Holden Retirees Club

GM Holden's Defence Leave Policy.

 A Soldier's tale.

With the coming of a prolonged almost peace time, the Australian full time Forces were gradually reduced so that if a conflict emerged, it was necessary to augment the ranks to provide sufficient fighting men to meet the need.  One avenue famously used in the Korean and Vietnam wars was conscription. These were both very large conflicts and needed a great number of men on the ground.

But there was sometimes a need for a smaller force to be raised, and this was done by calling on members of the Australian Army Reserve - a collective name given to the reserve units of the Australian Army.

 Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, the reserve military force has been known by many names, including the Citizens Forces, the Citizen Military Forces, the Militia and, unofficially, the Australian Military Forces. In 1980, however, the current name—Australian Army Reserve—was officially adopted, and it now consists of a number of components based around the level of commitment and training obligation that its members are required to meet.

However, there have been many reviews and changes to the role of reservists and how they should be organised, as Defence planners attempted to grapple with the questions regarding strategy following the wars of diplomacy of the previous three decades. The emergence of the Defence of Australia doctrine as the foundation upon which Australian defence policy would be based seemed to provide the Reserves with a definite role.

 Nevertheless, there remained a reluctance to rebuild the Reserves and despite these major reviews, as late as the 1990s the Army still had not managed to develop a well-structured reserve force, as it had continued to grapple with the competing demands of maintaining large-scale general readiness over developing a 'hard core' of capability within the Reserves that would be able to provide the Army with a nucleus force in times of national emergency.

In 1991, in an attempt to rectify this, the Ready Reserve scheme was established. Under this scheme the 6th Brigade, an existing Regular brigade based in Brisbane at the time, was converted to a Ready Reserve formation. The majority of the personnel were Reservists who undertook a period of twelve months full-time service before returning to normal Reserve status for a further four years. The scheme showed considerable promise. Nevertheless, due to cost constraints it was abolished in 1996 by the newly elected Howard government.

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Some historical background:

East Timor had been occupied by a harsh Indonesian force since the Portuguese had withdrawn control in 1975.  There was only a local armed resistance by the East Timorese guerrilla force (Forças Armadas da Libertação Nacional de Timor-Leste).

Following the resignation of Indonesian President Suharto, an UN-sponsored agreement between Indonesia and Portugal allowed for an UN-supervised popular referendum in August 1999. A clear vote for independence was met with a punitive campaign of violence by East Timorese pro-integration militia supported by elements of the Indonesian military. This allowed the sending of the multinational peacekeeping force, the ” International Force East Timor” ( INTERFET), which was formed by Australia, the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, and New Zealand, with aid from the United States, to restore order and aid East Timorese refugees and Internally-displaced persons.

On 15 September 1999, the United Nations Security Council expressed concern at the deteriorating situation in East Timor and issued its Resolution 1264 calling for a multinational force to restore peace and security to East Timor, to protect and support the United Nations mission there, and to facilitate humanitarian assistance operations until such time as a United Nations peacekeeping force could be approved and deployed in the area. The resolution also welcomed Australia's offer to accept the leadership of a proposed multinational force in East Timor and to make a substantial contribution to the force itself.

By the time that the opening phases of the East Timor operation began in 1999, the issue regarding the purpose of the Army Reserve still had not been resolved. Instead of being able to provide formed units to augment the Regular Army, the Reserves was reduced to providing individuals for round-out purposes only. As a result, in the initial phase of the operation there had been only about 100 Reservists available to fill positions in INTERFET, mostly in specialist roles that the Regular Army had trouble providing.  

Given the requirement to increase Australia’s presence in East Timor, a call went out for Reservists to volunteer for active service and some 200 Reservists from all over the Australia answered the call to fill positions with the with United Nation Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) force.

UNTAET was established on 25 October 1999 by UN Chapter VII Mandate to administer the Territory, exercise legislative and executive authority during the transition period and support capacity-building for self-government. East Timor became an independent country on 20 May 2002.

One of these who answered that call was a GM Holden employee at Fishermens Bend, a proud Australian named Mohammed Abdur Rahman.

This is his story.

Rahman (or ‘Rami’ as his fellow soldiers called him), was not your typical Australian soldier.  He was born in Bangladesh, brought up in the Muslim faith. His Army dog tag was stamped ONC (Other than Non-Christian). 

