Digital wrist watch : Chief Petty Officer Signals Yeoman D J Perryman, HMAS Tobruk (II)

Place Africa: Somalia
Accession Number REL35106
Collection type Heraldry
Object type Personal Equipment
Physical description Metal, Perspex, Plastic, Stainless steel
Maker Marathon Watch Co
Timex
Place made Korea
Date made 1988
Conflict Somalia, 1992-1995
Description

Australian Defence Force (ADF) issue digital watch with a black plastic wrist band and buckle. The case and face are rectangular with two function buttons on each side of the body. Around the display area is a yellow border and the words, TIMEX QUATRTZ' and 'WATER RESISTANT'. There are also various function indictors above and below the display. Impressed on the back of the case is 'STAINLESS STEEL CASE' a broad arrow '11/88' and ' ASSEMBLED IN KOREA'. On the shoulder of the band is the word, 'MARATHON'.

History / Summary

Australian Defence Force issue watch worn by Chief Petty Officer Signals Yeoman (CPOSY) Duncan John Perryman of HMAS Tobruk during his service in Somalia. UNOSOM II (United Nations Operation in Somalia) was the second phase of the United Nations intervention in Somalia. It ran from March 1993 until March 1995. UNOSOM II carried on from the US-controlled (but UN sanctioned) UNITAF, which had in turn taken over from the UNOSOM I mission. All three of these interventions were aimed at creating a secure enough environment for humanitarian operations to be carried out in the increasingly lawless and famine-struck country.

The RAN played an important part in the UNOSOM deployment, transporting the battalion group equipment, vehicles, and some troops, to Somalia on board the training ship HMAS Jervis Bay and the heavy landing ship HMAS Tobruk. Tobruk subsequently remained in the area in support, providing logistic support to the Australians and UNITAF, and conducted surveillance off the Somali coast. Its helicopter was used in ship-to-shore transport of personnel. Tobruk was also used by the land forces for rest and recreation