The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (8511029) Sapper Rowan Jaie Robinson, Incident Response Regiment, Afghanistan

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Troy Clayton, the story for this day was on (8511029) Sapper Rowan Jaie Robinson, Incident Response Regiment, Afghanistan.

8511029 Sapper Rowan Jaie Robinson, Incident Response Regiment
KIA 6 June 2011
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 6 June 2015

Today we remember and pay tribute to Sapper Rowan Jaie Robinson, who was killed fighting in Afghanistan in 2011.

Rowan Robinson was born in Sydney 3 September 1987 to Marie and Peter Robinson, a younger brother for Rachael, Ben, and Troy. The family soon after moved to Cudgen on the north coast of New South Wales, where Rowan attended Cudgen Primary School, Mount St Patrick College, and Kingscliff High School.

Rowan was an excellent student and exceptional sportsman, representing his school in athletics, basketball, rugby, and swimming. He was a member of Cudgen Headland Surf Lifesaving Club for many years, and loved surfing and music.

In 2006 Rowan joined the Australian Army as a combat engineer. After completing initial training at the School of Military Engineering in Sydney he was posted to 22 Troop of the 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment, based in Townsville, Queensland.

In October 2007 Rowan deployed to Afghanistan with his unit as part of Reconstruction Task Force 3. Australian troops of RTF 3 joined Afghan, British, Dutch, Canadian, and US forces the following month in a major operation to clear the dangerous Baluchi and Chora Valleys of Taliban influence. During this operation, Rowan’s quick actions helped save the life of Sergeant Michael Lyddiard, his platoon sergeant, who was seriously wounded when the improvised explosive device he was attempting to disarm exploded.

On returning to Australia Rowan turned down his commander’s recommendation to undertake officer training in favour of pursuing a desire to join Special Forces and return to Afghanistan. He subsequently completed numerous courses, including first aid and leadership, and was accepted into the Incident Response Regiment in 2010.

Described by his colleagues as “a superb man, fit, and happy-go-lucky”, Rowan returned to Afghanistan in March 2011 with the Special Operations Task Group rotation 15. The engineers in the task group served a dangerous but extremely important role, searching for threats and disabling IEDs to ensure the safety of the other members of the contingent.

During a patrol in Northern Helmand Province on 6 June 2011, Rowan and his team uncovered a huge cache of weapons, drugs, and bombmaking equipment. After destroying the cache and moving on, the team came under intense Taliban fire near the village of Baghran. Rowan cleared an area of IEDs and took up an overwatch position to protect the assault teams as they cleared the village below.

Under increasingly heavy fire, Rowan moved forward at great risk to himself to support the commandos in the village, but in doing so received a gunshot wound to the neck. Despite the immediate
application of first aid by his comrades, and treatment by medical staff after he was evacuated by helicopter to the base at Tarin Kot, Rowan soon after died from his wounds.

Considered a future leader in the regiment, Rowan Robinson was a dedicated professional and valued team member who had lived life to the full. He was farewelled at a funeral at Kingscliff, where he was remembered by his family, colleagues, and friends as a man of conviction who had risked all for the safety of others.

Rowan Robinson was 23 years old.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my left, along with 40 other Australians who died while serving in Afghanistan, and his photograph is displayed beside the Pool of Reflection.

This is just one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Sapper Rowan Jaie Robinson, and all those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.

Dr Steven Bullard
Historian, Military History Section