over from our Terminal cousins, who had been there to clean the blood and the filth off the walls. 2 Troop, bolstered by many different types of soldiers from all over the defence force, had to very quickly learn a new trade. SGT Ian Sojan had come into the Troop headquarters, and into his element, as he started to wheel and deal the training and teaching of Air Dispatchers in his trade.
The Troop in East Timor did not simply work at Dili Port. We had permanent detachments at Dili and Baucau Airfields; we also had part-time and temporary detachments to Suai, Occussi (Enclave), the East/West Timor border, Viqueque and Batagaude. I sit back and look at the myriad of jobs that the Troop alone conducted in East Timor and am simply amazed. Driving Ops, Terminal Ops, External Lift Ops, LOTS Ops, Airland Ops and numerous reconnaissance tasks. On the 3 Jun 00 the UN medal was awarded to my soldiers and myself. I am thankful for the honour to award many of my own soldiers with their medal; it was a very proud moment.
While we were in Timor, SGT Sean Needham was managing the members of 2 Troop who had not deployed with the Squadron. These ‘rear detail’ soldiers supported our families, conducted tasking with the SASR, and even conducted live airdrops to flood victims in WA. On behalf of the soldiers who deployed to East Timor with the Squadron, and the families we left behind, I thank them for their dedication and efforts and congratulate them for their high standard of achievement.
When the Squadron returned to Australia, our loved ones waited for us at RAAF Richmond. As the C-130 touched the ground a huge cheer arose from the bowels of the plane, as many soldiers realised a dream that they had dreamt of for more than five months. I married my wife on 8 Jan 00 and deployed to East Timor on 5 Feb 00. The day I returned to Australia I realised that I had only seen my new bride for one of the past ten months. As I held my wife, I realised that without the support of our families through this entire period many of us would have found it much harder to cope. I then looked around to the support my Troop was given behind the operational curtain, as my soldiers were hugged by their spouses, friends and more importantly their children.
2 Troop has worked to its maximum capacity for well over a year. The soldiers also had to conduct the normal peacetime tasking even though the majority was deployed on, or just finished, operations. All of this work would not have run as smoothly as it did without the Troop seniors doing their jobs to the best of their ability. The following men lead without fault: SGT Ian Murphy, SGT Bruce Paterson, SGT Sean Needham, SGT Ian Sojan, WO2 Duncan Milne and my many corporals / crew commanders. To the soldiers of 2 Troop, in their entirety, I thank you for your support of the past thirteen months, and congratulate you on an outstanding effort and performance.
Lieutenant Nigel McIntosh has since been posted to a Platoon Commander's position at the Army Recruit Training Centre, Kapooka.