Peacekeepers and peacemakers honoured in Cairns

Paul Walker is a Waanyi man from the Gulf of Carpentaria on his mother’s side. His father migrated from Scotland to Australia in the sixties along with his grandfather, who served in the British Army.

From 1996 until 2003, Paul served in the Australian Army Signals Corps as an electronic warfare operator in peace monitoring and peacekeeping roles.

“I joined the military as a young, shy man; I was in limbo through labouring jobs when I saw a TV ad for the Army. I went to the Cairns RSL Sub Branch, met with a recruit officer and signed up. I was sworn in at Townsville and then went down to Kapooka in the middle of winter just a couple of weeks later,” Paul recalls.

Paul’s work formed part of the intelligence community trades, with most of his service based at 7th Signals Regiment (EW). In 1998, he was posted to Bougainville with the Peace Monitoring Group, then to East Timor in 2000 until 2001 with the United Nations Transitional Administration (UNTAET).

“I did some amazing things during my time in the Army,” Paul says. “I learnt Morse code and five different specialist languages as part of my trade. I became para-qualified and at that time trained to support the 3rd Parachute Battalion and special forces.”.

Commemorating Australian peacekeeping and peacemaking

Army veteran Paul Walker

Today, Paul volunteers as Treasurer at the Cairns RSL Sub Branch, and as the Far North Queensland representative of the Australian Peacekeeper and Peacemaker Veterans’ Association (APPVA).

“I’m very new in my roles as I only joined up this year, but I’m honoured to be part of the RSL and APPVA. They definitely keep me busy and are very close to my heart,” Paul says.

“It feels surreal to be in these positions after serving for seven years some time ago. Meeting all the members, the veteran community, and anyone involved with the Sub Branch has made for a fantastic experience,” he adds.

In September 2022, Paul attended the 75th Anniversary of Australian Peacekeeping commemorative service in Canberra. The anniversary sparked an idea that would be brought to life through the Department of Veterans’ Affairs’ Saluting Their Service Commemorative Grants Program – a new plaque commemorating peacekeeping and peacemaking, to be installed at the Cairns RSL Sub Branch.

“Peacekeeping is a display of the diversity of our services. I think it’s great that peacekeeping is spoken about more often; it’s a huge part of what we have done between major conflicts, and as part of the transition from conflict to peacetime as well,” Paul explains. 

Over six months, the plaque was brought to life with assistance from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, the Cairns RSL Sub Branch Board, APPVA, the Cairns Regional Council, and Hanby Welding and Engineering, which provided its services free of charge. 

Unveiling the plaque

The plaque honours Australians who have served on peacekeeping operations

Cairns RSL Sub Branch’s commemorative plaque was unveiled on 29 May 2023 – International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers. As a peacekeeping veteran who helped facilitate the project, Paul played a special part in the unveiling ceremony.

“I was honoured to be invited by the Board to personally unveil the plaque. It was a privilege to talk about my story of signing up to the Army from that very building. I got to reflect on my own service and pay my respects to Australian peacekeepers of the past 75 years,” Paul says.

The ceremony was attended by more than 50 people, including Mayor Bob Manning, Cairns Regional Councillors, and members of RSL Queensland, the Australian Federal Police, Australian Border Force, Queensland Police, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, HMAS Cairns, the RAAF, and 51 Far North Queensland Regiment.

“It was a very warm, welcoming event. Everyone was taking photos and congratulating the Sub Branch on the unveiling. It was empowering to have older veterans, especially from the Vietnam era, provide encouraging words,” Paul reflects.

Cairns RSL Sub Branch would like to thank DVA, the Cairns Regional Council, the Defence community, and Hanby Welding and Engineering for their support. You can visit the plaque at the Cairns RSL Sub Branch building, located on the corner of Florence Street and The Esplanade.

Want to stay informed? Subscribe today and get the latest news, services, events and more direct to your email inbox.