by Sandra Lee
‘Tribute for Sergeant Matthew Locke’, Defence Magazine, 2007
‘True warrior receives Victoria Cross’, The Herald Sun, 23 January 2011
Lanai Vasak, ‘Just doing my job, says VC winner Mark Donaldson’, The Australian, 4 January 2010
Jamie Walker, ‘Botched Medivac as Digger in Afghanistan lay dying’, The Australian, 26 July 2008
Patrick Walters, ‘US to urge for bigger role for Diggers—More Afghan for troops’, The Weekend Australian, 22 August 2009
—— ‘Afghanistan test looms for leader’, The Weekend Australian, 22 August 2009
‘Homemade Bombs Basic But Deadly’,
‘Rufus, Target and Sasha save US soldiers’, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Harpo Productions, 4 October 2010
Phillip Williams, ‘SAS Trooper gets VC from Queen’, Radio Australia, ABC Radio, 11 November 2009
GOVERNMENT PRESS RELEASES/MEDIA RELEASES/ PRESS CONFERENCES/REPORTS
Progress in Afghanistan Since 2001, Australian Government, Department of Defence Fact Sheet
‘Special Forces to Deploy to Afghanistan’, Australian Government, Department of Defence media release, 113/05, 13 July 2005
Robert Hill, ‘Press conference with Prime Minister John Howard, Parliament House Canberra’, Transcript, 13 July 2005
——‘Interview with Tracy Grimshaw, Today Show, Melbourne’, Transcript, 14 July 2005 ‘Australian Special Forces conduction Operations in Afghanistan’, Australian ian Government, Department of Defence media release, MECC 230/05, 23 September 2005
‘Afghan Veterans Welcomed Home’, Australian Government, Department of Defence media release, MECC 45/06, 4 March 2006
‘ADF Prepared for Improvised Explosive Device Threat’, Australian Government, Department of Defence media release, MECC 141/06, 29 June 2006
‘Afghanistan Veterans Welcomed Home— Soldiers’ Gallantry Honoured’, Australian Government, Department of Defence media release, MECC 337/06, 2 December 2006
‘RTF Soldier Slightly wounded in Failed Uruzgan Suicide Attack’ Australian Government, Department of Defence media release MECC 120/07, 4 May 2007
‘Dutch Attacked in Afghanistan’, Australian Government, Department of Defence media release, MECC 161/07, 16 June 2007
‘Shooting Incident In Afghanistan’, Australian Government, Department of Defence media release, MECC214/07, 25 July 2007
‘RTF mourns Merlin’, Australian Government, Department of Defence media release, MECC 282/07, 5 September 2007
‘Explosive Detection Dogs to Be Honoured’, Australian Government, Department of Defence media release, CPA 336/072, 6 September 2007
‘SOTG Soldiers Wounded in Uruzgan Attack’, Australian Government, Department of Defence media release, MECC 301/07, 14 September 2007
‘Explosive Detection Dog Killed by Taliban Roadside Bomb’ Australian Government, Department of Defence media release, MSPA 330/07, 27 September 2007
‘Diggers Defeat Taliban Attack in Heavy Fighting’ Australian Government, Department of Defence media release, MECC 338/07, 24 September 2007
‘Name released of SASR Trooper’, Australian Government, Department of Defence, media release, CPA 400/07, 26 October 2007
‘Sergeant Matthew Locke’, Australian Government, Department of Defence media release, October 2007
‘Sergeant Locke Returns Home’, Australian Government, Department of Defence media release, MECC 408/07, 31 October 2007
‘Canberra cancelled robot unit for bombs’, Department of Defence response to article by Mark Dodd, The Australian, 6 November 2007
‘Afghanistan soldiers mourn Andy’, Australian Government, Department of Defence media release, MSPA 454/07, 25 November 2007
‘Soldiers Wounded in Improved Explosive Device Attack in Afghanistan’, Australian Government, Department of Defence media release, MECC 209/08, 8 July 2008
‘Special Operations Soldier Killed— Three Wounded’, Australian Government, Department of Defence media release, MSPA 211/08, 9 July 2008
‘Aero-Medical Evacuation of Signaller Sean McCarthy’, Australian Government, Department of Defence media release, MECC 244/08, 26 July 2008
‘Senior Taliban Extremist Commander Captured by Australian Special Forces’, Australian Government, Department of Defence media release, MSPA 253/08, 10 August 2008
‘SOTG Soldiers Wounded in Uruzgan IED Blast’ Australian Government, Department of Defence media release, MSPA 255/08, 12 August 2008
‘Special operations Task Group soldiers Wounded in Afghanistan’, Australian Government, Department of Defence press release, MSPA 284/08, 3 September 2008
