| Accession Number | PR03793 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Private Record |
| Record type | Collection |
| Measurement | Extent: 5 cm; Wallet/s: 2 |
| Object type | Document, Card, Map, Notebook, Serial |
| Maker |
Australian Defence Force Blakeman, Simone Lisa Various |
| Place made | Australia: Queensland, Sunshine Coast, Somalia |
| Date made | 1992-1994 |
| Access | Open |
| Conflict |
Period 1990-1999 Somalia, 1992-1995 |
| Copying Provisions | Copyright restrictions apply. Only personal, non-commercial, research and study use permitted. Permission of copyright holder required for any commercial use and/or reproduction. |
Steen, Simone Lisa (Private, b.1970)
Description
Collection relating to the Operation Solace service of F186520 Private Simone Lisa Steen (later Blakeman), Medical Section, 3 Brigade Administrative Support Battalion, Somalia, 1992-1994.
Wallet 1 of 2 - Consists of five booklets and a notebook related to Steen's deployment to Somalia. The wallet includes two Australian Defence Force (ADF) Soldiers Handbooks for Operation Solace (one blue cover and one pink), which provide brief details on Somalia and the operational environment, an ADF "Land Mine Guide" for Somalia (2nd edition, January 1993), a United States "Somalia Handbook - Foreign Ground Weapons and Health Issues", and a United States Defense Language Institute publication "SIS Guide Surviving in Somalia", which covers basic words and phrases in Somali. The wallet also includes Steen's notebook from the deployment. The notebook is water damaged, but includes notes on basic phrases in Somali, postal addresses, key dates, tasks, and medical and briefing notes.
Wallet 2 of 2 - Consists of a map, documents, a booklet, and a journal related to Operation Solace and Steen's return to Australia. The wallet includes a pre-deployment personal equipment checklist, a map of Somalia 1:500,000 scale, seven blank pages and four blank envelopes with the 3rd Brigade Administrative Support Battalion Somalia letterhead, and a partial copy of the Sunshine Coast Daily newspaper from 11 March 1993. The newspaper includes an article about Steen, her deployment to Somalia, and her correspondence with her mother. The wallet also includes a large Valentine's Day card made from scrap materials for the female members of the Medical Section, the January/February 1994 edition of the Australian Defence Force Journal, which features several articles on Operation Solace and the situation in Somalia, and a copy of the "Homecoming Package" booklet prepared by the Australian Army Psychology Corps for personnel returning from operational deployment. The booklet provides a guide to the stresses and emotions returning personnel may experience, as well as tips for a smooth reintegration.