THE TRAGIC DEATH OF SERGEANT MATTHEW LOCKE

26 October 2007

PRESS CONFERENCE AT HOLSWORTHY BARRACKS, NSW
BY HIS EXCELLENCY MAJOR GENERAL MICHAEL JEFFERY AC CVO MC
GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
CONCERNING THE TRAGIC DEATH OF SERGEANT MATTHEW LOCKE

Well ladies and gentlemen, shortly after this press conference, in the company of the Chief of Army and the Commander of Special Operations Command, I'll be officiating at a ceremony to present a Unit Citation of Gallantry to the Fourth Battalion Royal Australian Commando, for their absolutely outstanding service in Afghanistan in 05/06 - in which in 309 days of operations in the field, they were in contact with the enemy on no fewer than 139 occasions. And they did that and performed magnificently.

But before attending that particular ceremony, as Honorary Colonel of the Special Air Service Regiment, and I guess that means the grandfather, I want to express on behalf of the nation my deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Sergeant Locke, the SAS Patrol Commander so tragically killed in action in Oruzgan Province recently.

It's a doubly poignant moment for me, because in December last year I presented Sergeant Locke with a very well deserved medal of gallantry for outstanding leadership and bravery under sustained fire in Afghanistan. So it is very, very sad that on his second tour, that he has been so tragically lost to us.

Sergeant Locke, from my observations, was a magnificent soldier. He was brave, he was an absolute professional, but he also had a wonderful sense of humour and was very compassionate and I know that he will be missed, not just by his patrol, but also by the whole regiment.

For his family, of course, it will be a time of deep grief and we know, I think, just how they are feeling. But if I could offer perhaps two lines of comfort. First that Sergeant Locke was doing what he loved doing, that is commanding the best soldiers in the world in operations, in which he did so supremely well. And secondly, many of us would like to think, and I certainly do, that with 42 other special force soldiers who have lost their lives, he is now in a place of peace and tranquillity and hopefully with an internal dimension.

Thank you very much.