ANZAC Spirit alive and well in Timor Leste
By SGT Dwayne Reynolds & CPL Will Taylor
The International Stabilisation Force (ISF) is made up of Australian and New Zealand Defence Force personnel. Its mission is to assist the Government of Timor Leste and the United Nations to bring stability, security and confidence to the Timorese to allow them to resolve their differences democratically and peacefully and to help them rebuild their country.
No.3 Squadron personnel stand behind their works of art church furniture. (WN-08-0038-10).
On 1 June 2008 RNZAF personnel of No. 3 Squadron put this theory to practise and participated in an Australian-led project in the hillside village of Darlau, 10 km South East of Dili, Timor Leste.
A small contingent of the Timor Leste Aviation Group (TLAG) carried out a reconnaissance of Darlau in early May and on the advice of local priest Father Gill, 3 Squadron personnel helped to paint and furnish the village’s small rural church. ISF Engineers also set to work making pews for the new church. Money was raised by the airmen and troops for paint, equipment and stores to complete the task at hand.
Just a few weeks on and the task is complete with a great deal of satisfaction from all involved. Aircraft Technician SGT Dwayne ‘Jed’ Reynolds describes how we put our skills to good use.
CPL Will Taylor speaks to the village elder about work that needs to be done to the church. (WN-08-0038-11).
‘The materials were not provided, so between Aussie troops and ourselves we needed to raise some money. We asked our boys to dig deep and donate a couple of dollars each, which (combined with the Australian contribution) provided just enough for some plywood and paint.
The Aussie’s focus was on pre-cutting all the plywood, ready for assembling into pews when we returned to Darlau. That left the kiwi boys to come up with something special. So we gathered together some spare timber and our finest creative minds came up with a cunning plan. We constructed the best trio of Priests chairs money could buy, a matching lectern, some solid candle holders and a little 7 foot crucifix for the wall. Not bad for a few Acfttechs and an Avtech. All that was left to do now was find some volunteers to help paint and turn up on the day,’ said SGT Reynolds.
This community project was initially born out of a conversation between the TLAG Operations Officer Captain Fiona Macinante and two of her aunts in Australia. Her aunts, both Catholic nuns from Sydney had been working on projects in Dili and suggested that Darlau could use some help to complete their new church, built late last year with funds from Australian charities.
SGT Hemi Poipoi. (WN-08-0038-12).
After a lot of organising and just as many phone calls, International Stabilisation Force troops (including No. 3 Squadron) were more than happy to pitch in and give the church a lick of paint and a bit of much needed elbow-grease.
‘When we arrived the locals were clearly happy to see us, but after a few ‘kiaoras’ and ‘bomdias’ we had our work to do. Before long there were rollers and brushes in action all along the outside walls and battery drills were whipping pews together with gusto.
By the time anyone stopped for lunch the pews were done, the outside walls were painted and the inside walls were well underway.
‘Meanwhile down the track some of our boys were showing off their football skills, taking on the locals at a game of soccer. I’m not sure who won, but to be fair, the oldest person on the home team was about twelve years old.
Villagers with their partly reconstructed church. (WN-08-0038-13).
‘As we finished up, the priest expressed his thanks (via interpreter) saying that he was moved and humbled by our efforts and generosity. He mentioned how pleased he was to have troops from Australia and New Zealand in his village and that it saddened him that he was unable to pay us for the work we had done. ‘Instead the priest promised to pray for our safety in Timor Leste, and for us to return to our families in peace.
‘All in all the day was a great success. The people of Darlau received a beautiful upgrade to their church and the ANZAC spirit was rekindled by sharing in something productive that everyone involved can surely be proud of,’ said SGT Reynolds.
The Australian-led ISF is comprised of approximately 750 ADF members alongside 180 NZDF troops, sailors, airmen and airwomen.
As part of the ISF, the Timor Leste Aviation group (TLAG) provides a logistic and ready response capability to the stabilisation effort in East Timor and comprises of about 70 personnel including the 3 SQN Detachment and two RNZAF Iroquois.
The two Iroquois, their crews and maintenance team continues to work alongside the Australian Defence Force aviation assets already in Timor Leste to insert and extract patrols and assist with the provision of aero medical evacuation and air logistic support.