A MOREE man was among the 33 Australians brought home yesterday as part of a repatriation mission from Malaysia and Singapore.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Sergeant Ronald Thomas Carroll was killed in action on August 4, 1968 in Bien Hoa Province and buried at Terendak Cemetery in Malaysia. He left Australia 48 years ago and was killed while serving with D Company 3RAR.
Sergeant Carroll also served with the Special Air Services Regiment from November 17, 1957 to June 23, 1960.
His Perth family of daughter Jo and younger brother Peter Carroll attended the ramp ceremony at Richmond Royal Australian Air Force Base yesterday.
The military repatriation ceremony and memorial service yesterday was followed by a public funeral procession of 33 hearses.
At 11am on Tuesday, June 7, Sergeant Carroll will be honoured with a military funeral at the Perth War Cemetery.
A burial party from 3RAR in Townsville will take part along with former military comrades from Vietnam.
Ms Carroll lives near Perth with partner Darrell Sommerville, who also attended the ramp ceremony.
“I think the message is that this (the military funeral) is the opportunity for anybody so inclined to finally pay respects and honour a soldier who fell in the line of duty, who was buried without family and friends and colleagues in a place far from home,” Mr Sommerville said.
Minister for Defence Marise Payne and Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Dan Tehan said the repatriation would bring closure for the families.
Aircraft bearing the returning Australians from the Terendak Military Cemetery in Malaysia and the Kranji Cemetery in Singapore, landed yesterday morning and the Australians were welcomed home by dignitaries, including Governor-General Peter Cosgrove, friends and former colleagues.
“Today’s ceremony is an opportunity to commemorate the sacrifice of the men and women who serve in our armed forces and the families who support them,” Ms Payne said.
“For the families of those whose loved ones are returning to them and the veterans and mates who served alongside them, I hope today will bring some solace and closure.”
Reinterment services will then take place in every state and territory, except Tasmania, over the following weeks.
, in accordance with the families’ wishes.