Rahman migrated alone to Australia from Bangladesh in 1984 aged just 21 years old. His profound desire to ‘belong’ in Australia intensified through his community work, marriage in 1995 to his Australian born wife and employment at Holden in 1998. He commenced work with the CNC Components Department in Holden Engine Operations.

Wanting to contribute even more to his new country, he also joined the Army Reserve in 1998 and was an enthusiastic participant with 5/6 Battalion, the Royal Victoria Regiment.

One night in October 1999, at the Tuesday Parade Rahman regularly attended, the Reservists from 5/6 RVR Bravo Company in Surrey Hills were asked if they would be willing to volunteer to go on Active Service to East Timor as part of the UNTAET forces.

Rahman saw this as another opportunity to serve his country and make use of the training he had been given. He got home around midnight, and woke his wife and asked if she would be agreeable to him volunteering.  Possibly half asleep still, she said that if he wanted to go, he could.

Next morning, he lodged an official request with GMH to be released for active service, which was approved on 25 October, 1999. The approved term was from 3 November, 1999 to 31 January 2001.  During his absence, all his service benefits would be continued as normal.

On 27 October 1999 he signed up for full time service and on 2 November, found himself a member of the Regular Army at the Enoggera Gallipoli Barracks, Brisbane in Queensland. This was the home of 6^th Battalion the Royal Australian Regiment, a decorated battalion awarded the US Presidential Unit Citation and famous for Battle of Long Tan in Vietnam War 1966. It was the first Royal Australian Regiment to receive the Victoria Cross.

'This particular East Timor operation saw the Battalion built up with army reservists called up for active service for the first time since the Vietnam War. We came from all over Australia to be integrated with regular soldiers in the one army. We trained hard as fighters and peace keepers in a battalion that is now known as one of the biggest success stories in army history,' Rahman said.

Our training was rigorous and prepared us well for situations where we had to balance the peace keeper and peace enforcer roles. I take pride in my personal performance and those around me who were my inspiration to be a good soldier.

 My wife, my employer and fellow soldiers formed a triangle of support without which I would never have been able to achieve this situation. I was very grateful and feel very privileged to have had this opportunity,' he added.

Being of Muslim heritage and carrying a Muslim name in the Australian Army, I was part of one of Australia’s largest employers: the Australian Defence Force (ADF). With this, I have never felt that religion and my name has been an issue for my employer and my employment there. In my experiences with ADF, it not only accepted my religion but embraced diversity within the organisation. I was raised as a liberal Muslim in the secular society of Bangladesh. I was educated for 12 years in a Catholic school and lived within an interfaith society. This provided me with a fine platform to assimilate within the Army’s Diversity.

 My first experience with the Australian Army was during my initial recruitment process. A happy Corporal helped me fill in the application form, and the recruitment Captain gave me his congratulations and best wishes before directing me to the bus leaving for training in Kapooka, near Wagga Wagga, NSW.

 For new recruits Kapooka was a very frighting place. Every Corporal was at the top of their game to transform recruits from the civilian life to military life. Rahman thought he needed some spiritual help, and escape from the Corporals, so decided to go to Sunday church. He was welcomed by three of the Christian denominations-Priest/Padre Catholic, Anglican and Protestant and listened to their spiritual thought, moral conflict and counselling. It was a reflective time, and a recruit named Mohammed was sitting down in the house of Christianity listening to the Lord’s Prayer.

 It was at Kapooka that I encountered the question of religion for the first time. On the first morning, the platoon lined up in the hallway in our pyjamas, and white bed sheets on our shoulders. Suddenly the Corporal gave the command at 120 decibels: “NUMBER”!! The recruits responded by quoting their lined up numbers, the second command was then given: “RELIGION!!” The response was loud and clear by recruits, Christian, Christian, No Religion, Christian, No Religion, Jewish, Christian, Muslim and so on.

Later on I was asked by the platoon Commander. “Do you prefer special food without pork”?  I replied to him “No sir, I eat everything”. I came to Kapooka to be a soldier; preferential foods for religion or cultural purpose was the last thing on my mind but I appreciated the Army’s respect for other’s faith and Diversity.

  I still tell this story to others today.

 Transferring to 6 RAR was a highlight of my Army career. Being a chocolate colour skin soldier had some advantages, you stood out between Smith, Jones and Robinson but nobody took any notice. The only concern for us was when we were all wearing the rising sun badge we became Infantrymen. A fighting machine and ready to defend our country.

