Shooting into the sky

As 17 year old, Tom joined in June 1981.   With Military heritage it was an easy decision from an early age being posted to 2/4th RAR, 1 Company, 1 Section, Scout (all the 1's). When asked about his heritage ties to military.  "Grandad was Lighthorse and Dad Vietnam Artillery.  In  81 he moved to Stanthorpe but went to the city to sign up along with other “Grunts” predominantly off the land in the South East."

So when you rocked up to the Battalion Andy asks what was your experience?    It  didn’t start well with no gear and a call to go to Bougainville.   Going over to the Q Store to get general issue, I was told to bugger off.  The rest of his  Battalion were sitting on a C-130.   It’s cold at 2000 feet as you know.

 Once at Bougainville Third Battalion was to drop in and secure an airfield with assistance from Section 12 Alpha.   Tom had to memorise  a bit of road going in.   Later he discovered that  he was put out in front wearing so much fire power that he could hardly walk as bait.   They were up against the a Republican Army who had  knocked off arms from the local Police Station.

 So after that deployment the military looked at Battalion levels and decided to do a foreign exchange program.  Tom went to the UK.   He soon found himself  working with a couple of  Royal Marines around the tactics of the IRA in Northern Ireland.   Tom recalls a position that he found himself in.  The enemy was just shooting into the sky with arms that felt between mortars and artillery to derail the opposition.   Tom talks about Belfast and around 40 bombings a day, things the locals had to put up with if they didn’t support the IRA.

Discharged in 93, after this was a difficult adjustment.   It became clear that he was suffering PTSD but with support from his wife, other blogs and a great deal of researching helped him pull through although he has reasons for not being on Facebook today.

 His chosen area to begin putting life together was to get onto boats but more and more physical problems narrowed his choices plus he was at sea when he was needed most at home.   One day he realised he had been out for 10 years but was just as inaccessible to his family  as the army.    His kids were growing up without him.   At home his wife saw him waking up in cold sweats, shadow fears, paranoia and Tom said he was drinking a lot at that point.   He just didn’t know what to do....

Join us for the rest of Toms story in the concluding next episode.

Contact -  Tom Kerwin
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