16 June 2023
Each year the Special Air Service South Australian Association (SASSAA) hold a memorial service to remember the eighteen young men from Special Forces and Army Aviation who died in the Black Hawk accident in High Range on 12 June 1996 whilst on Counter Terrorism operational service. The day also commemorates the fallen from the Regiment in many other conflicts from Malaysia, Vietnam to the Middle East area of operations.
The service is held at the SAS memorial on the Walk of Remembrance behind Government House and above Torrens Parade ground.
Our School Prefects attended the service with Barnaby Eaton, Head of Senior School (acting). Barnaby read the following poem as part of the service:
DREAMERS
Soldiers are citizens of death’s grey land, Drawing no dividend from time’s to-morrows. In the great hour of destiny they stand,
Each with his feuds, and jealousies, and sorrows. Soldiers are sworn to action; they must win Some flaming, fatal climax with their lives.
Soldiers are dreamers; when the guns begin They think of firelit homes, clean beds and wives.
I see them in foul dug-outs, gnawed by rats, And in the ruined trenches, lashed with rain, Dreaming of things they did with balls and bats, And mocked by hopeless longing to regain Bank-holidays, and picture shows, and spats, And going to the office in the train.
Siegfried Sassoon
