APRIL 25 is a date close to the hearts of most Australians, especially those living in close proximity to a military base, but for those serving their country as Defence Force personnel, the day takes on a special significance.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
RAAF Base Tindal Senior Australian Defence Force Officer Wing Commander Andrew Tatnell said his personnel would be deployed across the Katherine region to provide a military presence in communities for Anzac Day commemorations.
“Being so remote from the rest of Australia, you often find that there’s little interest in what’s happening in the Northern Territory, but once you come here, you recognise that this was the front line in 1942 and that people do take it seriously,” he said.
“There’s great support from the community in what we do here and that seems to play out quite strongly on Anzac Day.”
For Corporal Kyra Poole, marching down Katherine Terrace on Monday will provide a emotional reminder of the critical role she plays in the country’s defence.
“I’d just gotten back from deployment overseas last year, literally two weeks before Anzac Day, so for me, to see the whole Katherine and Tindal community come together and march down the main street, and have all the locals clap, it really showed they are proud of what we do and are aware of our commitment,” she explained.
No. 75 Squadron’s Cpl Connor O’Neill will assist in getting three F/A-18 Classic Hornets airborne on Monday to take part in flyovers across the Top End, including Katherine.
He said the dawn service on the base would mark the beginning of his working day and explained that the solemn event reinforced what it meant to be in the Air Force.
“It’s up straight to the chapel for the dawn service, and the whole base is pretty much there, so it’s a pretty eerie feeling and there’s a lot of emotion,” he said.
“You can kind of feel how much it means in that moment.”
W Cdr Tatnell said he had witnessed the transformation of Anzac Day into a major event during his three decades in uniform, adding that he could not wait to experience his first march in Katherine since he took command of the base in December 2015.
“It has become surprisingly popular,” he said.
“Certainly since the late nineties, there’s been a dramatic focus brought on the commitment that service personnel make and I’ve seen nothing but admiration and acceptance, and people going out their way to say thank you.
“People genuinely feel something.
“It really is a moving experience.”
