Australia’s most famous hound, Explosives Detection Dog Sarbi, made history on Sunday when she became the first military animal to take the official salute at a Vietnam Veterans Memorial Day parade in the Blue Mountains.
Sarbi and Sergeant Simpson, a highly skilled dog handler from the Australian Army’s School of Military Engineering in Sydney, were given the prestigious task to honour the extraordinary service of all military working animals, in particular, the EDDs who have one of the most dangerous jobs in the defence force.
Jack Lake, the president of the Blue Mountains Vietnam Veterans and Associated Forces who served in Borneo, Malaya and Vietnam, and yours truly flanked Sarbi and Sergeant Simpson on the dais.
It was Sarbi’s first official appearance since she retired from the Australian Army last December following two deployments in Afghanistan during six years of service.
She shot to international fame in 2009 after she was “dognapped” from the Taliban by US Special Forces soldiers and returned to the Australians serving in Tarin Kot, in Afghanistan. She is the subject of my latest book, Saving Private Sarbi, The True Story of Australia’s Canine War Hero.
Sarbi had been missing in action for almost 14 months, having disappeared at the end of a four-hour, do or die battle when her joint Australian-US-Afghan Special Forces patrol was ambushed by a superior number of Taliban fighters in 2008. It was the same battle in which SAS Trooper Mark Donaldson showed extraordinary courage under fire and was later awarded the prestigious Victoria Cross for his actions.
One American dog handler was killed in the ambush, and nine of the 12 Australians were seriously injured, some with life threatening wounds. Sarbi and her handler, Sergeant D, were both injured in the firefight.
The association’s secretary, John Fenton, said the extraordinary service of the dogs – who have saved so many Australian soldiers lives since they were first used in World War One – deserved recognition. And that’s what they got on Sunday under beautiful blue skies in Springwood.
Sarbi wagged her tail as fellow Explosive Detection Dogs Shuba, Ruth and Aussie led the parade wearing their signal red EDD jackets and campaign medals.
They were followed by Vietnam veterans from the Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force, and Diggers who fought in the historical Battle of Long Tan 46 years ago, for which the memorial parade was originally started.
Also marching was the Skippy Squadron, former QANTAS staff who flew more than 600 Department of Defence charter flights in and out of Vietnam during the war.
Among the guests were Major General “Sandy” Pearson AO, DSO, OBE, MC (Rtd), the Air Commander of Australia, Air Vice Marshal Melvin Hupfeld DSC, and Liberal Federal and State MPs Louise Markus and Roza Sage.
Ninety-four year old Major General Pearson – yes, you read right, 94 – is the patron of the association and was the Task Force Commander in Vietnam in 1968 and 1969.
Also marching were members of the Vietnamese community representing the South Vietnam Army who fought against the communists, and local school kids, Scouts, Girl Guides and military cadets.
Also present was the air adviser to the Royal New Zealand Air Force, Wing Commander Ronald Logan, and Vietnam War entertainers, Lorrae Desmond, MBE, and Jacqui De Paul, both of whom continue to be involved with veterans issues. Labor Senator Doug Cameron, who has his electoral office in Springwood, did not attend the parade and ceremony but sent a representative in his place.
As the author of Saving Private Sarbi, I was proud to be invited as co-guest of honour and had the privilege of making the speech during the ceremony. Moreover, I was moved to lay the first wreath with Sarbi and Sgt Simpson at the War Memorial as Members of the Federation Guard formed the Catafalque Party.
In my speech I paid tribute to our Defence Force and the nearly 60,000 Australian men and women who served in Vietnam including the 521 who died there, our honoured dead.
“The men who fought there…know first hand what General Douglas MacArthur once described as the ‘mournful mutter of battlefields. As young men, many just teenagers straight out of school, you lived first hand that mournful mutter. You heard it in your waking hours and in your sleep, you feared it, you fought it, you survived it, you defeated it, and ultimately, you have been forever changed by it.”
As well, I acknowledged the 11 Combat Tracker Dogs who led the way through dense jungle terrain for their two-legged brothers in arms and saved countless lives.
Sadly, unlike the current four-legged members of the elite EDD Section who serve on operations overseas, none of the dogs who went to Vietnam came home due to quarantine restrictions – which was gut wrenching for their handlers with whom they had formed an unbreakable bond.
In fact, one of the Vietnam War dog handlers told me on Sunday that he was moved to tears when I mentioned some of the dogs’ names, Cassius, Caesar, Marcus and Tiber. He had worked with them in the war, when he was a young man, and still remembered the dangerous but great times they had.
To understand the bond, the magical mateship between the dogs and their fellow soldiers, you only need hear what SAS Trooper Donaldson said when told of Sarbi’s return while he was meeting the Queen in London to receive his Victoria Cross.
“Sarbi’s the last piece of the puzzle. Having Sarbi back gives some closure for the handler – and the rest of us that served with her in 2008,” he said. “It’s a fantastic morale-booster for the guys.”
Unsurprisingly, EDD Sarbi and her fellow doggies stole the limelight at the memorial parade and made headlines. The 11-year-old black Labrador-Newfoundland cross was stopped everywhere she went. People wanted to give her free pats and tell her what a “good girl” she was, and remains in retirement.
With her fellow doggies, Sarbi was given free rein in the Royal Hotel where the official reception was held after the ceremony and Catafalque Party had retired.
It was an absolute honour to be involved in the parade and ceremony and I would like to thank the Blue Mountains Vietnam Veterans and Associated Forces for the privilege.
As I said on Sunday: “To our Vietnam veterans and all past, present and future members of the Australian Defence Force, and their four-legged mates, I offer heartfelt gratitude for your service and sacrifice. You have honoured our nation as your service honours you.”