‘Special operations Task Group soldiers Wounded in Afghanistan - Update’, Australian Government, Department of Defence press release, MSPA 290/08, 5 September 2008
‘Special operations Task Group soldiers Wounded in Afghanistan Update’, Australian Government, Department of Defence press release, MSPA 295/08, 10 September 2008
‘Australian Army Awarded the Victoria Cross for Trooper Mark Gregor Donaldson’ [official citation], Australian Government, Department of Defence, 16 January 2009
‘The Chief of The Defence Force Salutes Trooper Mark Donaldson, VC’, Australian Government, Department of Defence media release, MECC 19/09, 16 January 2009
‘Canines round up medals’, Australian Government, Department of Defence Image Gallery, January 2009
‘Farewell ceremony for Explosive Detection Dog Nova’, Australian Government, Department of Defence Image Gallery, 26 October 2009
‘Sabi (sic) The Special Forces Dog Laps It Up’, Australian Government, Department of Defence Speech, MECC 425/09, 9 December 2009
‘Release of the inquiry officer report into the death of Private Benjamin Ranaudo’, Australian Government, Department of Defence Speech, MSPA 91217/09, 17 December 2009
‘Biography—Sapper Darren James Smith’, Australian Government, Department of Defence press release, 8 June 2010
Fallen Australian Soldiers commence final journey’, Australian Government, Department of Defence press release, MECC 214/10, 10 June 2010
‘Herbie Finally Home to Rest’, Australian Government, Department of Defence, press release, 30 June 2010
Major General Michael Hindmarsh, Australian Government, Department of Defence press conference, Canberra, 27 September 2006
The Chief of Defence Air Marshal Angus Houston, Australian Government, Department of Defence press conference, Canberra, Transcript, 9 June 2008
‘Australian Troops Assist Improvised Explosive Device Victims’, Australian Government, Department of Defence media release, MECC 230/08, 16 July 2008
‘Canines Round Up Medals’, Australian Government, Department of Defence media release, 6 March 2009
‘MRTF-2 Mourns Nova’, Australian Government, Department of Defence media release MECC 366/09, 26 October 2009
‘Australian Dog Returns Home After a Year in the Afghan Wilderness’, Australian Government, Department of Defence media release, MECC 386/09, 12 November 2009
‘Battle casualties— AFG’, Australian Government, Department of Defence, 23 December 2010
‘Sarbi returns to her regiment’, Australian Government, Department of Defence, defence news, 11 January 2011
‘Australian Army Awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia Corporal Benjamin Roberts-Smith, VC, MG, Citation, Australian Government, Department of Defence, 23 January 2011
‘The Chief of the Defence Force congratulates Corporal Benjamin Roberts-Smith, VC, MG, Australian Government, Department of Defence media release MECC 20/11, 23 January 2011
‘A memorial for Australia’s explosive detection dogs killed in action in Afghanistan’, Australian Government, Department of Defence news release, 5 July 2011
Brigadier Brian Dawson, ‘Media Doorstop for Return of Explosive Detection Dog Sabi (sic)’, Australian Government, Department of Defence, Speech, MSPA 91112/09, 12 November 2009
Brigadier Brian Dawson, Australian Government, Department of Defence press conference, Canberra, 13 November 2009 (via
‘ADF Operations update— questions and answers’, Australian Government, Department of Defence, Transcript, MECC 70221/07, 22 February 2007
Gus Gilmore, ‘ADF Operations Update’, Australian Government, Department of Defence, Transcript, MECC 7051/07, 10 May 2007
Russell Maddalena, Australian Government, Department of Defence press conference, Canberra, 10 May 2007 Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie, ‘Announcement of the Inquiry Findings
Into Operational Incidents in Afghanistan in 2007’, Australian Government, Department of Defence, Transcript, MECC 80512/08, 12 May 2008
Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, ‘Media Conference By The Chief of Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, Regarding the Death of an Australian Soldier in Southern Afghanistan’, Australian Government, Department of Defence, Transcript, MSPA 80428/08, 28 April 2008
Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, ‘Media Conference By The Chief of Defence Force Regarding the Death of an Australian Soldier in Afghanistan’, Australian Government, Department of Defence, Speech, MSPA 80709/08, 9 July 2008
