Memories of mates to come flooding back

As with many ex-servicemen and women, Anzac Day brings to life a host of memories for Hedland resident Jason Gentili.

Nowadays, the Port Hedland police Sergeant is likely to spend April 25 at work with the boys in blue.

But during an Australian Army career from 1986 to 1996, he commemorated dawn service in some surprising spots, including the top of a hill in China.

He ended up on that hill after heading on exercises with British troops during a posting to Hong Kong before its 1997 handover to China.

The troops had undertaken a 12-hour barge ride and pulled up believing they were still in Hong Kong territory.

So after performing dawn service, they proceeded with plans to do a mock attack on a local village, storming the huts and pulling out the terrified villagers.

It turned out the villagers were terrified for good reason.

"We couldn't work out why they were such great actors … but we found out later they had no idea we were coming," Sgt Gentili said.

"We were in China and we didn't know."

Luckily, the Chinese army didn't show up.

Nor were the villagers bad sports as they didn't seem to hold a grudge afterwards.

Sgt Gentili said the event was an example of the laughs he shared with fellow soldiers on days like Anzac Day.

"Like it has been said, you don't go over there to fight for the country … it is more for the guy with you," he said.

"That is the best thing about the army - there is so much camaraderie and friendship."

As well as the friendship, the army helped Sgt Gentili turn his life around.

Joining as a teenager with a rough upbringing, he found himself in charge of older men, having been promoted to corporal at 19.

He later took specialised training, such as in demolitions.

Although he loved the job, he said there were challenges.

During a deployment to Bougainville in Papua New Guinea to train its soldiers, the Aussie troops were in danger from local gangs and even the men they were training.

One Australian warrant officer died in an attack by local youths, while Sgt Gentili remembered a mob attacking his jeep with machetes.

He said he believed the Aussie soldiers were never adequately recognised for their service in PNG.

Later, while training for another overseas deployment, his brother-in-law and other troopers he helped train died in the Black Hawk crash in Townsville in 1996.

He said last year in Hedland was one of his favourite Anzac Days after running into three former defence force colleagues.

"Anzac Day is a big day and a lot of us young soldiers have (also) got mates to reflect back on, who have made that ultimate sacrifice," he said.