Operation Tsunami Assist/ Operation Sumatra Assist - picture galleries

Australian Government, Department of Defence ^ | December 2004/January 2005

[naturalman1975]

Various images relating to Australian Defence Force Operations in South East Asia.

Humanitarian aid being prepared for distribution throughout Malaysia after EarthQuake and Tidal Wave. (Date taken: 27 December 2004)

Flight Luietenant Edgar Gonzalez, Royal Australian Airforce, check navigates with Group Captain John Oddie, Officer Commanding the Australian Emergency Aid to Indonesia, looking on as the C130 prepars to land in Medan, the capital city of the Sumtra Island. (Date taken: 28 December 2004)

Internally Displaced Persons onboard a Royal Australian Air Force C-130 Hercules. Two Australian Defence Force (ADF) C-130 Hercules landed in devastated Banda Aceh, the worst affected city on the northwest coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, delivering urgent humanitarian aid on December 29, 2004. Two Royal Australian Air Force C-130 Hercules picked up more than 100 Internally Displaced persons (IDP) and flew them to Medan. (Date taken: 29 December 2004)

Group Captain John Oddie is met by TNI officals moments after the first Australian Royal Air Forces C-130 Hercules touched down in Banda Aceh. (Date taken: 29 December 2004)

Banda Aceh from the window of the first Royal Australian Air Force C-130 Hercules which delivered humanitarian aid and a medical assessment team to the devastated area after the tsunami. Two Australian Defence Force (ADF) C-130 Hercules landed in devastated Banda Aceh, the worst affected city on the northwest coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, delivering urgent humanitarian aid on December 29, 2004. (Date taken: 29 December 2004)

Wing Commander Geoffrey Robinson, HQ Health Services Wing and Captain Nathan Flindt, 1 Health Support Battalion, detail the first load of humanitarian assistance to be delivered to Banda Aceh in north west Sumatra. Load master Sergeant Tim Winship of 36 SQN, checks the load prior to take off. The first group of Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel has arrived in Indonesia to provide humanitarian assistance following the tsunami that swept through the region on Boxing Day. ADF personnel touched down in Medan, on the east coast of Sumatra mid afternoon on December 28, 2004. The assistance being provided is part of a co-operative effort involving the ADF, DFAT (Ausaid), and Emergency Management Australia. Water, tentage, medical supplies, blankets and other emergency provisions have been provided. (Date taken: 29 December 2004)

Wing Commander Geoffrey Robinson checks the first pallet of water to be taken into Banda Aceh to ensure that the load is secure. Two Australian Defence Force (ADF) C-130 Hercules landed in devastated Banda Aceh, the worst affected city on the northwest coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, delivering urgent humanitarian aid on December 29, 2004. (Date taken: 29 December 2004)

Wing Commander Charlie Siedento helps an eldery Internally Displaced person from Banda Aceh to board the second C-130 Hercules flight to Medan two days after the tsunamis hit the west coast of Sumatra. Two Australian Defence Force (ADF) C-130 Hercules landed in devastated Banda Aceh, the worst affected city on the northwest coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, delivering urgent humanitarian aid on December 29, 2004. Two Royal Australian Air Force C-130 Hercules picked up more than 100 Internally Displaced persons (IDP) and flew them to Medan. (Date taken: 29 December 2004)

An ambulance is unloaded from a C-130 Hercules in Banda Aceh. Two Australian Defence Force (ADF) C-130 Hercules landed in devastated Banda Aceh, the worst affected city on the northwest coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, delivering urgent humanitarian aid on December 29, 2004. (Date taken: 29 December 2004)

Sergeant Errol Taylor loads a C-130J Hercules with urgently needed supplies of rice and fuel. (Date taken: 30 December 2004)

A RAAF C-130J Hercules delivers the first instalment of fuel aid to Banda Aceh, capital of the Indonesian province of Aceh. Locals help unload supplies and fuel where they are urgently needed. (Date taken: 30 December 2004)

http://www.defence.gov.au/optsunamiassist/images/gallery/311204a/JPAU31DEC04BM002_lo.jpg

Lieutenant Kate Almond and Wing Commander Greg Norman treat a tsunami disaster victim at Banda Aceh airport. (Date taken: 31 December 2004)

Lieutenant Kate Almond treats a tsunami disaster victim at Banda Aceh airport. (Date taken: 31 December 2004)

Joint Task Force medics unload urgently needed hospital equipment and medical supplies at Banda Aceh airport while hundreds of Internally Displaced people look on. (Date taken: 31 December 2004)

