Always in our hearts: East Timor service commemorated

The nation has commemorated the Australians who served in East Timor and helped bring peace to the region. or signup to continue reading Australia was part of a group of countries to restore security after the Timorese took the step to vote for independence from Indonesia in 1999. A national service was held at the Australian Peacekeeping Memorial in Canberra on Friday to mark the 25th anniversary.

Six Australians died during the operations between 1999 and 2013. More than 18,000 Australian troops served in East Timor. Chelsea Atkinson paid tribute to her brother Craftsman Beau Pridue, who died during his deployment.



"You are forever our hero. You live on in our thoughts," she told the service. "You are always in our hearts for your service.

We love you and we thank you." Army veteran Emily Ellis deployed to East Timor in 2011 as part of the International Stabilisation Force. She was deployed with Craftsman Pridue and said the ceremony was a special way to honour the service and sacrifices that were made.

"It was quite a humbling experience to be put into that environment, to be working with a lot of children," she said. About 5500 defence force personnel were sent as part of the International Force East Timor (INTERFET) - the largest deployment of Australian troops since the Vietnam War. Among those was Shane Pascoe-Bell, who was a radio operator in a parachute infantry unit.

He said the significance of the operation became clearer with the passing years. "The big thing that I didn't realise at the time was that (the peacekeeping efforts) was the start of a new country and the birth of a new nation. East Timor had never been a country in their own right before," he told AAP.

Mr Pascoe-Bell,who marked the anniversary with a service at Darwin's cenotaph, said he would attend a dinner with other veterans. "In Darwin we have a large Timorese population, and when I identify where I served, there's a lot of affection that pours out," he said. "You don't realise how big an impact you've made on them.

" Veterans' Affairs Minister Matt Keogh said Australians were rightly proud of the role the nation played in the birth of the fledgling nation. "Even as we celebrate the bonds between our personnel and the resilient Timorese, we must also recognise that it came at a price," he said. "We solemnly acknowledge the profound and enduring injuries, both physical and mental, worn by many who serve.

"We pay our respects to the families and the loved ones of those who served." During the service, large screens showed photos of Australians in East Timor, often surrounded by children. The images documented different aspects of the peacekeeping missions, including delivering supplies to families, and providing life-saving healthcare for civilians.

Reflecting on the role the nation plays in stabilising the Indo-Pacific, Timorese official Sonia Maia said she wouldn't be standing on Australian soil had it not been for its involvement. She said Australia and East Timor were bound together. "For our people, this is a milestone," Ms Maia said.

"We are always counting on Australian support, because we are just a new nation ...

we (will) continue strengthening our relationship in every area." Lifeline 13 11 14 Open Arms 1800 011 046 Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. We care about the protection of your data.

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