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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-07-31 Daily Xml
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Remeljej, Mr A.

Mr PATTERSON (Morphett) (15:13): Here in parliament today, I take the opportunity to speak about a person who is held in the highest regard at the Glenelg Surf Lifesaving Club—Alexander Remeljej. Such is the respect for him that the surf club's most prestigious award—the Remeljej Award—is awarded in his honour.

Alexander Remeljej was born in Detmold, Germany, on 22 May 1947. His family migrated to Adelaide when he was three to start a new life, and he grew up in Rostrevor. He worked as a draftsman's assistant with the state department of lands as a young adult; however, his true passion was found on Glenelg beach as a surf lifesaver. He first joined the Glenelg Surf Life Saving Club at the age of 12 in the 1959-60 season. He obtained his bronze medallion as a 15 year old—the age that many still do today—in the 1962-63 season.

The primary role of surf lifesaving is to save lives, and in this endeavour Alexander excelled. Even though he was not a stand-out athlete, he was loyal and had a reputation for reliability, completing his volunteer patrols enthusiastically. He was known as Rem by his mates. Lifesaving matured these young adolescents and taught them the importance of service, while at the same time providing them with plenty of enjoyable memories with mates.

Glenelg beach was a world away from the Vietnam War, which took place between 1955 and 1975 and saw Australian involvement to support our ally, the United States, fighting alongside the South Vietnamese against the communist Viet Cong. From November 1964, Australia introduced national service based on a birthday ballot of 20-year-old men. National servicemen on full-time duty were liable for what was called 'special overseas service', which included combat duties in Vietnam.

Rem was conscripted by the Australian government at the age of 20, in February 1968, and was soon sent along, with many other young men, to Puckapunyal for military training before being quickly thrown into the jungle warfare of Vietnam. His first involvement was on 17 September 1968, and February 1969 saw him serving with the 5th Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment in Phuoc Tuy Province. Lying on the South Vietnamese coast, three-quarters of Phuoc Tuy was covered with rainforest and grassland. The Viet Cong established bases in the province's mountains and jungles and undertook insurgency operations to harass the allied forces in an attempt to wear them down.

As part of 5RAR, Rem continued to apply his attributes and skills obtained first as a surf lifesaver. Fifty years ago, on 11 April 1969, at the young age of 21, Rem was in the heat of the action defending a forward position in the Phuoc Tuy Province when he noticed the enemy descending upon their position. In this jungle warfare, most casualties were inflicted in the first few seconds of the firefight by the side that opened fire first. It is believed that Rem engaged the enemy early, taking the full brunt of the Viet Cong, risking his life in order to alert the base of the enemy closing in. Tragically, he was killed in action while putting his mates and country before himself.

Mr BROWN: Point of order, Mr Speaker: I draw your attention to the state of the house.

A quorum having been formed:

Mr PATTERSON: In hearing about Rem's supreme sacrifice, the Glenelg Surf Life Saving Club commissioned a trophy for one of its favourite sons. The trophy is a likeness of Rem. It is carved from driftwood and awarded to the member that best displays Rem's characteristics of professionalism, loyalty, integrity, courage and teamwork. Since its inception at the awards night 46 years ago in 1972, there have been 28 individual winners. Some of the recent winners include Shane Daw, Lisa Harvey, Dee Armstrong and her son Shaun, Pete Tidswell and current club president, Georgie Cole.

I attended the Glenelg Surf Life Saving Club's presentation night recently. Fifty years after Rem was killed in action, the club paid special tribute to Rem, with young lifesaver Cormac Sammut speaking about Rem's qualities before local legend Anthony Merchant was presented with the Remeljej Award for 2018-19. Fittingly, the award was presented by one of Rem's former clubmates, Brenton Quimby. The club remembered Rem's selfless sacrifice for his mates and, like so many valiant heroes who gave their lives for this country, we will remember him.

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