Retired soldier reflects on experience of Anzac troops during the Bougainville campaign

A retired soldier and current Kalgoorlie-Boulder police officer shared his personal experience serving in Papua New Guinea during Thursday’s commemorative Anzac Day service in Kalgoorlie-Boulder.

Lincoln Lobascher served in the Australian Army for more than 10 years and was deployed to Bougainville in 2014 to dispose of explosive remnants from World War II under Operation Render Safe.

The WWII Bougainville campaign began in November 1944 and saw intense land and naval battles take place between allied forces and the Empire of Japan.

Australian forces were brought into the conflict one year later after the initial landings on Torokina Beach.

Mr Lobascher said his unit landed in 2014 in the same location the allied forces had almost 70 years earlier.

“Our reception was one of happy faces and handing out lollies to the kids that came to greet us before an easy drive a few kilometres inland to a field that had been cut and flattened,” he said.

“It’s safe to say at this point, the experiences of the soldiers on the ground at 70 years apart held very few similarities.

“Some of the experiences that stayed with me from that trip were ones that I’m sure would have been seen by the Australian (soldiers) in 1944, but without the calmness and safety, likely would have been lost amongst the barrage of battle.”

Mr Lobascher said the disparity between his experience of the idyllic island and that of Australian troops serving during the Bougainville campaign weighed heavily on his mind.

“It was a sobering reminder that amongst this picture-perfect scene, the life of the Anzacs on that ground was one of constant danger and the real prospect of not making it back to the country that they were fighting to protect,” he said.

“We left the island after just two weeks and headed back to Australia, to the country that we have today thanks to the sacrifices and hardships of so many men and women that have come before us and those that continue to serve.”

Before Thursday’s service, a commemorative parade was held, with a pipe band, army reserves and air force cadets taking part.

It started at the Kalgoorlie Ex-Servicemen’s Memorial Club on Dugan Street before heading along Wilson Street towards the Kalgoorlie War Memorial.

During the service hosted by the Kalgoorlie RSL sub-branch, 10-year-old O’Connor Primary School student Ava Eather was invited to share a letter to a soldier she wrote as part of her classwork.

“Dear soldier, there is not enough words in all of the English language to describe how thankful I am to have people like you who sacrificed their lives for their country,” the letter said.

“Me and so many others will remember you forever and will commemorate soldiers every April 25.

“Soldiers took many life-threatening risks, all for your country and nation.

“I honour your bravery and we’ll never forget that you served in the war for us.”