Worlds away but same feel
WHAT a difference 12 months has made for serving Australian Defence Force member Ben Carolan.
This time last year the Army captain, who is currently posted to the Jungle Training Wing in Tully, was on deployment to Afghanistan and spent April 25 with the soldiers from around the world he was working beside in Kandahar.
This year, thanks to the current COVID-19 contingencies, he will welcome the dawn from his Cassowary Coast driveway.
“I had the opportunity to deploy to Kandahar as force protection officer within the US Army Divisional Headquarters,” he said.
“That is where I spent my last Anzac Day, the small contingent of Australians there ran a service attended by our US Army brethren.
“This Anzac Day I will be watching the dawn service from the Australian War Memorial and there may be a chance for some virtual two-up later in the day with Army mates around Australia.”
Captain Carolan joined the Australian Army eight years ago, spending six months at the Royal Military College – Duntroon before a year at the Officer Cadet School New Zealand on an Anzac exchange program.
After graduating as an infantry lieutenant, he spent time with 7RAR in Adelaide and 1RAR in Townsville before moving to Tully after returning from Afghanistan.
The military is in his blood, with both grandfathers serving during World War II – one with the Royal Navy, the other the Royal Australian Navy – while great-grandfather Henry Humphreys was an original Anzac at Gallipoli.