Historical information

This is a set of nine photographs of Defence Force Service Medal presentations by the Chief of the General Staff (CGS) Lieutenant General Sir Donald Dunstan AC, KBE, CB; at the Army Survey Regiment, Fortuna, Bendigo on the 5th of June 1979. The photos were taken next to the flagpole in Fortuna Villa’s front garden. Upon retirement from the Army in 1982, Lieutenant General Sir Donald Dunstan AC, KBE, CB; was appointed to the position of Governor of South Australia from 1982 to 1991. On this occasion the CGS presented the Defence Force Service Medal to WO2 Alex Cairney, WO1 Bob Mason and WO2 Ken Slater for 15 years of efficient remunerated service in the Australian Army. It is likely the unidentified UK Exchange senior NCO was the recipient of the UK Army’s equivalent service medal. Other key staff appearing in these photos are LTCOL Bob Skitch was the CO of the Army Svy Rgt from 1976 to 1980 and WO1 Aub Harvey, who was RSM from 1976 to 1982. MAJ Don Swiney MBE was later promoted to LTCOL and was CO of the Army Svy Rgt from 1985 to 1987. He was subsequently promoted to Colonel and was Director of the Royal Australian Survey Corp from November 1988 to January 1991, and the honorary position as Colonel Commandant from January 1993 to January 1996. See item 6034.14P for photos of the CGS’s tour through the production areas of the Army Svy Rgt.

Physical description

This is a set of nine photographs of Defence Force Service Medal presentations by the Chief of the General Staff (CGS) at the Army Survey Regiment, Fortuna, Bendigo on the 5th of June 1979. The photographs were printed on photographic paper and are part of the Army Survey Regiment’s Collection. They were scanned at 300 dpi.
.1) - Photo, black and white, 1979. L to R: RSM WO1 Aub Harvey, CAPT Don Maskew, CGS LTGEN General Sir Donald Dunstan AC, KBE, CB; MAJ Don Swiney MBE, CO LTCOL Bob Skitch.
.2) - Photo, black and white, 1979. Foreground L to R: CO LTCOL Bob Skitch, MAJ Don Swiney MBE, CGS LTGEN General Sir Donald Dunstan AC, KBE, CB; CAPT Don Maskew. Background L to R: WO2 Ken Slater, WO2 Alex Cairney, WO1 Bob Mason, unidentified UK Exchange senior NCO.
.3) - Photo, black and white, 1979. L to R: WO2 Ken Slater, WO2 Alex Cairney, WO1 Bob Mason, unidentified UK Exchange senior NCO.
.4) & .5) - Photo, black and white, 1979. L to R: WO2 Ken Slater, CGS LTGEN General Sir Donald Dunstan AC, KBE, CB; CAPT Don Maskew, MAJ Don Swiney MBE, CO LTCOL Bob Skitch.
.6) - Photo, black and white, 1979. L to R: RSM WO1 Aub Harvey, unidentified UK Exchange senior NCO, , CGS LTGEN General Sir Donald Dunstan AC, KBE, CB; MAJ Don Swiney MBE, CO LTCOL Bob Skitch, unidentified aide de camp officer.
.7) - Photo, black and white, 1979. L to R: RSM WO1 Aub Harvey, WO2 Alex Cairney, CAPT Don Maskew, LTGEN General Sir Donald Dunstan AC, KBE, CB; MAJ Don Swiney MBE, CO LTCOL Bob Skitch, unidentified aide de camp officer, unidentified photographer.
.8) - Photo, black and white, 1979. L to R: RSM WO1 Aub Harvey, CAPT Don Maskew, WO1 Bob Mason, LTGEN General Sir Donald Dunstan AC, KBE, CB; MAJ Don Swiney MBE, CO LTCOL Bob Skitch, unidentified aide de camp officer, unidentified RAAF officer, MAJ Peter Eddy.
.9) - Photo, black and white, 1979. L to R: WO1 Bob Mason, WO2 Ken Slater, RSM WO1 Aub Harvey, WO2 Alex Cairney, unidentified UK Exchange senior NCO.

Inscriptions & markings

.1P to .14P – no annotations