The Regiment is saddened by the passing of another tribal elder. He died in the Manning Base Hospital.
Max enlisted in the CMF in 1949 at the age of 17 before joining the ARA in 1953 and attending the Officer Cadet School, Portsea. He served as a rifle platoon and tracker team commander in 3 RAR, during the Malayan Emergency and returned to OCS Portsea as an instructor in the early 1960s.
He graduated from the Army Staff College in 1965 and was immediately posted to 5 RAR. Max served as 5 RAR’s Operations Officer (while also commanding Support Company) and later, he commanded A Company.
Post-Vietnam, he served on loan to the Malaysian Army, and then as the Senior Instructor Tactics at the Royal Military College, Duntroon. Max held multiple staff appointments including on the Australian Army Staff in London. He was Mentioned-In-Despatches during his service in Malaya and again in Vietnam.
Max retired as a Colonel after 34 years service. The Military Secretary wrote in his Record of Service that Max was “…an officer of high principles whose loyalty, devotion to duty and professional competence were an inspiration to all with whom he was associated.“
His Funeral service will be held on Friday 2 Feb at 1300 hours (EDST), at the Manning Great Lakes Memorial Gardens, 183 Pampoolah Rd, Pampoolah NSW 2430.
The service will be live streamed (and also recorded for later viewing) and accessible via the Memorial Gardens streaming web page here: https://mglmg.com.au/live-streaming/client/?nid=2dab7772-9e45-44ce-817a-60192d934142 If that falters, try the main page here https://mglmg.com.au and navigate to live streaming via the ‘Funerals’ drop down.
Rest in Peace noble warrior, your Duty has been done.
A Warrior’s Farewell – Homeward Bound
I saw the shooting star burning so bright
Falling, falling, fading and soon from sight
So distant and yet so near In its wake,
a soldier’s journey so very clear
Duty, sharing, caring, courage and sometimes fear
No longer a mortal in life’s short race
A contented spirit bound for home somewhere in distant space
This fiery trail I saw tonight marks a warrior’s farewell
Leaving behind another legacy of proud deeds to tell
by George Mansford©April 2012