 As always I loved the classic nature of the Australian Digger’s humour and I was sometimes reminded that I had no need to use the chocolate part of face paint camouflage on my face! At one stage of our military Operation in East Timor, our enemy declared a million Indonesian rupiahs bounty for white ears from any Australian soldier’s head. I told Pte Milne if your ears cost a million rupiahs, how much will my ears cost? He replied “your ear is half-price” and we had a good laugh.”

Some of Rahman's experience has been well documented with commercial television screening footage in the aftermath of a militia attack on the company's quarters inside a burnt-out school. Seven soldiers were asleep in one room and two on duty when six fragmentation grenades landed. One hit the wall and bounced off, another landed in front of the door. Shrapnel shredded the mosquito net around Rahman. Had he sat up, the shrapnel would have hit him head on.

Rahman relates “At the time, this enemy attack in Aidabasalala was the fiercest attack on an Australian outpost since the Vietnam War. In the early morning after the attack, the devastated compound was visited by CO Lieutenant Colonel Michael Moon. The smoke was gone but the smell of 6 grenades and rounds of ammunition fired into the compound was still in the air. He came up to me and his first question was: ‘Are you OK?’ A decade later this question has become a social campaign message. It makes me proud as an infantry soldier that my military leader was counting his men and ensuring their safety and welfare was OK”.

“In the final hours of our East Timor deployment we were on the banks of the river overlooking Indonesia. We were waiting to handover Operation Tanager to 1RAR. I had interviewed all of my section members and had asked them what the highlight of their participation in the operation was and recorded their answers”.

 On his return to Melbourne, Rahman was happy to be back balancing his Army Reserve role in recruitment at 5/6 Royal Victoria Regiment in Hawthorn with work at Holden. The enthusiastic welcome from workmates made his return to the Bend sheer pleasure. 'The farewell in CNC department before I left was one of the most memorable events in my life, and I have been really blown away by the support and respect I have been privileged to receive from everyone,' he said.

'I think working with Holden automatically elevated my profile within the armed forces, within the platoon, the company and Army hierarchy.

 The company has been wonderful to me, supporting me, keeping my job and all of my entitlements. My morale and loyalty to Holden is stronger than ever' he said.

Just before leaving the Battalion 6th Royal Australian Regiment (6 RAR) in November 2000 his platoon nominated him for the Australian Medallion Award. The officer in charge of 6 Platoon, Bravo Company wrote (in part):

“Whilst on operations, Private Rahman displayed an enthusiasm and dedication that was an example to all his peers and superiors alike….He truly loves his adopted homeland and gives selflessly without thought to those who truly need it…By our calculations Private Rahman has given over 2000 hours of voluntary community service in various organisation to help those less fortunate than himself.”

In 2002, Rahman nominated Holden for an Employer Support Award, recognising their ongoing commitment to the defence forces and the support given to him personally. The Employer Support Awards acknowledge the support provided to Reservists by their civilian employers. The awards do not provide any financial or commercial gain to the employers but does provide formal recognition of their support for Reservists.

 Rahman wrote “Holden gave 15 months of extended leave to both me and fellow reservist, Mick Engal (Proving Ground) from 3rd Recovery Company at Korumburra. During our absence, Holden continued to accrue our continued employee benefits despite being on leave without pay. 

Holden has allowed me (in working hours, with pay) to give talks to community organisations on my East Timor experience. A donation of $2500 has been made for an East Timor photographic exhibition which will be held 1^st week of September, 2004 in conjunction with the battle of Australia Day at Mitcham RSL later it will be touring to selected RSLs in country Victoria, and at Queens hall, Parliament of Victoria (date to be fixed).”

The August 2002 People magazine records the presentation of the award to Holden.

But that is not the end of the story for Rahman.

The Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games took on special significance for the Engine Operations team. Army Reservists Mohammed Abdur Rahman from Zone One Assembly Line at the Global HFV6 Plant was attached as an Acting Section Commander to the RAAF during the Operation Acolyte - the largest peacetime operation in Australian military history. Acolyte brought together 2,600 Army, Navy and Air Force personnel to perform a range of specialist roles providing security ceremonial and general support for the games.

Lance Corporal Rahman was granted five weeks leave from Holden to carry out his special Air Force attachment duties based at Point Cook. These included direct assistance to Victoria Police with searching venues prior to the games and operating vehicle checkpoints where 16,500 vehicles were screened.

