Aussie Old Blue

[greg]

Just a note to those that I know on this forum to say that my family and I are now settled in Sydney, Australia. I am presently serving as a Captain in the 3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment and proudly wear my slouch hat at a suitably rakish angle. I am still an Englishman after all.

If anyone's passing through Sydney feel free to get in touch through the PM function, although at present Australia has a tiny little Army and is busy sending it off all round the place, so I cannot guarentee to be around! If I am home however, then much imbibing of ale, telling tales of Housey through rose tinted specs, and tuneless singing of the Votum will be the order of the day.

[englishangel]

so hello again and goodbye then.

You really should change your avatar to one of you in the slouch hat at a suitably rakish angle.

[J.R.]

G'Day Greg, me old cobber !

Gotta be better than Iraq - Just ??

Keep in touch.

[icomefromalanddownunder]

G'Day Greg, me old cobber !

Gotta be better than Iraq - Just ??
.

Oi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jtaylor]

Hi Greg. Glad the move went well.
Do keep in touch, and give me a shout if you're ever passing-through the UK....

[J.R.]

G'Day Greg, me old cobber !

Gotta be better than Iraq - Just ??
.

Oi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In England, we throw the wine corks away.

In Oz, you use them as hat decorations !

[kerrensimmonds]

I bet Caroline looks fetching in a hat adorned with wine corks.......

[Euterpe13]

Question is, what will she fetch

[icomefromalanddownunder]

In England, we throw the wine corks away.

In Oz, you use them as hat decorations !

Much 'greener' than fly spray

xx

[icomefromalanddownunder]

I bet Caroline looks fetching in a hat adorned with wine corks.......

Too right mate

xx

[Foureyes]

Greg,
I happened to note your messages on the Forum. You might like to make contact by e-mail with Roger Wickins on "rrog1213@bigpond.net.au" who keeps a friendly eye on Oz-based Old Blues and even organises trips in the bay which, apparently, involve free-flowing beer.

Incidentally, I knew 3RAR when it was serving in Malaya in 1959-60. A very fine battalion with a very aggressiver attitude which scared the sh1t out of the CTs and the RMPs alike! If you ever meet a chap called Vince Metroff at a reunion remind him that he still owes me $10 Singapore from 1960 - the interest is now fairly significant.

I am not clear from your entry whether you are seconded to 3RAR from the British Army or have you transferred?

[englishangel]

In case he doesn't get back, he has transferred.

[icomefromalanddownunder]

In case he doesn't get back, he has transferred.

I didn't realise that you could do this. Er, except I'm assuming that he doesn't have Australian citizenship, which he may well do, in which case, please ignore this drivvle.

I believed that you had to be a citizen of whichever country you chose to defend, or be deemed a mercenary. I confess, however, that my knowledge of the military is based mainly on information gleaned from such reliable sources as 'The Guns of Navarone'

Eagerly awaiting enlightenment.

[sejintenej]

I believed that you had to be a citizen of whichever country you chose to defend, or be deemed a mercenary. I confess, however, that my knowledge of the military is based mainly on information gleaned from such reliable sources as 'The Guns of Navarone'

Eagerly awaiting enlightenment.

Gurkhas?
Legion Etranger?

I suspect that if an element (such as a regiment, battalion etc.) is publicly known to be composed of foreign nationals and is fully controlled and officered by a recognised nation then that is OK.
From that I suspect it is far more a case of one-off military actions by people fighting for money** on behalf of individuals (not being recognised governments) where the mercenary problem occurs.

** as opposed to fighting for a cause - see enemy combattants below

No doubt Greg can clarify the rules. Nowadays the Americans have created "enemy combatants" who seem not to be treated as mercenaries nor as soldiers.

[cstegerlewis]

Although interestingly, any nationality can join the American armed services, as long as you can get permission to work in the US - you do not even have to apply for US citizenship afterwards, although many see it as a way to get it (probably until they started creating wars nobody wnated on highly dubious legal grounds, thus increased the likelihood of not surviving long enough to get a passport )