Warrant Officer Class Two (WO2) David Buckley was attacked with rocks and slingshots while deployed to East Timor (now Timor-Leste), just one year after joining the infantry in 2007.
“During some of the violent build-ups, we had big rocks thrown on the bonnet of our vehicle,” he said.
“The slingshots were armed with darts.”
Australians were deployed on Operation Astute in East Timor from 2006 as part of an international peacekeeping mission to stabilise the country following internal unrest and violence.
During his first patrol, they came across a fatal car accident and dealt with the scene, while holding back a crowd of more than 80 people with just 10 soldiers.
It wasn’t unusual for crowds to gather around incidents with a military presence.
On another occasion, WO2 Buckley and his team provided first aid to a couple of young men who had been in an altercation with a Timorese police officer.
As a fresh digger, WO2 Buckley said he didn’t know what to expect when he arrived.
“You just get on with it. It was all part of the job,” he said.
He was first inspired to join the infantry at age 26 because of the 9/11 attacks.
“I was a second or third-year tradie when 9/11 happened. That’s when I found interest,” WO2 Buckley said.
He joined six years later.
His typical day in East Timor involved patrolling, both on foot and in vehicles.
“There was a rotation; it would change every three to five days, usually a morning or arvo patrol, then a night patrol either on foot or mounted,” he said.
“The furthest we went was about 20km doing basic urban patrolling on foot.”
‘Every time you help someone in need, or speak out against injustice or work to make the world a better place, you are making a difference.’
His regiment was in East Timor when President José Ramos Horta was shot in February 2008.
Rebel leader Alfredo Reinado was killed during the attack on President Horta, just before WO2 Buckley arrived. The Australian forces later witnessed Reinado’s men surrender to East Timorese authorities.
“That was big. There were choppers flying people in to negotiate,” he said.
“We were the outer cordon, stopping people from coming in, and searching them for anything suspicious.”
During his deployment, WO2 Buckley learned leadership and planning skills, which helped him in future operations.
“Everyone would take a patrol and do full orders,” WO2 Buckley said.
“It was good exposure for a brand-new lid, having to plan, conduct the patrol, and then handle all the post-patrol work as well.”
The challenges he faced during his time in East Timor included missing family moments and fitness.
“I missed the birth of my daughter, which was difficult,” he said.
“I should have definitely smashed myself earlier with fitness; I waited too long.
“And I should have studied more about the 2IC [second-in-command] and section commander’s job, especially the orders process and planning.”
For WO2 Buckley, making a difference in East Timor required more than just good intentions – it demanded action, sacrifice and overcoming challenges.
“Even small actions can make a big difference. Every time you help someone in need, or speak out against injustice or work to make the world a better place, you are making a difference,” he said.