For Rahman, it was his second opportunity to serve his country in less than five years, thanks to the GM Holden Defence Leave Policy and generous spirit of his wife and two small children. This operation also led him later to transfer from Army to RAAF as a Ready Reserve. He continued as an active Reservist for three years before moving to the Standby Reserve.

"A defence force person is always looking forward to actively serve their country in operation. I have had the opportunity to serve in a warlike situation in Timor and in peace time during Operation Acolyte, so I am very, very lucky”, Rahman said. 

“The East Timor military campaign has become a proud piece of history for our nation. Australia basically planted a new nation onto the world map. Recently I met former PM John Howard and I thanked him for his decision to send Australian troops to East Timor. He answered me by stating that the East Timorese had helped us in WWII, it was the least we could do, and Peter Cosgrove did a good job.”

During his deployment, Rahman not only recorded the immediate reactions of his fellow soldiers to the action, but also took some 500 photographs and many hours of video footages. These he put together into a United Nations Peacekeeping Exhibition which was on display for four months at the Whitehorse Centre in the City of Whitehorse.  During this time it was nominated for the U.N. Media peace Prize, and was used in fundraising for the East Timorese community and to fund mine clearance in developing nations.  It moved on to a three month display at Mitcham RSL with Holden sponsorship, and then to other major venues including Melbourne Town Hall.

The Australian War Memorial became interested in Rahman’s story and collected nine photographs from his collection. In October 2009 they invited him to come to Canberra and record his experiences as part of their Hall of Fame Oral History Collection. Holden again gave him leave with full benefits to attend the recording session, which resulted in a 2 hour 11 minutes long recording.

At the 2015 ANZAC Centenary of commemorations dawn service, Rahman was asked to lay the wreath at Mitcham (Vic) Cenotaph on the behalf of all veterans who served and sacrificed for our nation.

Rahman said: “As a member of the RAR family we are all proud of our individual Operations. The East Timor military campaign was unique; it was a combat and Chapter VII Peacekeeping Force. We were a Battalion Group that as Australians we helped UNTAET establish a new nation and place Timor-Leste on the world map. The emerging generations of Timorese people will remember us in their independence history. Similarly, we will remember their contribution to our soldiers against the Japanese advancement in the WWII. In recognition of our efforts, on the 2nd of March 2020, the Army received a Theatre Honour from the Governor-General David Hurley for this period of (1999-2002) our Battalion’s involvement in East Timor.”

GM Holden Engines Operations closed on 29th of November 2016, and was one of the saddest days of Rahman’s life. He had loaded the first engine block onto the Assembly line from Zone One in 2003 and 13 years later was watching the last one.

However, he has moved on and now is employed by the Victorian Public Sector in Museums Victoria.

He is also Victorian Representative, 6th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment Association and works within the Veterans community, including the Veterans Employment Mentor program with Department of Family, Fairness and Housing (DFFH), Veterans Branch.

But most importantly, Rahman remains a proud Australian. His personal creed is that of his regiment: Duty First.

He was also the last GM Holden employee to be supported for active service in the Australian Defence Forces.

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Postscripts:

1. Rahman's experiences in East Timor attracted the attention of the Australian War memorial in Canberra, who invited him to come to Canberra and record his memories of the time for posterity. So in October 2021, Rahman spent six hours being interviewed and recorded by Dr Andrew Richardson of the AWM who is collecting material for the Official History of Peace Keeping Operations in East Timor.

2. In a strange twist of fate, Rahman was working at the Melbourne Immigration Museum in 2018 when he got talking to a visitor. His name was John Caruana. He had a Maltese background and had left Port Alexandria Egypt in 1948 and come to Port Melbourne as a 18 year old, post WWII immigrant.  But the strange part is that John was also a former GM Holden employee, who was involved in the build of the first Holden car (48-215) at Fishermens Bend in November 1948. Rahman was involved with building the last Holden car and engine (VF Commodore  Series II) in Port Melbourne in November 2016. So, uniquely, they represented the first and last cars built by Holden in Australia.

3. In September 2022, Rahman was offered the honorary role of a Shrine Governor by the Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance.  This two-year position (with possible extensions) is a public face of the Shrine and conducts the Shrine’s Commemoration ceremonies. 

Rahman conducted his first Last Post ceremony on 18 December 2022 and a video is available here. The latest from his 19 May 2024 Last Post ceremony is available here. 

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Documents.

 Photos