Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Serviceman’s Funeral

Honorary Captain Arthur Reginald GILHAM
1925 - 2015

We are assembled here to pay a last tribute to a fellow serviceman, Senior Representative (Honorary Captain) Arthur Gilham, who served in defence of our nation with the Salvation Army Red Shield Defence Services, during the Malaysia Confrontation and the Vietnam Campaign. To all members of his family, may we extend our sincere condolences from all service men and women from the Southern Downs Region.
1950005 Arthur Reginald Gilham, was born in South Australia on the 23rd October 1925 and served in the Australian Regular Army from the 9th February 1966 as a Philanthropic Representative with the Red Shield Defence Services, or as we know them more affectionately, the ‘Sally man.’
Accredited by the Australian Department of Defence, Red Shield Defence Services assist the members of the Australian Defence Force and their families by providing a Philanthropic support service which is not normally provided by the Australian Defence Force. The ADF rely on them to lift morale in the field or on base.
While they are not members of the ADF, the Red Shield Representatives receive ADF accreditation and hold honorary officer status. They work from Recreation Centres on Bases known as ‘Hop-In Centres” and travel with the troops on Military Exercises and operational deployments. They were issued with military clothing, but not with weapons.
Arthur served in many locations over his three year enlistment, mostly in the Northern Command area on the unallotted list, but none more challenging than on the 25th February 1966 where he was attached to the Australian Army Far East Land Forces, for duty with the 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. After a period of training, the battalion along with Arthur, deployed to Sarawak in Borneo in April 1966, where it was to operate from four company bases. He returned to Australia on the 4th October 1967.

I received an email from a member of that unit during that time, he wrote that, “Our Red Shield man in Malaya was known as ‘Skipper’ to all of us. He was always there at the Chopper Pad with a brew when we were going in. 30 days later he was there waiting for us when we came out. He would often come out to our Company lines and just wander around having a chat. He was a top bloke”.
His second challenge while serving came on the 21st May 1968, when 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment relieved the 2 Bn RAR on active service in South Vietnam. 4 RAR was based at Nui Dat, Phuoc Tuy province. V3 and W1 Companies from the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (RNZIR) joined the battalion and on 2 June 1968 it was formally renamed 4RAR/NZ (ANZAC) Battalion. The battalion lost twenty three men and Arthur was there to assist their comrades in their time of need. He returned home from Vietnam on the 30th May 1969.
Arthur was awarded the Australian Active Service Medal 1945-75 with Clasp ‘Malaysia and Vietnam, the General Service Medal 1962 with Clasp “Borneo’, the Vietnam Medal, the Vietnamese Campaign Medal and the Returned from Active Service Badge. The Department of Defence has also advised that Arthur may be eligible for a further award. Arthur took his discharge the 23rd June 1969.
How well he served his fellow man in addition to that service is known only to a few, we who are left, pay tribute to him today. Mourning the passing of one, who did without question, what was asked of him.
As we stand here together, remembering his life, we also join in a silent pledge to sink whatever differences we may have had with each other, and to extend the hand of comradeship, and to carry on our tradition of unselfish service to the servicemen and women of our nation, to the bereaved and to the highest ideals of citizenship.