Land Rover Model 130 Defender series : Salvation Army

Brunswick green Land Rover, Model 130 'Defender' series, manual transmission, one ton, four wheel drive vehicle. Complete with side running boards and a steel ARB brand bull-bar, with fitted side bars. There is a WARN brand, nine thousand pound electric winch attached to the front of the vehicle. The rear bodywork has been added according to Salvation Army specifications and is designed to hold food and beverages. Steel grab bars have been fitted to each side of the roof. Access to the rear compartments is via swiveling 'T' handles which open large outward swinging doors fitted to the sides and rear of the vehicle. The interior is fitted with shelving to hold large volume, hot and cold liquid containers, food containers and storage containers. A Cafe bar hot drink maker is also fitted. Also carried are four plastic twenty litre jerry cans for fresh water, one axe, one shovel, a recovery chain, some electrical leads, a winch controller and an unused spare tyre. The original black plastic mudguard protectors have been removed from the front wheel arches and are stored in the rear compartment.

This Salvation Army vehicle was landed in East Timor in 1999, just weeks after the initial arrival of INTERFET troops. It served in East Timor continuously until November 2003 and had six different drivers during this period. The vehicle's primary function was to provide support in the form of spirituality, food products and stationery to Australian Defence Force personnel.

The vehicle ranged widely across East Timor visiting troops in the field at many locations. This vehicle negotiated thousands of kilometres across sandy, rocky and mountainous terrain. The vehicle was constantly covered in a thick coating of dust, and when in a village called Balibo, young adolescent boys asked the driver, how to spell "girls" in English. Without a black board the back of the Sallyman was used, writing words in the dust and becoming the unofficial English teacher of Balibo.

On another occasion the vehicle was stopped by stern looking East Timorese police recruits at the village of Marko and thoroughly searched. This caused the driver, who was also searched, much consternation. It turned out to be a practical joke organised by a partly hidden and laughing Australian Warrant Officer, who was supervising the new police recruits. The vehicle also provided support to other allied troops such as the Japanese, as well as the local East Timorese population.