Peter Lloyd – his years of army service on Middle Head

Recalling his experience of being stationed on Middle Head in Mosman during the Vietnam War, Dr Peter Lloyd has strong views about the importance of preserving the Middle Head military village and fortifications. The precinct has major significance for him. “There’s an incredible amount of history (at Middle Head). It tells the continuous story of Australia’s military history since 1801”, he says. 

Like many young Australian men conscripted in the early 1970s, Peter holds indelible memories of this time, and he feels privileged to have spent much of his national service based at Middle Head.

Ironically, after school he had been trained by Pan-American Airlines and employed to work in air traffic control at Saigon Airport in Viet Nam. Then his birthdate was drawn in the ballot, and he was called up to serve for two years with the Australian Army with the likelihood of being deployed to Vietnam. After basic training at Puckapunyal, Peter was identified for officer training because of his background and skills in air operations and interest in transport economics. A short intensive course for junior officers at Scheyville followed (very intensive, 6 am to 9 pm every day, with an attrition rate); he was then deployed in November 1971 to the Royal Australian Engineers in a multi-disciplinary transport role based at Middle Head. He was posted to 11 MC (Movement Control) Group which was part of 30 Terminal Squadron, which in turn was part of One Terminal Group.

As an officer, Peter was housed along with servicemen who were ‘non-nashos’ in the brick barracks at 10 Terminal. He settled in easily to barracks life. He recalls that the timber barracks were occupied by the Other Ranks permanently through the national service era. It was a close community on Middle Head and there were 120–150 in residence in the brick buildings and timber barracks. He feels national service brought all sorts of backgrounds together, a pot pourri with a shared view of “Well, we’re here, we’re in this for two years”. It gave the young men practical skills that were transportable into life after the army. On Middle Head, Peter’s unit “provided training in many non-military skills, for example, maintaining and operating heavy machinery and trucks, which gave soldiers pathways for employment post-service.”   

Peter feels that generally national service is not well recognised by the government, and he uses the example of the Middle Head barracks. “There is no mention in the history of Middle Head of the use of the barracks and buildings for national service. The barracks should be retained for the potential emotional attachment that past soldiers and especially national servicemen may have.”

Peter’s role had a huge variety of work. He says “Movement Control looked after the beach operations for beach landings, seaborne landings, airfield control, small ships. We had roles with the Air Force as well. So it was one of the most embracing roles, if you like, in the army because you covered all services.” 

He felt fortunate to be able to take several courses in different transport modes. Shortly after arriving at Middle Head, Peter was posted as the course Squadron 2IC, and shortly after his commanding officer took long service leave so he became the acting commander. “From a second lieutenant to basically a major’s role was a pretty meteoric rise”, he says. He was just 22. 

Peter remembers that the military environment at Middle Head was very amenable compared with some other locations and he had great mentors in his OC Marshall Storey and his commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel John Hughes. He also recalls his sergeant John Dransfield, who was particularly good with the other ranks.

“Life was quite good, actually, because the officer's mess was all of a hundred metres from the office or became in some cases less so. And you had all your equipment around you as well.”

The NCOs and officers all worked very closely as a multi-skilled group, and Peter rates the level of competence very high. They worked closely as well with The Royal Corps of Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RAEME) and Peter comments that “in fact, one of the buildings that desperately needs to be preserved is the old workshop building because there are service pits and everything there.” They were all very well trained because there were so many different types of equipment to be maintained, and the small unit had to be independent as there was no other similar operation nearby. 

The national service recruits sent to the transport unit at Middle Head were often challenged by lack of skills and experience. Not only did they have to be able to use a piece of equipment but also have the ability to do it quickly and under orders. Nevertheless, Peter and other officers tried to assign them to roles that would fit. Peter attributes this to the excellence of command on Middle Head. “And I think the commanding officers, the way they treated everyone, they got the best out of everyone. 

The Middle Head military village was busy and sociable. “We had people constantly coming through including local residents and the police, and we had a close relationship with HMS Penguin, but it was only by invitation.”

In the broader spectrum, there was continuing political debate and protest about conscription and Australia’s participation in the Vietnam War. About halfway through Peter’s time at Middle Head, in a highly charged situation, Peter and the squadron from Middle Head were called to step in to work on the wharves when the unions black banned supply ships such as the ‘John Monash’ going to Vietnam. The army, in uniform, took over, working with the stevedoring companies as ‘wharfies’ loading and unloading supplies. They had to cross picket lines and Peter is surprised to this day that there were not more clashes. 

The transportation unit that Peter served in was originally part of the Royal Australian Corps of Engineers (RAE). This was amalgamated with the Royal Australian Army Service Corps (RAASC) to form a dedicated transport Corps, the Royal Australian Corps of Transport (RACT) in 1973 as managing sea and air transport and the increasing sophistication of the equipment was considered critical for the army. The RACT is still today responsible for the operation of army surface transport assets, movement control, terminal and postal services, and Army aspects of air logistic support.

Peter’s plan for an army career took a different turn when he was tapped on the shoulder to become the Aide-de-Camp to NSW governor, Sir Roden Cutler, in Nov 1972. He recounts “I was the first ADC who didn't live in Government House full time. I had my own apartment at Government House, but I was allowed to live out as well, so I maintained my rooms at Middle Head, maintained my membership of the mess, and maintained my membership of the unit.” Continuing the social connection with the units based at Middle Head was important during this period of his life in service.