Warren Snowdon (Lingiari, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence Science and Personnel) Share this | Hansard source

Today I rise in this place to express my sympathy at the deaths of two fine Australian soldiers. Firstly, I would like to extend my sympathy at the death of Lance Corporal Andrew Jones and express my condolences to his family. I was privileged to attend the funeral service for Corporal Jones as the acting Minister for Defence in Melbourne just recently. He was described as a dependable yet cheeky character by his family. He was a much loved son, brother and boyfriend who enjoyed his role in the Army and was an excellent soldier.

Lance Corporal Andrew Jones was serving with the Force Support Unit when he was tragically killed on Monday, 30 May 2011 Afghanistan time. He was, sadly, shot by an Afghan National Army soldier while undertaking guard duty at the patrol base MASHAL in the Chora Valley. The rogue Afghan National Army soldier suspected of killing Lance Corporal Jones has been shot and killed in a coalition special forces operation in Khowst province.

Lance Corporal Jones was born in Melbourne, Victoria in 1986. He was a young man. He joined the Army in 2004. He completed his initial employment training as a cook and was posted to the catering platoon of the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. His was the first operational death in the Australian Army catering corps since Vietnam. In 2008 Lance Corporal Jones was posted to the 9th Force Support Battalion and deployed on his first operational deployment, Operation Astute, to East Timor in July 2008. He deployed on Operation Slipper in Afghanistan in November 2010.

Lance Corporal Jones was admired by his mates within his unit not just for his great cooking but for the great soldier and man he was. His dedication to his role as a cook was second to none. I am told that he would always call on all his resources to provide the very best meals for his mates, including using his favourite family recipes. He was 25 at the time of his death—too early for such a vibrant, fun-loving man with so much to live for.

Lance Corporal Jones was awarded the Australian Service Medal with clasp Timor-Leste and the Australian Defence Medal. At his ramp ceremony on Monday, 6 June in Melbourne, Lance Corporal Jones was posthumously presented with the Australian Active Service Medal with ICAT clasp, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the NATO ISAF medal.

As I said, as acting defence minister I was privileged to pay my respects to Lance Corporal Jones at his funeral service. At that service Brigadier David Mulhall, commander of the 17th Combat Services Support Brigade, described Lance Corporal Jones as a true gentleman, kind hearted and decent. Brigadier Mulhall also described the courage of Lance Corporal Jones. He said:

Real courage is when you look at your family that you love, which is central to your being, and the girl you have fallen in love with and know that what you do is dangerous and there's a chance you won't come home. That is real courage.

On behalf of the Australian government, I offer my support to Lance Corporal Jones's family and friends through this difficult time. I hope they are able to draw some comfort from the knowledge that they are in the thoughts and prayers of so many Australians who are grateful for their loved one's service to our nation. We humbly thank Lance Corporal Jones for his courage, his selflessness and the ultimate sacrifice he has made on our behalf. At this difficult time I also remember the family and friends of Lieutenant Marcus Sean Case, who was killed on the same day as Lance Corporal Jones when an Australian Chinook helicopter crashed in Zabul Province, around 90 kilometres east of the Australian base at Tarin Kowt. I would like to offer my sympathy at the death of Lieutenant Marcus Case and express my deepest condolences to his parents and brothers and sisters, Robert, Michael, Jackie, Liz and Chris. His loss will be felt by his loved ones the most, but he will also be sorely missed by his friends and colleagues.

Lieutenant Marcus Case was born in Melbourne, Victoria, in 1984. He enlisted in the Active Army Reserves in June 2002 and was posted to 5th/6th Royal Victorian Regiment. In 2003 Lieutenant Case commenced the commando selection and training process with 1st Commando Regiment, before being posted to 1st Commando Regiment and an operational tour to East Timor. In March 2008, Lieutenant Case transferred to the Australian Regular Army, undertaking pilot training at the Army Aviation Training Centre at Oakey. In December 2009 he was posted to the 6th Aviation Regiment in Sydney. Lieutenant Case first deployed as an infantryman to Malaysia with Rifle Company Butterworth in 2005 and in January 2011 played a pivotal part as the Aviation Battle Group deployed to Queensland to provide assistance as part of the Australian Defence Force flood relief operation.

Lieutenant Case's deployment to Afghanistan commenced in May of this year. He was taking part in a routine Task Force Thunder mission with the Rotary Wing Group when the aircrew of the Australian CH-47D Chinook were forced to make an uncontrolled landing. Lieutenant Case was killed in the incident and five other ADF personnel were wounded. My thoughts, as I am sure yours, Madam Deputy Speaker Burke, also remain with the wounded and I wish them a speedy recovery.

Over a period of eight years service in the Army, Lieutenant Case has been awarded the Australian Service Medal with Clasp Timor-Leste and the Australian Defence Medal. At his ramp ceremony in Melbourne on 6 June Lieutenant Case was posthumously presented with the Australian Active Service Medal with ICAT Clasp, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the NATO ISAF Medal.

Lieutenant Case was an accomplished Kiowa pilot and was taking on a new challenge of a different kind of flying, operating a remotely piloted aircraft with the Royal Australian Air Force. He was a loyal, reliable and very trusted member of his unit. Though he was quiet and reserved, he enjoyed a joke with his mates and was always the first among them to volunteer when work was required to be done.

I also had the opportunity to pay my respects to Lieutenant Case at his funeral service, at which his brother Chris described him as 'a person of many colours and many layers', and one with a heart of gold. His brothers and sisters said that after the first five children their mother and father would keep trying for more until they got it right. They stopped with Marcus. He was described as a larrikin and as a ranga, as a kid who had thought he was born on a pirate ship, and as someone who was destined to become a pilot. As a close-knit family they were comforted to know that in death he was never alone, being accompanied all the way home to his family by a mate in Lieutenant Adrian Wilson.

Brigadier Gregory Lawler, Commander of 16th Aviation Brigade, said Lieutenant Case was 'a man with a strong desire to fly, who would get himself into the cockpit no matter what'. The desire and his generosity of spirit was no more evident during Operation Queensland Flood Assist this year. Lieutenant Case was described as 'coming in to work off leave asking what he could do to assist and, as he had no flying clothing, squeezing into a mate's borrowed flying suit'.

Lieutenant Case has brought honour to our nation, the Australian Defence Force, the Australian Army and, most especially, his family. He will be honoured by his colleagues. On behalf of the Australian government, I offer my prayers and support for Lieutenant Case's family and friends. I offer them my assurance that the sacrifice of this astounding young man, this outstanding young soldier, and all others serving their nation will be forever remembered. We will not forget him or Lance Corporal Jones. Lest we forget.

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