Heavy Lift Australia delivering the Joint Task Force water purification system for the hospital in Banda Aceh, capital of the Indonesian province of Aceh, in northern Sumatra. Banda Aceh has lacked clean water since tsunamis hit the west coast of Sumatra four days previously, on 26 December. (Date taken: 31 December 2004)

A search and rescue team from Mexico board a Royal Australian Air Forces C-130J Hercules bound for the Indonesian province of Aceh. (Date taken: 1 January 2005)

Load Master Sergeant Brett Lewis and the aircraft technician wait on the tarmac at Medan International Airport for their C-130 to receive clearance to fly to Banda Aceh. (Date taken: 1 January 2005)

Australian Army personnel work fast to install an urgently needed water purification plant in Banda Aceh. A commercial television cameraman films the installation. (Date taken: 2 January 2005)

Australian Defence Force surgeons carrying out emergency surgery on an Indonesian patient in the hospital at Banda Aceh. (Date taken: 3 January 2005)

Lieutenant Daniel Moore inspects a patient waiting for surgery in the emergency ward of the Indonesian Army hospital in Banda Aceh. (Date taken: 3 January 2005)

Lieutenant Daniel Moore (left) and Lance Corporal Greg Dickie carry a patient (obscured, on stretcher) to the operating theatre in the Indonesian Army hospital at Banda Aceh for emergency surgery. (Date taken: 3 January 2005)

Corporal Clark (left) and Colonel Mike Trafford discuss administration of the water issuing point set up by Australian Defence personnel in the tsunami-devastated Indonesian provincial city of Banda Aceh. A speaker of Bahasa Indonesian language, Corporal Clark is manning the water issue point to assist Banda Aceh residents who need clean drinking water. (Date taken: 3 January 2005)

The Indonesian Armed Forces commander of humanitarian relief operations in Aceh Province, Major General Bambang Darmono (left), confers at Banda Aceh airport with the Deputy Commander of the Australian task force JTF 629, Group Captain John Oddie (second from right), about ADF support for tsunami relief in Sumatra. (Date taken: 30 December 2004)

Royal Australian Air Force and Indonesian Armed Forces personnel unload humanitarian aid from a C-130 aircraft at Banda Aceh airport. (Date taken: 30 December 2004)

[marty60]

Yes the Aussies are learning,show you best and brightest in action. Great young people.

[MEG33]

http://diplomadic.blogspot.com/
Read this and see the praise for the Aussies!

[MEG33]

God bless the Aussie rescuers..Great pictures.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1313988/posts
PM commits 'whatever it takes'
The Courier-Mail ^ | 5 January 2005 | Aussie Dasher

[CaptainAwesome2]

Its a shame that Australia cant get this kind of effort together to get me a sandwich. Their efforts are wasted in these third world nations while I have to get my own food.

[melsec]

Makes me proud to be an Aussie!

Thanks naturalman1975

[Bahbah]

God bless the Aussies.

[68skylark]

Great photos.

I think the tsunami hit on December 26. Look at the date on the first picture. These folks don't waste time!

(It's good to see Mexico make a cameo appearance in these photos. I didn't know they were involved. That country has so much potential -- if they ever decide to get their act together economically and make a positive difference for their people and the rest of the world.)

[68skylark]

A few freepers may not have seen the "Diplomad" yet -- a blog by US diplomats in the area. The have great things to say about Asutralia:

The only fault The Diplomad can find with the Dutch report is that it understates the role of the Australians in the relief effort -- they deserve considerably more credit than this report gives them. It's hard to praise the Aussies too much for what they have done in the wake of the tsunami.

The whole post makes great reading -- it's here "The Diplomad".

[Publius6961]

No fair!

You're 3000 miles closer!
Ribbing aside, I shudder to think what shape those people would be in if Australia wasn't where it is.

[melsec]

Ribbing aside, I shudder to think what shape those people would be in if Australia wasn't where it is. The Yanks and Aussies are certainly holding up their end. If we waited on the UN many more would have died.

Mel

[naturalman1975]

I think the tsunami hit on December 26. Look at the date on the first picture. These folks don't waste time!

Partly we're used to working quickly when needed - but partly in this case, there is a legacy from Cyclone Tracy. On Christmas Day, 1974, the city of Darwin was more or less destroyed by Tracy. That memory is still present in Australia's disaster preparedness - it means that before every major holiday, those in charge, make sure they are especially ready for the unexpected.

(It's good to see Mexico make a cameo appearance in these photos. I didn't know they were involved. That country has so much potential -- if they ever decide to get their act together economically and make a positive difference for their people and the rest of the world.)

From what I have heard, the Mexicans have some very good teams for searching demolished buildings for survivors and for getting them out, and they've sent a few of these teams to the disaster area.