Lieutenant General David Hurley, ‘Media Conference By the Vice Chief of the Defence Force Announcement Re: Findings into the Death of An Australian Soldier in Afghanistan and Claims of Mistreatment of Detainees’, Australian Government, Department of Defence, Speech, MSPA 80829/08, 29 August 2008
Major General Tim McOwan, ‘Update on Special Operations in Afghanistan’, Australian Government, Department of Defence press conference, 11 December 2008
‘The Other Side of the COIN; 1st Reconstruction Task Force Operations and Observations’, Lieutenant Colonel Mick Ryan
Official unclassified Inquiry Officer’s report on Signaller McCarthy’s death of August 2008
Kevin Rudd, ‘Prime Minister Transcript of press conference New Delhi’, Prime Minister of Australia, 12 November 2009
Stephen Smith, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ministerial statement, ‘Afghanistan and Pakistan’, 18 August 2009
P.J. Short, ‘Inquiry Officer’s Report Into The Death of 8265028 Pte L.J. Worsley in Afghanistan on 23 Nov 07, unclassified’, 18 December 2007
S.G. Durward, ‘Inquiry Officer’s Report Into The Death of 8229246 Sergeant M.R. Locke In Afghanistan on 25 Oct 07, unclassified’, 22 January 2008
S.G. Durward, ‘Inquiry Officer’s Report Into The Death of 8298024 Tpr D.R.
Pearce and Injury to [unnamed] in Afghanistan on 8 Oct 07, unclassified’, 22 Jan 08
D. K. Connery, ‘Inquiry Officer’s Report Into The Death of Lance Corporal Jason Paul Marks and the Wounding of Australian Soldiers in Afghanistan on 27 April 2008 (Marks Inquiry), unclassified’, 3 June 2008
D. K. Connery, ‘Inquiry Officer’s Report Into The Death of Signaller S.P.
McCarthy in Afghanistan on 8 Jul 08, unclassified’, August 2008
US Department of Defense, ‘news briefing with Maj. Gen. Schloesser from Afghanistan’, 24 June 2008
US Department of Defense, news briefing, 5 September 2008
Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Graham press release, ‘Flags to be flown half-staff on Sept 19, 22, for servicemen killed while on active duty in Afghanistan’, 17 September 2008
Anna K. Perry, ‘Reconstruction efforts spawn hope in Southern Afghanistan’, US Federal News Service, US Army Special Operations Command press release, 10 September 2008
Stanley McChrystal, Comisaf’s Initial Assessment, report to Robert M. Gates, US Secretary of Defense, 30 August 2009
‘Afghanistan, D Coy Op Slipper’, 1 RAR: The First Battalion Association
‘The Dutch Engagement in Uruzgan, 2006–2010: A Socio-political Assessment’, The Liaison Office (independent Afghan NGO),
Connections, Defence, Science and Technology Organisation, May 2006
Presentation of the Military Order of William to Captain Marco Kroon,
Ministry of Defence of the Netherlands, Directorate of Information and Communication, The Hague, 29 May 2009
Michael Tafe, ‘Precinct Security Planning: Lessons Learnt—Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games’, Speech delivered at the Mass Transport, Mass Gathering and Precinct Security Conference, 8 November 2007
WEBSITES
The Afghanistan Analysts Network
The Australian Defence Force Trackers and War Dogs Association (ADFT-WDA)
Australian Government Department of Defence
Australian Government Department of Defence, EDD Sarbi’s homepage
The Australian War Memorial
‘Keeping Our Four-Legged Forces Healthy,’ Seattle Kennel Club
Hope For The Warriors titled ‘Army Guardsman reunites with lifesaving Afghani dogs’, 2010
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), Afghanistan
Pets For Patriots, Bring Loyalty Home charity organisation (US)
The Last Post Association Ieper,
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Australia
Acknowledgements
First and for emost, sincere thanks to Sergeant D. Unfortunately, becasetralian Army, he cannot be identified but he deserves recognition— and, arguably, a medal—for his actions under fire on 2 September 2008. He was wounded and kept fighting. The self-possessed Doggie gave generously of his time and talked me through dog training, battle strategy and tactics. He also taught me how to get a recalcitrant hound— mine—to shake paws in less than ten minutes. Sergeant D is a first-rate dog handler, a very fine soldier, and a truly decent Australian. Our nation is richer for his service. So are the Doggies.
