Our People in SA
Dale Tattersall - Mountain time for Happy Valley surfie
Sitting on top of East Timor’s mountain ranges has been a highlight for Happy Valley soldier Dale Tattersall, 21.
The local man is now an Army Private and has specialised as a rifleman. He’s now part of the International Stabilisation Force (ISF), assisting the East Timorese and UN to maintain stability and security in the country.
“My job has been providing security to key locations and patrolling across large areas of the country,” Dale said.
“It has been good to get out into the community and see something a bit different.”
Dale has only been in the Australian Army for 15 months, and this is his first overseas operational deployment but, thanks to pre-deployment training, he says it is what he expected.
“On arrival here, I was mainly struck by the heat,” he said.
Dale says the deployment has been the highlight of his short soldiering career so far, but he is looking forward to having a cook-up on his barbeque when he gets home – and having weekends off.
Dale’s is a keen member of the Seacliff Surf Life Saving Club, and says he’s keen to catch up with some surf. “I can’t wait until I can disappear down the coast for long periods of time off,” he said.
Dale is one of some 650 Australian Defence Force personnel now serving in East Timor with Operation Astute.
The operation is part of the Australian Government's response to a request from the Government of East Timor to assist in bringing stability, security and confidence to the Timorese.