The Bairnsdale RSL Sub-Branch is holding a short wreath laying service at Beaufort Memorial Gardens at 11.30am this Sunday to recognise veterans of recent conflicts.
The RSL is expecting a good number of local contemporary veterans and their families to attend and enjoy mateship at the RSL afterwards.
Since the end of the Cold War, some 40,000 members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) have been deployed on more than 60 operations in 50 countries in the service of peace. More than 300 of them have died in or as a result of this service.
There are many contemporary veterans living and working in East Gippsland communities. Here are five examples:
RAY EVANS
Ray lives in Calulu with his wife, Anita. He works for Hine Vegetables at Wuk Wuk and manages the Q and A, growing and orders for broccolini, and general farm work. His interests include AFL and fishing. He spent nearly 15 years in the army and served on operations in East Timor, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
PAUL GUEST
Paul Guest lives and works with his wife, Carina, in Bairnsdale. They own and operate an energy advisory business and self-contained accommodation.
Paul served in the Royal Australian Navy as an electrical technician and member of the ship’s demolition team.
Paul saw service in the Middle East on a number of operations as part of Multi-National Forces and Persian Gulf Operations. He was also a member of the Australian Research Expedition spending six months at Davis Base Antarctica.
Paul settled in Bairnsdale in 2001. He enjoys gardening, soaking up the sunshine and dabbling in the latest technology gadgets.
MARK BURNETT
Mark Burnett lives on an 80-acre farm in Tambo Upper with his French wife, two-year-old daughter and seven month-old son.
He works for East Gippsland Shire Council (manager works). His wife believes she is smarter than him as she has a masters degree in civil engineering with honours. Paul is impressed by this, but hasn’t told her.
He served 11 years in the Australian Army as an NCO plant operator in Royal Australian Engineers. He served with 17 Construction Squadron in Namibia, South West Africa, as part of the United Nations Transition Assistance Group (UNTAG) and was awarded the UNTAG medal.
He left the Army in 1996 and worked in Papua New Guinea for eight years on road and bridge maintenance projects, some of this time with a local company and some with an Australian engineering consultancy administering AUSAID funding for projects.
Mark returned to Australia to work on the client side for the construction of Eastlink and the Wonthaggi Desalination Project. He then needed a sea change, tree change and ended up in sunny East Gippsland. He enjoys operating his tractor on the farm, motor bike riding, camping, fishing, shooting and raising his children.
Mark is currently putting together the Biglap4PTSD – a team event/motorcycle journey around Australia including Tasmania, commencing on ANZAC Day in 2021, to deliver presentations at defence bases and to veteran organisations on the causes and effects of PTSD to defence personnel and veterans and to raise funding for veteran assistance organisations.
CRAIG GUTHRIE
Craig enlisted in January 2002 as a young, scared 17-year-old boy. He completed basic training at Kapooka and was posted to the Royal Australian Corps of transport as a driver.
After completing his driver training he was posted to 4th Field Artillery Regiment at Townsville as gun tractor driver. After two years on the gun line he trade transferred as a marine specialist with the 10 Force Support Battalion at Ross Island, Queensland.
He served as second-in-command of LCM8 (Landing Craft Mechanized, Mark 8) on vessel AB1060.
Craig deployed to East Timor and conducted the initial insertion onto Dili airstrip beach and landed his barge with a company of infantry soldiers. After service in East Timor he served on border protection patrols at the top end of Australia and was awarded the Australian Operational Service Medal – Border Protection.
He lives in Bairnsdale with his girlfriend, Breanna, and works in civil construction as a machine operator. He enjoys fishing, cricket, watching sport and spending quality time with family.
SAL GUTHRIE
Sal Guthrie lives in Nicholson. Not currently in employment, she keeps herself busy with volunteer work to help others in the community. She served seven years in the Royal Australian Navy as a boatswains mate. After completing her training in 2008 she was posted to HMAS Success and spent three years patrolling South East Asia.
In 2011 she was posted to the Survival at Sea Section at HMAS Cerberus as an instructor teaching this vital skill to recruits during their basic training. She was awarded HMAS Cerberus instructor of the year in 2012.
Sal is a keen sportswoman and enjoys wicket keeping for the Bairnsdale women’s cricket team, boxing and golf. She also spends a lot of time with her dog, Aussie.
PICTURED: Bairnsdale RSL Sub-Branch contemporary veterans caught up at the RSL last Friday night. PICTURED: Mark and Matilda Burnett, Ray and Anita Evans, RSL vice president, Ric O’Haire, president, Allan Pappin, Paul and Carina Guest, Gus Forster and RSL vice president, Ray Rock.