I would also like to thank the beautiful, big-hearted Wendy Upjohn and her wonderful and talented children Gemma, Nic and Marcelo. They shared their beloved pets with the Australian public and did so with stellar intentions, if very heavy hearts. As a family, they raised two adorable pups and watched over them lovingly for three years, during which Sarbi and Rafi were prepared for a life of action, adventure and proud public service.
And to Sarbi, if she could read, woof! What a girl!
The Special Operations Command is especially protective of operational, security and tactical matters and, as such, the Army’s highest command did not want Sarbi’s story told. Fortunately, I had a secret weapon—a former Duntroon graduate and retired Royal Australian Artillery Officer who believed in the project and helped persuade the most senior brass they should, too. Thank you, Robert Joske. I have enormous respect for your style of ‘golf diplomacy’.
Thanks, also, to the former Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie (retired), who ultimately gave the green light and opened the door to the internal workings of the Explosive Detection Dog Section. Thanks must go to Sergeant D’s chain of command at the Incident Response Regiment, who welcomed me to their headquarters and gave the Doggie valuable time off to speak with me. Huge gratitude goes to the truly professional Miss Rebecca Constance at Army headquarters, who made things run smoothly. Many thanks for your assistance and permission to use the wonderful photographs of Sarbi taken by an army of Army photographers.
Profound thanks to those who shared their personal and professional insights with me: Rick Einstein, Pete ‘Lucy’ Lawlis, Lyndell Brown, Charles Green, Laura Rodriguez in the United States, Martine Van Bijlert and Alison Rhind in Afghanistan, Sandra Popp and Todd Carson in Dubai, British dog handler Paul Bunker, and Michael McCulloch.
Thanks, too, to the supportive and
helpful staff in the art and photographic departments at the Australian War Memorial, and the researchers at the Australian Prime Ministers Centre.
In reconstructing the ambush in Khas Uruzgan, I relied on Sergeant D’s personal accounts and recollections, and drew on the many resources listed in the bibliography and cited throughout the book and endnotes. Each soldier has his own unique recollections and experiences, as is to be expected with the chaos and urgency of fighting to stay alive, and may recall things differently. Any errors, however inadvertent, are mine.
To read more about the history of military working dogs in the Australian Army I highly recommend the web-site of the Australian Defence Force Trackers and War Dogs Association. I owe enormous thanks to the association’s president, Lieutenant Colonel George Hulse, RAE, (retired) who explained the Doggies’ early history and generously gave me permission to use his combat profile interviews.
Thanks to journalists Robert Carmody, Malcolm Farr, Tom Hyland and Katharine Murphy for your witty insights and assistance. Who said journalism was a dog-eat-dog world?
As ever, enormous thanks to my very good friend and super-sharp agent Selwa Anthony, another devoted dog lover.
Thanks to the great team at Allen & Unwin: publisher Rebecca Kaiser whose enthusiasm for the book was always encouraging, editor Ann Lennox whose patience and attention to detail proved a boon to the manuscript, and copyeditor Nicola Robinson who made valuable suggestions.
Eternal thanks to Linda Smith; a first-rate editor, dear friend, and a wonderful sounding board, simply bursting with ideas, all of them good.
Thanks also to my great supportive mates who pointed out interesting dog stories along the way; Ron Cutler, Miranda Devine, Sharon Krum (one of the finest authors I know—double check on that!), and Janine Perrett.
Mutt mates get a woof for providing houndish inspiration and for being physical and behavioural lab rats: our girl, Seisia, of course, and Jake (big blind red mutt), Biggles (fearless rodent-slaying mutt), Bridie (pedigree), Charlie Girl (princess pedigree), Cooper (goofy pedigree), Dizzy (Staffie), Murphy (lovable oodle mutt), Toohey (a fine-looking, agoraphobic rescue hound) and the ultimate top dog, Zinny, a 17-year-old blue heeler.