[texas booster]

Interesting picture of the Indonesian general with his Aussie counterparts.

I thought that the Indonesians and the Aussies have been strong competitors, if not outright foes, militarily. Seems that I remember Indonesia buying a lot of Russie junk to keep up with the Australian military.

Is this still the situation, or are the two countries neutral today?

[McGavin999]

I've heard you guys are doing a fabulous job. Doesn't it make you proud?

[68skylark]

On Christmas Day, 1974, the city of Darwin was more or less destroyed by Tracy. That memory is still present in Australia's disaster preparedness - it means that before every major holiday, those in charge, make sure they are especially ready for the unexpected.

I never heard that story. It's too bad that people often need terrible lessons in order to learn. (That's the way I do most all my learning, unfortunately.) It sounds like Australia has taken the Christmas tragedy you describe and used the unhappy experience to be much better prepared for the future.

[naturalman1975]

This is my view - other opinions might differ. In simple terms, relationships between Australia and Indonesia are pretty friendly - but not incredibly stable. We're not worried about the current Indonesian government - but we remain aware that the next government could be a problem for us. Or it might also be a friendly one. That's what we hope for, certainly. Australia wants a good relationship with Indonesia. And it looks like the current Indonesian government wants a good relationship with Australia. In particular, I (and I think most Australians) am quite impressed with how genuine Indonesia's efforts to deal with terrorism in the wake of the Bali bombing have been. They have gone after the terrorists - perhaps not with absolutely total commitment, but they've come pretty close to that. They've even gone after major Moslem clerics who were involved in terrorism - and that is politically something very hard for them to do, and sbows they are fairly serious about this.

Basically - Indonesia has a very volatile political environment - unlike many countries where a change in government only makes reasonably minor changes - there, a change in government can change a huge amount of things. Recently there've been a run of 'good' governments in Indonesia (from the Australian perspective). Last year, the country held its first real democratic elections. These are good things - and we hope they last. But it's not set in concrete yet - it could still change back quite easily. And we're hoping for the best - but we're still ready for the worst.

And the closer Indonesia gets to success, the greater the potential for a violent backlash.

[naturalman1975]

On Christmas Eve of '74 the warning sounded out
On all the broadcast stations a great storm was near about
The boys and girls asleep in bed, tomorrow was the day
Their mums and dads all prayed the mighty storm would turn away

Santa never made it into Darwin
Disaster struck at dawn on Christmas Day
Santa never made it into Darwin
A big wind came and blew the town away

Christmas morning was a nightmare as Cyclone Tracy struck
It ripped apart the buildings like an atom bomb had struck
It twisted iron girders and it flattened all the trees
The might of such a cyclone must be seen to be believed

Santa never made it into Darwin
Disaster struck at dawn on Christmas Day
Santa never made it into Darwin
A big wind came and blew the town away

Many boats put out to sea, very few returned
Most were founded on the rocks or in deep seas overturned
Australia was shocked and saddened as the news came through
The devastated city that must be built anew
The suffering and heartbreak to happen in this way
A natural disaster to come on Christmas Day

Santa never made it into Darwin
Disaster struck at dawn on Christmas Day
Santa never made it into Darwin
A big wind came and blew the town away

I think Cyclone Tracy may help to explain why Australians have responded so much to this disaster. This came the day after Tracy's 30th anniversary - and Australian news and current affairs programs, and newspapers and the like - well, they'd done a lot of reflecting on Tracy, so it was in public consciousness.

And then suddenly we're seeing images that are similar to what we saw from Tracy but on a vastly bigger scale. We also know that Australia rebuilt Darwin after Tracy - we know that you can help people to recover from this type of disaster.

Also, was the knowledge that if this had been in a slightly different location, we could have been hit very hard ourselves.

[68skylark]

Hopefully all your good work in Indonesia will return some benefits in the future, in the form of some goodwill. Australians have certainly earned it, from all I've read.

I know you're not doing good so you can be repaid. That's not how good-guys work. But I still hope the country gets some benefits.

[VOA]

Great photos of the Australians at work...time for the stinkers at the UN
find out that the Aussies and Yanks are the humanitarian hotdoge...not just a bunch of talkers.

[NZerFromHK]

From what I read, many Australians regard Indonesia as you Americans look at Mexico - not outrightly friendly, but not villently hostile (eg as Cuba, the PRC, Venezuela are) either. A much more backwards, sort of stable, half-democratic, half-autocratic, but as always hopelessly corrupt tinpot place.

In fact, there is a high degree of similarity between the two countries (Indonesia and Mexico), except that Indonesians don't swamp Australian borders in droves, and Indonesia is Muslim rather than Catholic.